The Alicorn: Achieving Precision Alignment with the Baratza Forté/Vario - Page 38

February 1st, 2022, 8:47 pm

I'm late to the game. Does someone have a link to where the new clamp alignment method is explained? I've been meaning to make an alicorn video on youtube but have been holding off to learn clamp as well as the OG Jake method. Thanks!

February 1st, 2022, 9:35 pm

There's some conversation earlier in this thread starting about here: The Alicorn: Achieving Precision Alignment with the Baratza Forté/Vario

#373: Post by **jayo** » February 1st, 2022, 10:30 pm

jayo wrote:Thanks for the reply! Yes, belt tension is definitely challenging! I will play with that more. What about the spinning burr carrier - is that normal, or should I replace it?

I just retried this with minimal belt tension, such that it shouldn't affect the alignment (just enough for the teeth to engage), but the results were similar. Does this indicate that a part needs replacing (e.g. burr carrier, pulley)?

#374: Post by **jayo** » February 5th, 2022, 1:09 am

Well I think I've discovered that I haven't been pressing the burrs together with enough force, but I still am not getting good results. I'm consistently getting this pattern:

The front of the grinder is the top screw in the photo. Looks like I'm only getting front-right contact; do you think it's still belt tension? Shouldn't it be centred at the front if it's belt tension pulling it out of alignment?

#375: Post by **Jonk** » February 5th, 2022, 5:14 am

Perhaps not. But how does it look is you bring the burrs just a little bit closer with the micro levers? Seems like there's barely any contact in that picture.

#376: Post by **jayo** » February 5th, 2022, 10:45 am

Here's what it looks like when I bring them a bit closer:

#377: Post by **Jonk** » February 5th, 2022, 3:08 pm

Looks like a 30% wipe? Perhaps you just need to try aligning the burr chamber again. Hopefully someone else can chime in about the pattern itself.

For me it took 1-2 hours fiddling with the burr chamber and belt tension for each grinder I have done this on so I don't think I was very proficient but the end result was good.. except on the Forté where it was fine at 18V but didn't hold at 1950 rpm. If you find some success I think you should have an easier time verifying by using that variable power supply.

#378: Post by **Cwilli62** » February 5th, 2022, 5:48 pm

Every time I try to align, I think I have it close, get everything buttoned up, and then realize that it's way off. Just can't seem to get a good alignment. Slow RPM with external battery was okay, but not regular speed.

I did replace all of the screws with hex head SS several weeks ago so at least it'll be easier the next time I go in to try to align.

#379: Post by **jayo** » February 6th, 2022, 6:45 pm

I tried the alignment again today, and while the results still aren't good, at least I'm getting a different wipe pattern now. Will need to keep trying!

#380: Post by **DamianWarS** » February 7th, 2022, 6:19 am

I ordered the forte parts for my vario and I've gone through the steps to replace them but something seems wrong with the arm adjustments and the wedge piece (the thing that pushes on the burr to move up or down). the wedge seems to be loosely floating and I didn't think much of it until I started to put things back together arms aren't doing anything to adjust the burr up or down and I'm beginning to think this wedge has come loose from the arm rod but I'm really not sure what it should look like or if this is the problem. I'm not sure if anyone knows what I'm talking about but any suggestion on how to fix it would be appreciated.