United Machining Stainless Steel Grinder

[SquirrelMaster]

I got my UMG today i thought you would of got it before me..

I didn't get too use it much but i don't mind using it so far without the aluminium plate
The screen is useless in my opinion if you want kief.. Its not fine enough the kief is nearly green.

I will put it threw hell this week and test it more.

I think if you use the aluminium plate it takes way longer too grind.

Thank you for letting me know about the discount on the BCG.

I'm glad yours arrived! Mine hasn't moved from Montreal in a few days so I don't think I'll see it this week unless the tracking just isn't being updated correctly (a very good possibility with Canada Post). I planned on pulling the screen and aluminum insert out immediately as I prefer a 3 piece and a more medium grind.

 

[Weedaholic]

I'm glad yours arrived! Mine hasn't moved from Montreal in a few days so I don't think I'll see it this week unless the tracking just isn't being updated correctly (a very good possibility with Canada Post). I planned on pulling the screen and aluminum insert out immediately as I prefer a 3 piece and a more medium grind.

Mine was the same with the tracking with updates .It left the states on march 27th and i got no further updates on the tracking after that.
I just thought you might had got it before me as you were closer too the states ..I would say anytime soon you will get it

 

[ontopofclouds]

thanks to everyone posting updates, still anxiously awaiting my shipping confirmation but i ordered on march 1st so i still have a couple weeks of waiting probably

a little disappointed to see the impressions seem so mixed but my current grinder is cheap garbage that's been falling apart for months so this is undoubtedly going to be a huge upgrade for me regardless

 

[Shit Snacks]

It sounds like the UMG preforms like my HR XL OG in that it doesn't do well when overloaded and/or with sticky icky bud. The teeth look like they should destroy anything thrown at them so I'm confused as to why it doesn't. I was looking at an IG post that said it was much better than his HR so I really don't know

Yeah that is what people said about the SLX, which to me is utterly ridiculous, sure we know moist dense sticky bud is not going to be as easy to grind as dryer herbs, but a grinder should not totally seize up from them! These teeth are effective, but only to a point, you can tell by the shape of them, stuff slices and gets stuck... Perhaps it is more effective than the old design, where I think the lid teeth looked more similar to the body teeth? I'm not sure either are the most effective, compared to others I have used, to be honest...

I planned on pulling the screen and aluminum insert out immediately as I prefer a 3 piece and a more medium grind

Yep yep, I mean the point was to get a completely steel grinder, and we certainly paid a premium for that, to get a fine grind you can always go upside down, which is needed for consistency even with a coarser medium grind in my experience... It is nice that they are included, but I much prefer the sleek simplicity without them.

Hey @Shit Snacks does it make a difference if you load in the top section? If you load half what you loaded does it preform better? Kind of defeats the purpose but that's what I have to do with the HR.

Yeah I did post previously about loading the top section, this last one I had tried the bottom section again, because the top section was tough when loaded full just like this was... I also think the first time I tried to load the lid, I did load less and it did turn a little easier, got through the grind, which was why at that time I thought I would stick to that, but I guess loading more was disappointing so then I thought I should try the old way, but yeah it seems like loading more here is just not going to be an enjoyable grinding experience for me at all, to put it nicely!

Loading a more reasonable smaller amount, which is typically how much I would grind probably, into the lid, does help it perform better, turning more smoothly and easily. I confirmed this for you by loading some apple fritter again, and it was much easier to get going, to continue turning upside down for a consistent fine grind to load in my FW7...

But yeah it's kind of sad to not fill up the wide tray, could try grinding more in separate batch, although then I would want to disengage the bottom so it's not upside down spilling the ground herb into the top? lol Again I don't normally grind up a lot at a time, but I also have multiple grinders, so like this is my largest grinder and the one that I would theoretically be loading the most in? I mean until my large BCG arrives I suppose...

