My supplier has been somewhat useless in terms of technical info. I went straight to Rocket, who have been fantastic considering that I'm probably subverting the normal channels of communication.

I fully realize the machine is setup a certain way for a reason and I've actually been pulling nice shots consistently lately. When I started down this espresso path a couple years ago I did so simply to make espressos and lattes at home. Now I realize (as I'm sure many of us do) that it's really more of a hobby than anything else. So yes, I am getting to know the machine but I also like to tinker. Not doing so would take the fun out it for me. The day that some genius builds and markets a machine that makes perfect god shots every time is a sad day indeed. So don't get any fancy ideas Eric.