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Hello All,
Replaced the grinder burrs in my SJ and now can not get the adjustment collar to screw down. Threads are clean and free of any burrs, I just can't get it to start to thread.

Any tricks?

thanks,

mark

Are you turning it in the correct direction?

Looking from the side, if the threads rise to left, it's CCW

The adjustment collar can be fussy if it's under tension. Put a tamper in the throat of the grinder and ask an assistant to push down on the upper burr carrier. This will relieve all tension on the collar. Position the collar and then slowly rotate it clockwise as if you were removing it. The collar will "drop" as the first thread of the collar passes its mating thread of the grinder. Continue turning a bit more, then reverse direction, all the while keeping it parallel (if you can't tell, crouch down and watch from the side; it will be obvious if its canted).


From Mazzer Mini Component Photos

Next time it helps if you mark the collar at the disengagement point. Once you've done this a few times, you'll easily do it yourself. Whatever you do, don't force it. The collar should turn with little resistance.

Thanks for the tamper trick.

I have tried starting the plate without the upper burr carrier, no luck.

I have cleaned out the threads with a dental pick when I did the R & R on the burrs.

I'm not liking the possibility that the threads in the housing may be the issue.
If they are the problem, is there a fix?

the retention ring came off easily on disassembly, this snag is a bit of a surprise.

thanks

mark

HB wrote:The adjustment collar can be fussy if it's under tension. Put a tamper in the throat of the grinder and ask an assistant to push down on the upper burr carrier. This will relieve all tension on the collar. Position the collar and then slowly rotate it clockwise as if you were removing it. The collar will "drop" as the first thread of the collar passes its mating thread of the grinder. Continue turning a bit more, then reverse direction, all the while keeping it parallel (if you can't tell, crouch down and watch from the side; it will be obvious if its canted).

Next time it helps if you mark the collar at the disengagement point. Once you've done this a few times, you'll easily do it yourself. Whatever you do, don't force it. The collar should turn with little resistance.

To the OP:
Dan is exactly correct. It's mandatory that you exert a wee bit of pressure downward on the springs, as you slowly rotate CLOCKWISE. You should subtly feel the collar drop in to place, then rotate the collar counter clock-wise...
I like to slightly lubricate the threads with a VERY small amount of Dow 111, or a food grade lubricant. In a pinch, olive oil.
Question. Are you absolutely sure you installed the lower burr properly? Just asking

Thanks all,
the tamper trick worked beautifully.

Peace,

Mark

That's why Dan makes the BIG bucks

Last night I started the reassembly of my Rio/Mazzer SJ and started with the lower burr carrier. For those who have removed and replaced it know there is a pin that runs through the spindle and that the placement of the lower burr carrier has to be just right. The lower burr carrier is a tight fit on the spindle as well.

Once I felt I had the lower burr carrier on, I added the upper burr carrier and as mentioned above it can be tricky. I ultimately won that battle and got it screwed on. When adjusting the grind to a finer setting, I'm not entirely sure if it screws down as far as it did when I received it. I'm kinda wondering if the lower burr carrier isn't on all the way. I really torqued down the lower burr retaining bolt and looking through the grind chute it appears that there isn't much space between the bottom of the lower burr carrier and the top of the grinder well. Anyone know what the clearance should be?

Is there any trick to make sure that the burr carrier is properly seated? The grind seemed powdery at the setting a touch above where the burrs touch. I'm also afraid that if its not properly seated my grind quality will be seriously compromised.

Thanks

Mike

movnmik wrote: Is there any trick to make sure that the burr carrier is properly seated?

If it's anything like my Major, the washers go in a particular order, and getting them wrong surely indicated by the 'fine/coarse' indicator being on the backside of the grinder when it's dialed in for espresso.

For some reason, on the '04 Super Jolly that I bought*, the springs are not compressed until after the collar starts threading.

I don't have to worry about cross threading since I can just gently turn the collar under it's own weight (instead of manhandling a tamper). Just to be safe, I usually turn it clockwise until I hear a little click and feel it drop down a thread, but I'm overly cautious. I'm not sure if this is a year/model difference, or if my springs were replaced aftermarket, but it makes things a lot easier.

Anyone else's SJ like this, or am I just lucky?

*not sure what the original badge was, since I got it used with the badge removed