OLD MATE (formerly Medgrind)

[OMD]

TBH, I'm starting to be a little concerned about this black dust reports.
I've ordered one exactly three weeks ago, but I haven't received any order/shipping notification yet.
I really hope @OMD comes up with a solution that can be used to retrofit existing units, because at the moment I'm starting to have regrets for this purchase.

Hey mate. I feel this to my core. I don't take these reports lightly so i made a post about it.

I guess this is the risk of publicly developing products and being open about it. If there are negative reports that come to me i will share them!

I can't replicate this issue or i would share my findings.

The solution if you are at all concerned is to use a PEEK bearing. I have some on order. These run no lube and no metal. It will eliminate any issue.

I measure the post and cant even see 0.001mm removed after taking the lid on and off all day. There is no dust getting onto the magnets either.

I was looking into and have decided to ditch the ceramic bearing idea after looking at Lesplenty's photo (this could very well be wearing the post). Ceramics are super hard on metal and not something im prepared to offer.

I am in contact with the engineering dept of https://www.igus.com.au/xiros/ball-bearings to work out what the best possible bearing for this application is. These guys specialise in super harsh environment bearings. Once i figure out the best solution i will offer this on my website. (Possibly only offer these)

After all this If you are at all concerned im more than happy to cancel your order and refund. Just let me know. Unhappy customers aren't acceptable.

I will support you indefinitely if you have purchased one of my products.

AFAIK there is no grinder immune to this. They ALL have some point of contact. I am just being vocal about it.

EDIT: I keep forgetting to mention that the post has already been redesigned with fillets and relief groove in the bottom for less contact area. This has been implemented and in production. This will reduce any possible wear issues also.

 

[Franco]

Hey mate. I feel this to my core. I don't take these reports lightly so i made a post about it.

I guess this is the risk of publicly developing products and being open about it. If there are negative reports that come to me i will share them!

I can't replicate this issue or i would share my findings.

The solution if you are at all concerned is to use a PEEK bearing. I have some on order. These run no lube and no metal. It will eliminate any issue.

I measure the post and cant even see 0.001mm removed after taking the lid on and off all day. There is no dust getting onto the magnets either.

I was looking into and have decided to ditch the ceramic bearing idea after looking at Lesplenty's photo (this could very well be wearing the post). Ceramics are super hard on metal and not something im prepared to offer.

I am in contact with the engineering dept of https://www.igus.com.au/xiros/ball-bearings to work out what the best possible bearing for this application is. These guys specialise in super harsh environment berings. Once i figure out the best solution i will offer this on my website. (Possibly only offer these)

After all this If you are at all concerned im more than happy to cancel your order and refund. Just let me know. Unhappy customers aren't acceptable.

I will support you indefinitely if you have purchased one of my products.

AFAIK there is no grinder immune to this. They ALL have some point of contact. I am just being vocal about it.

Thank you SO much for your prompt reply and your honesty.
I won't cancel the order. And I actually look forward to receiving mine.
If a producer takes this seriously every little concern of each and every customer, I feel I have my back covered!
Especially, if you think it will be possible to retrofit a unit with a PEEK bearing.
I'm not a handy person, but I'm sure we'll figure out a way to make this work.
Thanks again @OMD.

 

[OMD]

Thank you SO much for your prompt reply and your honesty.
I won't cancel the order. And I actually look forward to receiving mine.
If a producer takes this seriously every little concern of each and every customer, I feel I have my back covered!
Especially, if you think it will be possible to retrofit a unit with a PEEK bearing.
I'm not a handy person, but I'm sure we'll figure out a way to make this work.
Thanks again @OMD.

Thankyou for your understanding and support!

If you like could you PM me your order number so can let you know where your order is at.

