If you have a recent LIDO you may notice a plastic washer on the thread..this helps keep the handle from over tightening and jamming on the axle thread. Also, if you use the handle in the second hole and not the end hole you can always grab the handle like a T bar, pull the burr tight together and give a sharp CCW turn of the handle to loosen it from the shaft. I have never had to use a tool to remove the handle, and when traveling mostly leave the handle on anyway as removing it does not make the grinder that much smaller.

Hmmmm...didn't see that, Doug. Could you possible pop the little devil in the mail to me? Will pm info.

OT Public service announcement: LIDO is back in stock at OE

jwolley wrote:Just wanted to show off my travel-size Lido.

I cut two inches out of the midsection. I also re-worked the handle a little so it no longer requires tools to remove. Still looking for a shorter metal catch jar, then I'll be all set.

Can you describe how you did this?

And why only two inches? Was it for mechanical reasons or do you need to grind 50g at a time?

I want a shorter LIDO that holds 25g. Is it possible?

I cut the hopper down on a table saw and shortened the threaded rods with a hacksaw. I cut down the shaft on a lathe, which I also used to drill and tap a new hole on the bottom of the shaft for the bolt that holds the inner burr on. All of this is very simple, but I'm not sure how you would do the last bit without a lathe. The alternative way to cut down the shaft would be to remove material from the handle side, but you would need to figure out how to turn down a shoulder and thread it, or come up with a different way to hold the handle on.

I wanted to be able to grind 30g at a time, and I decided on 50g capacity to leave a little safety margin. The large distance between the upper and lower bushings helps keep the shaft centered, so making this distance shorter might adversely affect the grind. I can't say I've noticed any issues with my grinder though.

File this one under "don't know what you got until it's gone."

Had a Lido awhile back the I sold to try out some other non-hand grinders for my drip coffee. Long story short I just picked up a new Lido and will not let this one go. I went from #79 to #555. I notice some design difference but the grind is top notch as expected.

I did also notice a sight difference in the behavior of my "0" point though and was wondering if others could let me know what they think. On my #79, I had slight rub at 0 and no rub at 1/4 ccw. On #555 the grinder came set to the brass washer and at this setting I could not turn the handle more than 90 degrees before I got extreme resistance. At 1/4 ccw I could turn the handle maybe 180 degrees before I met the same type of resistance. At 1/2 ccw though, I got free spin. So is this behavior a function of the new alignment scheme? I'm sure this doesn't affect grind quality so these questions are strictly out of curiosity and my need to compare #555 to my memory of the #79.

jwolley -- thank you.

One might expect that the wobble would be inversely proportional to the distance between the bushings. Hmmm. I don't have a lathe anyways.

PacMan wrote:File this one under "don't know what you got until it's gone."

Had a Lido awhile back the I sold to try out some other non-hand grinders for my drip coffee. Long story short I just picked up a new Lido and will not let this one go. I went from #79 to #555. I notice some design difference but the grind is top notch as expected.

I did also notice a sight difference in the behavior of my "0" point though and was wondering if others could let me know what they think. On my #79, I had slight rub at 0 and no rub at 1/4 ccw. On #555 the grinder came set to the brass washer and at this setting I could not turn the handle more than 90 degrees before I got extreme resistance. At 1/4 ccw I could turn the handle maybe 180 degrees before I met the same type of resistance. At 1/2 ccw though, I got free spin. So is this behavior a function of the new alignment scheme? I'm sure this doesn't affect grind quality so these questions are strictly out of curiosity and my need to compare #555 to my memory of the #79.

I had my #25 serviced a while back and it came back with a similar alignment. When I spoke to Doug and Barb they figured that the gold washer had simply been put on the wrong bolt. Either way, I just found the 0 regardless of the gold washer and kept going. Find the spot where it rubs at "0" and does not rub at a 1/4 turn from that "0" and you are golden.

I've had LIDO #562 for the past month. I picked it up because my Zassenhaus grinders have too much wobble at coarse settings, but since I basically make espresso except while travelling I've taken it as my espresso grinder at work. It pairs very nicely with the Pasquini. I have used it to make the odd Presspot or Aeropress just to prove that it is a great grinder for those applications and it is. But twice after returning it to its espresso function I found that the grind setting slipped while grinding, ruining the subsequent cup. I searched this thread for issues about grind setting slippage and did not find much so I suppose most users find it holds a setting quite well. Any comments on that?


(OT: I gave up the Pharos at work, despite the noticeable improvement in the cup, because I don't wish to screw a bracket into my employers cabinet to hold the beast firmly enough for grinding. So it is clamped to the workbench in the basement and makes the Pavoni and CMA sing with the great flavors (of Velton's Honduras Anael Enamorado just now). I would enjoy trying the Pharos of anyone who says that its easy to turn purely handheld. And so the Vario is finding little use and may be for sell soon.)

Are you saying that the locknut loosens?