Hi All
I picked up a La Cimbali Junior grinder recently in a very sorry state.
Over the past few weeks Ive been pulling it apart, cleaning, repainting, replacing the bearings, etc.
I thought Id post a few pics.
Of course I forgot to take comprehensive before pics, but I think they give you an idea.





And after -




The paint was almost completely flaked off of the cast aluminium collar below the hopper and the base plate.
The burrs were so clagged with old coffee that I couldnt move the burr carrier.
The doser was similarly caked with old grinds, to the extent that the vanes on the doser had broken and jammed the exit hole.
I started out thinking I would just give it a clean, and see how things went, but as I progressed more and more bits came off needing cleaning.
The most interesting part, and one that I havent seen mentioned in other Junior threads around the forums, is that the buildup of coffee in the burr carriage was so great it had spread to the area below the lower burr and damaged the top bearing.
To get to the bearings I removed the lower burr, three screws. Then I poked a screwdriver in through the exit chute and braced it on one of the three prongs that support the lower burr. This held the motor shaft in place so that I could use a socket to loosen the nut on the end of the shaft - REVERSE thread. After that It only took a couple of gentle whacks to unstick the burr carrier and get to the shaft. Oh, then some whacking to get the shaft and bearing out of the upper motor housing.
Finally, bearing puller - $20 from Supercheap - and the bearing was off. I took the whole lot to the local bearing place, and they found me a replacement. I bought a pair, top and bottom are the same, and bought bearings with a rubber seal to keep some of that coffee out, $15 for the two. The original bearings dont have a rubber seal.
The top bearing was absolutely stuffed, it took a lot of effort to turn it by hand once it was off the shaft. I thought the lower bearing was okay, until I compared it to the new bearings, and decided it needed replacing, too. With the new bearings in it is a lot quieter, more of a purr than a roar.
So, a warning to those looking to buy older Juniors, I think mine is a 96 model, it is worthwhile taking off the hopper and having a close look at how clean the burr area is and turning the shaft by hand to see if the bearings are shot.
I havent dared to actually use the grinder yet :
, its just a bit too clean, maybe Ill wait until the espresso machine turns up and christen them at the same time. At the moment Im using stovetops and a Saeco MC2002.
I have yet to replace the burr set, or the doser vanes, thats the next task.
Cheers
Simon
I picked up a La Cimbali Junior grinder recently in a very sorry state.
Over the past few weeks Ive been pulling it apart, cleaning, repainting, replacing the bearings, etc.
I thought Id post a few pics.
Of course I forgot to take comprehensive before pics, but I think they give you an idea.




And after -




The paint was almost completely flaked off of the cast aluminium collar below the hopper and the base plate.
The burrs were so clagged with old coffee that I couldnt move the burr carrier.
The doser was similarly caked with old grinds, to the extent that the vanes on the doser had broken and jammed the exit hole.
I started out thinking I would just give it a clean, and see how things went, but as I progressed more and more bits came off needing cleaning.
The most interesting part, and one that I havent seen mentioned in other Junior threads around the forums, is that the buildup of coffee in the burr carriage was so great it had spread to the area below the lower burr and damaged the top bearing.
To get to the bearings I removed the lower burr, three screws. Then I poked a screwdriver in through the exit chute and braced it on one of the three prongs that support the lower burr. This held the motor shaft in place so that I could use a socket to loosen the nut on the end of the shaft - REVERSE thread. After that It only took a couple of gentle whacks to unstick the burr carrier and get to the shaft. Oh, then some whacking to get the shaft and bearing out of the upper motor housing.
Finally, bearing puller - $20 from Supercheap - and the bearing was off. I took the whole lot to the local bearing place, and they found me a replacement. I bought a pair, top and bottom are the same, and bought bearings with a rubber seal to keep some of that coffee out, $15 for the two. The original bearings dont have a rubber seal.
The top bearing was absolutely stuffed, it took a lot of effort to turn it by hand once it was off the shaft. I thought the lower bearing was okay, until I compared it to the new bearings, and decided it needed replacing, too. With the new bearings in it is a lot quieter, more of a purr than a roar.
So, a warning to those looking to buy older Juniors, I think mine is a 96 model, it is worthwhile taking off the hopper and having a close look at how clean the burr area is and turning the shaft by hand to see if the bearings are shot.
I havent dared to actually use the grinder yet :
, its just a bit too clean, maybe Ill wait until the espresso machine turns up and christen them at the same time. At the moment Im using stovetops and a Saeco MC2002.I have yet to replace the burr set, or the doser vanes, thats the next task.
Cheers
Simon

















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