cathor Senior Member Joined: 9 Mar 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Midlothian, VA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale S1 Rossini Grinder: Macap M4 Stepped
Posted Sat Mar 25, 2006, 12:40pm Subject: Macap M4 zero point question
I just got a Macap M4 and have a question in regards to the zero point. It seems like the zero point on my grinder is at the 3 setting (out of 9). I figured that the coarsest setting then would be past the 9 setting (around 2), but the pin that holds the hopper in place restricts me from moving the grind setting past 9, effectively limiting my range from 3 to 9. This doesn't seem right to me.
guillermino Senior Member Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 437 Location: San Antonio, Texas Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: BAZZERA BZ-02-SDE Grinder: ASTORIA Super Automatic Vac Pot: Bodum french press Drip: melita cone Roaster: none
Posted Sat Mar 25, 2006, 2:19pm Subject: Re: Macap M4 zero point question
Yes, you are missing something:
shut the hopper gate, remove the stop pin & remove the hopper
unplug the grinder, pour the beans left in the grinder chamber into a paper plate.
start turning the adjust collar towards finer & alternately spinning the lower burr nut that rests in the middle of the chamber, you will reach a point where the nut canot be turned. This is ZERO (the two burrs are touching each other) I suggest putting a spot of nail polish on the adjust collar to mark this position
put the grinder back together but DO NOT install the stop pin, turn the adjusting ring toward coarser, see what you get, proceed to dial your grinder. once to get a setting that you are happy with , put a second nail polish spot there (different color)
You had the stop pin in a hole that was too high, look at the location of the holes, they spiral upwards
I left the pin out, but it is your choice (it makes removing the hopper a pain)
cathor Senior Member Joined: 9 Mar 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Midlothian, VA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale S1 Rossini Grinder: Macap M4 Stepped
Posted Sat Mar 25, 2006, 2:56pm Subject: Re: Macap M4 zero point question
A few more questions:
It seems like the zero point is at 3 - but I still can't say I'm 100% sure (the burrs whine at this position when the grinder is running). There only seems to be three locations where I can place the pin - 1, 4 and 7. No matter where I place it, it seems I will still loose part of the range.
Does leaving the pin out solve this problem and is there any serious downside to not using the pin (other than safety)?
I have no doubts that this is a great grinder, but I can't recall having seen a worse manual in a very long time. Calibrating a grinder may take a few minutes for an experienced home-barista, but for someone new to espresso/coffee grinding Macap is certainly not doing anything to shorten the learning curve.
cathor Senior Member Joined: 9 Mar 2006 Posts: 11 Location: Midlothian, VA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale S1 Rossini Grinder: Macap M4 Stepped
Posted Sat Mar 25, 2006, 7:54pm Subject: Re: Macap M4 zero point question
I'm speechless. It's 9pm on a Saturday and I get a call from Chris. He saw my post and wanted to help out (I didn't even buy my grinder from him, but I was in his records from a purchase I made for my S1).
I'm glad to say the problem was solved in a few minutes after which we talked about coffee and golf for about half an hour.
Note to self: Allocate 100% of future coffee funds to Chris' Coffee :)
helenhelen Senior Member Joined: 10 Jun 2005 Posts: 12 Location: NYC Expertise: I like coffee
Posted Fri Mar 1, 2013, 12:55pm Subject: Re: Macap M4 zero point question
First, I know this discussion was 7 years ago, but it helped me! I didn't know about the inner burr nut thing to find 0 point. Thank you so much. I just disassembled my grinder twice and cleaned it with rice to try to solve my problem: My M4 would not grind finer, despite my adjusting it lower. After I adjusted the nut per guillermino's instructions, I finally achieved the finer grind I need for a new bean.
So, thank you thank you thank you.
Second, I think Cathor and guillermino are talking about two different pins. guillermino mentioned to remove the stop pin in his original instructions, and I believe he meant the knob that twists out so you can remove the hopper. I think it twists out. I can't remember bc it's so inconvenient a feature that I removed it long ago. (I hope it's in the box.) Am I correct about the first pin you mentioned in your first post, guillermino?
Then guillermino referred to the stop pin on the adjusting ring--I THINK--and removing this. I wonder if I should understand that you run your grinder without this pin, guillermino? And that w/o this stop pin, one could inadvertently adjust the burrs right against each other? I think I'll leave my pin in place for my sake and anyone else who may use our grinder. But would this result in a stepless grinder? My grinder won't engage if the stop pin isn't properly extended into one of the pin holes on the adjusting ring, so I'm curious. If you're still around, thanks again, and for anyone else who may be interested, my Macap M4 has performed wonderfully in the 8 years I've had it. I've cleaned the burrs twice, now, with rice. It doesn't get commericial-level use, but it is used daily. It's a stepped grinder with a doser, and it's a beautiful piece of machinery.
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