Ross Droplet Technique-Eliminating Grinder Static - Page 3

Grinders are one of the keys to exceptional espresso. Discuss them here.
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Spitz.me
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#21: Post by Spitz.me »

I don't struggle with static at all. It's also winter here and the air is dry. Mostly there's static with the B-vario's dosing container, but that doesn't bother me since I use it infrequently and it's for non-espresso preparations. It's nice to have grinds shifting on their own more easily.
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#22: Post by Netphilosopher »

This is going to sound stupid, but I reasoned that if a drop of water is so dramatic, I could use another source of moisture.

I've found that just taking a deep breath, blowing into your mouth to expand your cheeks (like you're going to do the "foggy breath trick"), click your tongue a few times, and then just huff into the grinder (like you're fogging up a mirror). It seems to work with the Bodum Bistro burr grinder, and also the LIDO. It seems to be nearly as effective as a drop of water, but of course YMMV.

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bostonbuzz
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#23: Post by bostonbuzz »

Epic discovery, this may even trump WDT. How about clumpy grinders like doserless mazzers? Does this solve the problem? Pretty soon we'll see self-watering grinders!
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TomC
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#24: Post by TomC »

Buttercup wrote:This is going to sound stupid, but I reasoned that if a drop of water is so dramatic, I could use another source of moisture.

I've found that just taking a deep breath, blowing into your mouth to expand your cheeks (like you're going to do the "foggy breath trick"), click your tongue a few times, and then just huff into the grinder (like you're fogging up a mirror). It seems to work with the Bodum Bistro burr grinder, and also the LIDO. It seems to be nearly as effective as a drop of water, but of course YMMV.

John Borella (JohnB) basically figured out the same thing, years ago, by simply taking his doses straight from the freezer where they're kept freshest, and dosing and grinding. A small amount of humidity in the air condenses around the beans and leaves no static issues either.

I'm not suggesting this would need to be done with each and every bean I put thru my HG-One, just the static prone ones. Now, if this benefits people with dosers, or if it shows that it helps clear out the chute, leading to less grinder retention and cleaner grinders, then I see no reason not to do it for any single dosing application.
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Spitz.me
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#25: Post by Spitz.me »

I grind some beans straight from the freezer. I never noticed a difference, BUT I wasn't looking for it. If I noticed anything different, I might have attributed it to "enh" as to why the static wasn't happening in the dosing container of the b-vario.
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#26: Post by TomC »

He might chime in, but I believe there's just enough of a delay in time for the humidity in the air to condense on the beans prior to being ground. I imagine by the time you had your dose measured out it would be good.
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Spitz.me
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#27: Post by Spitz.me »

Interestingly enough I started grinding straight from the freezer because Andy Schecter, from what I hear, does it. This way the beans won't change their frozen state and they can be used from frozen without compromise or grinder issues.
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Italyhound
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#28: Post by Italyhound »

Perhaps I should substitute a drop of melted butter for the popcorning Versalab? 8)

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pizzaman383
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#29: Post by pizzaman383 »

When I grind directly from the freezer I find there is less cream than if I let the beans come up to room temperature.
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jonny
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#30: Post by jonny »

:roll: I know things like this are part of what this site is about but I can't help but say oh brother. I gave up my WDT needle long ago. Instead I learned to distribute properly. I stopped single dosing. Instead I learned to dose like professionals do. Little routines like this just drive me up a wall. I feel they are distracting to the espresso making ceremony, as nerdy as that sounds. I also feel that I shouldn't have to do anything that a professional barista does not do. If I do, then I'm doing something wrong. I'd also have to wonder what my guests would think when they saw me adding some mysterious liquid from a pipette to the coffee beans I was about to grind for them. I don't have issues with static (knock on wood), so maybe I don't feel everyone's pain. Honestly though, I much prefer the idea of taking a brush to the doser than a pipette or dropper to my beans.