Ponte Vecchio Lusso - advice please?

Moon

ash was selling his for $750 with 2 naked PFs + accessories.. he's the bloke who drilled the hole in the side to access the pstat. Would have gone for that deal if I hadn't already done the deal on mine the day prior. I've already taken notes on your tips re procedure ..fellini move, dose etc which I will be following..  Do you reckon this is worth getting? .. no idea what it was selling for prior to clearance. Otherwise .. I'd get the Insulbrite and some cork and do a less Pro job myself.. I'd still need to insulate hot pipes and anywhere else that radiated or could be affected by heat .. according to a poster in the PV mods thread. $45 + del .. and I'd get a couple of spare group seal $4.50 too (seems cheap?) p4 in the middle in line with credit cards - no pic --> OE logo http://www.orphanespresso.com/CLOSEOUT-SPECIALS_c_297-4-0.html

Lacehim

ash is a top bloke.  $750 is a bargain!  Ohhh, temping... temping... The insulation looks okay, there are youtube videos of it being installed by OE I think.  Doesn't do the ends though, just a wrap around the boiler.

Moon

Has Lacehim been bitten by the Lusso bug again? Will he take the plunge?  8)

ash

Yeah it's about time someone got to use it now. Just one more little thing to do then it goes up for sale! Moon - you'll find that you'll dose into something else then into the pf for the Lusso. As far as grinders go, I've got both a Voodoodaddy modded Pharos and the Rosco. Before I got the Pharos modded I used the Rosco heaps, but the mods to the Pharos really change the basic one and make it heaps more user friendly. It's now my goto grinder, over a Macap M4 and Rosco. Re: the comparo between the Rosco, Pharos and Lido. Personally, putting the Pharos in the same class as two dedicated hand held grinders is a bit silly. It's a hand powered bench grinder and the burrs are much larger as a result. Looking at the Lido v Rosco, I reckon the Lido would be slightly easier to grind, but the adjustment mechanism of the Rosco and it's overall feel and impression of quality would be far superior. Mind you I haven't used a Lido....yet.

Moon

Hi ash Sounds like the Pharos is the go. Are they available from OE with the mods .. or did a local do it? What was the extra cost for this? How do you compare the quality of the grind and what ends up in the cup using your Pharos compared with your electric grinder? I'm thinking only a slight difference may not be worth the investment and effort? Also, how did you do your naked PFs? Some appear to get it done by a machinist .. otherwise is it a drill/and or hacksaw (can't remember whether they can cut through chrome?) and then a filing job in a vice? If a home job, is it just a case of chopping it off so that the sides are straight and parallel i.e. to remove any in-turning lip at the base? Figured I'd be grinding into a wide container as the Lusso PV is small and I'd want to shake out the clumps anyway.. as well as opening up the surface area for a good sniff .. which is what the wine connoisseurs do .. give it a swirl and sniff up .. all part of the appreciation ritual.  8) No doubt I'll be asking you blokes who have had a Lusso for advice on taming the beast ..as well as any medical treatment in future. ps. What's the go with a Spong grinder? Are these relics worth pursuing .. No2, 3 or 4 or is the Pharos superior?

ash

Moon, I bought my Pharos a few months after Galumay got his. At that time there were no mods around. Since then, a guy in New York has done what I consider the best set of mods (the Voodoodaddy mods). I think Ol Grumpy is getting his all modded up before he gets it delivered. Have a search at the Home Barista forum about them. It's also probably the best place to get in touch with the guy who does it as well. As for differences in the cup, well it's been mentioned around here and other forums that there is a difference in the cup. To me, conical burrs (like in the Pharos) tend to accentuate the lighter, sweeter flavours more (think fruits, flowers etc), while a flat burr grinder (like my Macap M4) accentuate earthier, savoury flavours (chocolates, caramels etc). If I'm trying a new bean I'll put it through both grinders over a few days to find out what I like the best! As always my views are that of an amateur aficionado, so take them with a grain of salt! There are some very well respected coffee types around here who could probably explain the difference in flavours better than me!!! And yes you will get some wonderful aromas off freshly ground coffee! :coffee2:

Moon

Thanks for that ash. I guess with being able to detect a difference in the grind between them .. I'd prefer an average Joes opinion rather than from a Guru who can tell what soil and at what altitude the beans were grown in. The Lussos pour is supposed to play to the deeper and heavier caramel and chocolate tones.. whereas the e61 group machines are better for highlighting the brighter fruitier notes.. offering up more 'clarity' - according the educated taste buds around the forums. Seeing the conicals also accentuate the deeper chocolate flavors .. would this mean that the conical grinder is more compatible with the Lusso.. as in playing to each others strengths ...or .. is it better to pair opposites for a more complete all rounded balanced brew in the cup? The Lusso is also supposed to be better at layering in the cup .. so is a a conical burr .. whereas the flat burrs, because of the more consistent coffee particle size may suit the e61 group perhaps .. which have better clarity in the cup .. and a better body. I'm thinking .. maybe I should get an e61 group machine .. so that I can do a shot from both, same with the 2 types of grinders .. and then mix them together .. as in 'You complete me' .. Surely this would be the best path to achieve the ultimate 'Godshot' everyone is after? It seems compatibility between coffee machine and grinder is important  - or does it only matter to the educated Gurus at coffee meets? I guess we should be aspiring to be able to tell the difference.

htb

Hey Moon, I use a Pharos with my Lusso and am happy with it. I personally don't think the Pharos needs any mods. Hand grinding does get a bit annoying at times however I have a second grinder for when I get really lazy. I thought you were ordering a Macap?

Moon

Hi htb I'm thinking having the electric is handy to use most times .. only it seems the home Baristas serious about their coffee around the coffee forums have options in their arsenal to call upon when the desire for something different kicks in. It seems the same in my case .. as I have found that even though I may really enjoy a particular bean .. by continuing to consume the same flavour .. it loses its appeal after a while .. and I need to change to something else to inspire my taste buds. Then when I go back to my favorite bean .. my taste buds are revitalized and more sensitive to the flavour it offers because it is 'new' again. I'd imagine the same would apply to having more than one type of coffee machine that highlights different aspects of a particular type of bean .. as in what a lever brings out compared to a machine with an e61 group. Same applies to a conical burr grinder and a flat burr. I'm only going on what I have been reading. A hand grinder, although never having used one as yet, from what I can gather from reviews .. also provides the connoisseur with a different experience from the cup. Initially .. I was interested in the Compak K3 .. then after further reading on the forums .. changed to the Macap M2D new programmable doserless which is not yet available in Australia, yet was on the site of the shop I was purchasing my PV Lusso from. It was really about choosing between those two .. but flirting with the idea of perhaps something else might be better according to experienced connoisseurs around these parts and elsewhere. Reverting back to the Compak was in the end due to the influence of others preferring commercial grinders due to the more powerful motors and larger burr sets. Although I liked the appearance of the Macap better than the Compak .. I compromised by staying with a domestic grinder - choosing the Compak because it had a stronger motor (250W as opposed to 150W) and the 58mm burrs as opposed to the 50mm .. which some felt was a bit smallish. I've no doubt I would have been thrilled with either. An added bonus was that I could purchase the Compak locally .. and changed to the Touch model from the Push at the last moment because the seller had 'negotiable' next to the good price in his ad .. and I made an offer less than what was advertised .. and the seller accepted it. The other reason I chose the Touch was that all sellers, other than those with the highest price .. only had the black Push available .. and not the silver I wanted to match some of the stainless steel panels on my new red Lusso. Funny how things can all fall into place at the end for a great outcome. As with the Macap .. the Touch has a timer .. and although many choose not to use it .. the option is there. As previously mentioned .. as a budding home Barista .. it's fun having options to experiment with.  :thumb: *Special thanks to htb for his question - hope you weren't expecting a short answer? - this is the extended version. The end ..crikey  *This article is brought to you by ... err .. the Crema team .. and forum sponsors  :thumb:

htb

K3T is an excellent grinder I had one a number of years ago. I upgraded to a M4D which was a step up again but not the same leap as the Rocky -> K3T. Pharos is in a different league but has its drawbacks. I am waiting for someone to invent an inexpensive large conical electric grinders with a small footprint.

