Does it become easier to insert portafilter as the gasket ages?

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
dkny3939
Posts: 185
Joined: 12 years ago

#1: Post by dkny3939 »

Portafilter on my new machine is extremely tight. I had to hold the machine down with one hand and really crank the PF with the other to get it to insert properly on the brew head, same when I remove the portafilter. This can get kind of annoying. Sometimes I don't torque it enough and there was some leak around the rim. I hope this gets easier as the gasket ages. The PF handle never comes to the center of the machine. I am not strong enough to do that. :(

I don't want a work out every time a shot is pulled. Sometimes I feel like so much force is used I may be bending the machine or something. I am not used to applying brute force on kitchen appliances!

User avatar
LaDan
Posts: 963
Joined: 13 years ago

#2: Post by LaDan »

Without knowing what machine you have and if everything is OEM...

I would take the gasket and shower head out, inspect for suspects, and reassemble correctly. Maybe something on the assembly line wasn't done right.

You could get a thinner gasket, they are usually available at different thickness for this exact reason.

And of course, I would call your sales vendor customer service and ask them for a solution.

dkny3939 (original poster)
Posts: 185
Joined: 12 years ago

#3: Post by dkny3939 (original poster) »

Everything should be new, but I will give the vendor a call. They should sort it out.

gbastiani
Posts: 91
Joined: 15 years ago

#4: Post by gbastiani »

How often to you clean the grove up inside of the group head were the pf fits into, I use a small stiff brush and sweep this area out to get out the old grounds which can get up into this area I clean mine out every other day and I only pull two doubles a night, I do a clear water back flush every other day and every other week I use a detergent to back flush my machine. Also are you putting to much coffee into your pf, if you are then the coffee is pressing up against the shower screen and this could make it hard to get the pf locked into place, like you said about the handle not being in the center
Gary

opother
Posts: 401
Joined: 13 years ago

#5: Post by opother »

" Does it become easier to insert portafilter as the gasket ages ?"


A lot of times yes but don't take that answer for granted.


I would shine a flashlight up in there and have a look when the machine is cool.

Is there any difference when you put an empty portafilter into the machine (without coffee in the basket?) If so then it's related to overloading the basket with coffee.

Is the rim of the basket inside your portafilter too high to be seated flush against the top of the portafilter and over the milled out filter basket rim rest of the portafilter (filter basket too tall for portafilter?)

The gasket could be too thick or not seated right (something I doubt though)

Gasket might need to be broken in (a good possibility)

Lack of gorrilla steangth (possible but unlikely if you are in generally decent health)

dkny3939 (original poster)
Posts: 185
Joined: 12 years ago

#6: Post by dkny3939 (original poster) »

Thanks for your replies. I called my vendor but they put me on hold for too long so I just dropped the call.

This is not related to overdose as the PF is hard to insert even without coffee. The gasket is clean. I don't often clean it, but it seems pretty clean last time I checked. The basket does have a raised rim (PF is easier to insert without the basket, I can turn the handle to the center of the machine, if without the basket), but this is the stock basket though, it appears to be well-made.

I will try calling the vendor again tomorrow, but I guess the gasket needs to be broken in as the machine is only 2 weeks old, but the weird thing is the PF seems to be harder to insert now then when I first got the machine.

jonny
Posts: 953
Joined: 13 years ago

#7: Post by jonny »

I don't have anything to add, but what the first response was hinting at: tell us what machine you have. Also if you have a chance, fill in the equipment section in your profile. It makes reference easy when someone is speaking casually.

User avatar
cannonfodder
Team HB
Posts: 10497
Joined: 19 years ago

#8: Post by cannonfodder »

Some after market portafilters are also more difficult to put in at times. Differences in the geometry of the locking lugs and height of the ridge on top of the portafilter can make them tight.
Dave Stephens

apple2k
Posts: 121
Joined: 13 years ago

#9: Post by apple2k »

FWIW I have a Pasquini Livia 90 and every time i replace that gasket and screen it takes about 2-3 months before the portafilter will go as far to the right as it did with the old gasket. Pasquini told me this was normal and actually intentional on their part.

dkny3939 (original poster)
Posts: 185
Joined: 12 years ago

#10: Post by dkny3939 (original poster) »

Thanks for the replies. I just made espresso this evening after dinner, and the PF was super easy to insert. It was still really tight this morning. :shock: Now I can easily turn the PF halfway, or maybe a little more. 8) This is how I want it to be, but I am not sure what caused the dramatic change from too tight to just right in the space of a single day. :?:

Post Reply