RapidCoffee wrote:Apologies for thread drift, but +/- 1g is not good enough. That's why nobody recommends using a +/- 1g precision scale to weigh your dose. Dose changes of 1 or 2 grams produce easily measurable changes in flow. There is clear impact on taste in the cup (for me) with dose changes of 0.5g.

Yes a difference indeed, but I find that if I'm dialed in, (for most beans) +/- 1 gram gets me in the ballpark of similar (not identical) shots and reasonably close to what I'm aiming for. Usually they are all good tasting shots, though I agree a discernible difference could be tasted as a straight shot. Also flow is quite similar with this variation with maybe a couple seconds longer or shorter. I'll admit, the shots that I allow this much variation on are headed for cappuccinos so high precision isn't quite as important. I'll even mention that I rarely even allow this variation for milk drinks since I check the weight on the scale and it is easy to bump the grinder to top it off into the +/-0.5 range. Straight shots I'm always making sure I've got at worst +/- 0.2. Of course I cannot eyeball this! I grind aiming low, depending on how much more I need, I bump or sweep or both. I like to clear the chute anyway if I won't be making another espresso for some time. This method of measuring after grinding with a quick doser sweep is how I would propose to potentially deal with static in my routine. I feel that sweeping out a doser is a more natural routine, but again, I've never been fed up with static problems to be pushed to the point of trying anything to fix it. Maybe even putting a humidifier in the kitchen would be something I'd consider.

I'm still very curious if anyone knows what their local cafes are doing to cope with static. I wonder if they are even controlling the climate in the cafe? Maybe someone with static issues with a local bean can ask the barista the next time they are in the shop?

Maybe I should say +/- 0.5 grams then, haha. I was implying more that if I'm aiming for 18 grams, which is usually my starting point, a 17 gram dose will usually still taste good with a slightly faster but still reasonable flow as the 18 gram dose. And on the other end a 19 gram dose usually still tastes good with a slightly slower but still reasonable flow. Of course comparing both extremes is a very noticeable difference and for a fickle bean, it can be the difference between a good shot and a sink shot. Let me emphasize again, though: I rarely allow this much variation and if I do, it's in a milk drink. I almost always dose within a few tenths of a gram as should everyone for consistency, especially when making straight shots. If this still isn't agreeable to you, yes, I'll agree to disagree, but I feel like we agree on the basics but maybe just not quite on the same page? Maybe even same page, just different paragraph?

To keep this on topic: How much coffee can get "lost" (in the grinder/doser) when static is an issue and you haven't done anything extra like more than sweeping out the throat or RDT? I'm sure it's at least a gram, probably more, right? Definitely enough to destroy the shot if not adjusted, and if adjusted, enough to waste a good amount of coffee, no?

I would not drill a hole in any part of a grinder to facilitate this.