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setting up/cleaning new (second hand) bodum antigua grinder

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 10:18 am
by jon
Just had one of these arrive in the post - got it cheap off ebay :D Came without manual, so if anyone can help with a couple of questions, that'd be great. It's the white one, not the chrome, if that makes a difference.

First, um, a bit broke off in the post - the little down-pointing bit if the red arrow which marks how coarse the grind is. Am I right in thinking this is just cosmetic?

Second, it has been used, and there's a bit off coffee still in the mechanism. I've wiped/shook/blown off what I can, but some grounds are still there. Do I assume that putting my own bean through will flush it out, or should I look to do something else to clean it?

Thanks in advance,

Jon

PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:16 pm
by Steve
Running some of your coffee through should clear it out, have you a picture of the bit broken off?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:06 am
by Slimboyfat
Hi Jon - I think that it is just cosmetic, the mechanism that actually stops the hopper twisting is inside the machine (more's the pity!)

I would love to adjust the grind on my Antigua beyond the current finest setting - has anyone done it? I presume the grinder could be taken apart and fettled with to get the burrs a bit closer together?

My wife uses this grinder for her deca...decafffokj (no, it's no good, I still can't say that word) and the finest setting is just about OK for the French press, but is woefully short of the mark for the Pulser.

Regards
Slimboy...

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:42 am
by Slimboyfat
Back again (must do some work this morning)

Think this might be useful

http://www.kwilson.fsnet.co.uk/grinder_tweaks.htm

will give it a go post haste!

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:29 am
by jon
Steve - if you look at the pointy red thing on the pic at the front of the manual (http://www.bodum.com/upload/pdf/05_5671_Antigua_INS.pdf), the triangular red bit has broke. Any rate, it does seem to work - got a pot brewing at the mo :)

slimboyfat - it does seem to grind coarser than you'd expect - did a french press pot with the settings a bit finer than the 'french press' picture on the settings, and it was very chunky. Turning it really fine seems to go OK for a moca pot, though (don't have an expresso machine, and must resist tweaking ;) )

Wonder why the 'recommended' settings from bodum are so much coarser than you need, though?

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 9:52 am
by jon
oh yeah, one niggle with the machine - the clear plastic container to hold the grounds that come out seems to be moved out slightly by the vibrations when the machine grinds, so it doesn't quite seal and 'leaks' grounds slightly unless I hold it. Would a piece of blu-tac fix this (a nice low-tech tweak ;) )

PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 10:17 am
by Slimboyfat
I just got used to holding on to it