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The First Grindmaster
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:17 PM
Hello All,

Have been occasionally checking here for reference out of curiosity, but came across a vintage item recently and decided to finally throw my hat in.
I found what I believe may be the first model Grindmaster 50#. It had been sitting in a furniture store for who knows how long, my brother in law worked there and saw I was interested since it was a unique piece, and just made a Christmas gift of it. I feel this is the progenitor of the grindmaster because of it's very simplistic design; no bag switch, no on /off switch, AND mostly because the top is not rounded like all the rest I had seen; it has inward concave lengths at the top sides. I have not seen any other model that had this. I can't even find a matching one on the internet.
The first time I used it the handle was electrified, and on taking it apart found the wiring was in horrible shape. After rewiring most of it, I found the motor model number corresponded to a build of October 1930, three years before the this grindmaster series allegedly began. I have since started adjusting it to my preference for french press coarse grind, which is ongoing, but it is now in active service. Anyway, wanted to share my pics here.
Please feel free to comment if you know of the history of the grindmasters. I am at best a coffee lover, tinkerer and antique restorer, but no plans to become a coffee afficionado or roaster. Will post pics as soon as I have them uploaded.
cylonics attached the following image:
smgrindmaster.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:32 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4093.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:35 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4095.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:36 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4096.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:36 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4105.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/02/2013 7:37 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4073.jpg
 
Randy G
Top  #7 Print Post
Posted on 01/02/2013 8:05 PM
I have a 500 and it is a real workhorse. Whenever I grind a full Hottop batch for friends I use it. Grindmaster still sells the burrsets for these! The motor number is probably the manufacturing date of the motor itself and not the grinder.

You may wise to examine the burrs. there is a shear piece that holds the powered burr to the motorshaft. These are sometimes replaced by users with steel (bad idea). You can use a copper penny. I used a piece of aluminum. One of the previous owners of mine SPOT WELDED the burr to the shaft which I had to grind off.

Life's too short to drink bad coffee.
 
Web
jkoll42
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Posted on 01/02/2013 8:20 PM
That's very cool. It would look amazing fully restored!
-Jon
Honey badger 1k, Bunn LPG-2E, Technivorm, Cimbali Max Hybrid, Vibiemme Double Domo V3
 
Randy G
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Posted on 01/02/2013 8:39 PM
www.frcndigital.com/coffee/grindmaster/grind_1.jpg

Here's mine

Life's too short to drink bad coffee.
 
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cylonics
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Posted on 01/03/2013 2:38 PM
I had misplaced the link, but I found a doc on an industrial GE website that show the DC equivalent of this motor code as manufactured October 1930. Since this AC motor has an identical model number layout, it's a safe bet that the 5KH at the beginning can be decoded in the same way. http://www.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/DCMotors?TNR=Renewal%20Parts|DCMotors|generic
I had seen on an ebay for a similar grinder that these grinders did not begin until 1933. www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4174.jpg I am still mostly curious about this body style, with the concave top sides. Every other one is just a box with rounded edges.
Edited by cylonics on 01/03/2013 2:46 PM
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/04/2013 4:39 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4103.jpg
 
cylonics
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Posted on 01/04/2013 4:40 PM
www.cylonics.com/chuck/Grinder/DSC_4197.jpg
 
smico
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Posted on 01/04/2013 5:58 PM
I am amazed with those grinders that were built to last. I am very happy with my Vario, but this is completely different category.
Hottop B2 + HTC, Cremina 83, OE Pharos, Brewtus IIIR, Baratza Vario
 
allenb
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Posted on 01/04/2013 10:25 PM
Here's a shot of the Grindmaster burr set
allenb attached the following image:
grindmasterburr.jpg
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
allenb
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Posted on 01/04/2013 10:26 PM
Below is a shot of a pair of G series Bunn burrs

Notice the difference in burr design.

While I worked at a roastery in Colorado a few years back we rebuilt many a Bunn, Grindmaster and Mahlkonig grinder and performed testing of grind quality including sieve tests for amount of fines produced.

The Grindmaster burr design outperformed both the Bunn and Mahlkonig every time with much less fines produced as well as more consistent grind particle size.. Because of this we always used the Grindmaster when brewing via french press.

Allen
allenb attached the following image:
bunnburr.gif
Edited by allenb on 01/04/2013 10:44 PM
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
Randy G
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Posted on 01/05/2013 12:16 AM
www.frcndigital.com/coffee/grindmaster/grind_4.jpg
Looking into the grind chamber of my Grindmaster 500.


www.frcndigital.com/coffee/grindmaster/grind_3.jpg
This is the auger and powered burr portion from my 500. Looks more like something that would be for grinding corn for chicken feed.. BUT WAIT! I have one of those as well:

www.frcndigital.com/coffee/CSBellMill/mill.jpg
C.S. Bell Corn Mill (often used for coffee as well on farms where one tool often served multiple purposes.

www.frcndigital.com/coffee/CSBellMill/burrs1.jpg
Conical burrs! Mazzer Kony and Robur, eat your heart out!

Life's too short to drink bad coffee.
 
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allenb
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Posted on 01/05/2013 10:38 AM

Quote

Randy G wrote:

You may wise to examine the burrs. there is a shear piece that holds the powered burr to the motorshaft. These are sometimes replaced by users with steel (bad idea). You can use a copper penny. I used a piece of aluminum. One of the previous owners of mine SPOT WELDED the burr to the shaft which I had to grind off.


Great idea using aluminum, much less damage to the burrs if a harder than coffee object is encountered.

Another common "customer performed fix" was installing a piece of steel rod in place of the softer, factory made grind adjust thrust bearing.

http://www.hhdonl...tNum=86140

They would end up grinding through the rotating sheet metal cap and make a mess.

Allen
1/2 lb and 1 lb drum, Siemens Sirocco fluidbed, presspot, chemex, cajun biggin brewer from the backwoods of Louisiana
 
cylonics
Top  #18 Print Post
Posted on 01/05/2013 2:28 PM
OK, two quick items...
1. I already hunted around the forum as is customary, but trying to find a source for the "flip this lever" lever to release the coffee sticking to the output after grinding. Mine is missing the part you flick.
2. Friendly suggestion, but it is always better to allow editing of posts, if I ever change hosts I won't be able to redirect to the new pics.
 
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