However if I want to load and grind a lot, I find the flower mill to be a bit better for this, sometimes it can take a bit to get going if the herb is especially dense and sticky, however it is much quicker and less effort, though there is not as much control over the grind consistency (I do not have the super or ultra fine plates for the FM) then yeah I have two regular small BCG that never lock up on me no matter how dense and sticky, like sometimes if packed full like that, it can be a little tough to get it started and going but after that first turn it is fully smooth... UMG it is a perpetual struggle so that is a stark contrast for me!

The screen is useless in my opinion if you want kief.. Its not fine enough the kief is nearly green... I think if you use the aluminium plate it takes way longer too grind.

Yes I don't care about that, but I wonder have you tried layering the spare screen with the included one? Maybe two screens would help filter the kief better for you? Otherwise perhaps finding a finer screen, but could be tough to get the size right... And about the aluminum plate, yeah I think it's an interesting idea to make the whole smaller that way, but I feel like that little lip is not so effective, like I feel like it slows down the process even more and keeps more stuff stuck in that chamber perhaps?? Yeah I don't want to comment too much on these two parts, since I have no intention of using them myself lol

thanks to everyone posting updates, still anxiously awaiting my shipping confirmation but i ordered on march 1st so i still have a couple weeks of waiting probably

a little disappointed to see the impressions seem so mixed but my current grinder is cheap garbage that's been falling apart for months so this is undoubtedly going to be a huge upgrade for me regardless

Oh no worries there if you have a grinder that falls apart, this is really going to be leaps and bounds superior, I can assure you! So far I feel like this on par with the SLX only superior with the stainless steel and lack of threading!

 

[Weedaholic]

Yes I don't care about that, but I wonder have you tried layering the spare screen with the included one? Maybe two screens would help filter the kief better for you? Otherwise perhaps finding a finer screen, but could be tough to get the size right... And about the aluminum plate, yeah I think it's an interesting idea to make the whole smaller that way, but I feel like that little lip is not so effective, like I feel like it slows down the process even more and keeps more stuff stuck in that chamber perhaps?? Yeah I don't want to comment too much on these two parts, since I have no intention of using them myself lol

I tried the two screens but it really made no difference..
Yeah the plate really slows down the grinding time too were i just want to stop and put it down.
I don't use the screen either. I just wanted to try it.
Like what @SquirrelMaster said,I only want all stainless steel and have no use for the plate are screen.

 

[Shit Snacks]

I tried the two screens but it really made no difference..
Yeah the plate really slows down the grinding time too were i just want to stop and put it down.
I don't use the screen either. I just wanted to try it.
Like what @SquirrelMaster said,I only want all stainless steel and have no use for the plate are screen.

Ah good on you, taking one for the team to test! Yeah too much grinding time is how I feel about it even without the plate, even if not going upside down trying to get more consistent grind... Also because it is not so pleasant to turn for me, the feel and sound.



Though I did another round using mine tonight, with some fresh cbd tropical haze, indoor grown dense and moist, not overly so, even slightly dry so properly cured?

I guess I loaded a bit more full, this was the entire gram, but not too bad, not as much as the purple punch time I suppose...

The below is after grinding upside down quite a bit, which got going okay as I was careful to start grinding as I put the pieces together... Twas a bit smoother overall, perhaps because it is CBD after all, however still sticky enough that it wouldn't all fall through before I got tired of turning it:

So again the resulting grind is pretty good, once I used a toothpick to clean out the teeth, knocking them on the table individually. Yeah I'll say the UMG is okay, a fine grinder at least on par with many other mid to high end grinders, with some extra features... Unfortunately it does not have the features that are most important to me

 

[SquirrelMaster]

My United Machining grinder showed up on Friday and the first grind left me pretty dissapointed. I loaded up some smalls I had, nothing super dense, into the middle section of the grinder and attempted to start my grind which took quite a bit of wrist strength. Upon opening the grinder after turning a fair amont there was still a good build up of flower and some herb had become smooshed onto the center plate which could only be removed with a poker.

