Since it seems we could not come up with a better espresso grinder than the Pharos we are pointing our efforts at the problem of a consistent coarse grinding hand mill. We are thinking along the lines of a portable cupping grinder. We have the prototype, a few details to iron out, and are waiting for new burrs from Ditting to install in our just purchased used Ditting KF804 to use as a reference grinder in grind analysis. It seems that this may all come together mid January.

Looking forward to this one Doug! I'm probably going to end up getting a Pharos for espresso. Then when your press grinder comes out, I might as well get it! Good luck on the design! I'm pretty sure a lot of people would love the outcome for this new grinder.

Working on some de-bugs with the new grinder prototype and wouldn't you know it....an espresso grinding FOOL! Back to the drawing board.....

orphanespresso wrote:...we are pointing our efforts at the problem of a consistent coarse grinding hand mill. We are thinking along the lines of a portable cupping grinder.

This just keeps getting better! Thanks. I'll be eagerly following your progress and will hold off on buying an OE-PFP for now. May the debugging go smoothly.

So is that the prototype grinder in the background on the hand grinder page?
Cupping grinder? Count me in!

Small world--I noticed that tonight, too! Looks bigger than I'd expected. Well, taller. Visual aid below (item of interest = far right; source):

I figured that Hank would be the first one to spot it...it has been flashing on our new HB banner ad for 3 days now...good to know just how much attention people pay to those things!

The prototype has existed for about 2 weeks now...we are taking this one nice and slow. The grinder is based around a 38mm conical burr as used in the Ascaso "i" grinders with the outer burr installed in an aluminum carrier. Top bronze bearing and a second bronze bearing just above the burr. Bottom stepless adjuster by screw and locked with a wing nut. It started out smaller but I insisted that I be able to hold it in my hand by the hopper/tube, so that part grew to 4 1/2". The screw on catch cup is a 6 0z jar and that grew it a bit more.

We are currently going through a "try and break it" stage and it is holding up to abuse real well (yesterday the 1/4" thick aluminum handle survived the try to bend it in a vise test). The burr will be permanently aligned but of course the entire grinder can all be taken apart and put back together, just because. We are working out the two position handle so it can be used like a bicycle motion with two hands (long handle) or held stationary while turning (handle 1" shorter). It is easy to turn and about the same speed as the Kyocera or Porlex.

With the holiday freight slowdowns (it turns out that about the only 7mm partially threaded short bolt, to hold the burr on the axle is for German split rim wheels and that dimple centered high chrome bolt will likely be a dazzler....and it won't even be seen...right now the burr is held with a hex bolt with china markings which although not cheap in that oddball size, we did not like it) and Ditting being closed until Jan 4 (then we get the new burrs for our Ditting batch grinder shipped as a reference for the coarse grinding studies), we likely won't have all the pieces in place until mid or late January, but so far it seems like it will be a nice addition to the family.

We call it the OE LIDO.

Thanks for the details, Doug. I don't know much (yet) about the Ascaso burr set you mentioned. Any idea what the Lido's price will be eventually? More or less than the Pharos? Gotta start saving my pennies...

Doug and Barb, you guys never fail to impress. Congratulations! And just when I was starting to like my PFP modification on my formerly useless Hario Skerton.

orphanespresso wrote:We call it the OE LIDO.

Why?

Hi Doug,

The LIDO looks like an exciting new addition. I'm impressed with the torture tests you're giving it and just delighted with my new Pharos. All of a sudden I've been pulling shots that equal or better some of the local third wave cafes, at least when they're not paying attention. It's that much of an improvement from a Super Jolly.

Do you think this thread should be split to give the LIDO some attention and suggestions from those who've helped with the Pharos fine-tuning?

Speaking of which, do you plan to offer longer handles for the Pharos or something like a screw-on catch cup for the grinds?