sheedapistawl wrote:1) Do I need shims to complete the alignment given my situation?

No. Nor should you use shims with ceramic burrs.

2) Do I need to do the marker test? I dont have the battery unit to run the motor once I have the unit disassembled, can the marker test be done by hand somehow?

Yes and yes.

For starters you can simply remove the upper burr, put some ink on the outer edge (tough to find something that shows up on the ceramic burrs...), reinstall and start the grinder before bringing the burrs to the touch point. When you hear the burrs touch, stop the grinder and remove the upper burr to see how much of the ink is removed. This can be done without any disassembly of the grinder beyond removing the upper burr carrier.

3) If there is no marker test, is there any other way to measure success pre/post alignment?

Not easily. A dial indicator can be used on the lower burr, which is a good practice to verify the lower burr is in good shape before attempting any other alignment methods, but not 100% necessary.

4) If stock ceramic burrs have been running misaligned for years (all home use) - would the alignment lead to improvement? any way to check this?

It depends. If use has caused uneven wear on the burrs, there is little to be gained from an alignment attempt, though there is nothing to lose, either. Visual inspection of the burrs and evidence of a visible wear pattern is the only check that comes to mind.

5) for my situation, other than screw drivers and hex keys, is there ANY other equipment (shims, foil, etc.) that is needed to complete the alignment?

Nope, just a marker that shows up on the dark color of the burrs.

6) MAIN QUESTION: It seems that once you removed the motor and burr assembly from the unit, you loosen four screws around the burrs and use the levers to align the top and bottom burrs. Does this mean you basically loosen the screws, hold the burrs tightly together, and just roughly move the two levers to a "2Q"-ish position where the burrs are touching (theoretically) then tighten the screws? How do you know the alignment is complete, if you cant do an ink test or a micron test (whatever that is)? is there a "feeling" to shoot for, and if so can someone describe it? I'm trying to determine what the "success point" of successful alignment looks or feels like to know the DIY mission succeeded.

2Q is the theoretical touch point with the grind chamber tightened to the motor plate. When you loosen the 4 screws holding the grind chamber in place, you will need to move the levers to a finer position than what 2Q would be. I move the levers until I feel the burrs touch and can hear the burrs scrape when I turn the motor pulley with my fingers.

Yes. There is a feeling. Success will be a continuous scrape pattern when you turn the lower burr a complete rotation. Thos doesn't guarantee perfection, but it is a good indicator that things are moving in the right direction. Success is a clean ink pattern.

Would be greatful for some help here and I'm sure it will be beneficial to others as well - this is the highest priority DIY project I have in mind!

I hope this is helpful. Be sure to mark one of the three ears on the upper burr carrier and always put that ear back in the same location so you know the burr is going in the same way each time you pull it out.

sheedapistawl wrote:Peter thanks for your response! Attempt happening later today.

Two questions:
1) would you (or others) take a peak at the attached top and bottom burr photos? Any obvious signs of systemic misalignment that I've read would make the Alicorn alignment pointless ?

2) without the top burr the bottom burr spinning has a lil bit of play when observed on slow mo video - From another thread I presume this is normal/expected? (Ie the bottom burr does not spin perfectly vertically and moves around slightly in the radial plane, when it is spinning with the top burr removed)

Burr photos - checking for problems before ink test and alicorn attempt:

I don't see anything glaring in your photos. Please vacuum out the chamber and ensure that there is no stray coffee particles floating about within the grind when doing the alignment. Re radial misalignment, not a huge deal, but it's worth loosening the screws, cleaning everything out really well and then using a post it not or similar to shim between the lower butt and the sweeper arms on the lower burr carrier to center the burr before starting.


Good luck!

- Jake

Jake what are the sweeper arms? I am inclined not to take the burrs out of the carriers - does that hamper the Alicorn?

Btw I just did the ink test. Am I missing something or is the wear pattern already pretty uniform?

Ink test - before:



Ink test - after touch:

sheedapistawl wrote:Ink test - after touch:

Given the above, if I were you, then I would leave things be and not re-consider the Alicorn process until you have purchased and received the metal upper metal brew chamber and metal threaded upper burr carrier - well, unless you like taking the grinder apart .

(I can see that the upper burr is potentially radially misaligned.)

Okay guys need an extra pair of eyes on this, so far as I can tell the outer rim of the top burr wiped clean but maybe I misunderstood so posting photos - please let me know, even a quick thought would be great!

Ink on:


Ink off:

I would not touch the insides of that grinder.

It looks great!

Jake out of an abundance of caution: what do you mean that you wouldn't touch the insides of the grinder?

So the ink pattern is good enough and I can put my vario back together?

Correct.

It would not be worth opening it up because the patterns looks darned good, especially for a plastic chambered Vario.

My dude that is after I did the Alicorn - just putting my grinder back together now, and also put in some sh**ty lever arm shims fashioned out of usb wire insulation.

Fingers crossed...I'm gonna put together a guide that pulls you guys and what I learned on reddit when I get the time maybe next weekend, and also once I have some output in terms of glorious grinds hahah

Well then nice work!

It was hard to tell from your first pictures how bad it was to start, but the second set look seriously great.

Cheers!

- Jake

Rizwan, you may be the first to have done this on a Vario that has not been upgraded with the metal Forte burr chamber and screw-down upper burr carrier. Because of this, it might be worth checking periodically to see if the alignment holds.

Word is, Baratza is putting together a kit and some instructions for upgrading the Vario. Of course many of us have done it on our own anyway. But it's nice to see Baratza responding to the market.

Congratulations. Enjoy some good espresso now.

-Peter