Also the metal on metal grinding action is terrible, I couldn't handle the sound so I added some beeswax to the bottom lip which fixed that at least (and made it more smooth to turn). First I smeared it all over forgetting how the middle section inserts into the top section so I made a bit of a mess initially. Stainless steel is not slippery like anodized aluminum so even though there isn't noticeable wear only the metal there is definitely increased resistance without a plastic ring present. Looking at the side I can see a small gap between the center and top plate so a very thin ring could be a possibility as long as it doesn't separate the top two pieces anymore then they currently are.

One of my magnets wasn't secure so I'll need to superglue it back in which honestly doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that the holes that hold the magnets are drilled just slightly too deep so when I'm trying to attach the bottom and middle piece the small metal "spikes" that protrude out of the center piece at 3 points can catch on the magnets so it doesn't close as seemlessly.

Now I did give it another spin the next day, this time loading all my flower into the top portion of the grinder which seemed to help a little but I also may have loaded less (I wasn't measuring). I have some stickier, more dense flower that I need to try as the stuff I loaded wasn't quite as primo, which could hurt the performance even more.

What I want to know is how this UMG compares to the first version and how much this one was tested with sticky herb. The teeth look so mean like they'll rip through anything but the actual performance was a fail.

The grinder looks amazing, I'll give it that, I love the way the light catches the top lines as you spin it around. Also the magnetic function works pretty well except how the posts catch as I mentioned above.

I'm going to try some other flower and a few other things to see if I can get it working better but I would look elsewhere if you're dead set on a stainless steel grinder.

 

[DylanUnited]

It's worth noting that I took the original 2" design and upped it to 2.5" based upon the same design principles used in the original grinder. This is to say that I never envisioned this grinder being used to grind a lot of herb at once. I viewed the size increase more as an ease in handling versus grinding more.

Grinders are tricky because they are full of trade offs and finding the balance between them all seems to be a never ending adventure!

 

[Bortz]

My United Machining grinder showed up on Friday and the first grind left me pretty dissapointed. I loaded up some smalls I had, nothing super dense, into the middle section of the grinder and attempted to start my grind which took quite a bit of wrist strength. Upon opening the grinder after turning a fair amont there was still a good build up of flower and some herb had become smooshed onto the center plate which could only be removed with a poker.

Also the metal on metal grinding action is terrible, I couldn't handle the sound so I added some beeswax to the bottom lip which fixed that at least (and made it more smooth to turn). First I smeared it all over forgetting how the middle section inserts into the top section so I made a bit of a mess initially. Stainless steel is not slippery like anodized aluminum so even though there isn't noticeable wear only the metal there is definitely increased resistance without a plastic ring present. Looking at the side I can see a small gap between the center and top plate so a very thin ring could be a possibility as long as it doesn't separate the top two pieces anymore then they currently are.

One of my magnets wasn't secure so I'll need to superglue it back in which honestly doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that the holes that hold the magnets are drilled just slightly too deep so when I'm trying to attach the bottom and middle piece the small metal "spikes" that protrude out of the center piece at 3 points can catch on the magnets so it doesn't close as seemlessly.

Now I did give it another spin the next day, this time loading all my flower into the top portion of the grinder which seemed to help a little but I also may have loaded less (I wasn't measuring). I have some stickier, more dense flower that I need to try as the stuff I loaded wasn't quite as primo, which could hurt the performance even more.

What I want to know is how this UMG compares to the first version and how much this one was tested with sticky herb. The teeth look so mean like they'll rip through anything but the actual performance was a fail.

The grinder looks amazing, I'll give it that, I love the way the light catches the top lines as you spin it around. Also the magnetic function works pretty well except how the posts catch as I mentioned above.

I'm going to try some other flower and a few other things to see if I can get it working better but I would look elsewhere if you're dead set on a stainless steel grinder.

I have the the original UMG and have been using it for over a year now since a member here generously gave it to me.

I also own, currently use, and have used a 4 piece Santa Cruz Shredder for years. The action on the SCS is by comparison clunky. It is an effortless grind, great grind quality, stays clean, but the tolerances are looser as an intentional part of the design.

