Pharos 2.0 Update!

#1: Post by **andresfranco** » July 3rd, 2017, 10:47 am

I was checking the OE website and found this today:

Pharos Grinder News UPDATE!
Here's the latest update on the Pharos Manual Coffee Grinder production!

We have 138 Pharos 1.1 grinders on the ocean, hopefully arriving at our warehouse in Montana mid August... That is about half of the number of people on the waiting list....

Pharos 2.0 is on the horizon...we're finalizing parts, and hope to be in production in November of this year. We've done some redesigning to solve some of the irritating issues for people, and things that made it a little more difficult to build - the Pharos 2.0 will be built by our people at Innoland (Innoland manufactures all of our products that are made in Taiwan now). Doug has been doing all of the building of the Pharos 1.1, but will be teaching our people to build the Pharos 2.0 for the future...

Pharos 2.0 will have a index markings on the top plate, a pointer/split collar adjustment, a short axle that will enable us to use a removable catch cup system for the grounds in the bottom section. We'll post some photos as soon as we have the parts finalized.

Part of the design challenge has been to make all of the 2.0 changes retrofit to any of the NON-Serial number, Taiwan made, Pharos 1.1 grinders... If your grinder was made in Idaho, has a serial numbered bottom, the 2.0 update kit will not fit - sorry! But, if your Pharos has Anodized aluminum plates, was made in Taiwan, with metal bolt covers, the 2.0 updates will fit - we intend to offer the updates as a kit.

The good news is yes, the Pharos remains in production, and we will be able to make it available to our distributors internationally. The bad news is that there will be a price increase bringing the Pharos 2.0 to $350.00 each. The update kit will cost $55.00 - the same amount as the Pharos cost increase...

Thank you for your patience, and continued support - we REALLY appreciate it!

Barb & Doug

http://www.oehandgrinders.com/Pharos-Gr ... _52-1.html

#2: Post by **pShoe** » July 3rd, 2017, 10:55 am

If your grinder was made in Idaho, has a serial numbered bottom, the 2.0 update kit will not fit - sorry! But, if your Pharos has Anodized aluminum plates, was made in Taiwan, with metal bolt covers, the 2.0 updates will fit - we intend to offer the updates as a kit.

Bummer. With Voodoo Daddy out of the mix, it seems my Pharos will never have a catch cup.

#3: Post by **doublehelix** » July 3rd, 2017, 1:06 pm

Nice! Will the update kit fit ALL of the Taiwanese-built Pharaos? (Not sure what a metal bolt cover is?)--This is the long, metal spacer that the bolts tighten against.....

#4: Post by **orphanespresso** » July 3rd, 2017, 1:17 pm

The main complication with the number models is that they have a 1/2 axle and bushings and the 1.1 is all metric (12mm). Handle thread is also imperial vs metric so by the time you swap out all the parts you have changed almost everything but the burr and knob.
I am thinking that we can make some imperial parts ( short axle metric/imperial hybrid) to make it happen but this would require a lot more investment for everyone and we are not sure how much demand there is for the imperial swap over kits. We are open to most everything here but have seen a pretty low level of interest for the Pharos 1.0 to 1.1 upgrade parts we currently have had available for quite a while.
This could require some custom preorder period to get an idea of numbers. I only know that I built 1145 Pharos back in the day and some got modded, some got shelved, some got superceded, and some are still in use. We'll see what happens.

#5: Post by **randyh** » July 3rd, 2017, 4:03 pm

skittles_s wrote:http://www.oehandgrinders.com/Pharos-Gr ... _52-1.html

Wow! This is amazing news. Finally, it sounds like OE is going to adopt some of the VDD mods and incorporate them into the stock Pharos build, hopefully with even better fit and finish than a VDD Pharos, all for a very reasonable increase in cost of $55! I sold my Pharos v1.1 because I could not get around the lack of grind adjustment mechanism and the shaking to get the grounds out, with paranoia that I didn't get all of the coffee out having to weigh the grounds to make sure. But I'll probably end up buying the Pharos 2.0 when it comes out as the updates will solve my main gripes and still at an unbeatable price.

#6: Post by **pShoe** » July 3rd, 2017, 6:16 pm

orphanespresso wrote:The main complication with the number models is that they have a 1/2 axle and bushings and the 1.1 is all metric (12mm). Handle thread is also imperial vs metric so by the time you swap out all the parts you have changed almost everything but the burr and knob.
I am thinking that we can make some imperial parts ( short axle metric/imperial hybrid) to make it happen but this would require a lot more investment for everyone and we are not sure how much demand there is for the imperial swap over kits. We are open to most everything here but have seen a pretty low level of interest for the Pharos 1.0 to 1.1 upgrade parts we currently have had available for quite a while.
This could require some custom preorder period to get an idea of numbers. I only know that I built 1145 Pharos back in the day and some got modded, some got shelved, some got superceded, and some are still in use. We'll see what happens.

Yea, it sounds a little more complicated than it is worth. I should have jumped on the VDD mod train long ago. At this point, I'd be better off selling it and getting 2.0 when it's available. In the mean time, I'm happy with my Pharos. I use it at work. With the mason jar mod, there are no more accidents where a bunch of coffee ends up on the floor cause the jar slips from my hand while shaking it.

#7: Post by **drgary** » July 4th, 2017, 12:53 am

Good news, Doug and Barb!

#8: Post by **emradguy** » July 4th, 2017, 12:11 pm

Awesome steps for OE Pharos! Thanks for posting the update OP, and thanks to Barb (and Doug) for chiming in. Yes indeed the improvements sound very much like the full VDD mod package...and for much less money. When I bought my Pharos 1.0, I sent it to Will and had him do the full mod...and the price tag, all-in (grinder, all mods and shipping), was nearly $500. At $350, this is a bargain. In all honestly, I'm very happy I got the VDD mods, but wish...1) the "protractor" settings run fit better and didn't move around, and 2) the grinds catch basin fit better and didn't drop off the grinder with only a slight shake or wiggle.

Anyone about to get a Pharos, no matter which version, is in for real treat!

#9: Post by **viveur** » July 4th, 2017, 12:36 pm

Yesyesyes!

Now I need to decide whether to try to jump on the August Pharos delivery (I'm on the waitlist, but no idea how high), or tough it out with my Vario until the upgraded version has been released. The advantage of the v1 pharos would be that it's just under the duty-free limit for my country (and of course, better coffee earlier).

I'm guessing fitting the upgrade kit shouldn't be too hard?

#10: Post by **monkeybongo** » July 4th, 2017, 2:26 pm

I thought they would do a major re-design for V2 but this is a nice evolution at a fraction of the cost of modding. Quite a deal at $350