# Mahlkonig (Baratza?) vario shims?



## Gaggia2009 (Mar 29, 2021)

Hi

I have a mahlkonig vario (2009) - I think this is same as the Baratza Vario? Anyway, it's the one with two levers, macro and micro adjustment, and three buttons for setting grind time (filter, press, espresso).

It was working fine when I was using it for just aeropress, but recently I've been switching between aeropress and espresso grind. A day or so ago I noticed that right lever (macro adjustment) is slipping down while grinding. Looking online this is a known problem, and could be fixed by removing the face plate, and inserting some tiny plastic shims into the levers to tighten them up.

As I said, everything I found was pretty old, and I can't find the shims in the UK (I found a supplier in Canada, the shims are about a pound each but with taxes and shipping it's over £20, which is cheaper than a new grinder I guess).

Is there anywhere in the UK I can try? Or alternatives I can use? The grinder is pretty old and never been serviced but I think it was quite pricey when I got it, not sure whether it is worth throwing money at it (servicing, parts etc) or just getting something newer?

Cheers


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## coffeefalafel (Apr 26, 2015)

Are the shims a particularly complicated shape or could you just Cut up an old credit card?

Edit:

Just watching the below video if this is the problem it looks pretty bodgeable to me.


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## Alex_L (Jul 15, 2011)

Coffeehit do the shims and other parts - couple of quid from memory.


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## Gaggia2009 (Mar 29, 2021)

Thanks guys - I looked on Coffee Hit but didn't seem to have the shims, I'll drop them an email in the morning, Yes, that's the video, and I could probably bodge it as you suggest, with the additional benefit that cutting up a credit card would certainly curb my spiralling coffee expenditure.... 🙂


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## jtm (Jun 30, 2019)

I've had the vario shims in my machine for the past 6 years. If you haven't already, a trimmed piece of credit card would do about the same thing.


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