Thanks @baldheadracing for the advice re the drive belt. I played around and could definitely tell the difference with the lower burr sticking.

However, on to the alignment...

I tried the again over the course of Monday and Tuesday but I am struggling to get a clean wipe on initial touch. It seems that the front of my upper burr is always touching first although I do eventually get a clean wipe. That said, I haven't checked how many micro steps it takes as I was getting caffeine withdrawal and decided to call it quits. I'm wondering if I have introduced too much slack into the drive belt allowing the lower burr to have enough play to shift slightly as the burrs come together.

Peter, I am struggling to picture which part of the assembly you are applying pressure through to the lower burr. I have some quick clamps so if this is a quicker and more consistent technique I am very intrigued.

Cheers again to everyone for the wealth of knowledge being shared here!


E

ETABLERT wrote: Peter, I am struggling to picture which part of the assembly you are applying pressure through to the lower burr. I have some quick clamps so if this is a quicker and more consistent technique I am very intrigued.

Cheers again to everyone for the wealth of knowledge being shared here!


E

I have a Forte on the way any day now, that I will align and use alongside my Forte'fied Vario for an experiment I've been working and have plans to further develop. I'll try to take some relevant pics that will hopefully help.

In the mean time here is a snap taken by my mate Andy, who developed the "clamp-method":


On top he used a plate of scrap metal he had lying about. I used a lid from a glass jar of peaches or olives or something. On the bottom, is a socket, narrow enough to fit into the groove where the calibration screw resides. Pressing this up into the top accomplishes the same thing as pressing the burrs together via the lever arms, only it might do it more firmly and it certainly frees up your hands making tightening the screws less awkward.

-Peter

Thanks Peter! I'll give this method a try next week.

E

pham wrote:Peter, what were your parameters/profile for the shot with ceramics? I suspect the steels might like lower pressures and longer ratios.

I always use lower pressures these days... 7.5-8 bar max, whether I'm grinding with a Monolith or steel or ceramics in my Baratza, as that is the max pressure I see in the designers test of his Londinium machines. Lately, I have been using the commercial spring lever profile for all coffees as I find it very forgiving.

-Peter

A couple more photo to show the process. I removed the adjustment arms which is a bit tricky to do and you don't really have to.





Hope this help.

Listen to this man. ^^^ He is "the Andy" of which I have spoken.

-Peter

pcrussell50 wrote: I used a lid from a glass jar of peaches or olives or something.

-Peter

I'm not seeing the lid from the glass jar...I know I'm old and vision is old too!

That's because the picture I posted is from Andy. He used a sheet of scrap metal he had lying about.

All you need is something flat for the jaw of the clamp to rest on. Doesn't matter what it is. Piece of plywood would work too.

-Peter

pcrussell50 wrote:In the mean time here is a snap taken by my mate Andy, who developed the "clamp-method":

Peter, I just saw this--a nice addition to the process!