Madebyknock: Feldgrind - Page 4

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
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lajos88
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#31: Post by lajos88 »

RioCruz wrote:P.S. I also want to make a wood handle knob. I tried unscrewing the knob screw...but it didn't seem to do anything. Has anyone taken the knob off yet?
A guy disassembled a knob from Hausgrind, well cut it off literally :).
There are 4 nuts inside the knob, between each of two is sitting one bearing (yes, 2 bearings inside the knob).
I suppose it is the same with Feldgrind, so only chance is to cut if off.
See http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.ph ... -Hausgrind

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RioCruz
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#32: Post by RioCruz »

Thanks Martin for this info. Much appreciated!

Looks like the spindle/bearing assembly is just pressed into the knob. I tried to pull it off previously, but it didn't give at all. I probably need more force...or...maybe just keep the knob as is...:)
"Nobody loves your coffee more than you do."
~James Freeman, Blue Bottle

jbviau
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#33: Post by jbviau »

jbviau wrote:Was holding off on posting my own thoughts on the feldgrind until a replacement arrived with the inner burr mounted more perfectly to the shaft, but I'm not sure if/when that will arrive, so I'll probably start chiming in toward the end of this coming week...
Below is what I mean about the inner burr. Please ignore the stopping and starting, as it's simply a function of my inability to crank continuously while filming.
What you're seeing is eccentricity in the rotation of the inner burr and the resulting irregularity in the "burr gap." The shaft is stable--turns like a dream, in fact. According to Peter, the real culprits are some non-flat edges "on the step change in the shaft 'collar' where it passes into the inner burr" in combination with "the countersink/chamfer on the burr." A remachined shaft would probably eliminate the problem. I still hope to receive one at some point.

Honestly, the grind consistency from the feldgrind on the setting I use most looks better than expected given the burr mounting issue. That said, I haven't felt comfortable formally comparing the results I get from it in the cup (which have ranged from good to "meh") to those from other hand grinders like the Rosco and LIDO 2. Feldgrind owners, this eccentricity is definitely atypical, right? If so, as one would expect, then it seems to me that pouring time into taste testing would be a waste.

It's unfortunate that the above has somewhat dampened my enthusiasm for the feldgrind, because I very much like its design. All other niggles I've noted are minor, e.g. the need for a lid, some excess glue here and there inside, an imperfectly affixed enamel dial, the catch cup's loose fit, a smallish knob. Re: pros, the feldgrind feels great in the hand and is extremely tidy; retention is non-existent if you tap-tap on the bottom of the catch cup before removing it. If alignment weren't an issue and I fully trusted the grinder, I imagine I'd reach for it much more often.
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

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bostonbuzz
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#34: Post by bostonbuzz »

That is REALLY BAD. The sheer fact that it can possibly get that bad is a terrible design signal. I mean really though, what is there to get that out of whack?


edit: this was a little harsh in hindsight. But I would like to know what's happening.
LMWDP #353

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jesse
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#35: Post by jesse »

Regarding the burr gap:

What a drag. Even assuming it is atypical, which I'm sure is true, if in the unlikely event you end up with a faulty unit, the proprietor is unable to expedite a replacement part or new unit, I would not consider purchasing anything from said proprietor.

Which is a bummer, because after a month of weighing the options, I was all set to pull the trigger on a Feldgrind after the release of the next batch.

jbviau
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#36: Post by jbviau »

^^^ Jesse, I understand your reaction. This is a review unit, so I'm not out any $$, and as a result I've been more patient than I would have been as a paying customer. My feldgrind took 3 weeks to arrive, so I figured the replacement Peter said he'd sent on 12/3 might be similarly delayed. It still could be on its way, for all I know. If I receive it, I'll be sure to update my mini-review. Delays and lack of communication are not uncommon with MBK orders, but when something goes wrong with a delivered product Peter's generally quick to respond (check his Coffee Forums UK feedback for confirmation if you'd like). I'm confident he'll address the situation eventually.
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias

leon
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#37: Post by leon »

I received my Feldgrind a few days ago (after several weeks of anxious waiting and several unreplied emails :wink: ) and thought I'd throw my fairly worthless two cents in here. My previous grinders were both Hario hand grinders, so my experience with quality grinders up to now is pretty much zero. So it goes without saying, that the Feldgrind has made in immediate and huge improvement in cup quality for me. Flavors are much more clear and separated, without the "muddiness" and inconsistency of the Hario cups I was making.

Build quality of the Feldgrind isn't mind blowing, but for me it's plenty good enough. The catch cup was a bit difficult to get on and off the first few days, but now seems to be getting smoother as it wears in. Or maybe I'm just getting better at dealing with it. The opening on top of the grinder for putting the beans in is quite small so at first I was spilling beans all over the place. Now I've figured out to measure the beans in the catchcup and then put the grinder upside down on top of the catch cup, and flip the whole thing over to get the beans cleanly into the grinder. Some light jiggling makes sure they all go in.

Grinding in general is quite easy. The handle doesn't pop off at all, even though there's nothing holding it in place. And the grind adjustment mechanism is a complete joy after the Hario grinders.

As to the video posted above with the misaligned burrs: my Feldgrind also has a very slight misalignment although it is not nearly as bad as the one in the video. Actually, it's barely perceptible. Being a complete newbie to quality grinders, I can totally live with this for now. I don't have the expertise to really know if this is affecting quality in the cup anyways. All I know is that it is sooo much better than what I had before, and the grind appears to be very consistent.

Overall, I'm very happy with the grinder, and expect it to improve as the burrs wear in. I did quite a bit of forum trawling before buying this grinder, and didn't find reference to anything else in the size and price range with this level of quality.

Once again, I'm a total nonexpert, so take my opinions with several spoonfuls of salt. 8)

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akiley
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#38: Post by akiley »

I just received my FieldGrind a week ago. I knew it would take a while to arrive, so I just ignored and waited. I think the build quality is quite good. My burrs seem very well alligned. This grinder seems very solid and heavy. Bottom half comes off pretty easily, yet stays in place once it's on.

I have a Maycap M4 stepless grinder at home. For travel I bought a Hario Slim which could NOT grind for espresso as hard as I tried. My poor MyPressi waited patiently, but no joy. 5 minutes of grinding, no thanks. The FieldGrind gets me a beautiful 18 gram espresso grind in exactly 45 seconds. Loading the beans is not much of a problem, I really don't have any issues so far. My taste buds are not the best, but as far as I can tell, my espresso (side by side test) tastes as good with the FieldGrand as my Macap.

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jesse
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#39: Post by jesse »

Does anyone know if they're addressing any of the known issues with the Feldgrind on this upcoming production?

jbviau
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#40: Post by jbviau »

^^^ No idea. I haven't heard a peep from Peter since 12/2/14. Maybe try reaching out on Instagram (where he's posted recently).
"It's not anecdotal evidence, it's artisanal data." -Matt Yglesias