Need some help picking a ridgeless basket that will fit the naked portafilter or the stock Silvia one that came from 1st-line.

I suspect my 58mm tamper from 1st-line has been getting hung up on the basket ridge, I can't stop the underextraction which I think is happening because of channeling. I'm getting nothing but sour shots after countless different things like beans, various doses, WDT, and tamping techniques.

Anyone have some links to a good double ridgeless that will fit my portafilters?

I used the La Marzocco ridgeless double in my Silvia and kept it for the Astra Gourmet that I currently have. I like it. EPNW has it as part number MZ_107A.

tsenfw wrote:I'm getting nothing but sour shots...

And you think a new basket will help?

Did you read my original post? You think it won't help at all? I'm having a really hard time getting anything drinkable with the silvia and I find I'm getting hung up on the ridge of my basket with my tamper when tamping with a normal dose. If I try and updose I get breaking up of the puck from the bolt in the dispersion screen. If I grind finer I either choke the machine or get a reallllly long pour. If I grind and tamp for a 25-30 sec double it's sour. I temp surf the silvia and allow it to warm up 1 hour before use.

Newer silvia with a stock silvia basket in a naked portafilter
Rocky doserless using WDM
Intelligentsia Black cat
58mm tamper from 1rstline

I just don't know what to do besides try this.

tsenfw wrote:Did you read my original post? You think it won't help at all?

I've read accounts that the Rancilio Silvia single basket is a horror. It's been many years since I used the double that came with Silvia, but I don't recall it leaving me scarred.

If push came to shove, I could (*) use the top of a shaving cream can as a tamper, so I doubt "hanging up" on the basket's ridge is the source of your problem. If you want to post a video of your routine from start-to-finish, I could comment further. Otherwise I can only recommend re-reading the accounts of the other frustrated Rocky/Silvia owners linked from the FAQs and Favorites under 'Rancilio Silvia and Rocky'. You'll find a similar theme among all these threads (starts with attributing problems to this, that, and the other; ends with "I figured it out").

(*) Actually I did once while on vacation because I forgot the tamper.

A quick test to see if it might be the tamper/basket:

1) Take the basket out of the portafilter.

2) Empty the basket.

3) Insert the tamper into the basket and gauge the point where the tamper will go no further.

4) Remove tamper from basket, fill basket with your normal dose, then tamp. See how much of a difference there is in height.

Per the H-B Guide To Espresso, sour shots can be indicative of too fine a grind or too low a temperature. Perhaps there may be other variables that you haven't yet considered which may be contributing to the sourness.

Silvia isn't the most forthcoming with information, and without appropriate measuring tools for temperature and pressure, you're at a distinct disadvantage. It's not impossible, but it's certainly a more difficult process.

Let's start with some of the more common offenders:

How old is your Black Cat?

What does the "25-30sec double" look like / does it compare favorably to what you've seen posted (on HB or other sites) that depicts a "good" flow?

What is your temp surfing routine like / how consistent are you in starting the pour at the same time after light goes on/off?

What is your dosing/distribution like? How much are you putting into the basket?

Let's nail this down before you start shopping around for ridgeless baskets - perhaps the answer can be found without having to go shopping.

-s.

HB wrote:(*) Actually I did once while on vacation because I forgot the tamper.

I find it rather amusing that, while on vacation, you would have access to a Silvia. Hope you were able to get decent beans...

-s.

@ HB
ohhh ok I see. I have read through those Silvia favorites a million times but I'll try again. I'll try to get my hands a on something I can take a video of myself with. I don't even have a good camera if I wanted to do it with pics, just a crappy blackberry phone camera.

@ Sherman
Oppss I already ordered the basket! It's ok it was pretty reasonable price.
I have tried what you mentioned about checking the tamp and yes it is getting hung up. I have tried substitutes like a the bottom of a hot sauce bottle and a 53mm tamp but haven't been able to get even tamps with them and the same result in the espresso.

The black cat was 3 days after roast date when I received from Intelligentsia. I experimented every day up to about the 8th day after roasting mark.

The 25-30 sec double I get looked ideal to me but then again I'm only have internet pictures to compare too. I have tried to use this as a crema guide:
http://www.sweetmarias.com/espresso-crema.html
I think some may have be blonding a little early but I have a hard time identifying blonding. I do not see any apparent symptoms on the bottom of the naked portafilter, the liquid seems pretty even all the time, tigerstriping etc. I do get some gushers sometimes though.

My routine from what I have tried to pick up from threads and video is this.
1.)3 sec pulls of just water with 10 sec pauses until the Heating element indicator light comes on.
2.)Immediately grind into portafilter using the WDM to get rid of clumps.
3.)Level off with finger or flat ruler (have tried both)
4.)Tamp, gently tap side of porta with tamp, tamp again with twist at end.
5.)Light goes off. Press pull button to release flash of steam for about 1-2secs. (presence of flashing to steam out of grouphead leads me to believe silvia is getting water hot enough).
6.)Lock in the porta and pull the shot right away.

I'm ordering black cat right now so I will have beans when the basket comes in so I can try again. I cannot find a reputable local roaster.

Sherman wrote:I find it rather amusing that, while on vacation, you would have access to a Silvia. Hope you were able to get decent beans...

They're so cute when they're so new and naive, ain't they?
Run Sherman, run as fast and as far as you can. Learn to drink drip and instant, and like it. Do it now, before it's too late!
Some of the less grounded of us have whole kits dedicated to being away from our favorite wubby machine. While my two group is not portable in the least (without a pallet jack and four strapping men, anyway), I have a Silvia that stays at my girlfriends house and is kept company by two Rockys, and a Gaggia lever that lives in a roadcase and is kept company by two hand grinders. In extreme cases, I have two mokapots and two Thunderstoves.
Yeah, buddy, run while there is still hope...


P.S. The bicycle that goes on tour with me is mostly to make it to the nearest roaster and decent water. Getting exercise and fresh food is simply a by-product.

tsenfw wrote:@ HB
5.)Light goes off. Press pull button to release flash of steam for about 1-2secs. (pressence of flashing to steam out of grouphead leads me to believe silvia is getting water hot enough).

This is the only thing that jumps out to me. Flashing to steam is definitely hot enough. Actually, it's _TOO_ hot. Turn on the brew switch and wait until the steam turns into water, then turn off the brew switch. In my experience, the recent version Black Cat likes slightly cooler pulls, so you might want to let the water flow fora 1-2 seconds.

-s.