Thrifty Accessories For The Budget Concious

Brett H

Ladies and Gentlemen... In these uncertain times your hard-earned dollars don't seem to drive as far as they used to.  While there is no solution to short-cutting the best espresso machine or grinder you can afford (pipe down all you manual brew guys, I want an espresso...  ), your accessories don't have to cost enough that you can only afford to drink robusta offerings from BeanGreen (bad example because I really enjoy both of them)!  So, let us know how you save money:

Exhibit A:  Orphan Espresso charge 32.50 for their OE IPANEMA Tall Aluminum Portafilter Dosing Cylinder but what if you go to all the trouble of jetting one out here and don't use it... Or worse, it doesn't fit under your A8 grinder and operate the button?  Enter Bunnings with a sub $5 slab drain in plumbing and some nifty blowtorch work and you too can have a custom fitted dosing funnel that is snug enough in the grinder to add hands-free capabilities to your set up.  I call it, the Foundling Espresso Grinds Chute and its brilliant:


We've all made one of these I'm sure but mine cost almost $10 because the SS bowl was made in India with a rubber non-slip bottom. 


Don't get me started on Espresso Skins but seriously... $25 and postage... Tell him he's dreamin'!  Try these and a pair do scissors for custom designed scratch protection with the holes in all he right places:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Silicone-Pot-Holder-Heat-Mat-Choose-your-colour-Great-Christmas-Gift-/281015150795?pt=AU_Cookware_Bakeware&hash=item416dcee8cb&_uhb=1#ht_782wt_689

My own version was a $2 Kmart throw- out that i upgraded for looks to a sushi mat for >$5!  Now, I deserve another BeanGreen order and its top-shelf only  :coffee2:

Koffee_Kosmo

Wonderful ideas and information  :thumb: KK

UNM

on 1358687217:

(pipe down all you manual brew guys, I want an espresso...  )

OK, you got me. I shall refrain from comment on that front

on 1358687217:

Exhibit A:  Orphan Espresso charge 32.50 for their OE IPANEMA Tall Aluminum Portafilter Dosing Cylinder but  what if you go to all the trouble of jetting one out here and don't use it... Or worse, it doesn't fit under your A8 grinder and operate the button?  Enter Bunnings with a sub $5 slab drain in plumbing and some nifty blowtorch work and you too can have a custom fitted dosing funnel that is snug enough in the grinder to add hands-free capabilities to your set up.  I call it, the Foundling Espresso Grinds Chute and its brilliant:

That fits the category of "I can't believe I didn't think of that". I actually have one or two lying around the garage. :thumb:

on 1358687217:

We've all made one of these I'm sure but mine cost almost $10 because the SS bowl was made in India with a rubber non-slip bottom. 

Always worth paying a premium to have access to a rubber non-slip bottom I say. There are times that a slippery bottom is a serious  liability.

Brett H

Thanks Guys!  Now as the vast majority of members here are more innovative than me... It's all of your turns to post and boast!  I can't believe JamesM hasn't finished his cold drip yet  :stir

Kelsey

Clark Rubber tamp mat - probably about $3, I don't recall. [attachimg=1]

hiphipharar

on 1358742589:

Clark Rubber tamp mat - probably about $3, I don't recall.

Looks like you could use Brett's "Foundling Espresso Grinds Chute". I assume some of your coffee actually makes it into the filter basket  ;D

Kelsey

From time to time. It's an antidote against over-dosing. At the moment I'm just too lazy to clean up. That's probably about two weeks worth of spillage - mostly from a failed experiment to turn the spouts on my PF around.

Brett H

Nice! I will admit to buying the Coffee Parts Tamping bench corner mat for about $15.  I really like it!

hiphipharar

Well I confess some of my daily efforts hadn't been too different to your 2 weeks worth. Yes, good ideas all.  Agree with the sushi mat cup does the job just as well as the silicon mats.I don't see the need for a fancy knock bin either. It isn't improving the coffee but I concede looks are important for many. I've also used an old mouse mat as a tamping mat. I've admired some nice commercial tamping stations and crafty hand-made ones. I once used a yoghurt container top as a grinds 'catcher' while practising my WDT. But the Orphan Espresso thingamie (the older one, not the new wider version) has not only cleaned up my messy act, it has improved my dosing technique. $24 well spent IMO

C-man

on 1358744928:

Looks like you could use Brett's "Foundling Espresso Grinds Chute". I assume some of your coffee actually makes it into the filter basket  ;D

I though I was the only Pigman..

UNM

on 1358805602:

I though I was the only Pigman..

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: You have been horribly misled by the carefully staged photos people post of their coffee equipment and coffee making skills. Why do you think some of us rarely  post photos? I for one am often embarrassed by the mess I make. As for  the steam wand? Best not go there. Let's just  say I cleaned it in spring, so it's good until autumn. Functional cleanliness, no bacteria is good enough and hot water kills bacteria

C-man

on 1358808647:

Me too...  Sometimes my system is beyond  embarrassment.  What is worse is the coffee splashes from the knock box that have been found all over the floor/walls and distant parts of the kitchen. PS. Not me it was the CAT

Could it be any worse than when you opened the boiler and steamed everyone at Lachems party?

UNM

perhaps split this to a separate thread for most embarrasing pictures? Would need some way to post anonymously though.

derrilex

on 1358808647:

Me too...  Sometimes my system is beyond  embarrassment.  What is worse is the coffee splashes from the knock box that have been found all over the floor/walls and distant parts of the kitchen. PS. Not me it was the CAT

And you should see him run for that dish cloth people. The area is spotless after the brew is made, as per, I gather, instructions issued by another party  :D I'm soaking my knockbox at the moment to dislodge the science experiment living in the bottom of it. Free penicillin though

askthecoffeeguy

Well here's a thrifty reno I did on my Rancilio Epoca while camping with mates on New Year's Eve - some bright drongo pushed the brew switch through the plastic console and snapped its mount so there was no way of engaging the brewing process Given that we were miles from nowhere in the state forest between Morewell and Moe at the time - we had to innovate to get the fixit job done So I found an old disused mower blade which we cut down to size with an angle grinder - then we had to repeatedly drill it and re-sharpen the drill bit on the angle grinder to get through the blade's toughened steel - which we then pop riveted to the existing housing to create a backing board for the brew switch - and Bob's your aunty! And I ended up making coffee for 120 adults for a week over the New Years period - and I'm gunna go out in a limb here and say that made me the most popular guy there!

Seeya Latte

Pat espresso bush mechanics ... love it Don't know what I'm more impressed with ... Fixing the switch or the fact that you camp with an angle grinder ...most here only think of packing a hand grinder

askthecoffeeguy

on 1361081818:

Pat espresso bush mechanics ... love it Don't know what I'm more impressed with ... Fixing the switch or the fact that you camp with an angle grinder ...most here only think of packing a hand grinder

Well... There was a bunch of us and we took up two generators, and a portable cool room, as well as portable toilets, and built two sound stages as well as various marquees and a portable kitchen and indoor cinema - pretty posh camping really but at least I didn't blow up any generators this time around ...