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Breville BCG450...modded...now excellent grinder!

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  • #91
    Thanks man, I'm going to have to give this a go. I picked one up for $10 with a coffee machine I bought. I pulled it apart and cleaned the hell out of it before I used it and found the same problem with the grind. Just figured I put it back together wrong, but couldn't for the life of me get the top burr back in any better!

    I'll sleep well tonight knowing I can fix it

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    • #92
      Am coming to this thread that started over 5 years ago. Cool.

      Have had the Breville 450XL for 'bout 4 years. Worked great in the beginning. Then as several have attested, this and that little things just degraded. Everything spins, the timer works, the whole mechanism appears to be working. But am not getting grinds worth a hoot now. I am guessing I need to start by replacing the burr, but... where would you folks start?

      Also, how do you remove the burr? I have had the basket out, tried cleaning everything in sight, not the least being the pathway which I understand is a bit small... but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to remove the burr to just inspect it. Have been to the Breville web site and is a bit disconcerting to read that half the parts for the 450 are obsolete and no longer available. How can that be when Amazon is selling it still? Judt wondered. Where would one get parts for this puppy?

      What else would one look for, or replace, to see about resurrecting the grind which worked well for awhile? And as mentioned, everything else mechanical seems to be working fine. I'd really like to bring it back to life. help?

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      • #93
        Hi all

        I have signed up just to post this reply (to what is a very old thread now). Having taken this grinder apart, and performed a couple of mods - I can tell you what (in my view) is the best option for improving your grind.

        Thanks to all of the people who have already posted previously and given great guidance.

        Ok - before modding, it is useful to understand how this grinder works mechanically. Once that is understood, the first and least destructive mod is to (as suggested elsewhere) add a fibre shim/washer underneath the bottom burr. Once you realise that you do NOT have to unscrew the bottom burr, this is simple. At the bottom of the motor unit (inside the machine) is a nut and bolt. The thread on this is opposite to usual (think righty-loosely, lefty-tightly). The threaded bolt is the drive shaft that turns the bottom burr. Unscrew the nut, carefully pull out the bottom burr and shaft (from the top). Once you do this, you'll see the mechanism by which the burr is turned. Simply slip an ordinary tap washer in here, reassemble, and away you go. You have raised the burr by the width of your washer. As suggested elsewhere, I'd say around 0.6mm is right - and (on my Gaggia Classic) gives a "slightly too fine" going when the modded grinder is set to espresso. So, almost perfectly fixes the problem.

        This mod is sufficient to allow the burrs to touch when over tightened (not that this is desirable).

        For some however, this might be too fine (perhaps). If this is the case, then the "remove the limiting tab" mod works well too. Once disassembled, it is obvious that the threaded plastic component (that lowers the top burr) is simply clipped into position to the body of the motor. Without the limiting tabs, it can simply spin freely indefinelty (I.e., continuously spinning past 360 degrees). It is only the tabs that stop it. These serve a few functions. Turning the coffee hopper backwards, the tab is positioned to perfectly line up the various components so that the hopper and top burr can be removed easily (otherwise, they are locked in place if out of alignment). The other tabs, on a clockwise turn of the hopper, simply limit the closeness of the burrs. It is not clear why they are limited to the degree that they are.

        Although all tabs can be removed (I think there were three), there is a downside in doing so. Because of the way the thing is put together, tightening too hard (when assembled) can cause the threaded plastic part to pop it's clips (the pressure of the top burr component on the little plastic clips is simply too great). So, for this reason, tightening to a great degree is not recommended by me. I'd use the the "washer" method above. But...if you don't need to tighten right down hard to get a good grind for your machine - then removing the tabs should work fine.

        This is not a tutorial of how to do these mods - but just a rundown of my experience with it. Happy to answer any questions people have (if anybody still looking at doing these mods). I can say that, in my experience, the washer mod has increased the fine-ness such that I can choke my Gaggia Classic. It might not be as consistent a grind as a better grinder (I couldn't say one way or the other) - but for basically nothing, you can pick these up second hand and get something acceptable (freshly ground coffee at least!).

        Cheers
        Richard

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        • #94
          .....Simply slip an ordinary tap washer in here,
          .
          ??..to me, a tap washer is rubber, compressible, ...is that really what you mean ?