My original UMG is a very different interaction. Very slick action, smooth, precise. A totally different animal. Ironically, one of the reasons I love the OG is that it has no plastic bushing. I can spin the top and it will siiiiiinnnnngggg from it's own inertia. It is in my opinion, art. And functionally gives a perfect medium-fine grind.

I did notice a breaking in period on my grinder. It seemed after about a month of use, the faces mated and it felt right. The tighter tolerances lend themselves to a different grinding methodology for me than my SCS. If the top piece is crooked, kief gets between the lid and the ridge, if I push down hard, dirt, etc, it will bind more readily than the SCS. This is not a flaw in my opinion, but a function of precision. It requires me to be mindful of where my plant material ends up, twist not push, not to smoosh.

I love my United Machining Grinder. When it is clean, with bud broken into chunks and placed between the teeth, it gives me a flawless grind, a consistent grind, without a hiccup. It glides through herb with a hand feel that is head and shoulders above anything else I have tried. Like a sports car. It is a precise grinder. It feels connected to the herb I am grinding. I like that.

I do not own, nor have I tried the new grinder. I will say that the original is a device I get actual enjoyment out of using and that I expect will last me many years, perhaps a lifetime. I also reached out to Dylan last year asking about the progress on the grinder 2.0 and he was super responsive and kind. As far as a customer service/company side, I also have positive vibes.

 

[Shit Snacks]

It's worth noting that I took the original 2" design and upped it to 2.5" based upon the same design principles used in the original grinder. This is to say that I never envisioned this grinder being used to grind a lot of herb at once. I viewed the size increase more as an ease in handling versus grinding more.

I forgot the original was only 2 inches! That is a good point, and honestly I don't really have much need to grind a lot at once, just enjoyable here since the tray is so nice! I think maybe for my hands the smaller size could have been better even, though I would not have thought that without trying them...

Grinders are tricky because they are full of trade offs and finding the balance between them all seems to be a never ending adventure!

This is also a great point, and I wanted to take the time to thank you for popping in over here (and the product ofcourse), I really appreciate your attention to the details, all of your hard work designing and building these! I do not envy the task, of balancing all the different variables for the best overall experience, it really does seem like something that is always ongoing indeed!

@Bortz I'd be curious to hear how you think the old one compares to the new one, if you ever get the chance... @SquirrelMaster I'm sorry your experience was more similar to mine than you would have liked! Mixed ish

 

[DylanUnited]

It always felt to me there was some strange magic in that original grinder I made. The only consistent feedback I got was make it bigger haha

I've been getting great feedback on the new grinder until I decided to check out this thread to see if there were any updates and now see some people not happy with it which never feels good. One thing I had to learn years ago is I can't please everyone, especially in product design. There's always a lot of compromise when making a product and I'm finding/ learning that when I design something it's an expression of how I think a product should be used. Specifically with the grinder I've never been one to just throw a large chunk of bud in and go to town. I break it up, make sure there's no stems and it's evenly distributed in the grinder. That's how I test my grinders and they work great that way. I've always struggled to simply slow the hell down in life and take things in the moment, grinding bud should be a nice little meditative moment. This grinder should force you to slow down, pay attention to what you're doing. I think @Bortz nailed it with saying how he learned how to use it.

Absolutely every little thing on these grinders is intentional, it's that kind of intent that I want customers to pay attention to. Don't fight it and ask something of it that it wasn't meant to do, that will certainly lead to failed expectations.

Also in regards to the three posts in the bottom section, they are removeable for a reason. If they don't suit your use case then remove them. I tried to build in some flexibility with this grinder so it appeals to a larger audience.

It's obvious that I still have work to do on this design but I'm too far in to give up now! Some days I very much want to because the business case for it isn't great. I've never put this much work into something for so little return but the idea of in some small way improving someones day out there in the world exceeds the money that can be made so I'll keep chipping away at this damn thing.

If anyone has any questions that I can clarify please ask away!

