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What's the matter with my La Cafetiere manual grinder?

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 6:57 pm
by jon
My La Cafetiere manual grinder has started grinding v v slowly - just under 5mins for 17g of beans, fairly course for French Press. It feels like the burrs aren't biting/cutting into the beans nearly as quick as they should be.

Could the burrs be blunt already? Under 6 months of use... Or anything else I should consider? (I've tried more than one lot of beans - so I don't think this is just awkward beans)

RE: What

PostPosted: Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:33 pm
by triptogenetica
Could the burrs be blunt already?

Did the problem come on gradually? Or was it sudden? If the latter, i doubt it's a blunt thing. Maybe new play in the assembly?

RE: What

PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:05 pm
by jon
Thanks - it's looking like a screw worked loose, and the grind setting swung round to way too fine.

Will have a play again this afternoon (don't like to waste beans by grinding what I'm not drinking ;) ) but hopefully having loosened the grind will help matters.

RE: What

PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 1:14 pm
by triptogenetica
good luck!

AFAIK, grinders are all slower when grinding finer - it's just far more noticable when they're manually powered :)

RE: What

PostPosted: Sun Apr 12, 2009 6:38 pm
by jon
Hm, a screw keeps coming loose... Maybe this is a metaphor.

Anyway, will have more of a play tomorrow.

RE: What

PostPosted: Mon Apr 13, 2009 2:28 pm
by Skippy
could you wrap some plumbers ptfe tape round the screw threads to tighten it up?

PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2009 1:22 am
by jon
Ah - hadn't heard of that tape. Might give it a try, though seems to be working OK now...

PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2009 11:41 pm
by jon
OK, now I think it's buggered :( I found a nut (the metal variety) had fallen off from somewhere on it, not sure where, and got into the tray the grinds go into. The mechanism now has way too much give when I turn the handle.

About 6 months old - think I'll just return it. Probably repairable, but not impressed that it breaks so quick :(