Moon

In the end .. that was my conclusion as well htb. A conical the size of the Compak K3 and Macap M2M .. with a quality decent sized burr for around $550- $600 in order to rival the commercial sized grinders saving thousands of coffee drinkers from complaints from their wives about taking up limited bench space in their kitchens, as well as the guilt felt by poor blokes for doing just that in order to achieve and consume the ultimate shot - and in more serious cases .. having to move their setup out into their Man caves. No doubt there is a market there.. it would have been my choice .. for sure. The concept of a rotating roller crushing and grinding the beans just seems the way it should be done to me.

FreshCoffee2

Guys, take care not to confuse an interest in coffee, with an interest in the equipment, with the journey taken to get the cup of coffee out at the end. People say a lot of stuff about a lot of different things to do with coffee in the forums, and in the end I wonder if many would be able to tell the difference in an actual blind shoot out of coffee VS equipment....and if they could ("tell the difference"), what would it prove...that something is different to something else OR that something is "better" than something else. What is the definition of "better", to any individual? And once you add milk will the difference still be there? There is no academic difference to be found between a grinder with 58 mm planar burrs ("plates") and one with 50 mm plates. The difference is in the delivery / volumetric output (ie grams per second or minute or whatever).  For a similar speed, 58 mm plates will deliver more grams of grinds than 50 mm plates, in a certain amount of time. Anyone that says they can discern a significant difference in the character in the cup, when using the same bag of beans and machine and operator technique, that can be attributed solely to the difference in size of the plates used between a 58 mm and a 50 mm grinder (eg K3 and M2 and others)....has a very special palate indeed. This group of small to large sized cafe grinders (be they planar or conical), have been developed with only a couple of things in mind.....to deliver varying quantities of grinds in a working environment, without overheating when used in continuous manner. Cafe sized conical grinders are well known to require atleast 3 kilos of beans to be put through before they bed in to deliver consistency in grind and speed of delivery. Planar grinders on the other hand work well pretty much straight up but the burrs dont last as long as conicals (so....you change them more often). And now we also have titanium plated flat (planar) burred grinders, with the same benefits as regular flat plated griders, except that the plates last around 8 times longer before needing to be replaced. That means they also last an aweful lot longer than conical burrs, and dont have the need of bedding in at the start. The difference in all this stuff, is in the type of use that any of these grinders is put to. If you overuse something, it will fail in some way or other, and if you overspecify something, you just end up with a different set of probelms. EG large cafe sized conical grinders used in a home situation = wasting a lot of coffee "bedding in" at the start OR waiting an aweful long time in home use before the grinder will deliver consistency in grind and speed, and the large amount of grind retention left in the grinder after each individual use. So I say again....not sure about a lot of stuff that is written in the forums about coffee grinders and "quality". There are a lot of grinders on the market that are very good grinders each in their own way, that will appeal to consumers according to their individual needs and wants. And individuals all have different palates......(they can be grouped into people that have above average palates, average palates, and below average palates....which one are you, and if you did a blind cupping, could you pick any differences between the grinders....really, and if so what would it all really mean  ?). Try not to confuse an interest in the equipment, with whats in the cup. Buy what you want, above a certain price bracket of grinder, where the quality of the equipment is assured, and enjoy your journey. Its the journey that counts, and your palate will develop with it over time. Then you can look around to see if some other type of equipment may be able to do something different for you....but you have to undertake the journey first. Hope that helps. Edit: Of course I should have noted that rather than finding differences between grinders according to the type or size of grinding plates/burrs that they employ, real differences in the cup may be found due to the differences between the methods of adjustment used. Much is written about stepped VS stepless and micrometric adjustment, but there is probably virtually no difference in good quality modern grinders whether they are stepped or stepless because in this day and age the size of the steps in good quality stepped cafe grinders is small enough to be virtually insignificant VS stepless adjusters, some of which can be quite notchy due to clutch arrangement and therefore also not as accurate as people think from the reading material out there...... This leaves true micrometirc adjustment to be the most "accurate"except these cant be used for multiple coffee making methods and therefore have a much smaller "convenience" factor for people that use more than one method of brewing. People buying older used grinders should beware that older grinders is where the larger steps are. A good example of this is the Rocky. When discussed only from the point of view of grinding plate type, there wont be any discernible difference in the "in cup" quality between coffee ground with it and any other 50 mm semi commercial cafe grinder. However the literati amongst us will get a much more *accurate* grind from a more modern 50mm stepped  grinder such as Macap M2 where the steps are much smaller than those opf the Rocky, or the micrometric version of the M2 or other such as Eureka Mignon (also 50mm, micrometric adjustment). The minute you do one of the "stepless conversions" in the Rocky as written up in any of the forums, there shouldnt be any difference in grind accuracy or cup quality between it and any other modern 50 mm grinder, and this makes for a good example. There is also the issue of how much slop there is in the adjuster mechanism of any particular model grinder... Note what I have just written means that any individual forum reader needs to be able to judge howe *up to date* the information they are reading is. In terms of the stepped Vs stepless discussions, I find they are rather dated, except if you buy a poor quality new grinder to start with (but they are generally not discussed in coffee forums). And of course you cant downplay the importance of the individual operator in all of this, because a good operator will make great coffee with an old rocky, and an inexperienced or bad operator may well make swill using the most expensive Robur....... While rather long winded, I hope all this helps put these seemingly endless debates on grinder "quality" and cup quality into perspective.

