Stuck Grinder Bowl

This seems to be a widespread problem on units manufactured in 2007 and later.

Unplug the unit from the AC outlet. Remove the six screws that hold the lower plastic cover on the motor base (four screws are hidden under the adhesive rubber footpads). This exposes the lower end of the motor shaft, which has a slot in it. By inserting a flat blade screwdriver into the slot and holding the cutting blades with a rag or a wad of paper towel to avoid cutting one's fingers, it is possible to twist the shaft back and forth about 90 degrees. You may need another person to help, because one needs to perform this twisting action while pulling the motor base away from the grinding cup and blade assembly.

Once you get the @&%$#! thing apart, reassemble the motor base. (With the slotted motor shaft, why didn't the designers simply put a hole in the plastic base so one could stick a screwdriver in without disassembling it?) Plug it into the wall outlet and use a small object like a toothpick or matchstick to activate the recessed motor switch so you can spin the motor without the grinding cup in place. Use the blunt edge of a small snap-blade utility knife as a scraper to gently scrape the plastic pin of the motor shaft as it spins, much as one would work a wood turning lathe. Periodically check the fit of the brass hub of the grinding cup on the plastic pin. Continue to shave the pin until the grinding cup slips onto and off the pin with no resistance. Take care to machine the pin uniformly from top to bottom; avoid making grooves.

Why this mechanism worked properly when my grinder was new about 18 months ago and suddenly decided to get stuck this week is a bit of a mystery. The unit in question has been used since it was purchased exclusively to grind flax seed, but the ill-fitting pin normally doesn't come into contact with foods, anyway. There was no obvious evidence of swelling of the plastic due to heat from the motor or oils from seeds. Since the blade and hub are free to travel up and down on the plastic motor shaft pin a bit, I suspect that on occasion the blade doesn't settle properly and the clutch doesn't engage, allowing the pin to spin in the brass bushing until it starts melting, and then the hub settles so that the clutch is fully engaged. This may happen in a matter of just a couple of seconds of operation. Once that happens, the pin conforms to the microscopic grooves inside the brass bushing, allowing it to still turn slightly relative to the motor shaft, but locking it on so that it can't come apart. If Cuisinart had made the pin more tapered and the hole in the brass bushing to match, much like a Jacobs taper on an industrial drill press spindle, this would be much less of a problem.

BOTTOM LINE: Before loading the grinding cup and starting the grinder, push the blade hub down with your finger to make sure the clutch is fully engaged.

Fixed on July 26th 2020, thanks for the collective wisdom !

This happened to mine this morning. I was so frustrated because the reason I bought this was because of the removeable bowl. My bf got it off but he broke off a piece of plastic (he is pretty sure the piece of plastic was on the bowl part).

I put it back on and it kind still worked- I think I will just need to get a replacement bowl now - but it was hard to get off again.

When I tried to get it off the second time, I moved it into the "unlocked" postion and then manipulated the the blade part while pulling and it came off - but of course mine was broken already.

There appears to be two areas where it locks - on the base and a part on the bowl. I think somehow they get out of synch.

The problem is not with the base I think but with the bowl.

Although, now that it is "sorta" broken - I can't remember what parts were supposed to be loose before and which ones were not. The blade part of the bowl is very loose now. My boyfriend is pretty sure the plastic broke off the bowl part so I am going to get another bowl. I hope that solves my problem!