 

[delta hotel]

It always felt to me there was some strange magic in that original grinder I made. The only consistent feedback I got was make it bigger haha

I've been getting great feedback on the new grinder until I decided to check out this thread to see if there were any updates and now see some people not happy with it which never feels good. One thing I had to learn years ago is I can't please everyone, especially in product design. There's always a lot of compromise when making a product and I'm finding/ learning that when I design something it's an expression of how I think a product should be used. Specifically with the grinder I've never been one to just throw a large chunk of bud in and go to town. I break it up, make sure there's no stems and it's evenly distributed in the grinder. That's how I test my grinders and they work great that way. I've always struggled to simply slow the hell down in life and take things in the moment, grinding bud should be a nice little meditative moment. This grinder should force you to slow down, pay attention to what you're doing. I think @Bortz nailed it with saying how he learned how to use it.

Absolutely every little thing on these grinders is intentional, it's that kind of intent that I want customers to pay attention to. Don't fight it and ask something of it that it wasn't meant to do, that will certainly lead to failed expectations.

Also in regards to the three posts in the bottom section, they are removeable for a reason. If they don't suit your use case then remove them. I tried to build in some flexibility with this grinder so it appeals to a larger audience.

It's obvious that I still have work to do on this design but I'm too far in to give up now! Some days I very much want to because the business case for it isn't great. I've never put this much work into something for so little return but the idea of in some small way improving someones day out there in the world exceeds the money that can be made so I'll keep chipping away at this damn thing.

If anyone has any questions that I can clarify please ask away!

Kind of unrelated to the design, as I don't have mine yet, but I was wondering if you could provide an update as to about where you are in regards to what's going out to customers in the next little bit? Hoping I can maybe gleam when mine might go out! I'm still very excited to try this thing.

Appreciate you being active here to look for feedback too!

 

[DylanUnited]

Kind of unrelated to the design, as I don't have mine yet, but I was wondering if you could provide an update as to about where you are in regards to what's going out to customers in the next little bit? Hoping I can maybe gleam when mine might go out! I'm still very excited to try this thing.

Appreciate you being active here to look for feedback too!

What's your order number?

 

[delta hotel]

What's your order number?

Order #2127

 

[DylanUnited]

Order #2127

Not tooooo much longer to go but then again everything grinder related seems to take me four times as long as I'd like it to. You should have it by the end of the month from the looks of it.

 

[Bortz]

I forgot the original was only 2 inches! That is a good point, and honestly I don't really have much need to grind a lot at once, just enjoyable here since the tray is so nice! I think maybe for my hands the smaller size could have been better even, though I would not have thought that without trying them...



This is also a great point, and I wanted to take the time to thank you for popping in over here (and the product ofcourse), I really appreciate your attention to the details, all of your hard work designing and building these! I do not envy the task, of balancing all the different variables for the best overall experience, it really does seem like something that is always ongoing indeed!

@Bortz I'd be curious to hear how you think the old one compares to the new one, if you ever get the chance... @SquirrelMaster I'm sorry your experience was more similar to mine than you would have liked! Mixed ish

My United Machining grinder showed up on Friday and the first grind left me pretty dissapointed. I loaded up some smalls I had, nothing super dense, into the middle section of the grinder and attempted to start my grind which took quite a bit of wrist strength. Upon opening the grinder after turning a fair amont there was still a good build up of flower and some herb had become smooshed onto the center plate which could only be removed with a poker.

Also the metal on metal grinding action is terrible, I couldn't handle the sound so I added some beeswax to the bottom lip which fixed that at least (and made it more smooth to turn). First I smeared it all over forgetting how the middle section inserts into the top section so I made a bit of a mess initially. Stainless steel is not slippery like anodized aluminum so even though there isn't noticeable wear only the metal there is definitely increased resistance without a plastic ring present. Looking at the side I can see a small gap between the center and top plate so a very thin ring could be a possibility as long as it doesn't separate the top two pieces anymore then they currently are.

One of my magnets wasn't secure so I'll need to superglue it back in which honestly doesn't bother me. What does bother me is that the holes that hold the magnets are drilled just slightly too deep so when I'm trying to attach the bottom and middle piece the small metal "spikes" that protrude out of the center piece at 3 points can catch on the magnets so it doesn't close as seemlessly.

