Rocky....To Dose or Not To Dose?

[replicant_argent]

Originally Posted by floydpink

Pete,

By "sweeps", are you referring to the putting of tape on the bottom of the vanes?
This was how I fried my Gaggia grinder as I locked up the burrs putting it back together and it cooked the machine when I turned it on.

I've also made damn sure to heed the importand advice of NEVER adjusting burrs WITHOUT the grinder running.
I've heard of some running white rice through the grinder to clean, but prefer to really get inside and use stuff like a cigar draw tool to make those burrs shine.

PS. The Super Jolly is a worthy contender for one of the best grinders out there IMO, but how the heck do you fit the hopper anywhere near a counter?

I'm under the impression that the Mazzer mini took the lead from the Macap M4 and trimmed down the SJ's hopper but is essentially the same as the SJ in all other aspects, but of course could be wrong.

Yes, Pete, the vinyl/electrical tape mod to the vanes. I have thought about it, and like to tinker that way, but I really don't get that much waste in the doser. I will probably end up doing it when I am bored during a snowstorm or something.
I have cleaned other grinders with white rice and it seems to work pretty well, and a little brushing and a vacuum afterwards. I have cleaned the SJ thouroughly to get the goo out of the grind chamber when I bought it, (it was a bit sludged up), (there were q-tips, alcohol, bamboo skewers, etc., involved) as a maintenance item, and when I replaced the burrs not too long ago.
As a side note, I was roasting some Taznzanian Peaberry on Monday, and post roast, as I was loading the beans into a storage jar, I found a small rock that had made it through sorting, drying, bagging, MY loading the roaster, and almost missed. That would have toasted my burr set in a hurry and made me very grumpy. Keep a sharp eye out, fellas.

I cut the hopper down on the SJ, not needing a hopper that big in any case, and so I lined up the hopper with the cupboard, taped a metal ruler with Sharpie attached to the bottom edge of the ruler, and spun the grinder around to establish an even line. I then took my Dremel and using the cutoff wheel, I buzzed the line and essentially melted my way through the lexan in a rough cut. I then inverted the hopper and wet sanded the edge on some fairly rough wet/dry paper, cleaned up the edge, and Voila', a custom height hopper.
I have since bought an extra doser lid, and will re-cut the hopper to exactly fit the new lid for a more finished product.

My SJ is used, and has a few nicks in the black paint, and I will probably undertake a painting project on it someday as well, but I don't know what color/finish I would like.

Oh, and I am FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR from any expert on grinders/coffee/er... well... anything....