# Mazzer- jammed grind adjuster



## Colin T (Nov 23, 2012)

Got a bargain Mazzer Super Jolly from eBay. One problem, the grind adjust seems to be jammed. Any ideas on how to unjam it? I'm worried it's off the thread.

Pretty much gone from a bargin to a scam


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## fatboyslim (Sep 29, 2011)

It could just be extremely stiff if lots of grinds stuck in the threading. Try with some gusto.

Or its cross-threaded in which case it is salvageable but it may take some time. Try to get any movement at all from it and report back.


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

If you're trying to shift the collar by hand, without the adjustment lever, I never could on the mini, I imagine the super jolly is the same. Buy a lever or find something which screws into that hole on the adjustment collar.

If not, yeah, could be an issue.


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## RobD (May 2, 2012)

WD40 sprayed down the side of the thread a few times, then try and gain as much equal leverage as you can buy putting bolts in every adjustment hole in the neck of the adjustment ring. use a rag or old leather belt to protect the chrome, you can then get a long pice of wood and put some large screws or bolts through so the they are just larger than the ring but engage with the bolts in the side, giving you a form of large pin spanner. just keep a slow and even pressure and give it a light tap once or twice, the upper ring is made from chrome plated bass, its the lower half that is aluminium and will be the likely culprit. but don't despair as both the upper and lower burr carriers are replaceable, if a bit of a pain


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

While we're on the topic, what is the best lubricant for the grind adjustment - mine is pretty tough to move.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

lookseehear said:


> While we're on the topic, what is the best lubricant for the grind adjustment - mine is pretty tough to move.
> 
> Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2


I use molykote 111 for mine but all you need is a food safe grease tbh.

I wouldn't want anything like wd40 in there but if needs must.

http://www.silmid.com/Products/Lubricants/Molykote-Lubricants/Molykote-Compounds/M011100100.aspx

Just try to avoid using too much and also getting on your hands, it's a bugger to remove


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## RobD (May 2, 2012)

i personally wouldn't use any, instead give the threads a very good clean with a strong solvent to remove any coffee oils, and give a very light wipe with a rag with a dab of a thin sewing machine or other refined non abrasive oil, but no grease because of all the small grind particles that will find their way into the treads, most greases are oil based and even the food grade grease will have aromatic hydrocarbons or other carrier solvents that will evaporate with heat over time, so the grease will become thicker and combined with the small grind particles will make a nice glue!! but if you intend to take it apart every so often then a food grade lube would be OK.

but all this is after you have got it apart


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

RobD said:


> i personally wouldn't use any, instead give the threads a very good clean with a strong solvent to remove any coffee oils, and give a very light wipe with a rag with a dab of a thin sewing machine or other refined non abrasive oil, but no grease because of all the small grind particles that will find their way into the treads, most greases are oil based and even the food grade grease will have aromatic hydrocarbons or other carrier solvents that will evaporate with heat over time, so the grease will become thicker and combined with the small grind particles with make a nice glue!!


It does sort of absorb particles over time, especially if you go a bit liberal with it, doesn't get thicker though... i think









I try to make a routine of disassembling the k10 every so often and cleaning the thread.

Without the grease, it's a right bugger to reset after taking off the top burr carrier and has a bit of a tendency to seize.

Burrs were a lot easier to reassemble on the mini from my experience.

Oil i'd be concerned about getting it in the grounds and oil deteriorates quicker (at least veg oil which is the only oil i'd consider putting on the burrs) than molykote. Ah and 111 is silicone based not oil so it should be pretty durable, don't think there are many aromatic hydrocarbons in it to evaporate...I think...









Solvent wise I just use puly caff sparingly if needs be. I won't even let grindz anywhere near the k10 though


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## RobD (May 2, 2012)

what do you use for applying the grease as a plumbers flux brush is really good for fine threads, or any short bristled fine brush is OK, the grease thing is relative, and having spent a whole evening removing coffee infused grease from my Royal carriers and threads, that had obviously had no cleaning for a while it was not nice, if you clean it every 6 months or so then should be fine, im thinking more over years!!


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

RobD said:


> what do you use for applying the grease as a plumbers flux brush is really good for fine threads, or any short bristled fine brush is OK, the grease thing is relative, and having spent a whole evening removing coffee infused grease from my Royal carriers and threads, that had obviously had no cleaning for a while it was not nice, if you clean it every 6 months or so then should be fine, im thinking more over years!!


6 months?!?! Good gawd, i'm thinking like at least once, twice a month







The amount of grounds that slowly build up in there and leave oils over everything if not...

