# Removing top burr from used Macap MXA



## Fran (Dec 27, 2010)

Hi all,

Today I received my brand spanking new Macap MXA. Well, I say new, I grabbed it for £125 off eBay!

So, this evening I went to give it a once over, and discovered;

a) That it works, and does grind

b) a few extra cracks not mentioned in the eBay ad, and more importantly,

c) that the top burr is completely jammed!

I've spent the evening trying to turn it (clockwise, towards the coarse setting, but it won't move in either direction). No luck. I've also tried heating up the things, again, with no luck. The grinder is in a pretty grimey state, so I think it must be old oily grounds between the threads.

DOes anyone have any advice? My next idea is to turn either pour some oil between the threads, probably to no avail. Or, I could turn the whole unit upside down and soak the top half of the machine in water! Desperate times.....

Please - I NEED TO PLAY WITH MY NEW GADGET - help!

Any advice?


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

My understanding is that on *some* Macaps there is an interlock that prevents the adjustment collar from turning - a sort of spring loaded plunger that protrudes from the throat of the machine into the rotating collar and stops it from turning. The plunger needs to be depressed (by poking it down through the top of the collar) to turn the collar. This is because, unlike in Mazzers, the top burrs in these models can rotate when you turn the collar (their carrier doesn't just move up and down in slots like on the Mazzer) - and this mechanism was adopted to stop the adjustment collar (and hence the top burrs) rotating whilst in use.

Have a good look and see if this is interlock is what is stopping your collar from rotating. If it's not, and the collar is truly seized, you may want to consider a return to seller rather than try the rather drastic remedies you've proposed. A grinder that can't be adjusted is clearly unfit for purpose.


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

I've just re-found this - which explains it much better than I can:

http://www.espresso-restorations.com/Macap.html


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

I would advise not soaking it in water, it will likely ruin it.


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## Fran (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks gentlemen, I have been depressing the spring-lock when twisting.

Also, soaking it in water to me seems drastic. I read that someone did that on Home Barista, and it worked. He flipped the grinder, so that only a limited part of the grinder was underwater, hence not ruining the electronics.


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

Wish I had some more advice but I don't know enough about the Macap to advise you better. Why don't you see if you can find a .pdf online of the service manual or something. It might help. If you do go down the water route as a last resort then leave it upended in a airing cuboard for at least 24 hours afterwards before switching it back on. You could try some compressed air to see if you can blast the offending debris out.


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## Fran (Dec 27, 2010)

BOOM.

I went to Homebase and bought a strap-wrench, and with a little effort, it came off! Great!

Thanks to everyone for their help!

Now, time to get cleaning the grinder!


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## vintagecigarman (Aug 10, 2009)

Brilliant! Wish I had thought of that!

A smidge of Dow Corling lubricant on the threads should make subsequent stripping easy.


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

Well done. Look forward to your views on the Macap. Was going to get one myself originally before I got very confused


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