DIY hand-held, bike-pump espresso maker

Kelsey

Of course it'd be cheaper to get an aeropress, but that's no fun and it isn't really espresso.

I just saw this on instructables:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Hand-held-Espresso-maker/

I'm kinda sorta tempted to make it, but am seriously lacking in time. Thought I'd throw it up here for anyone else that camps and would like something to get their morning hit.

beanflying

Cool toy. Just arranging a road relay crew for a charity ride at present but I was thinking more along the lines of upgrade the inverter in the trailer and take the Pavoni 😉

UNM

Not very clear instructions, I think it might take a couple of tries to work out exactly what he means. Like the basic principle of using a stock p/f basket. Worth doing just for fun for the time poor, of course you can just buy something similar but commercially made: http://www.mycuppa.com.au/Airspresso.html

mycuppa

A lot of precision work went into the Airspresso - almost 2 years in the making.

Kelsey

It looks like it Jeff. I tell my clients something similar and pertinent: it requires a great deal of planning and complexity to produce something that's simple to use. Something as sinoke as the airspresso doesn't happen without a lot of planning.

UNM

mycuppa wrote:

A lot of precision work went into the Airspresso - almost 2 years in the making.

The basic principle is pretty similar (in fact might impinge on airspresso IP rights?). The airspresso is much nicer in appearance, will undoubtedly last longer and has a couple of nice features to make it easy to pack up small and avoid valve breakage etc. Oh yes - also no taint of deodorant from the aluminium canister. If I made one, I'd select from food containers rather than personal hygiene products. I'd like to make one along these lines, but standard plumbing fittings are no good for 58mm commercial size filter baskets (took a look when in bunnings today). Would need to use a smaller filter basket out of a lever machine or dinky toy espresso machine. Or perhaps there are alternate sources of plastic parts rather than plumbing fittings. Any ideas? Anyone here got experience with pressure fittings/pipes and fluid transfer??

beanflying

With plastics bunnings isn't where to look. 3 major groupings of PVC pipe fittings are in use in Oz, Pressure (water supply) and Sewer and then the SWV (Soil waste and vent) ranges. The first two will handle the pressure but Sewer is to large while SWV is designed for gravity feed and not pressure rated. Looking at the above it is an end cap and part of a barrel union I think for a start but Tradelink or Reece etc would be better places to start for a good range of pressure PVC.

UNM

This might be better on chat, but since you aren't on IRC... Most fittings seem to be 50mm, next size up I suspect is 65mm (which bunnings don't stock) and which may well be too large, although an end cap can easily be cut with a hole saw. Wonder if there might be something in the aircraft or marine industry that would be suitable.

beanflying

yep 65 is a bit of an odd bod but for you a trip to Plastic Plumbing Supplies (now total eden) in Bayswater should get you a decent range of 65mm which is still used a bit in the irrigation industry. Also available will be 65x50 reducing bushes which could be turned out to suit a PF 🙂 Looking at the 1/2 union that seems to have one of them glued or inserted in into it.

UNM

I wonder just how much it costs in parts to put something like this together? I'm guessing $50-$75, plus several hours time and probably two or three cock-ups along the way so add in another $25 for replacement parts. Not to mention the travel costs of getting to/from suppliers (unless you order offshore :stir). Yep, cost wise, the airspresso looks good. Only worth doing something like this for fun and the learning experience. Bit like a level resto job really.

mycuppa

UNM wrote:

I wonder just how much it costs in parts to put something like this together? I'm guessing $50-$75, plus several hours time and probably two or three cock-ups along the way so add in another $25 for replacement parts. Not to mention the travel costs of getting to/from suppliers (unless you order offshore :stir). Yep, cost wise, the airspresso looks good. Only worth doing something like this for fun and the learning experience. Bit like a level resto job really.

I know the inventor of Airspresso quite well - he is a mate of mine. 2+ years, up to 50 proto-types, lots of testing and > $10K before you have sold a single unit. The creation of the filter basket was the most difficult - requiring specialist drilling......and lots of testing.