Ben

 

[Dampfmaschine]

ill be honest, i had these concerns, and also concerns about possible oil dripping down the post in minuscule amounts, but i ordered anyway.

ive used this grinder A LOT and there is the tiniest bit of black but honestly its negligible. as you said - welders etc mate youre in a different world.

the vapes i use (volcanos and tinymight mostly) have metal heaters - at some stage we're all inhaling something. i reckon the grinder is fine but cheers for actually doing something about it.

its the putting right that counts

 

[Franco]

Thankyou for your understanding and support!

If you like could you PM me your order number so can let you know where your order is at.

Ben

@OMD this is very kind of you! But it's not needed
I've literally just opened my email account and I've noticed there's a shipping notification that arrived a little over 3 hours ago.
Went from "worried" to "excited" in less than 30 minutes.
And with reports like this one above from @Dampfmaschine I feel even more reassured.

 

[666Honeybadger]

TBH, I'm starting to be a little concerned about this black dust reports.
I've ordered one exactly three weeks ago, but I haven't received any order/shipping notification yet.
I really hope @OMD comes up with a solution that can be used to retrofit existing units, because at the moment I'm starting to have regrets for this purchase.

I wouldn't worry about it. At least not before holding it in your hands so you can judge it "live". Dust reports like these tend to start living a life of their own very fast. I applaud @OMD for bringing it up in the thread and for tackling the (imo minor) issue full frontal!
Not all producers are so open about possible issues...
Checked the post on mine for traces of dust but q-tip came out pretty clean and I've run loads of weed thru it. And when not grinding it has been spinning a lot being on my desk in front of me. This thing is really rock solid!
The grinding action is so smooth it will probably take your worries away instantly.

And about possible oil: i have a couple of bearings and none of them leaks oil when i rub them in my hands. They are closed off by the shield and there's not that much lube in them anyway. Maybe when people start opening them and lubing them (excessively) they might drip?

If a producer takes this seriously every little concern of each and every customer, I feel I have my back covered!

@OMD takes customer service very serious so no worries there either!

Especially, if you think it will be possible to retrofit a unit with a PEEK bearing.
I'm not a handy person, but I'm sure we'll figure out a way to make this work.

Even without the tool changing bearings is quite easy so if you'd feel unsafe with the metal bearing replacing it shouldn't be a problem.
That said: i've used the standard bearing for a while at first and have been using a ceramic for a while now and fwiw there's no noticable dust to be seen with either...

I won't cancel the order. And I actually look forward to receiving mine.

Good call!
Don't miss out on the best grinder you'll ever have!

 

[Dampfmaschine]

@OMD this is very kind of you! But it's not needed
I've literally just opened my email account and I've noticed there's a shipping notification that arrived a little over 3 hours ago.
Went from "worried" to "excited" in less than 30 minutes.
And with reports like this one above from @Dampfmaschine I feel even more reassured.

the old obligatory "im just an ape on the internet" but yea if youre walking around any city, or ever behind a stinky as fuck bellowing bus or truck or you've ever been in a dirty or dusty place - thats way worse than what im seeing on the old mate.

for what its worth, i went for the NTN bearing because its rated for both x and y load from what i can tell. perhaps those with the skateboard bearings mileage may differ but ive got fuck all concerns about it. especially since the rest of the grinder doesnt even touch the body of the thing. other grinders rub along the lid edge so as ben said its honestly an impossible task unless you had a diamond grinder magnetically levitating and even then there would be an unforeseen issue

old mate is legit such a pleasure to use. grab one - you wont regret it!

 

[LesPlenty]

I really hope @OMD comes up with a solution that can be used to retrofit existing units, because at the moment I'm starting to have regrets for this purchase.

Especially, if you think it will be possible to retrofit a unit with a PEEK bearing.

