fwtechwiz Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 520 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution Grinder: Hario Skerton
Posted Thu May 13, 2010, 6:46pm Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
Joel_B Said:
Hey Kurt, this doesn't mean I still have to buy you a grinder if I win the lottery does it? Figured I'd be off the hook since you ended up with a grinder anyways ;-)
"LOL" indeed. well......... ah, ok! I'll do it! But new rules, the lottery needs to be $100K or more NOT $100 or more. Hey, chances are slim but a deal's a deal.
I also got this grinder and love it!!! There are two minor negatives, but otherwise this thing is an awesome grinder. It even comes with a separate lid for the glass (yes NOT plastic!) jar so you can store beans in that when you travel. I love it for traveling with my aeropress.
My two minor annoyances with it (the same as everyone else's it seems) are: (1) It doesn't have a lid and therefore the beans fly EVERYWHERE when you grind (although, I am not sure where, but someone suggested using a butter/sour cream container lid for it)
and
(2) It doesn't have some way to measure the grind setting so if you go back and forth between, let's say a French Press and a drip grind, you have to use the "notches" and basically burn through beans getting the setting correct
fwtechwiz Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 520 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution Grinder: Hario Skerton
Posted Wed May 19, 2010, 2:48pm Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
primacoffee Said:
(1) It doesn't have a lid and therefore the beans fly EVERYWHERE when you grind (although, I am not sure where, but someone suggested using a butter/sour cream container lid for it)
and
(2) It doesn't have some way to measure the grind setting so if you go back and forth between, let's say a French Press and a drip grind, you have to use the "notches" and basically burn through beans getting the setting correct
I don't seem to have the problem with beans flying everywhere. Maybe it's because I only grind about 2 tbsp at a time. I get a couple of chards toward the end of the grinding, and that's all, but indeed yes, you can get a small butter lid, cut a hole out of the center large enough to slip over the handle and fit around the shaft and it will keep things tidy. As for marking the grind setting, I got mine dialed in for espresso, used a marker and made a line on the adjuster and up the threaded rod. when I reassemble after cleaning I just line up the marks and it's right back where I left it. Since I only grind for espresso I never have to change the setting.. or at least yet. Just used up my first bag of whole bean, so we'll see if it needs some tweaking when I get a different blend. I guess if switching back and forth between espresso and french press, it would be a hassle. I'm kicking around an idea in my head for a mod that would make a locked in double setting, I'll post when I get this worked on to paper.
fwtechwiz Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 520 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution Grinder: Hario Skerton
Posted Wed May 19, 2010, 3:08pm Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
How about this? Dial in the grinder for espresso. Make a mark on the adjuster and on the threaded rod. This marks your constant for fine grind. Now dial in your setting for french press. You will need a Nylok nut with the right thread size (the larger thread, the one the adjuster threads on to. Remove the retaining nut ,the handle, and the locking washer (the one with the two tines on it that locks in the setting. Now carefully screw the nylok nut on, being careful not to move the adjuster, until the nut just comes tight to the adjuster. Now you can replace the locking washer, handle and retaining nut. To move back and forth between the two settings, spin the adjuster down to your mark for espresso, and up till tight against the lock nut for french press. Simple enough until you have to disassemble for cleaning, then you would have to get the nut back on exactly where you had it before. Still a bit of a pain.
primacoffee Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 36 Location: Louisville, KY Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Dalla Corte Evolution 2grp Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: Yama Siphon Drip: V60, Chemex, Kone, Wave
Posted Thu May 20, 2010, 9:38am Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
fwtechwiz Said:
How about this? Dial in the grinder for espresso. Make a mark on the adjuster and on the threaded rod. This marks your constant for fine grind. Now dial in your setting for french press. You will need a Nylok nut with the right thread size (the larger thread, the one the adjuster threads on to. Remove the retaining nut ,the handle, and the locking washer (the one with the two tines on it that locks in the setting. Now carefully screw the nylok nut on, being careful not to move the adjuster, until the nut just comes tight to the adjuster. Now you can replace the locking washer, handle and retaining nut. To move back and forth between the two settings, spin the adjuster down to your mark for espresso, and up till tight against the lock nut for french press. Simple enough until you have to disassemble for cleaning, then you would have to get the nut back on exactly where you had it before. Still a bit of a pain.
Good call, you sound like you have put some effort into this! :)
thankfully, at this point, it is not a HUGE problem for me since I really only use this for my Aeropress and a drip machine (haven't bit the bullet and gotten a V60 and Buono yet... soon, though)... hopefully, Hario has their ears to the ground and will consider adding some sort of marking system for a "new and improved" Skerton at some point.
primacoffee Senior Member Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 36 Location: Louisville, KY Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Dalla Corte Evolution 2grp Grinder: Mazzer Mini Vac Pot: Yama Siphon Drip: V60, Chemex, Kone, Wave
Posted Thu May 20, 2010, 9:43am Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
and GENERALLY I don't have the problem of the beans flying everywhere (which is why I think the grinder is still WELL worth the cost... good luck finding any other ceramic burr grinder under $50 bucks with shipping)...
it is just every once in awhile... when I am least expecting it (and always when I am in a rush to got to work or school), the beans will strike and I will jolt the grinder at the wrong time. I am still finding beans under furniture in my apt. :) :) :)
I have played around with the Mini Mill as well and that solves the "open top" problem with a lid (and is even cheaper than the Skerton), but I wanted a little more volume then the Mini could hold in it's container.
fwtechwiz Senior Member Joined: 19 Feb 2010 Posts: 520 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Evolution Grinder: Hario Skerton
Posted Fri May 21, 2010, 3:21am Subject: Re: I finally ordered my grinder
Well, I switched beans today, from Columbian Supremo to a local Fresh Market blend called Trattoria. First off, I did not have to tweak the adjustment to get the right grind size. The shot pulled perfectly, first try. I was impressed. The difference was in the ease of grinding. The Supremo took a lot more elbow grease to chew through the beans. The trattoria was so easy to grind, I thought at first my adjustment had somehow slipped and I was grinding way too coarse! Not the case, it was just that much easier to grind. Go figure.
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