Stevebcoffee wrote:Grind looks quite coarse for a medium spacer. Obviously once the burrs are seasoned it will be different.

Yeah, I was surprised by that as well. Here's the fine and coarse discs with the same bean (Cat and Cloud Costa Rica Finca Tono Honey Geisha).

jpender wrote: Fitting inside the Aeropress cylinder isn't the same as fitting inside the plunger like the Porlex and Aergrind. So it will result in a bulkier travel kit.

The picture in my last post shows the main chamber inside the plunger of the Aeropress. It's just the catch jar that doesn't fit (and the handle, obviously).

Okay, I see that now. My mistake. It's just the bottom part of the grinder and catch jar that are too large for the plunger.

So some way to couple it directly to the Aeropress cylinder for grinding would be a nice thing. Maybe a wide ring of thin silicone sheeting would make for a friction fit.

Today I ground two batches using the Fixie, starting with the fine disk and then moving up to medium (no shims in either round). The "data" below should be taken with a big grain of salt since these burrs are not broken in yet and I expect (a) grind times to decrease somewhat and (b) particle size to shift slightly as time goes on. Re: beans, I went with a natural Ethiopian roasted light and locally by Wells.

Note: I'm bored with using coins as reference objects, so I turned to the ever-more-universal LEGO mini-figure, which has the added advantage of faithfully representing life at home with kids these days as we shelter in place.

Fine disk: 20 g., 65 sec., 183 turns


Medium disk: 20 g., 45 sec., 120 turns


Medium looked just about right (maybe 1mm in terms of particle size?) for the brew method I wanted to use--Trifecta MB, i.e. metal-filtered, siphon-esque, with air infusion--and the cup turned out great. Hardly anything measurable made it through the metal filter! This is a good sign.

A few observations in no particular order...

- The grinder, much to my delight, is smaller than expected, and it feels so light that it seemed like a toy at first. Of course, it's anything but a toy, but I'm having to recalibrate whatever in my head preferentially equates more solid, heavier items with *quality*.

- I love how easily the shaft + cone burr assembly comes out for quick cleaning with a brush afterward.

- Pouring beans from the titanium grounds cup into the hopper (corner to corner, as Doug demonstrates in the video) is easy.

- The grounds cup retained barely any fines. Strikingly few. This is without RDT.

- Effort required to crank is certainly not more than with any of the current Lidos. No issues so far.

- Noise is low-ish. Not objectionable.

- Things I'm finding a little fiddly: putting the hopper plug in, and screwing the top nut on. I'll get used to both, I'm sure.

Nice...

Grind looks good. I think Doug wanted the Fine disk to be at fine Aeropress and looking at its about right.
Can't wait for mine now!

A few clarifications first, then a mini-update...

jbviau wrote:- I love how easily the shaft + cone burr assembly comes out for quick cleaning with a brush afterward.

Well, I don't love it as much when I forget about it! Today, for the second time in as many days, I removed the top nut to adjust the grind and then heard that *clunk* of the shaft + cone burr hitting the bottom of the grounds cup. I mean, no damage was done--not even a scuff--but this is going to take some getting used to. I'll need to start removing the grounds cup and then either standing the grinder up on that smooth cone burr carrier or, as Doug mentions in the video, holding the grinder on its side with one hand pressing against the burr carrier before removing the nut in order to change disks.

jbviau wrote:- The grounds cup retained barely any fines. Strikingly few. This is without RDT.

To clarify, retention for the grinder has been at 0.2 g. or less consistently, but nothing really sticks at all to the inside of the grounds cup. You do get a little bit here (below--looking at the burr carrier from underneath once you remove the grounds cup):


So, anyhow, today I added a thick shim to the medium disk to tighten up that medium grind a bit. Remember: the thicker the disk sandwich, the finer the grind. Shimming did make a difference in the expected ways, e.g. grinding effort required, particle size, taste. I continue to be very happy with the coffee and the design of the grinder. Everything is well thought out.

Medium disk + thick shim: 20 g., 50 sec., 130 turns


I also had a nice Twitter DM exchange with the Garrotts about random Fixie assembly questions, the gist of which I'll save for a later post. Night!

jbviau wrote:A few clarifications first, then a mini-update..clarify, retention for the grinder has been at 0.2 g. or less consistently, but nothing really sticks at all to the inside of the grounds cup.

Any difference between the fixie and other Lido Series you have in grind result or in the cup?

Cheers

The grind very even is

^^^ Ha.

Yan, concerning those sorts of differences vs. my Lidos, it's way too early to say, but I wouldn't really expect to find much. Same burr, properly aligned.

jbviau wrote: Today, for the second time in as many days, I removed the top nut to adjust the grind and then heard that *clunk* of the shaft + cone burr hitting the bottom of the grounds cup. I mean, no damage was done--not even a scuff--but this is going to take some getting used to. I'll need to start removing the grounds cup and then either standing the grinder up on that smooth cone burr carrier or, as Doug mentions in the video, holding the grinder on its side with one hand pressing against the burr carrier before removing the nut in order to change disks.

Ha! I did that once and then almost did that another two times but managed to remember right before.

I don't quite love the side-fill window. I lost a few beans out the side with larger fills, but I'm getting my pour angle/technique down with more practice.

Also, I tried the side-hip grinding method that I used to do with the Lido 3 today. Don't do that. On my second go with that method, the pressure on my hip loosened the catch jar and spilled half of my dose onto the floor...