# grind is uneven



## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

Hi , im not sure if i have a problem with my grinder as my grind seems quite uneven , here is a photo , the bits circled in red are solid lumps (not just clumped together) and it varies down to very small particles . There is also some caster sugar mixed in for some sort of scale .









https://www.dropbox.com/s/nfcvqju0h9e607v/grind.jpg?dl=0


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Which grinder are you using? What are you grinding for? (Espresso, filter, French Press, etc)


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

sorry , that would help . I have a super jolly and grinding for espresso .


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

How's the espresso turning out (weight in, weight out, taste balance)?

Was that a shot from under a microscope?

The finer you set a grinder (espresso) the less consistent the grind, but there's little you can learn from looking at it.


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

Hi , ive not been weighing it just filling the portafilter , yes thats under a microscope , i guess it is tasting a little bitter , still drinkable though , i just want to rule out a grinder problem .


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Single dosing by any chance? - I believe those grinders are designed to operate with a hopper full of beans, as the grind will become less uniform as there isn't a consistent input of beans going through the burrs.

If that's the case, don't worry about it. Like other things in life, there are pros and cons. You get no waste, no stale grinds, but the result is not the same with beans in the hopper. There even a thread about this in this forum.

Just grind finer/coarser to taste and enjoy the coffee.

If coffee is tasting bitter, grind a tad coarser (updose to compensate the flow time) or if you can, decrease the brew temperature.


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

yes single dosing , it has a doser which i plan to do away with and modify with a funnel for single dose , from what you are saying though im guessing there are better options of grinders for single dosing ?


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

There are, but they are very expensive indeed. Usually those are manual grinders, namely OE Pharos, HG One (amongst others) or electric ones, such as the Versalab, the Compak R120 or the EK43 (amongst others).

There are some more stuff here:

First Impressions of Dosing From a Hopper Over Single dosing.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?url=http%3A%2F%2Fcoffeeforums%2Eco%2Euk%2Fshowthread%2Ephp%3Ft%3D34877&share_tid=34877&share_fid=6813&share_type=t

Hope that helps.


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

Thanks for the info , maybe i'll upgrade the sj then ,


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

moss99 said:


> Thanks for the info , maybe i'll upgrade the sj then ,


Weigh you dose and output will save you a ton of cash in an upgrade .


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Are the burrs sharp ? is the lower carrier and the burrs clean ? (free from oily residue and coffee dust )


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

I've actually got a set of new burrs here ready to go in , i have had it a few years now and its not had new ones since i have had it , i will take it apart later and check it out .

Although i think i may keep my eyes open for used HG 1


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Really you want get the best from any grinder util you establish a consistent dose, relative to the size of the basket you are using . A couple of years home use shouldn't be getting to the end of burr life for these grinders. They are rated for alot of coffee in a commercial environment .

Do yourself a favour , buy some scales , and start , at the very least weighing your dose .


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Why do you think the HG1 will be more "even"?

Remember the point of the grind is too keep coffee & water together long enough to get the good stuff out...whether this is happening or not will be much easier to determine if you tell us more about the coffee you are making (weights, time & taste). Pictures of coffee fragments don't tell us much.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Just to re-iterate what they are saying here, don't worry about particle size under a microscope. Yes, there are grinders out there designed for single dosing and they come with a heavy price tag. At the same time, there are many happy members here and elsewhere who are single dosing a SJ, Many or others and are getting an excellent beverage in the cup. Follow the advice of those three very experienced members and you won't regret it.

Happy 2017 everyone!


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

Thanks for the advice , my sj was well used when i got it so not sure how much has gone through it , i will try and get some photos of the burrs later , I was thinking of the upgrade as it is a real pain to clean as i still have the black switch (see photo) and doser . I have a fudge funnel but not started the mods yet so thought i could save all the trouble with an upgrade . And looking at the HG 1 seems a whole lot less mess ..

I do have some scales and used to weigh in / out ..


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

I think the burrs have definitely seen better days !


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

The term knackered comes to mind. It looks as if it has had some foreign bodies in the beans during its life.

Small nicks in the deep grooved breakers is not too detrimental but the nicks and rounded edges (light reflecting off) at periphery will never grind correctly, more of a bruising/ mangling effect.


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## S-Type (Dec 27, 2016)

Since you have written that you have new burrs ready to go in, why don't you change them, better than those in the photos...


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

I have changed them now , that was another story !! , see here http://coffeeforums.co.uk/showthread.php?35732-cheap-mazzer-burrs-vs-genuine


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## S-Type (Dec 27, 2016)

I have read your experience with bad quality replacement...

I agree with Mrboots2u ... You need to have consistent dose for each different basket you are using. Also for home use original burrs last very long even replacement ones that I use from my local store last long (they are good quality, not genuine but very good).

I own 3 Mazzers SJ (one doserless and two with dosers) and when I dial them in they are excellent and in near future I am not replacing Mazzer SJ... I am very sattisfied with SJ.


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

S-Type said:


> I have read your experience with bad quality replacement...
> 
> I agree with Mrboots2u ... You need to have consistent dose for each different basket you are using. Also for home use original burrs last very long even replacement ones that I use from my local store last long (they are good quality, not genuine but very good).
> 
> I own 3 Mazzers SJ (one doserless and two with dosers) and when I dial them in they are excellent and in near future I am not replacing Mazzer SJ... I am very sattisfied with SJ.


I have now fitted new burrs to my sj , as i mentioned i have no idea how much it was used before i got it , and the burrs looked quite worn to me .

I have just put 2 kg of bad tasting beans through it so i will see how i get on now , part of the reason for changing it though was the cleaning time , i have no mods yet but have a fudge funnel ready to fit , im sure i saw coffeechap posted a link to a flexible cap type cover which you tap and it clears the chute out ,but i cant find it now , also in post 16 of this thread my photo shows the small black box , what is this and can it be removed , as there are cables inside it .

regards.


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## grumpydaddy (Oct 20, 2014)

When used in a commercial environment the doser is designed to refill as the level drops. that box contains a microswitch that controls this function.

Yes, with the machine disconnected from the mains, you can remove the box and switch etc. then take the bottom off the grinder and trace the wires that come from the microswitch then take note of where they are connected. What you then do is remove those wires and connect the terminals where they were connected together with a short length of wire (you can use the wire you removed from the microswitch if you want)


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## moss99 (Jul 29, 2014)

grumpydaddy said:


> When used in a commercial environment the doser is designed to refill as the level drops. that box contains a microswitch that controls this function.
> 
> Yes, with the machine disconnected from the mains, you can remove the box and switch etc. then take the bottom off the grinder and trace the wires that come from the microswitch then take note of where they are connected. What you then do is remove those wires and connect the terminals where they were connected together with a short length of wire (you can use the wire you removed from the microswitch if you want)


Great info , many thanks .


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