Here is the PEEK bearing that is also totally safe to submerge in iso along with the rest of the grinder when it finally needs cleaning,

PEEK 608 Ball Bearing PTFE cage Si3N4 Ceramic Balls 8x22x7

PEEK 608 Ball Bearing PTFE Cage Si3N4 Ceramic Balls 8x22x7 Peek 608 Ball Bearing, the inner diameter is 8mm, outer diameter is 22mm and the width is 7mm. Item: PEEK 608 Ball Bearing Type: PEEK Ball Bearing Cage: PTFE Balls: Si3N4 Ceramic Inner/outer races: PEEK Size: 8mm x 22mm x 7mm/metric Inner

vxb.com

Also, I need to iso wash a heap of mason jars so I thought I may as well use the iso in a water bath in my ultrasonic cleaner to clean my OM first. I did it in a way to show how peeps with a standard bearing can do the job as the iso level did not reach the bearing,

And then the bottom plate with the post out of the iso even though I q-tipped it clean first (I got dust from the NTN bearing before the ceramic but I have the OG non-scalloped post design. I never said anything about the dark buildup as it is not really in the grinding area),

 

[FNQ2]

Hi guys n gals
I tried OM bearing press puller today = 10 outta 10 = childs play and ya can't f it up cause it just does it. Bearing out ~ bearing in.

Top quality tool and it's so good not to be or look like or feel like and operate like that chinese shit we've become so used to and then it f'n breaks. This lad should work at NASA and he's making grinders + for us fiends lol and medical patients of course.
Aussie Aussie Aussie

I placed one part in its own small glass of %70 ISO, after a few minutes soak I gave a scrub with a 1" paint brush I'd chopped half the bristle length off. Done job and back grinding in about 10 minutes and it looked brand new.

Always Remember - never ever let anything touch the grind teeth other than ya mull and ISO brush.
Don't loose it lol and it'll be in ya box at ya end

This is just my babble, I don't know Bens thoughts on cleaning. I nearly used MEK to clean cause I have that but the ISO order and OM press puller arrived the same day. cheers dude.

 

[farmerpalmersnt]

I got some black marks when I used a ceramic bearing. Really not a concern for me tbh, obviously just caused by the hardness of the ceramic. I swapped it out for a hybrid anyway.

I find the hybrid is now MUCH faster than the ceramic once bedded in plus it can be iso submerged. The thing with hybrids is they get faster the more you use them as the ceramic bearings bed into the steel races. I think they are the better option tbh. No lube, no dust and faster. Not tried PEEK tbf.

 

[oldfool]

I find the hybrid is now MUCH faster than the ceramic once bedded in plus it can be iso submerged.

The steel races will rust if you don't get some oil on them.

 

[dimmusp]

ill be honest, i had these concerns, and also concerns about possible oil dripping down the post in minuscule amounts, but i ordered anyway.

ive used this grinder A LOT and there is the tiniest bit of black but honestly its negligible. as you said - welders etc mate youre in a different world.

the vapes i use (volcanos and tinymight mostly) have metal heaters - at some stage we're all inhaling something. i reckon the grinder is fine but cheers for actually doing something about it.

its the putting right that counts

If you want to avoid metal heaters in the airpath altogether, check out the new BAKx

BAKx - bake all kinds

hello everyone! very happy to introduce this most recent project: the BAK heating system, Bake All Kinds variant BAKx for 510 works for flower (ground and whole), hash, concentrates, mix all glass vapor path glass or metal bowl for flower banger for concentrates (hybrid dabs) ~30seconds...

fuckcombustion.com

Now back on topic... The OM looks awesome! Can't wait for the newest bearing to become available. OMD's dedication and customer service is really remarkable.

And regarding the dust: even if there is some, it's just stainless steel, right? It's not like it's aluminum like on cheap vaporizers. AFAIK stainless steel is harmless, but I'm open to being wrong.

 

[farmerpalmersnt]

The steel races will rust if you don't get some oil on them.

Not in my experience

 

[Shit Snacks]

And then the bottom plate with the post out of the iso even though I q-tipped it clean first (I got dust from the NTN bearing before the ceramic but I have the OG non-scalloped post design. I never said anything about the dark buildup as it is not really in the grinding area),

Oh build up on that post, on the bottom? Where it is flat, yeah I do get a bit of that, but I kind of presumed it was herbaly based, not metallically based? From when I tried to grind upside down a couple times or just in general little crumbs that could build up and get flattened in?? Eh I don't really know...