Now I did give it another spin the next day, this time loading all my flower into the top portion of the grinder which seemed to help a little but I also may have loaded less (I wasn't measuring). I have some stickier, more dense flower that I need to try as the stuff I loaded wasn't quite as primo, which could hurt the performance even more.

What I want to know is how this UMG compares to the first version and how much this one was tested with sticky herb. The teeth look so mean like they'll rip through anything but the actual performance was a fail.

The grinder looks amazing, I'll give it that, I love the way the light catches the top lines as you spin it around. Also the magnetic function works pretty well except how the posts catch as I mentioned above.

I'm going to try some other flower and a few other things to see if I can get it working better but I would look elsewhere if you're dead set on a stainless steel grinder.

It always felt to me there was some strange magic in that original grinder I made. The only consistent feedback I got was make it bigger haha

I've been getting great feedback on the new grinder until I decided to check out this thread to see if there were any updates and now see some people not happy with it which never feels good. One thing I had to learn years ago is I can't please everyone, especially in product design. There's always a lot of compromise when making a product and I'm finding/ learning that when I design something it's an expression of how I think a product should be used. Specifically with the grinder I've never been one to just throw a large chunk of bud in and go to town. I break it up, make sure there's no stems and it's evenly distributed in the grinder. That's how I test my grinders and they work great that way. I've always struggled to simply slow the hell down in life and take things in the moment, grinding bud should be a nice little meditative moment. This grinder should force you to slow down, pay attention to what you're doing. I think @Bortz nailed it with saying how he learned how to use it.

Absolutely every little thing on these grinders is intentional, it's that kind of intent that I want customers to pay attention to. Don't fight it and ask something of it that it wasn't meant to do, that will certainly lead to failed expectations.

Also in regards to the three posts in the bottom section, they are removeable for a reason. If they don't suit your use case then remove them. I tried to build in some flexibility with this grinder so it appeals to a larger audience.

It's obvious that I still have work to do on this design but I'm too far in to give up now! Some days I very much want to because the business case for it isn't great. I've never put this much work into something for so little return but the idea of in some small way improving someones day out there in the world exceeds the money that can be made so I'll keep chipping away at this damn thing.

If anyone has any questions that I can clarify please ask away!

@Shit Snacks I am curious too, the new teeth are a design I've not seen before. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the new one and pictures as well. Your content and input has been helpful to me in many of my purchase decisions, and I find it helpful here too.

I will say in regards to super sticky, or moist bud, I retain the SCS for truly resinous stuff or when I want a slightly coarser grind in general. But when the SCS starts to send chunks through, or not break up my buds completely, I pick up my UMG. I find different buds like one grinder or the other. If I get my hands on the United 2.0, or break down and order one, I will share my thoughts here. Needing a travel grinder, I just ordered a ZAM. And am eyeing the BCG as another possibility for travel....the syndrome, you know....

@SquirrelMaster I meant to thank you for your review as well. I was responding to your request for feedback about the original, too. I hope it helps some in comparing the old and new grinders.

@DylanUnited Your description of how you use the grinder is parallel to my own. I approach the process in much the same way. Thank you for being active here, and for producing these grinders. I will concur on the strange magic in the original grinder, I have shared many smiles with this little guy. A happy device.

 

[somethingcool]

Just got mine today, only a few grams through it so far but I'm really happy. Comparing to an old space case so many newer grinders would be better but I'm in love with this UM for sure.

Couple of points of feedback. @DylanUnited Another vote for the slow methodology and not overloading, seems to be working for me. My only feedback for product improvement mirrors that of others, the included screens are WAY too coarse. It's not just that it lets through too large of particle, it also makes the ground material get stuck and hard to move around. I think with a finer screen it would actually function as a platform for your grind that some kief happens to drop through, vs now it's a poor kiefer and an even worse platform. What's the diameter of the screen and micron size? Wondering if I can source/make a finer one. Unlike others I do really want to use it with the kief insert, fortunately it's fixable without a redesign. One other thing to consider for future designs might be a channel or more magnets to keep the kief insert from rotating (for the purpose of a more stable platform).