Moon

^ Cheers for that post .. much appreciated.. and the edit. Good stuff. i agree that it is about the journey as mentioned in earlier posts .. and realize that there are many on these forums who have been focussed on achieving Godshots consistently .... and have probably spent thousands on several upgrades trying to achieve them is not something I am likely to be doing .. well, never say never  :P Being able to achieve this has obviously come after a lot of work and paying attention to the detail .. and good on them .. they deserve it. On the other hand .. which is where I am .. a relative n00by on the scene.. It's a bit hard watching a video of one of those glooping tiger striped shots dripping down from a naked portafilter and not thinking to yourself .. I want some of that action. :tearhair: At my current level .. I believe that as a former tradie of sorts, I have made the decision to purchase pretty decent equipment so that when (not if) my coffee doesn't live up to expectations, I need to review my own skills in the process and not be blaming my tools. My equipment is the best I can afford at this time .. and believe it is very capable of producing great coffee. My coffee making skills are pretty rough .. but with practice they will improve - and being on these forums listening to those at my stage as well as those more advanced .. has been extremely helpful. You take it all onboard, decipher it .. and use what is useful to improve what you produce in the cup.. and then keep on working to make it consistently good. So long as you understand that you don't need to go out and spend $3,800 on a coffee machine and $1,600 on a whiz bang grinder to make a really nice cup of coffee .. it is all good fun.

Moon

Item cost + freight is used by Customs to determine whether GST is applicable on imports. In my case .. the item is $948 and the shipping is $170 from Italy The question is - do Customs calculate only the Australian shipping component in their assessment - or the total cost? The most fair method is using freight from where it lands in Australia to its final destination to apply Australian GST. It seems like it will be landing in Sydney and transported down to Werribee on the fringe of Melbourne. If they only use the freight in Australia .. and don't estimate local freight to be over $52 .. then it won't exceed $1.000 and therefore no GST will be payable for the package. This, to me would be the fair way .. only I have no idea whether this is how they assess it? Anyone know how it works? .. otherwise I'll find out early next week .. and be pleading for a fair go to Customs should they ring chasing GST dollars? It's inevitable that I will pay up if I have to .. ''Pay up or you don't get your new coffee machine'' is a pretty big stick.

conikal

My understanding is that GST is calculated on the TOTAL INVOICED COST. IE, Item cost, + Shipping cost, + Import duty's (if any)  = GST base Sorry ! But as i said previously, it also appears that its only a random selection of personal shipments that get assessed for duties.