Tbh, I just use a short bristled fine brush. Laziness and lack of care will screw it up with or without grease









Knowing my luck, you're a chemist/lab tech/biologist who knows a crap load more about the compounds in molykote than I do (i.e f all







). But it seems according to the msds a large percentage is polymethyldisiloxane, which, may be organic?









Disassemble, reassemble often. Keeps it clean.


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## RobD (May 2, 2012)

if your burr carriers are the same as on a Mazzer, Ie one Chrome brass and the lower female thread aluminium, be careful of not taking it apart to often as aluminium is not the hardest of materials and will wear even when lubricated well.

yep polymethyldisiloxane is a silicon polymer compound but using hydrocarbon bonds, and looks Ok, just personal pref for something thiner so less drag.


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

You know, I can't remember whether it's brass on aluminium... I think the upper burr carrier is brass and mates to aluminium though.

Yeah there is a bit of drag, but i'm just happy with it not seizing and still being relatively easy to adjust.


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## P.B (Jun 3, 2012)

I use a touch of lip slave for thread lubrication. Food safe, cheap, easily obtainable and doesn't run.

ColinT - does the grinder have the coarser / finer label with arrows on it? If not then to remove the burr you turn it clockwise (which is counter-intuitive). You probably have this covered but always worth asking.

Paul


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

A little silicone grease - food grade if you can find some.


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## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

I took mine apart earlier and gave it a good scrub, then before replacing I put a few drops of the thin oil normally used for blades on hair clippers - not food safe probably but the threads are out of the way of the coffee and I used so little I'm willing to take the risk! It's now a lot smoother and easier to adjust so I'm pleased.


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## Colin T (Nov 23, 2012)

Hey guys, thanks for all the tips. It was mega gunked up. Had to use a hammer and screwdriver to get it moving. Hammered into one of the holes that the adjustment rod (which I don't have!) screws into. That got it turning and the threads are now clean which allowed me to dial it in.

The doser unit got bashed in transit from the very dodgy charactervwho sold it to me on eBay. Any tips for trying to straighten that back up?

The burrs were very clean and seem to be in good nic. How can you tell if they are worn? Loss of sharp edges?


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

Colin T said:


> Hey guys, thanks for all the tips. It was mega gunked up. Had to use a hammer and screwdriver to get it moving. Hammered into one of the holes that the adjustment rod (which I don't have!) screws into. That got it turning and the threads are now clean which allowed me to dial it in.
> 
> The doser unit got bashed in transit from the very dodgy charactervwho sold it to me on eBay. Any tips for trying to straighten that back up?
> 
> The burrs were very clean and seem to be in good nic. How can you tell if they are worn? Loss of sharp edges?


Urr, I guess so long as you haven't damaged the collar. They often come without adjustment rods and normally you can just put a screw into the hole to turn it. My mini didn't come with the adjustment rod.

There's the fingernail test for burrs but normally the grind is very inconsistent, clumps more etc etc, tbh it's normally best changing the burrs on a used sj just because it's cheap to do and you know the condition of the burrs.

Maybe some pictures would help? I'm surprised the doser has been damaged in transit, thought it was quite solid on the mini.


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## Colin T (Nov 23, 2012)

The packaging had to be seen to be believed. Thin layer of bubble wrap and then chucked in a box which was far too big. It was rolling about in that box all the way from London to Edinburgh with the plastic switch and built in tamper and denting the doser! I'll need to figure out how to upload photos.

Has anyone repainted theirs or stripped it down to the aluminium. I'd love to give it a go but I'm not that handy -hence the hammer!!!


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## Colin T (Nov 23, 2012)




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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

That's absolutely shocking! I'd be angling for a partial refund unless it was sold that way?

The good thing is that the timer switch will cost pennies to replace and you don't want the tamper anyway! Only difficult part will be rounding out the hopper again. I'd recommend taking the glass/plastic out before you attempt it.

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Burrs look good though. Proof will be in the pudding!

Michael

Fun in a Cup Coffee Training


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## Colin T (Nov 23, 2012)

I've asked for £30 back. I only paid £150 (plus 25 P&P!!). Like you say if I can reround the hopper I'd be fairly happy. Best price I can see for the switch is £8 though. Seems a bit steep to me for all that it is. Always a bit of a lottery buying on Ebay. This guy has probably picked it up for pennies when a coffee shop has gone bust.


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## RisingPower (Dec 27, 2009)

If it wasn't shown like that and you have proof it arrived in that condition, yeah, not brilliant.

Good luck with the hopper, plastic iirc was fairly easy to remove.


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