@Shit Snacks I think part of your frustration might be due to upside down grinding. As @Bortz so eloquently described, the tolerances are tight on this bad boy, and I think grinding upside down is encouraging bits of plant to get on the inside lip of the top spinning part (I can see a bunch in your pics). That's going to make the action of this type of grinder way worse, IMHO you want the top piece to have a very clean mating surface with this type of grinder. So far for me with the fine plate in I get everything to drop in a decent amount of turns, without having to flip or separate (which is how you get plant on the mating surfaces). It's inevitable some will get there but you want to slow it down. Feeling a little bit of binding as you go back and forth grinding is encouraging material to drop, the top swoopy blade design seems to push material outwards into the fixed shape blades on the bottom piece.

Maybe I'm weird like @Bortz but I too love the sound/precision of the spin, reminds me of sharpening a fine knife.

I've never put this much work into something for so little return but the idea of in some small way improving someones day out there in the world exceeds the money that can be made so I'll keep chipping away at this damn thing.

It's obvious to me the love and individual care that went into these. Keep it up, thanks.

 

[Shit Snacks]

Another vote for the slow methodology and not overloading, seems to be working for me. ...
@Shit Snacks I think part of your frustration might be due to upside down grinding.

For sure, definitely works best slow and steady, far less problematic with a normal load even ground upside down!

As @Bortz so eloquently described, the tolerances are tight on this bad boy, and I think grinding upside down is encouraging bits of plant to get on the inside lip of the top spinning part (I can see a bunch in your pics). That's going to make the action of this type of grinder way worse, IMHO you want the top piece to have a very clean mating surface with this type of grinder. So far for me with the fine plate in I get everything to drop in a decent amount of turns, without having to flip or separate (which is how you get plant on the mating surfaces). It's inevitable some will get there but you want to slow it down.

Yeah this makes sense, not designed for upside down grinding... I wasn't fully satisfied without grinding upside down though, and I didn't want to use the aluminum plate of course.

Feelng a little bit of binding as you go back and forth grinding is encouraging material to drop, the top swoopy blade design seems to push material outwards into the fixed shape blades on the bottom piece.

Yeah this makes a lot of sense as well! So the best usage for me was loading a normal amount in the center and not going for a more fine consistent grind, sticking with chunky coarse...

Maybe I'm weird like @Bortz but I too love the sound/precision of the spin, reminds me of sharpening a fine knife.

This just goes to show, yeah just bc it's not for me doesn't mean it's not for everyone, all a matter of usage style and taste, some people will really like this for sure! I think I am going to be listing mine soon, I would rather it be in the hands of someone who will enjoy and use it more!

It's obvious to me the love and individual care that went into these. Keep it up, thanks.

Absolutely, thanks again @DylanUnited!!

 

[somethingcool]

and I didn't want to use the aluminum plate of course.

Why is it of course? Seems like it might get gummed up long term but for me it seems to be working fine for it's intended purpose. Just a desire for a steel only pathway?

 

[Shit Snacks]

Why is it of course? Seems like it might get gummed up long term but for me it seems to be working fine for it's intended purpose. Just a desire for a steel only pathway?

Oh, yeah, I just meant of course as in I already posted that I didn't want to use it, but that the experience could be better with it and I would not know, qualifying my opinion.

 

[DylanUnited]

Just got mine today, only a few grams through it so far but I'm really happy. Comparing to an old space case so many newer grinders would be better but I'm in love with this UM for sure.

Couple of points of feedback. @DylanUnited Another vote for the slow methodology and not overloading, seems to be working for me. My only feedback for product improvement mirrors that of others, the included screens are WAY too coarse. It's not just that it lets through too large of particle, it also makes the ground material get stuck and hard to move around. I think with a finer screen it would actually function as a platform for your grind that some kief happens to drop through, vs now it's a poor kiefer and an even worse platform. What's the diameter of the screen and micron size? Wondering if I can source/make a finer one. Unlike others I do really want to use it with the kief insert, fortunately it's fixable without a redesign. One other thing to consider for future designs might be a channel or more magnets to keep the kief insert from rotating (for the purpose of a more stable platform).