Brett H

on 1383338971:

My understanding is that GST is calculated on the TOTAL INVOICED COST. IE, Item cost, + Shipping cost, + Import duty's (if any)  = GST base Sorry ! But as i said previously, it also appears that its only a random selection of personal shipments that get assessed for duties.

Spot on Conikal from what I've heard. I've never gone down this path because of stellar after sales service by suppliers like Cosmorex and Aussie Sapphire but I believe you are correct.  An engineering mate of mine imports higher valued items semi-regularly and he has always insisted that his buyers list the correct value and everything is spot on in regards to paperwork, fees etc.  he alleges that there are enough variables on e the items hit our shores!!

Koffee_Kosmo

That's is correct Conical The total invoice cost is the price I had speaker drivers that were sent overseas to be refurbished, when they came back to Aust -GST was charged on the total invoice including shipping & insurance ect because I could not prove that they were my speaker drivers or exchange units  KK

Ol Grumpy

on 1383345850:

<snip> I had speaker drivers that were sent overseas to be refurbished, when they came back to Aust -GST was charged on the total invoice including shipping & insurance ect because I could not prove that they were my speaker drivers or exchange units  KK

: Ouch .... That's gotta hurt KK... I've brought in a small number of items +$1,000 and have never been charged : touch wood, and all correctly marked. OTH, I've heard tales of items being opened and 'deemed' to be $x value, on inspection, and charged accordingly. From what I can gather it's really not worth the grief. If you have the invoice, paperwork trail, then at least you have 'evidence' that can be presented. If you 'lowball' and get caught... Nah! At best you're saving the GST on the difference only. Not worth it IMHO. There's enough risk associated with just getting a machine here, undamaged & in good working order, without adding the angst of trying to save a few pennies/pounds on taxes and duties... I'd pay the GST just to ensure they don't unbox the contents... It's a minefield if you get it wrong...

Moon

Thanks for that info Looks like I will be up for the GST if my package is picked out by Customs for a manifest inspection? Charging GST for services provided outside of Australia seems a bit rough to me though .. but thems the rules. For after sales service, warranty issues and to support local business .. I would have much preferred to have purchased my Ponte Vecchio Lusso from such a helpful nice bloke as Jack from Sorrentina, only I couldn't wait for when & if Jack ended up importing more Lussos into Australia .. after talking to him on a few occasions about getting one. I asked Jack about warranty issues and he said that he can help out with a few tips and has some spare parts .. however, he didn't want to be caught up with warranty repairs for machines not purchased from him.. as he said he doesn't get compensated from Ponte Vecchio. Perfectly reasonable response .. I would be the same. I am happy to pay a bit more for a local purchase knowing that I would be getting after sales assistance if something goes wrong .. as I see it as paying a little extra for piece of mind like we do with other Insurances that we pay. In my case .. it wasn't a matter of trying to save a few bucks .. as the PV Lusso is not currently available in Oz. It was however .. by choosing the 1 group instead of the 2 group believing I would be avoiding GST & duties. I could afford to get the 1 group now .. rather than having to wait to save the $ to get the 2 group.. as I needed to upgrade my grinder as well. No use having a good coffee machine and a lousy grinder ..  :thumb: Ok .. I'll admit a little impatience was involved .. current machine problems as well as being inspired by looking at those *videos with the tiger striped shots :'( * Perhaps n00bs like myself shouldn't be able to access these videos? Lol

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Received my Compak K3 Touch grinder yesterday. Very happy with it. The pictures don't do it justice.