 

[Cloud McLongFoot]

Not in the pic I showed above.

Completely fair man, looks like the ceramics really might be tough on the post haha.


I’m more so just posing another reason for the buildup, I don’t believe mine was much more than herb but as Old Mate has said it’s a near impossible thing to avoid, I would still 100% recommend this to anyone over any aluminium grinder and it’s the best designed and functioning stainless steel one I’ve seen! And as someone else has stated the build up seems mostly seperated from the chop unlike the flakes of ceramic and aluminium I’ve had in the past or worse plastic

 

[Oden]

Hello everyone !
I wanted to know if the Aroma2 offers the same type of grind as the Aroma3?
It's to offer it to a friend who started the vape and the poor to a plastic grinder

 

[lapis]

Are PEEK bearings the kind of thing where there's one true supplier and anything else is a knockoff, or is it possible we could order a more affordable option, like this PEEK 608 bearing from aliexpress?

 

[LesPlenty]

Are PEEK bearings the kind of thing where there's one true supplier and anything else is a knockoff, or is it possible we could order a more affordable option, like this PEEK 608 bearing from aliexpress?

Many makers, not knock-offs, I have the one you posted on order to try!

 

[Dankkh]

Been lurking this forum for a little while, figured I'd finally register for an account.

Just wanted to know: How long did it take you guys to get a shipping notification? I ordered an Aroma-3 about a week and a half ago when they came back in stock, but I'm still not sure if it's actually shipped.

Of course, it's coming all the way from Aussie land to the US, so it's possible that it's shipped already and it's on its way...

Very excited to use this grinder.

 

[Franco]

Been lurking this forum for a little while, figured I'd finally register for an account.

Welcome on FC!

Just wanted to know: How long did it take you guys to get a shipping notification? I ordered an Aroma-3 about a week and a half ago when they came back in stock, but I'm still not sure if it's actually shipped.

As stated on Old Mate website "PLEASE ALLOW 3 WEEKS FOR ORDER PROCESSING/SHIPPING NOTIFICATIONS".
I can confirm this. It took exactly three weeks from ordering to shipping notification. So...

so it's possible that it's shipped already and it's on its way...

No, not yet.

Very excited to use this grinder.

Same!!

 

[Cheebsy]

Yup, I ordered late march (22nd iirc), got my shipping notification last week, it's still in Oz right now.

 

[lapis]

I ordered my grinder on March 21st, it shipped out on April 11th, then cleared US customs and got processed into USPS' system yesterday.

 

[onesixty2]

Catching up on the thread, haven't noticed any dust with my Aroma-3-- but if there were a PEEK post on future plates, I would totally order another plate down the road and opt for that upgrade, certainly

vvv check his posts, he's been responding to it. A very tiny number of people reached out about it and he proactively posted. Has been great at handling it from my catching up on the past page or two. No dust on my side, and he's also posting his workshopped ideas on a fix, as has been the case since the beginning. Super appreciate seeing the behind the scenes look.

 

[HumbleLivings]

I am interested in the Aroma-3, I am however concerned about the black metal dust some are saying they have seen in this grinder.
has this issue been completely fixed? would like to hear from others and also the @OMD (Owner) for details on what was done to fix or (are currently working to fix), I do like this grinder and hope all gets fixed, metal dust is a huge deal because this stuff will go inside our lungs (Not a good thing)

 

[Shit Snacks]

I am interested in the Aroma-3, I am however concerned about the black metal dust some are saying they have seen in this grinder.
has this issue been completely fixed? would like to hear from others and also the @OMD (Owner) for details on what was done to fix or (are currently working to fix), I do like this grinder and hope all gets fixed, metal dust is a huge deal because this stuff will go inside our lungs (Not a good thing)

Welcome to FC! You can skim backwards to find the answers, most of us here have not had this issue at all though it seems so far