# Source for glass tubes for hoppers



## dan1502 (Sep 8, 2012)

I missed out on the group buy but found this source:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Glass-Rod-Tube-Supplies-Cutting-TO-ANY-SIZE-/151909246537?

I've just received a 150mm x 58mm with 3.5mm wall thickness tube. I also requested that the sharp edges be taken off the ends (fire polishing).

The cost was: £9.15 for the tube

£2.00 extra for smoothing the edges

£5.50 postage

so £16.65 total posted which seemed reasonable considering it was an order of one tube.

The only slight issue is that there a are a few very light scratches but they're only visible if you're looking for them so I don't think I'll complain.

Hopefully this will be of use to someone.


----------



## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Excuse my ignorance, I presume that these are used as bean tubes? I.e. you remove the bean hopper and put this in it's place?

If so I take it you need to use some form of plunger/dowling to stop popcorning?

Is there not a risk of cracking using glass if you secure the tube with the hopper screw?

Would acrylic not be better or does that encourage static?

Ta


----------



## risky (May 11, 2015)

mremanxx said:


> Excuse my ignorance, I presume that these are used as bean tubes? I.e. you remove the bean hopper and put this in it's place?
> 
> If so I take it you need to use some form of plunger/dowling to stop popcorning?
> 
> ...


Most folk use a tamper or similar to provide the weight on top. You only need to nip the screw, no need to horse it and risk cracking.


----------



## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Ok


----------



## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

mremanxx said:


> Excuse my ignorance, I presume that these are used as bean tubes? I.e. you remove the bean hopper and put this in it's place?
> 
> If so I take it you need to use some form of plunger/dowling to stop popcorning?
> 
> ...


 You buy them just too small and insulate the glass from vibration by packing it out with tape, then no need to use the screw at all


----------



## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

The tape works well, and no danger of cracking it.


----------



## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Good tip, cheers


----------



## dan1502 (Sep 8, 2012)

Although in the case of my Macap M4D I have found that the tube won't go all the way down. I measured as deep as I could with my calipers and it was about 59mm so I ordered 58mm tube. However it must be slightly tapered as the tube will only go just over half way down. So I have put some tape around the base of the tube then gently nipped up the securing screw onto the tape. This is not how I'd planned it but seems to be ok, particularly as I went for 3.5mm thick walls.


----------



## dan1502 (Sep 8, 2012)




----------



## doolallysquiff (Jul 26, 2014)

I have had a few different sizes (lengths) made for my 65e. I ordered 50mm diameter which is slightly smaller than the grinder's throat. To stop any movement/vibration I placed the tube on top of a nitrile o-ring and then another couple around the side. Holds solid without the need to use the securing screw. To get the o-rings to fit snug around the side, I cut a plastic bottle open and used it as a sleeve to push the o-rings further down the throat of the grinder. I experimented with a couple of different size of o-ring before I got the best fit.


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

This stuff also got mentioned on another thread regarding glass tube hoppers as a way to provide a snug fit if your tube is smaller than the throat to the grinder.

ANTI SQUEAK ANTI RATTLE 50mm x 500mm SELF ADHESIVE FELT TAPE

http://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/271797330670


----------



## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Great find Dan.

Glad that you managed to find something.

The anti-rattle tape works really well. Essentially a soft felt tape with adhesive on one side. You can wrap a couple of layers if needed.

I have a spare weight if you want it. Stainless steel round bar. 50x100mm so shoukd fit well in your tube assuming 58mm less 7mm for walls. It weighs just over 1.5kg. You probably need decent power on the grinder. @coffeechap might be able to advise if the Macap is up to the job.

I just use a heavyweight 58mm taper these days. Perfect fit for me.


----------



## dan1502 (Sep 8, 2012)

Thanks but it's probably too heavy. I found a tall 47mm diameter bottle of lens cleaner weighing about 270g is fine for now. I don't think I'd want to go over 500g. My wife says the Rocko Mountain I've just made is the best coffee she's ever tasted. The timer is consistently dosing between 28 and 28.1 grams and I'm finding if I hit the lever at 34s the weight is slightly over 36 g and in the region of 30s or just under. My next move will be to fashion an aluminium weight then I am tempted to see if a friend can make a better fitting base for my dynametric tamper.

My current plan is to stick with the Macap due to its size and as we supposed to be stretching ourselves on a new house but we're now not sure whether we will just stay where we are. If we move we'd have space for a monster grinder but no budget and if we stay we'll have the budget but no space! (unless we extend).


----------



## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

Can I ask, do most people leave beans in the hopper/glass tube?

I weigh and grind per cup, don't have a single dose option and thought keeping the beans out of the air would preserve the flavour etc.


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Probably okay to leave some beans in a glass tube hopper for up to a day or so, I'd have thought. But ideally the less time they're sat in there the better if you're only making coffee say once a day in the mornings then there's probably no point always having it filled right up.


----------



## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

The idea behind the tube hoppers is to be able to get the grind consistency produced from having a kilo of beans in the hopper, whilst only using 100g or so.

I top up if the tube falls below halfway to avoid the weight settling on the top of the burrs.

