Thanks Dave for the observations. I've been experimenting with a simple grind and dose without anything else fancy. I hold the portafilter still and watch the grounds as they fall out fo the doser and the shots have been pretty good. Not perfect but tasty.

When I say I rotate the portafilter under the doser, I do not simply move the handle left/right/left/right while dosing. I actually move the portafilter in a circular motion under the doser so the grinds are tossed along the edges of the basket. That slowly and evenly builds up the sides and leaves a divot in the center. The last pull or two I have it centered under the doser so grinds then fall in the center divot giving me a relatively even distribution. The downward thump on the tamping stand knocks out the air pockets, smash it with the fancy hammer and go.

I have been meaning to do several videos lately but the 17 hour days at work have been preventing it. I will add that to my list of videos to do when I have a moment. It may be easier to understand when seen versus described.

Sorry Dave, I'm not nit picking your methods at all. I was only sharing what I've been starting to experiment with. I bet I would be surprised to see how different people fill their baskets. I may modify my own technique later but for now I just want consistency.

I know the mantra: practice practice practice!

No nit pick recognized, I just wanted to make sure you understood what I mean when I said I move the portafilter in a circular motion. A lot of people move the handle back and forth while dosing but I have not seen anyone actually move the portafilter around like that.

TimEggers wrote:To make matters worse I've been experimenting with a Ken Fox approach of a 14g dose, no leveling, no WDT no nothing followed with a tamp and the shots surprisingly flow evenly and taste great. The bead as evenly as my WDT shots and taste as good. Grind, dose then tamp. I often have tamped the mound and things turned out great. A slow pull of the doser handle has been key though and that negates the need for a chute as I use above.

Catching up on my HB reading after being delinquent in this regard for several days...

So Tim, if you're weighing your doses why not simply reach for that small glass bowl hiding behind the yellow handled tamper shown in the picture in your first post of this thread and dose directly into it? You can hold that little bowl right up underneath the doser and thwack, thwack to your hearts content right into that bowl (slow, fast?). Zero stray grounds as they will all go directly into your bowl regardles of thwack speed. From there simply spoon out the ground espresso right into the awaiting tared PF basket sitting atop your digital scale. Furthermore if you shake the spoon from side to side a little while filling the basket you can acheive a very nice, smooth distribution. This seems to be more of the "Ken Method" which he described in his "time for re-evaluation" thread.

Of course if you want to dose directly into your basket/PF then this wouldn't apply-

-Michael