fabchef Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 64 Location: mtl Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sun Apr 8, 2012, 7:54pm Subject: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
Hi everyone, i was looking around at our warehouse and had forgotten that we had a spare grinder. It's a rossi RR45A (with shutoff switch). We haven't used it in almost 10 years. There was/is old grans in there. It is a 220V model. I wanted to see if it still worked. AFter buying an 220V transformer, i plugged it in and hit the switch..nothing! my brother started to pry the burs with a screwdriver and it started to work (the motor is a champ). The burrs must be easily over 20 years old..never cleaned or changed. The packing tamper has to get attached properly (will try to fix it tomorrow), and the round, plastic grind collar disc (where the hopper sits in) is broken in a few parts. The hopper still sits well but is SOOOO tall..hahah My question is, i know it's a commercial grinder but i haven't paid a penny for it, do you think it's worth fixing for home use? i know there are newer grinders out there, but with new burrs and the collar, will it be a contender? thanks fabs
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,661 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Mon Apr 9, 2012, 7:21am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
As I wrote on your other thread, the RR45 is a good grinder and it does a very good job. The 40 steps may be a little wide and you can adjust your dose up or down a little to help take that into account. The 45 isn't really so large and taking into account, the price you have in it, buy a new set of burrs, take it apart and give it a good cleaning and polish, then enjoy. As to the built in tamper, well most would say that a hand held tamper would do a better job and most home users remove the tamper.
I don't remember what you are using for an espresso grinder at the moment but I have a feeling the Rossi will run rings around it for espresso, with a new set of burrs. Heck, even with worn burrs, it likely will do a MUCH better job than what you have now.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
fabchef Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 64 Location: mtl Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Apr 9, 2012, 8:35am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
Hi Calblack...thanks for the replies. I know the common complaint is the 40 steps. If i want to use it, i need a new step collar. I think new burrs would be a good idea as they've been the same for many years. what i did notice is that if i take off the hopper and look down, i see the burrs and just above that, is there a plastic or rubber ring? i was picking at it with a pointy tool and it was just breaking off. this is why i'm worried about changing the burrs. I might in the end trade this in for a new grinder, not sure which way i should go. This is a much better grinder then the cheap-o one i have (which makes the coffee burnt). this rr45 also seems to make the coffee slightly burnt..is it the burrs? can i pass some dry rice in there to clean out the burrs? thanks fab
johnboddie Senior Member Joined: 28 Nov 2008 Posts: 147 Location: Virginia Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Brasilia Mini Classic,... Grinder: Rocky, KitchenAid Pro Drip: Cuisinart (non-grinding)
Posted Mon Apr 9, 2012, 9:47am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
Check with Espresso Parts - they have a 48-position standard collar and an 80-position collar that (I believe) is made for the 45A. The collar and new burrs will set you back about $100 - much less than you'd spend for a grinder of comparable quality.
fabchef Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 64 Location: mtl Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Mon Apr 9, 2012, 10:07am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
Hi John. That was the other thing i had to compare, if i where to fix it up VS getting something new. In terms of changing out the burrs, is it difficult to do? do you have any links/references on how to do this? the only thing is that if i do use the grinder i will have to keep this big power transformer on the counter (hope the better-half won't kill me. fabs thanks fabs
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,661 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Mon Apr 9, 2012, 10:30am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
If you can work a screw driver without stripping the head of a screw, you can change the burrs. Three screws hold on each burr. Just unscrew the upper carrier out of the grinder then remove the screws that hold each burr on, clean well so there are no crumbs of coffee around and you have a nice metal to metal fit, then reinstall the three screws for each burr. Done.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
Feed the newbs, starve the trolls and above all enjoy what you drink!
WEll i got my grinder back tonight. I found a really nice older Italian espresso tech that was nice enough to help me out with this grinder. He managed to reattach the packer on it, he put some epoxy on the grind setting disc that broke and is now holding. I will try to get a new one whenever. And he took a look and cleaned out the burrs. He said there is about 40% left on them and figured that for home use might last around a year or so. He was super nice and didn't charge me a thing. Moral of the story, if you are nice to people they will be nice to you. The thing i have to see now is that when the coffee comes out of the gaggia it comes out with a perfect crema, BUt i notice the color of the crema is a little on the dark side...is this the type of coffee in there? the grind thichness? thanks fabs
fabchef Senior Member Joined: 27 Feb 2007 Posts: 64 Location: mtl Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Fri Apr 13, 2012, 6:29am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
CALBLACK....that's good to know, it was a bit bitter, rancid but it was also my fault that i filled up the water reservoir with water from the garden hose from the garage ( i know, i know..it was late last night..haha) so i then changed the coffee to lavazza gold (pack just opened), cleaned out the reservoir and put in filtered water. It tasted much better, but i have to readjust the grind (too fine). fab
MARIOBARBA Senior Member Joined: 26 Sep 2011 Posts: 126 Location: MONTREAL CANADA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Ascaso DUO Prof TRONIC Grinder: Baratza Vario
Posted Fri Apr 13, 2012, 6:35am Subject: Re: rossi RR45A at my disposal...worth fixing?
Lavazza Gold is not my favourite blend of Lavazza for espresso use. Try their blue bags instead or get something roasted fresh locally. Cafe Grand on Sherbrooke sells Counter Culture espresso out of the US. Their Apollo blend is good.
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 