Eureka Mignon: Are your burrs touching to get a decent grind?

[iggs]

Hi all. I've just come into possession of a second hand Eureka Mignon (an older model with a doser) and just wondering if other users have had the same experience as me.

Despite the burrs being quite new (just replaced march 2015 - there is documentation for that) I'm finding i have do dial the grind all the way down so that the burrs are practically touching to get a decent espresso grind. Is this normal or could there be another problem?

thanks in advance

[JojoS]

Take the top burr off, rotate to the right and attach it again. Check if it is better. If not, do it one more time.

[Libertyrx1]

certainly shouldnt be touching. I get the finest of grind without any of the burrs toaching. Make sure both burrs are screwed in properly too. and dont overtighten top plate when screwing it back onto the machine

[iggs]

thanks for the tips. I will give it a go when i get home and report back on the results.

JojoS - just wondering what the rationale is with rotating to the right? I'll definitely try it but curious about how it helps. cheers

[JojoS]

That is the tip I got from the vendor who sold me my Eureka Mignon. He has replaced a lot of burrs for this model.

[MadForCoffee]

JojoS - just wondering what the rationale is with rotating to the right? I'll definitely try it but curious about how it helps. cheers

It's something to do with the burrs alignment. Assuming the top and bottom burrs aren't perfectly parallel to each other, you might get more 'parallelism' this way but it's all luck and depends how is it out of alignment in the first place.

Most importantly, when you remove the burrs, make sure the burr mounts and surrounding are clear of coffee residuals - vacuum or whatever. Really make sure not even a single grain left otherwise it will throw off your alignment!

[iggs]

Thanks for the additional info MadForCoffee

I've hit an unexpected snag. One screw holding the top burr in has a worn head. I've tried carefully getting it out but I think i'm wearing away the screw head more so I stopped. I can see small bits of metal shearing off! (the metal seems very soft!)

Please see picture below. the bottom screw is the concern. i can get the other ones off.

Any help on how to progress? (without destroying the screw)

[MadForCoffee]

You did the right thing stopping at that. I am assuming you're not using the right flat head with the right thickness (unless the screws are made of jelly). Not all flat head are created equal as there're different blade width. Bring that burr mount and go to a Bunnings or a hardware shop, match and get the right tool for it. Also, it's worth getting new screws in this case.

[JojoS]

After you get the correct screwdriver, try soaking the top burr and holding plate in warm soapy water. That should make things easier to remove the screws.

[Libertyrx1]

Thanks for the additional info MadForCoffee

I've hit an unexpected snag. One screw holding the top burr in has a worn head. I've tried carefully getting it out but I think i'm wearing away the screw head more so I stopped. I can see small bits of metal shearing off! (the metal seems very soft!)

Please see picture below. the bottom screw is the concern. i can get the other ones off.

Any help on how to progress? (without destroying the screw)

Had the same issues with mine and my cordless screwdridriver managed to ease it off easier with damaging further. Im in matraville not far from you if you need a hand

[Dimal]

With the stationary burr, I've found it to be much easier to use an impact driver of some description, with the burr-carrier resting on a piece of plywood or similar.

Not recommended for the rotary burr unless you're intending to replace the motor/shaft bearings, as impact of any kind will cause damage known as "brinelling"...

Mal.

[iggs]

I managed to get the top burr off, gave it a good clean and rotated it to the right (two times) as per JojoS suggestion. Still no improvement unfortunately. The grind is barely decent even with the burrs backed off only slightly from touching.

any other advice?

Otherwise i think the next step is to take it in for a pro inspection/service.
Looks like it's back to my trusty beast for the time being (Old Bezzera, built like a tank and the size of one too! Doesn't fail me in the cup though )

[JojoS]

Too bad the tip didn't work for you. I don't really get what you mean by " grind is barely decent". Are your burrs still sharp? Can you grind fine enough to choke the shot?

[iggs]

my burrs feel relatively sharp to the touch and were replaced last year so i don't think that's the problem.

To clarify, this morning i dialled down the ground till the burrs were touching, then wound it back one 'step'. The resulting pour was too fast and watery. Maybe i was being generous in saying it was 'barely decent'.

Having said this I did almost choke the shot the other day (i can't remember what the grind setting was, but it must have been similar to today or just slightly finer because there's not much wiggle room before burrs are touching)

So yes, when i think about it, i'm confused. the results have been inconsistent which is why i'm at a bit of a loss at the moment!

[JojoS]

I believe you have to rule out if you have any clumping issues that are common with Eureka Mignon at espresso grind range. I twack the doser as I grind and I also do DWT. Do you use a naked portafilter?