Rancilio Rocky doserless grinder clogging

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
Rogerl4
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 years ago

#1: Post by Rogerl4 »

Has anyone had problems with their grinder accumulating grinds in the exit port of their Rocky? If I don't remove the chute and clean out the discharge port, each time I fill the portafilter, I won't be able to fill one, a second time. I roast my own coffee beans and do use a real fine grind setting. I'm wondering if there is an easy fix to this problem. It never happened before, when I was using previously roasted beans, just since I have been roasting my own. Is there a correlation? If so, what is the solution?

opother
Posts: 401
Joined: 13 years ago

#2: Post by opother »

When I used to own one yes. I would clean it out with narrow paint brush if I remember correctly. Clogging of the chute would only happen if my beans were exceptionally oily or my grind setting set to almost Turkish. It would clump and things would start to back up from there. Under normal use it would happen sometimes but more often not and the problem would go away for a long while after a thorough cleaning.

It does sound like you are using too fine a grind setting or the grinder makes an uneven grind producing too many fines. It may not have been noticeable until you started using beans with more oils in them.

In most cases your Rocky should be able to be set to choke any machine using the driest crappy beans without the burrs touching and if your setting is giving you pours in the proper time frame but you still have this problem I would wonder about the burrs.

My Rocky was bad and then one day out of the blue it just started performing like it should (at least for that type of grinder anyway) maybe the burrs were bad and they eventually wore down to point where they were flat against each other (parallel) I don't know but it just started working.

I find the burrs on the Rocky also don't last as long as they say and every time I changed the burrs there was a noticeable improvement in taste that would gradually go away over the year with use until one day you noticed the taste was just not so great.

I gave up on the Rocky because I was exposed to coffees made with better grinders and that was it I was spoiled I could not look back.

I will give it this though that thing is still alive and grinding to this day since I brought it about 16 years ago. It is now used by one of my relatives for non espresso use.

AcidRain
Posts: 25
Joined: 8 years ago

#3: Post by AcidRain »

This is not a problem itself, the grinder is just not good at grinding too fine of a grind and a turkish grind is something that the grinder cannot handle well since it's already clumping at a coarse espresso grind...and it can be worst when grinding oily beans.

Cleaning the chute with a toothpick or something is a fast and effective option to clean the chute.

Rogerl4 (original poster)
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 years ago

#4: Post by Rogerl4 (original poster) »

Thank you for the replies. It looks like a situation I am going to have to live with. Yes, many of my beans are oily after roasting. Perhaps I am over roasting, but the quality of the espresso is excellent. I do have the cleaning down pretty good. I use an acid brush. It is exactly the same width as the discharge port and cleans it out effectively. I save the grinds and use them for the next procedure. It's a little inconvenient to remove the chute for each portafilter fill, but a small price to pay for the quality of coffee it produces. Thanks again.

ira
Team HB
Posts: 5497
Joined: 16 years ago

#5: Post by ira »

A click clack lid from BedBath and Beyond will let you pump the grinds out using air. That's what I did when I had a Rocky. It just slides in when you squeeze the handles and acts like a piston to push air out the chute. I always single dosed so I don't know how it might work with a hopper full of beans. Before that, I would just put the stock lid on quickly a few times ad that would also blow the grounds out.

Ira

Rogerl4 (original poster)
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 years ago

#6: Post by Rogerl4 (original poster) »

Ira, could you be a little more specific regarding the "click-clack" device from Bed,Bath and Beyond? It sounds like that is exactly what I need,but I wouldn't know what to look for at BB&B. Is there a way you could PM me with a photo at rwilliams4_2013@yahoo.com? I'd sure appreciate it, as it has been an ongoing problem for a long time. Thanks for the reply.

ira
Team HB
Posts: 5497
Joined: 16 years ago

#7: Post by ira »

Go to the kitchen storage section, look for Click Clack containers. Or just look for round containers with lids that you squish a handle on top to shrink the rubber seal. That grinder left a while ago so no picture possible. Clean your hopper and bring it or measure it and bring a ruler.

Don't see if at BB&B, but here's a link to Container Store:

http://www.containerstore.com/s/click-c ... ck%20clack

Ira

Bear007
Posts: 17
Joined: 8 years ago

#8: Post by Bear007 »

You can also use a quart size zip lock bag, just cut out the bottom and slip it over the top, attach it with a rubber band and open and close it with the zipper. I locked mine down with two rubber bands one inside and one out. when not in use just fold it inside the hopper and put the top over it.

Rogerl4 (original poster)
Posts: 4
Joined: 8 years ago

#9: Post by Rogerl4 (original poster) »

Ira: I went to BB&B and they don't carry that brand anymore, but I went to The Container Store, here in Las Vegas and was able to find one. It is kind of a sloppy fit, but it does work for me. Thanks for the tip. The Zip lock bag trick may work too, but a tad inconvenient.