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          • #95
            Originally posted by blend52 View Post
            .
            ??..to me, a tap washer is rubber, compressible, ...is that really what you mean ?
            Nope, sorry, what I mean is a hard, fibre, washer (like these (not a recommendation, just an example): Kinetic Assorted Sizes Fibre Body Washers - 30 Pack | Bunnings Warehouse)

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            • #96
              Originally posted by cyrus View Post

              A washer under the rotating burr.
              I considered this to be possibly the best suggestion, as it is non-destructive and reversible if required.
              On disassembling the machine, I found that the suggestion of putting a washer under the rotating burr to reduce the clearance between the burr halves is a furphy. The machine is designed in such a way that putting a spacer under the rotating burr will not raise the burr, it will lower the driven shaft instead, along with it's clutch and gear assembly.
              Please note, if you wish to disassemble your grinder this far, the threads on both ends of the burr shaft are LEFT HANDED.
              Placing a spacer under the burr does not only not reduce clearance, but will allow the burr shaft to float up and down, creating the risk of the burr halves clashing.
              This is not my experience. If you remove the nut on the other end of the driveshaft, and DO NOT unscrew the bottom burr, then the only consequence is that the bottom burr is lifted. The rest of the motor unit is stationary - it is screwed to the body casing of the grinder unit - it can't move. You do, however, have 0.6mm less driveshaft upon which to reattach the nut.

              I'm happy to be proven wrong, but it definitely worked for me!

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              • #97
                Originally posted by blend52 View Post
                .
                ??..to me, a tap washer is rubber, compressible, ...is that really what you mean ?
                No, sorry, what I mean is a fibre washer. A Google search of the phrase "fibre washer" will show you what I'm talking about.

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                • #98
                  Had the grinder 7+ years and knew about the mod but never did it because I was doing filter coffee so the grind as ok at max setting. Recently got a pod espresso with reusable pods and then discovered my grind was not nearly fine enough.

                  Thing is I tried the clicking the burr into place. The burr was basically loose the whole time. If turned it upside down with the hopper off it fell out. Anyway, as soon as I clicked it in, espresso mode was prefect for espresso, filter is good for filter and turkish is too fine. I'm pretty sure it was always meant to be clicked into place but some how didn't get done at the factory or popped out.
                  No idea about the damage thing but I don't dial it up past turkish so I think its fine.
                  Better late than never.

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                  • #99
                    Stupid flukn photo-barf-buket

                    Originally posted by mayhewga View Post
                    photos of the breville bcg450 grinder modification being performed.

                    the job took about 20 minutes (however i am a retired technician so probably a bit more used to pulling things apart than most)

                    i just follwed the instructions found elsewhere on this board, up to point 7, there was no need to further dismantle anything.

                    I used just 4 tools; a flat bladed jewellers screwdriver for the triangular screws holding the base on, a phillips head screwdriver for the 3 screws holding the cover on, an ordinary serated kitchen knife to saw the lug off, and an emery board to smooth it off a bit.

                    The instructions at paragraph 2 mention 7 screws, note there are 4 beneath the feet, then after you prise off the base you find 3 down the holes holding the cover. There is no need to remove the 2 triangular ones holding the round power cord cover.


                    the tools i used (with optional view).


                    removing the feet.


                    unscrewing the four screws holding the base, then prise off the base.


                    removing the three screws that hold the cover.


                    slide off the cover.


                    taking care not to lose the plastic bit under the start button.


                    the cover is off.


                    heres the bit that has to go.


                    cutting it off with a serrated steak knife (dont tell my wife).


                    smoothing it with my wifes emery board.


                    the little blighter after its removal.

                    The end result is a grind as close as i can feel, to that which my local coffee shop supplies so i am happy. *

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                    • Precisely why we so strongly recommend that people upload their pictures on here rather than posting them elsewhere and then linking to them.


                      Java "Don't link, upload!" phile
                      Toys! I must have new toys!!!

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                      • Originally posted by djay View Post
                        Had the grinder 7+ years and knew about the mod but never did it because I was doing filter coffee so the grind as ok at max setting. Recently got a pod espresso with reusable pods and then discovered my grind was not nearly fine enough.

                        Thing is I tried the clicking the burr into place. The burr was basically loose the whole time. If turned it upside down with the hopper off it fell out. Anyway, as soon as I clicked it in, espresso mode was prefect for espresso, filter is good for filter and turkish is too fine. I'm pretty sure it was always meant to be clicked into place but some how didn't get done at the factory or popped out.
                        No idea about the damage thing but I don't dial it up past turkish so I think its fine.
                        Better late than never.
                        I just got one of these grinders at an op shop in 'as new' condition. Noticed the loose top burr, coarse and uneven grind so was thinking of attempting the mod. Glad I read through this thread because I tried to click the top burr into place with some mild but not excessive force. As you mentioned, now the grinder works perfectly and grinds appropriate to the indications on the hopper. Best $14 I ever spent haha!!

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