Moon

Just checked TNT tracking Says - Released by Custom OA .. Depot - Melbourne Googled what a Custom OA is? .. one answer - Customs trainee .. that must be it No phone call .. hey, keep up the good work d00d  :thumb: Oooooh .. getting close now .. can almost taste the coffee  :coffee2:

Moon

Since Koffee Kosmo suggested a hand grinder .. I've been looking around the forums for what sort of hand grinder is good to get .. and after landing in HB forum read a detailed review on the old Spong hand grinders made in England.. back in the 19th Century, haven't been made for over 30 years.. and only appear in places like eBay and antique Bric-a-brac shops. They come in sizes 0,1,2,3,4,5 .. and the ones most useful are the 2,3,4, 5? as they go up in number, so does the size of the conical burr inside them .. and the larger the burr, the less rotations needed to grind the beans.. so anything less than a 2 becomes a bit of a grind. lol. A No2 is the minimum, No3 & 4 are the prize catches .. only they are gaining popularity and therefore the price is increasing .. and more difficult to win on eBay.. especially the 3 & I hadn't seen a No4 being advertised yet. I've been looking out for a No3 .. hoping I might get lucky .. and what pops up on eBay? .. a new listing Spong No4 in excellent condition .. a rarity .. the Crown jewel has presented itself .. and I'm thinking .. Man, once everyone spots this, I've got no hope unless I bid an outrageous price. Well, I sent the seller off an email making an offer trying to get him to change his listing to 'Buy It Now' so that I could jump at it. He replied saying that eBay wouldn't allow him to give me his email address .. and said that he'd already had some interest in the Spong (seller can see views) and would leave as is for now and suggested I put in a bid and see what happens? I'm thinking .. geez .. the auction is 6 days away .. how many hundreds will be interested in that time from all around the Globe .. these Spongs have become a Global phenomenon .. so I emailed him back .. believing this was my final chance at it. I was in the other room and heard my mail ding. He emailed to tell me he'd just changed it to 'Buy it Now' and first in. Well .. I'd bought it within 30 seconds of being re-listed. Timing was perfect. These Spongs allow you the option of screwing them into the wall or using its clamp to attach it to a bench or table top, meaning that it can be operated with only one hand to grind .. and maybe the other to catch the grinds. The grind is adjustable, so according to reviews .. there's no problem getting a fine espresso grind from them. Feel like I just got the Jackpot So .. Koffee Kosmo .. (& Lacehim)

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> hand grinder joins the armoury  :thumb: ps. Compak is fab .. and the Ponte Vecchio will be delivered either tomorrow or Wednesday. have to get some boiler insulation. Tip for the Melbourne Cup? *Sea Moon *Green Moon Naturally  Edit: Just noticed there's a No5 The Burr size on a No3 is 10cm (4'') so a No4 would be around 13cm? (5'') Note: To read up on the Spong - Google 'Spong hand grinder' click on an image and then click 'Visit page'

Koffee_Kosmo

Well done Moon Wife is shaking her fist at me saying I have 6 hand grinders already But darling it's the coffee taste that counts in the end was my answer

Moon

Cheers KK So long as your wife doesn't give you the ultimatum .. ''it's your Coffee gear or me'' ..yeah? :rofl:  :coffee2:

Koffee_Kosmo

on 1383475393:

Cheers KK So long as your wife doesn't give you the ultimatum .. ''it's your Coffee gear or me'' ..yeah? :rofl:  :coffee2:

That won't happen anytime soon as I am -- The head coffee roaster and the head barista of the house KK

