fred
Novice
Posts: 144
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Post by fred on Nov 10, 2021 12:30:03 GMT -5
I decided to upgrade my Diamond premier small chocolate refiner ( link) with the small stainless steel stone holder ( link). This is currently a $125 upgrade.
Overall I'm pretty happy with this upgrade. It is a very nice design with solid stainless steel components that come part easily and you get an extra set of stone wheels.
Pros:
- Nice components - you get an extra set of stone wheels with this kit which is nice. All the parts are stainless with a brass tension knob at the top. Installation is really easy (there's a video that shows you how to do it).
- Less mess - the "baffles" are not attached to the wheel assembly so taking the pieces out of the refiner at the end is much less messy.
- Easier to clean - the wheels come off the axle very easily - there are cotter pin like clips that hold them on that are pretty easy to undo. There's no need to get out a wrench.
- Good tension - I think you can get a bit more tension out of the brass knob than I was able to get out of the plastic one (I could be wrong about that)
Cons:
- Cost - this is a significant price increase over the original base model. Currently the base model is $300 or $400 with the stainless steel stone holder upgrade.
(If I think of or find any other down sides, I'll add them to the list).
This is a tangent from the review, but the other potential benefit (unclear at this point) is that there are hex screws which hold the two wheel axles in place. These are pretty tightly screwed in (I just tested them), but in theory one could use these screws to adjust the tension between the wheels against the stone. I mention this because one of my wheels does not contact the stone as well as the other. I think this problem may be due to a bend in the vertical center rod (that would make sense) - but I could try to address this by adjusting the height of one of the axles. (The other solution I've considered is just putting a weight on top of the refiner instead of relying on the tension bolt - this issue definitely needs it's own thread, sorry!)
-Fred
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Post by mark on Nov 11, 2021 4:30:10 GMT -5
Yeah those look like a great upgrade for people using the smaller melangeurs. I reckon if they made something similar for the Spectra 11 it would sell well. The plastic parts are prone to breaking.
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Post by Chip on Nov 11, 2021 9:07:59 GMT -5
fred markI may just get one! My plastic ones are pretty old now and I am starting to see some cracks, etc. On a different note: Diamond has raised their price on the belts to $20 each. Do you know of another source for a similar belt? I know at one time Ben posted about a different kind of belt that he used. PS: I do love my Diamond 20. It's a beast. Chip
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Post by Ben on Nov 12, 2021 10:49:01 GMT -5
I have used PowerTwist link belts in the past (3/8", I believe). I thought that's what DCM was using now, but the photo on their site still shows a standard v-belt.
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fred
Novice
Posts: 144
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Post by fred on Nov 15, 2021 11:48:47 GMT -5
Chip - YES! I actually found the exact brand of the original belt online at a really good price here (I bought 3 of them, unfortunately I think the minimum quantity from this supplier has gone up to 8): Model: Bestorq 3L150LG Link: www.3bgsupply.com/3l150lg-bestorqCurrent price: $4.45 (minimum quantity currently 8) Chip - sounds like the company may be using a different belt now - maybe a better one?
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Post by Chip on Nov 15, 2021 13:29:00 GMT -5
fredWe will find out. I just ordered 8 of them. I also ordered the fiber belt that Ben posted about. We will see.
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Post by Ben on Nov 17, 2021 15:38:04 GMT -5
I just cracked open a new premier 8 lb grinder that was making a weird noise and noticed that they are now using a toothed belt, not a v-belt. So the powertwist link belt won't work on this one, but will if you still have the older style that uses a v-belt.
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fred
Novice
Posts: 144
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Post by fred on Nov 19, 2021 17:27:52 GMT -5
Ben - wow - so that sounds like a significant change in the design... I take it that means the sheaves have notches in them? I don't think my old one does, but I'd have to look. Chip - it will be interesting to see how a link belt operates compared to the standard belt.
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Post by Ben on Nov 22, 2021 10:10:58 GMT -5
Yep, they are toothed sheaves.
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Post by scooter on Sept 25, 2022 13:19:09 GMT -5
Fred (or others who have used the newer stainless steel stone holder) - I'm investing in a new refiner and trying to decide on the original (standard) or the upgraded machine with the stone holder. How do you like yours after using over the last year?
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