# Vario grinder issues - not fine enough?



## peche (Dec 2, 2012)

I've had my Vario grinder for just over a year now and have recently been having some issues which I can't get to the bottom of.

I always use freshly roasted coffee (say within 3-4 weeks) but like to try different roasters - square mile, hasbean, monmouth, pact, etc. My problem is that there are some coffees I have real troubles with - even at the finest setting with 18g of coffee I get a gusher. If I up the dose to 21/22g it just about slows the brew down enough to get a nice shot but it means I get through coffee much faster than I would like.

When I first got the machine I had no issues with any beans but over time it's gone from an occasional issue to affecting maybe 25% of all the beans I buy. I think it might be an issue with lighter roasted beans but honestly not sure.

I've read about grinder calibration etc but I think it is set up OK. I actually modified the machine the other week to make the grind a bit finer (maybe a quarter-turn) but with no real impact to brew time. I've taken a video of grinder noise from 1W to 1A which shows the current state: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3aaem6rckwk6x66/MVI_3676_2.mov.

Any ideas about what the problem could be?

PS - My machine is a Gaggia Baby Class.


----------



## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

I would turn the grub screw a little more to calibrate the grinder towards the finer end and see how you get on.


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Not set up ok, you need to recaliberate. It's easy though!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25117037/Vario-Re-Calibration.pdf

I had same problem with SqM beans and some Has Bean beans.

Just use an allen key, you dont need the tool.


----------



## peche (Dec 2, 2012)

I tried recalibrating but it seems to be worse than before. I can't get the motor to labour at all without the burrs starting to touch as I adjust the micro slider towards A - I removed both top and bottom burrs and reseated them however it had no effect.

I did have some trouble with the primary calibration process detailed on that pdf. My grinder doesn't have a calibration screw, it uses a 2mm allen key instead - should I unscrew that a bit before adjusting? Given it seems to control coarseness perhaps I don't need to adjust that one, although I have done so and am not sure it is in place properly.


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

There should be an allen key bolt hidden under a sticker, and just in front of that (closer to you) a rubebr grommet which when removed contains the screw.

I've just used the allen key fix myself, before I got no motor labouring apart from a tiny bit at 1A, I changed it so I got it at around half way on the micro dial instead. it has slipped back a bit though, but I think this is more as the burrs have worn in.

Who did you buy it off? Mine came from HasBean and it was them who sent me the guide, they also offered me to send it to them and they'll send it in for a service if I wanted but as it was a small tweak I didnt take them up on the offer - might be worthwhile for you?


----------



## peche (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks for the info aaron. My grinder ( from back to front) goes rubber grommet (hiding the the 2.5mm screw), 2mm allen key bolt (hidden under a sticker, although mine is now exposed), chute for grounds.

I ground some beans and that looks to have reseated the bottom burr and stopped them touching.

However the problem I have is that the 2.5mm screw seems to be attached to some rails and these rails shift from front to back even when the screw is tightened. So I can have the grinder sounding good, but when I put some beans through it the vibration of the machine causes the bolt+rails to move from the back of the machine to the front.

I took 2 photos to explain and did not unscrew the bolt at all between taking them: https://www.dropbox.com/s/fulooij84ob69li/IMG_3678.jpeg https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm2jsc4ulr2hrtm/IMG_3679.jpeg

I bought mine from Hasbean so will have a word with them on Monday, but that means no coffee this weekend


----------



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Yep shoot them an email - they're very helpful!

I never touched the screw I'm afraid, just the bolt under the sticker.

I *think* the screw under the rubber grommet is for more major calibration? Glenn might know, he knows more about these grinders than me.


----------

