By the way, it is always recommended that your grinder is on ( with or without beans) while you change the grind settings.

When there are beans in the grinder, how do you adjust the grind setting?

You just have to start grinding while moving the worm adjuster. This way no beans get stuck between the burrs.....

Obviously, once you get to the grinding setting that you want, dispose that grind, otherwise your shot would not be consistent.

innermusic wrote:When there are beans in the grinder, how do you adjust the grind setting?

The admonition to only change settings while running is to protect the stupid from themselves. If going coarser, obviously the burrs are moving away from each other and there is no issue. Limit finer adjustments to 2 teeth on the ring gear and there is no problem with the MXK. 2 teeth on the MXK is about half the total espresso range, so it is a 'large' adjustment.

Allow 1 or 2 shots after adjustment to clear the old 'setting' and stabilize the new.

Thanks Ian. So how would you use this grinder? Would you single dose, or would you keep beans in a small hopper?

This picture tells the story :

cafeIKE wrote: Limit finer adjustments to 2 teeth on the ring gear and there is no problem with the MXK. 2 teeth on the MXK is about half the total espresso range, so it is a 'large' adjustment.

Funny enough this is the same limit that I use. Never had a problem going up or down with beans in the chamber.

innermusic wrote:So how would you use this grinder? Would you single dose, or would you keep beans in a small hopper?

Although the question was not ask to me, I will submit an answer. I have done both with good results. But it has been my experience that the results are much better with a loaded hopper. I have recently re-installed the hopper on mine and the grind is much better. I have gone either way with the MXK many times but now I do not think that I will go back to single dosing with it.

Whale wrote:I have gone either way with the MXK many times but now I do not think that I will go back to single dosing with it.

+1

Whale wrote:Although the question was not ask to me, I will submit an answer. I have done both with good results. But it has been my experience that the results are much better with a loaded hopper. I have recently re-installed the hopper on mine and the grind is much better. I have gone either way with the MXK many times but now I do not think that I will go back to single dosing with it.

Well after much experimentation I have to agree. The shots taste noticably better. Today was the clincher. Once I got the grind dialed in, the espresso was sweet and lovely, with flavors coming out that I had not been able to discern before. I also found that I really didn't need much in the hopper; there did not seem to be a difference between a pound or a quarter pound. I guess the issue is having beans bumping beans all the way thru the grind (as opposed to mimicking the weight of a full hopper).

Hi, i bought the macap MXK yesterday for 350 euros (shop-demo model, 6 months old, 6 months warranty)
but i am a hardcore newbie (in machinery) and there is no documentation..

I don't get the 'stepless grinder setting': how and where to turn
(+it is a bit nerve-wracking, it is soooo slow)

and to dose your shot: it is just on and off click? and hoping it is the right amount?

As you turn the adjustment knob, and the base moves counter-clockwise, the grind will get finer. Clockwise makes it coarser. Around 4 twists of the knob will produce a very small change in grind. As for dosing, I just weigh the ground coffee that comes out of the doser. I also have a small angled brush to clear the chute and get all ground coffee into the doser.