j123 Senior Member Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 56 Location: US Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2012, 5:58am Subject: Double shot - tamp line
Hello
I have a silvia and I'm curious where the tamped puck height should be. Currently I grind into the basket, tap lightly to distribute, add some more grounds, then level with a straight edge.
When I tamp, I am about even with the top of the ridge line. When I put the portafilter in the machine, there is an indention where the screw is.
calblacksmith Moderator Joined: 25 Nov 2007 Posts: 5,683 Location: Riverside, Ca, U.S.A. Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: ECM Veneziano A1 Grinder: Many different commercial Vac Pot: 40s era Silex Drip: Milita, Bunn&Curtis... Roaster: Cast iron pan, gas burner
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2012, 6:33am Subject: Re: Double shot - tamp line
If the screen screw leaves an imprint on the puck before pulling the shot, your level is too high, you should be able to get a dime to nickle between the screen and the coffee.
Use a scale to establish your coffee dose, your method causes lots of difference between shot to shot and consistency just will not be there.
In real life, my name is Wayne P.
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emradguy Senior Member Joined: 31 Mar 2011 Posts: 1,723 Location: Houston Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Izzo Alex Duetto II Grinder: MacapM4T, Macap M4, OE Lido,... Drip: Espro press; Aeropress Roaster: internet
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2012, 8:18am Subject: Re: Double shot - tamp line
^+1
Until you get a scale, try filling your basket, without tapping and adding more grounds. Then level it and tamp as otherwise normal. Then do the nickel/dime test as Wayne suggested (above). You should be pretty close to where you ought to be on a Silvia (assuming you're using OEM pf and baskets). Adjust your grind fineness to achieve the desired extraction time.
j123 Senior Member Joined: 15 Sep 2009 Posts: 56 Location: US Expertise: Just starting
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2012, 8:55am Subject: Re: Double shot - tamp line
Thank you for the replies. To be clear, the screw extends past the screen by a couple coins thickness. Should the puck just touch the screw, which would be a couple coins thickness from the screen or should a dime fit between the puck and screw which would be a decent amount of space between the puck and screen?
I do have a scale. Earlier on I weighed out 14 grams but that always seemed to create a fairly high tamped puck. It is the oem double basket
tracerbullet Senior Member Joined: 13 Feb 2012 Posts: 152 Location: Saint Paul Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Tue Jun 26, 2012, 1:39pm Subject: Re: Double shot - tamp line
Strange setup. Looking online for pics I see what you mean.
I would say you need to just avoid touching the screen. For most folks the screw head is perhaps a mm, if that, beyond the screen. So saying not to touch it and not to touch the screen are sort of interchangeble. Pics of some Silvias do show a very oversized screw / bolt in that area, big enough that you could get a wrench onto it. In this case I believe the screen is fundamentally what your'e trying to avoid.
Some of those pics brought up online are from people converting that bolt to a screw. Makes snese to me, once you've packed / tamped the coffee into the portafilter, I can't imagine wanting to jam a hole into it like that. Seems like a great way to undo what you've done and get the water channeling through the grounds unevenly.
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