@Shit Snacks I think part of your frustration might be due to upside down grinding. As @Bortz so eloquently described, the tolerances are tight on this bad boy, and I think grinding upside down is encouraging bits of plant to get on the inside lip of the top spinning part (I can see a bunch in your pics). That's going to make the action of this type of grinder way worse, IMHO you want the top piece to have a very clean mating surface with this type of grinder. So far for me with the fine plate in I get everything to drop in a decent amount of turns, without having to flip or separate (which is how you get plant on the mating surfaces). It's inevitable some will get there but you want to slow it down. Feeling a little bit of binding as you go back and forth grinding is encouraging material to drop, the top swoopy blade design seems to push material outwards into the fixed shape blades on the bottom piece.

Maybe I'm weird like @Bortz but I too love the sound/precision of the spin, reminds me of sharpening a fine knife.


It's obvious to me the love and individual care that went into these. Keep it up, thanks.

I switched to a more coarse screen because the one I was using previously seemed to be too fine and clogging easily.

This is the original screen: https://www.mcmaster.com/9317T773/

This is the one I moved to which is the next step coarser: https://www.mcmaster.com/9317T772/

It sounds like I need to include both in the future. Another tricky balancing act with grinder design!

Overall I've been getting great feedback on the new design but listening to everyone as I move forward and continue with minor improvements along the way.

 

[somethingcool]

It sounds like I need to include both in the future. Another tricky balancing act with grinder design!

Yeah I think that might be a good idea. Frankly I think even the 60x60 might be too coarse, it's the largest I would use anyway. Not sure who was advising you to go with larger openings but it doesn't match conventional wisdom or any of your competitors.

If you go read up on Kief screening guides/advice, 150 micron (coarse) down to 72 or even 36 is the generally recommended sizes, and from what I can find most grinders out there are the same range, 60x60 usually being the coarsest, 80x80 mid and 100x100 fine. I think the most common used is 100x100. 40x40 = 254 micron, 60x60 = 228 micron, 80x80 = 177 micron, 100x100 = 152 micron.

I think I would prefer 100x100, and I think a good balance to send out to customers might be one 60x60 and one 100x100. I personally think 80x80 and 100x100 are the sweet spots but I can see why someone might want 60x60 if they never clean the screen. 40x40 is straight un-usable in my opinion.

Thanks for linking the supplier!

As an aside, I'm generally not a stupid person but this morse code has me stumped, is there some secret to figuring out the spacing I'm missing?

 

[DylanUnited]

The morse code is top secret. Someone is bound to crack it.

You could technically double up on the screens provided. There should be enough room to do that just barely. I'm curious as to how that would go.

 

[somethingcool]

The morse code is top secret. Someone is bound to crack it.

You could technically double up on the screens provided. There should be enough room to do that just barely. I'm curious as to how that would go.

Hmm, ok good to know there is some puzzle to it, spacing still seems ambiguous to me but I feel less stupid now

The doubling of the screens doesn't solve my main problem which is that the screen surface is not smooth enough to let the ground material move about easily, I can't hold the bottom piece at a 45 degree angle and tap it a few times to get all the plant into one spot for easy grabbing/scooping, it sticks to the screen surface instead. The smaller micron screens also use smaller diameter wires, so the surface is flatter, more like cloth.

 

[DylanUnited]

Hmm, ok good to know there is some puzzle to it, spacing still seems ambiguous to me but I feel less stupid now

The doubling of the screens doesn't solve my main problem which is that the screen surface is not smooth enough to let the ground material move about easily, I can't hold the bottom piece at a 45 degree angle and tap it a few times to get all the plant into one spot for easy grabbing/scooping, it sticks to the screen surface instead. The smaller micron screens also use smaller diameter wires, so the surface is flatter, more like cloth.

That is well put! Back to finer screens it is.