If you want to single dose then on demand is probably not the best solution.

1 second purge is good for me.


----------



## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

What would you suggest for single dosing to maintain bean freshness if only doing a couple of cups a day?


----------



## h1udd (Sep 1, 2015)

I'd suggest an ek43


----------



## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

mremanxx said:


> What would you suggest for single dosing to maintain bean freshness if only doing a couple of cups a day?


Glass hopper will be fine for a couple of cups a day. 100g is only about 5 cups inc purge. Beans will be fine for that length of time.


----------



## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

Thanks for link, I've now ordered a 56mm tube to try on the la marzocco volcano along with felt tape and a rubber lens cap to see if I can push air past beans to clear any retained grinds as per coffeechap's thread from awhile back. Will report back once it's all assembled, just need to fashion a tab for the safety cut out bit on original hopper.


----------



## dan1502 (Sep 8, 2012)

dan1502 said:


> My current plan is to stick with the Macap due to its size and as we supposed to be stretching ourselves on a new house but we're now not sure whether we will just stay where we are. If we move we'd have space for a monster grinder but no budget and if we stay we'll have the budget but no space! (unless we extend).


Oh, how things change! An impulsive decision means an Anfim Super Caimano Barista should be arriving either tomorrow or soon after. I hope I can find space for it and that it makes a significant difference. I will probably add a glass tube hopper. Presumably the one I've just bought will be too small. The only slight concern I have is with the stepped adjustment but it has 90 steps plus I'm told that Anfim are about to release a kit to convert to stepless or make finer adjustments if needs be.


----------



## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

Grahamg said:


> Thanks for link, I've now ordered a 56mm tube to try on the la marzocco volcano along with felt tape and a rubber lens cap to see if I can push air past beans to clear any retained grinds as per coffeechap's thread from awhile back. Will report back once it's all assembled, just need to fashion a tab for the safety cut out bit on original hopper.


Wow. What a difference. Lens cap air won't work past beans and conical blades but I had to give it a go. Was mega clumpy before, even with 500+g of beans in the hopper but that's to be expected with how huge the thing is. I removed the static screen too after fitting tube, but realised that was a big mistake when I got 60 odd grams of coffee spewed out into the portafilter in 2 seconds flat. Re-fitted and with a 340g bottle of water on top (Worcester source bottle) was greeted with perfect fluffy grounds just like on all the you tube vids of mega-posh grinders. Superb. Was a useful experiment with static screen as it meant I could dig out the retained grinds to weigh... in the region of 12 grams but I can live with that for OD convenience.

Had to use gaffa tape as the felt tape was too thick for 2mm difference, . Pm me if you want any, should have enough for 3 or 4 tubes.


----------



## doolallysquiff (Jul 26, 2014)

The new hopper weight has arrived


----------



## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Nice!

Custom-made?


----------



## doolallysquiff (Jul 26, 2014)

NickdeBug said:


> Nice!
> 
> Custom-made?


Thanks. Yes, I had it custom-made - I wouldn't be capable of making such a thing. Weighs in just under 500g. Food grade stainless steel. The hopper fits the Eureka 65e so when deciding on a weight I wanted it to stop before touching the spindle nut (whatever you call it). Originally, the middle part was the same diameter as the bottom and another 40mm longer, but it was far too heavy weighing in at 1.5kg. I had it shortened and put the centre part on a diet.

Now I've just got to test that it works!


----------



## NickdeBug (Jan 18, 2015)

Very clever.

You should think about marketing the tube/weight as a set. Much nicer looking than a load of 2 pence pieces in a sock


----------



## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

NickdeBug said:


> Very clever.
> 
> a load of 2 pence pieces in a sock


Hahaha brilliant! I wonder what value in tuppences and socks would be required to equal the cost of a more professional solution?


----------



## doolallysquiff (Jul 26, 2014)

hotmetal said:


> Hahaha brilliant! I wonder what value in tuppences and socks would be required to equal the cost of a more professional solution?


A lot of of tuppences and a few pair of socks









To get it right it has cost a fair few pounds. I've tried a few different lengths of tubes before I was satisfied that I had got the right size. I only want it to hold 2 shots at a time (before it stops at the nut). It took a while for the changes to be made with the weight as the chap who did it was very busy with much larger order stuff. Worth the wait (weight) though, if you'll pardon the pun.


----------



## Grahamg (Oct 24, 2013)

Bit tidier than my (de-labeled) Worcester sauce jar full of water! I do feel as if I could do with a couple of hundred grams more though as the bottle is still bouncing around when it gets down to within a couple of inches of the top burr nut.


----------



## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Clever idea. My Mythos would require something similar otherwise any unsupported object used as a weight on top of the beans would end up hitting the burrs when the level of beans drops down.


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I am after a 'tube' of some sort for an RR55......unless my pa finds the one he had. If you are single dosing with a lens hood, do you have to remove the tube or does the lens hood fit onto it?


----------



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

doolallysquiff said:


> A lot of of tuppences and a few pair of socks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Would you be able to share the engineers details as it certainly looks a nicer option than anything I can think of!


----------

