Talk about bum luck

[LMichaels]

So, I've written re that I've been able to acquire 2 Baratza Forte grinders. One the "AP" variety with ceramic burrs and the other (the first I acquired) the BG with steel burrs. Well the one with steel burrs is older and the grind adjustment levers are incredibly stiff and hard to operate while the newer ceramic burr one had a slight mod done to it to make them easier to operate. Baratza has documented the mod with dull instructions to make things easier. Doing so requires removing the display/control panel. Made the mod, levers worked great but suddenly control panel inop. Just discovered the issue today. Wouldn't ya know the ribbon data cable from the display to the actual circuit board cracked through the traces. Total bum luck. Have new updated control panel on it's way

 

[Wilmer Cogburn]

Ugh.

Not sure what forum I read this on, but guy literally baked a circuit board in his oven to resolder the cracked traces.

I don’t know temp, time or details.

I thought simultaneously “Way Cool” and “My wife would kill me”.

 

[LMichaels]

Ugh.

Not sure what forum I read this on, but guy literally baked a circuit board in his oven to resolder the cracked traces.

I don’t know temp, time or details.

I thought simultaneously “Way Cool” and “My wife would kill me”.

I've done that trick. But it wasn't the solder traces. Just the tiny little bit of flex on the clear plastic ribbon cable as I was maneuvering it out of the machine cracked the very thin trace in the plastic ribbon cable. If I can I'll try and see if I can get the camera to focus in tightly enough to catch it. I ordered 2 new assemblies that are updated and also have little barista lights that shine into the grind bin for both machines. I also ordered a new "D Shaft" motor and pulley for the older one. As the new one is redesigned model has a different slightly more powerful motor with a "D" shaft and D shaft pulley. As the DC motors produce so much torque there's been an issue of them stripping the lock screw. The newer one has the newer motor already. But, those things were really the only "failure points" on the machines (motor shaft stripping and control panel PCB). So, now both machines will be updated to latest standards

 

[LMichaels]

And then stupid me since the original controller was inop I took the partially functioning one from the AP model I recently acquired and am using that in my BG. Well, I neglected to recalibrate the load cell to the controller. So, this AM I half asleep told the grinder to give me 66 grams and I'm standing there watch it grind down over half the bean hopper before stopping. Pull the grind hopper out and it feels "heavy". I ended up with 96 grams. I invested in calibration weights a while back. And did the load cell calibration. Tomorrow should be better

 

[LMichaels]

So I was able to capture what I was writing about with that crack in that little ribbon cable. Hard to see being it's a handheld photo but it's there