Moon

Good to hear KK  Great news, my Lusso arrived today .. well packaged and intact. I then rode off to Spotlight on my motor Scooter to get some InsulBright and a cork sheet to insulate the boiler and pipes to prevent any potential heat issues from occurring in the future. Bit of a drag having to open up a new machine and do some maintenance work, but I figured best to get it sorted at the start and then full steam ahead. I double layered around the boiler, sealed off both ends with cork, wrapped the hot water & steam pipes as well as the one going to the group .. and secured it all with cable ties.. then took some pics to post later. I also dropped the boiler pressure which was sitting on 1.35 Bar down to 1.1 Bar as recommended. Cleared off a new section of the kitchen bench where the new setup was going and pulled my first shot using the double basket after measuring out 14 grams to grind. Not much in the way of crema, although it was the tastiest coffee I'd ever made so far .. so no complaints for a first effort on my new lever machine. I'd imagine the tap water and new metal in the Lusso contributed to the flavour.. The beans were fresh, probably too fresh .. as they were only roasted yesterday. I only rinsed the boiler out a couple of times and probably should've done a couple of dummy runs before drinking one .. only I couldn't wait to try it out. At least it turned out better than expected. I reckon I had too much of a gap in the basket .. and will have to reduce it to 3mm as Jack suggested. Will also have to play with the tamp pressure and grind. The puk broke up as I was tapping it out .. so it either needs to be tamped firmer or I have the grinds too course .. well, that's my guess at this stage? I ordered a new cartridge for my water filter today which should arrive later this week or early next week. Spong hand grinder is on its way .. so plenty to play with on the coffee front. Nice little machine the PV Lusso .. decent spring in it too. Miniature portafilter and basket .. seems odd after the 58mm.

C-man

i would  welcome a grinder shoot-out with any grinder, manual or electric  I would bring my mini Rosco, Paid $340. with delivery not saying it is better,  just that I have ground for many good machines including pioneers Roasters and everyone was always impressed by the thick syrupy shots.

Lacehim

Have fun.. Just look over this again.  It might help you get the dose right.  http://www.bestcafes.com.au/forum/espresso-machines/ponte-vecchio-lusso-advice-please/50/?msg=42388 It's more than capable, so don't worry that you don't get it first time!  New machines take time to learn.

Moon

Howdy I considered the Rosco mini .. one quality designed & made unit that.. it was very tempting, bit like Lacehim getting another Ponte Vecchio Lusso  ??? My 2nd shot this morning was better .. tamped firmer and filled the basket up to about 3-4mm from the top. The puk was dryish and more solid when tapping out. I've been doing the fellini move to get the 40ml shot, which is perfect for my lattes. It poured mainly on one side of the PF .. so I will have to try grinding into a container and giving it a shake to break up the clumps, and work on getting a more even distribution of grinds in the basket .. and yeah Lacehim, fill half way, tamp and top up .. forgot about that tip. I'd like to either convert or get a naked PF to watch what's happening with the pour? Also, will get some Professionally roasted quality beans .. most likely from sponsor 'mycuppa' soon.. to see what difference that makes compared to the green beans I've been roasting myself .. using a Popper. Phew .. satisfying .. certainly doesn't leave you feeling like another straight away .. hmm? speaking of .. checks clock .. yep, must be about time for another  ;D

Ol Grumpy

on 1383604701:

i would  welcome a grinder shoot-out with any grinder, manual or electric  I would bring my mini Rosco, Paid $340. with delivery not saying it is better,  just that I have ground for many good machines including pioneers Roasters and everyone was always impressed by the thick syrupy shots.

Careful now... You might have our resident Croc Whisperer wingin it down here with his mighty HG1 under his arm..... .... Better still, the Izzo under the other arm.... PS. I've got a HC Rossa now and the Pharos has been handed over to USPS, si it'll be here in a week or two... I'm lookin forward to the next social... I'll bring the Bodum Pebo for a 'clean black' to cleanse the pallet.... Bring it on C-man....  : beats chest .... : collapses on ground in a fit of coughing and gasping

conikal

on 1383573019:

Great news, my Lusso arrived today .. well packaged and intact.

So,  did the dreaded "Duty Man" take his pound of flesh ?.. ..or did the Lusso fly under the assesment radar ?