Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread

[Scottland]

yes they are well engineered
did the element show a short with a meter ? in retrospect, maybe you tried, the rcd doesn't trip with just element disconnected

I was going to test it, but my meter is shot and the replacement hasn’t turned up yet. I got impatient and disconnected the element and it ran for a while without tripping so I’m happy that’s the problem.

 

[mid_gen]

Arr the scale problem - seems finding a fast, accurate and waterproof scale is a real challenge - very tempted by a perl but for now i'm just using a cheap jewelry scale and trying to be careful with it. Although this is the second version as the first had half an espresso poured over it which apparently the screen doesn't like!

I use the 7.99 'Ascher' brand ones from Amazon. Works great. Mine gets plenty wet from splatter or cup in the wrong place and hasn't had any problems.

Would like like an Acai set, but there's a serious idiot tax on them that I can't bring myself to swallow just yet.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Arr the scale problem - seems finding a fast, accurate and waterproof scale is a real challenge - very tempted by a perl but for now i'm just using a cheap jewelry scale and trying to be careful with it. Although this is the second version as the first had half an espresso poured over it which apparently the screen doesn't like!

The new Acaia Pyxis looks to be the one to get, with a price tag to match though.

https://acaia.co/products/pyxis-ultralight-weighing-scale

 

[Siliconslave]

The new Acaia Pyxis looks to be the one to get, with a price tag to match though.

the Pearl seems to be good enough for most people, although the pyxis is tiny! The advantage of the pearl is that you can fit a PF on there.

 

[Raymond Lin]

the Pearl seems to be good enough for most people, although the pyxis is tiny! The advantage of the pearl is that you can fit a PF on there.

This seems insanely accurate, enough for a feather.

 

[GiraffePencils]

yes they are well engineered
did the element show a short with a meter ? in retrospect, maybe you tried, the rcd doesn't trip with just element disconnected



see this thread - https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/tamper-bottoms-flat-or-convex-t24-20.html
which discusses reduced coffee density at pf edge


learned something from that - the convex motta I have, has 1.6mm height on the convex point, so, apparently a usa, not eu, curve.

Read it, so, I think I mis-read your post.
I thought you were saying you wanted a convex one to create a more uniform puck, whereas it deliberately creates an un-uniform puck.

 

[Ryan-3]

Forgot to post about it earlier, but tried Rave's Indonesian Kerinci Honey bean with the Aeropress. Quite an intense first flavour, but very nice indeed. Definitely got that dark chocolate/lime flavour with berry in the aftertaste. A great coffee that's rather different to most others I drink.

 

[Raymond Lin]

Rave does seem a bit commercial now. Try Dorset coffee company over Rave. Their Australian skyberry is very nice. £23 a kilo of beans.

Found a photo looking into their back room from the front room which is their cafe. It's not much wider than that, you can just about see the door handle on the ropt right hand side which there is a back room for more storage perhaps but the roaster machines are out there in that room.

 

[Biz.Kid09]

Had my first cup of coffee from the aeropress this morning, in fact my first coffee I have had from outside a coffee shop that wasn’t instant.
Blown away hah.

I am not even sure I made it perfectly but I loved it!

 

[arty]

My Niche arrived this morning after not having been delivered on Friday after all. Just chucked a quick Rave blend single shot through and I can immediately tell that the grind is much more even than my iMini, so I’m feeling fairly happy! Looking forward to dialling it in properly now.

Thanks again for all of the advice I’ve received so far. I may look at getting some finer scales but perhaps only once I’ve got the hang of the new toys

 

[Raymond Lin]

My Niche arrived this morning after not having been delivered on Friday after all. Just chucked a quick Rave blend single shot through and I can immediately tell that the grind is much more even than my iMini, so I’m feeling fairly happy! Looking forward to dialling it in properly now.

Thanks again for all of the advice I’ve received so far. I may look at getting some finer scales but perhaps only once I’ve got the hang of the new toys

Next upgrade, if you are like me....

VST basket
Then...a 58.4mm tamper, as opposed to just 58mm....yup, I bought a new tamper for extra 0.4mm last night!

 

[arty]

Mine’s already a 58.5mm, which I find gives neater results than my old 58mm

 

[Raymond Lin]

Mine’s already a 58.5mm, which I find gives neater results than my old 58mm

It's not the Torr is it? That one is 58.55mm but I was afraid it's too tight and won't fit.

 

[arty]

No, I’m not sure what brand it is actually - it doesn’t say, and I got rid of the box years ago, sorry.

 

[Wavywavylonggrass]

Had my first cup of coffee from the aeropress this morning, in fact my first coffee I have had from outside a coffee shop that wasn’t instant.
Blown away hah.

I am not even sure I made it perfectly but I loved it!

@Biz.Kid09 Good stuff! The first shot I ever pulled was with preground coffee and a pressurised basket , and it was the best coffee I'd ever had. 4 months later they're getting better and better but I'm still learning to tell the difference even between sour and bitter...!

 

[Scottland]

Argh god damnit, just reassembling the Silvia and overtightened the safety cutoff thermostat snapping the thread

Only a £10 part but have to wait another few days ago for the replacement.

 

[Egon]

VST basket arrived today and just picking up on what Raymond said earlier, I'm also considering a change in tamper to 58.4. If I was going to upgrade the tamper though I'd want to get a calibrated one too.

Wondering if I need to change the portafilter now though. The new 18g basket feels much tighter on the grouphead and its now a PITA to get it out of the portafilter.

 

[Raymond Lin]

VST basket arrived today and just picking up on wat Raymond said earlier, I'm also considering a change in tamper to 58.4. If I was going to upgrade the tamper though I'd want to get a calibrated one too.

Wondering if I need to change the portafilter now though. The new 18g basket feels much tighter on the grouphead and its now a PITA to get it out of the portfilter.

I really like the basic Gaggia Portafilter with the black handle from Espresso shop. I also got a couple of wooden handle ones (baked and double sprout) but currently like the single sprout better.

 

[jpaul]

yes, I was a bit concerned about cross-threading or sufficient torque on the pump connections when I changed that, so kept the back of a while looking for weeps.

VST basket - maybe you need to change the gasket - it maybe baked in on the old baskets gauge, afaik they do not publish guages.


Smart coffee ecosystem:
was looking at an Arduino based scales solution : https://makersportal.com/blog/2019/5/12/smartphone-arduino-weighing-scale-with-load-cell-and-hx711
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldwCY-koNyA
various solutions for using one with a thermocouple module too, for pf temperature.
I'm not into Alexa or Hue , but this kind of smart would convert me.

 

[Siliconslave]

VST basket - maybe you need to change the gasket - it maybe baked in on the old baskets gauge, afaik they do not publish guages.

A silicon gasket is a good investment from the sounds of it - they don't bake themselves into the machine so you don't end up having to chisel it out later down the line - wish i'd know about them with my classic but will be replacing with one on the maraX...

Theres someone building a 'smart' scales on coffee forums - https://coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/53374-coffee-scales-diy that looks pretty cool - I do need to start my temperature and timing Raspberry Pi build at some point