Default recommended per Frank is set to "220" on the display. That is all I know - I don't know what the number corresponds to. Frank is going to send me a table that correlates this displayed number to grinder speed.

Also, my particular power supply is variable from 10v to 13.8v (Frank recommends 12V). But, Frank said I can run it at 12v or 13.8V, either is fine. I think the speed set to 220 assumes it is receiving 12V from the power supply.

I have ground a dose at 210 on the display and it worked exactly like 220, exact it was running slower (sorry - that was obvious).

FotonDrv wrote:Is the digital grinder speed indicator an indication of motor rpm or burr rpm?? And what is the default setting?

PS - Assafl - I don't even know how to pre infuse on the LUCCA M58 - I think it is supposed to be able to do it, but mine must not be setup to do it. Anyway, I am happy for now without it!

Pre-infusion on the Lucca M58 is done by moving the lever just beyond the off position, but before the pump kicks in. If you are set up on a tank the pre-infusion doesn't work that well as it is only from boiler pressure. If you are plumbed in, then line pressure drives the pre-infusion which, I understand, works quite well.

When you grind really fine - preinfusion prevents choking of the espresso machine. Don't know the Lucca M58...

EY increases as well so be careful with dosing.

The configuration of the VL/DRM/Titus does give a very sweet and complex cup (if and only if aligned reasonably well!).

BTW, this am I poured the bean dose into the Titus' funnel, and then started the grinder. It started as if it didn't even notice anything was in there. No perceptible load noises or grunts. I thought I might see ground bean fragments pop out the top of the funnel but that was not the case.

Also, in all of the doses I have ground I have seen a very small bean fragment pop out the top of the funnel onto the countertop maybe one or two times.

sarends wrote:Also, in all of the doses I have ground I have seen a very small bean fragment pop out the top of the funnel onto the countertop maybe one or two times.

Thats why Frank adds the extra cap on the funnel. It really helps.
The Verslab's are bad for this, they were given a minor lip, but it wasn't enough.
Most of us end up making something. I have two different ones.

The HG-1 also suffers from "popcorning", I've easily resolved this with some thin rubber drawer matting. Its quick and easy to remove and install, and only cost a few bucks to make.

sarends wrote:1 week later . . . . .


And, the taste at this dose is very VERY good - I am getting close (if not even better sometimes) to the wonderful shots I have experienced at Harbinger and Thump!

What grinders are they using at Harbinger and Thump?

Good question - I got curious as well. On Yelp I could find some photo's
At Harbingers they have a Peak and a ?
http://www.yelp.nl/biz_photos/harbinger ... bekRAtpoBw (photo by Ryan D)

I also do not recognise the grinders at Thump.
http://www.yelp.nl/biz_photos/thump-cof ... R4qohQtJhA (photo by Jake S)

Thump Coffee Denver - Several Compak grinders (don't know whichones) along with two 2 group Slayers

Harbinger Coffee Fort Collins - Peak (espresso), EK43 (pour overs) - LM Linea (old Mazzer for emergencies)

Both of the above are my favorites in Colorado (so far). If you get their "standard" espresso it always tastes the same - very very good and sweet. I keep going back to see if I can catch them making a "not perfect" espresso and I haven't yet!

Titus, LUCCA M58 and preinfusion.

Prior to this morning, over the previous 2 days I have pulled 4 PI shots - the shots were pulling in around 20 seconds whereas they had been pulling around 25 - 26 seconds (without PI).

I spoke to nickw last night who increased my understanding of how PI works and how to use it.

This morning I adjusted the Titus to grind finer than I have ever had it set and pulled a shot without PI because I wanted to see the difference. I went a little too fine because the shot pulled in 42 seconds.

So, I smelled this shot (not bad) and I made it into an Americano - again, not too bad - not what I would call bitter at all - in fact, if I had decided to drink it, it would have been "good".

(side note - the biggest surprise with the Titus is how hard it is to pull a bad shot - it is just crazy)

I left the grind the same but this time preinfused for 12 seconds and then began the shot. The shot went 32 seconds. This shot was incredible - one of the best I have made yet.

It was so good I immediately drank it and said to myself, "I think I'll have another!"

So, I adjusted slightly coarser - 3 degrees on the Titus and pulled the shot again with 12 seconds of PI - it pulled in 28 seconds -

voila!!

Best shot yet on the Titus - incredible sweetness and richness - the finish just went on and on and on and on! I mean, it was "jump up and down" incredible!

It is Saturday am and my wife gets up a little later (usually she pulls her own shots) and I say, "Can I make your latte this am? I did something a little different."

She says sure, so I pull her exactly the same shot (the Titus is also very consistent shot to shot - zero retention etc., you have heard it all - it is everything people say about how easy the workflow is) and it pulls in 27.5 seconds. I make her latte exactly how she likes it. She is sleepy yet but after the very 1st sip she says, "wow, this is so sweet!". She drinks this one up in record time (about 10 minutes) and says, "I have to have another - that was so good!". I say, "Can I make it again? I'll show you what I did", So, I show her the PI of 12 seconds and pull the shot - it goes 28 seconds for 18g in and 36g out (my standard dose). We make the latte together and she summarizes:

"This latte is the best I have ever had - it is incredibly sweet and chocolatey".

How much difference did the PI make? One thing I noticed is observing the shot - it is perhaps smoother flowing than without PI - the puck speckles up with espresso perhaps more evenly than without PI - when it begins flowing, I think (again perhaps) the streams are more even in color. But, I am not exactly sure as the Titus is almost magical IMO and I am still a rookie at using it - I have pulled maybe 75 shots total on it at this point. But, using PI this am and grinding finer than I have ever ground on the Titus, the taste is better than we have ever tasted. So, I think the conclusion is this: Preinfusion enabled me to grind finer and pull the shot at 28 seconds (instead of 42 seconds without PI) and, because the grind was finer, and evenly ground, and also evenly extracted, we experienced the best espresso tastes to date!

The one thing that is mind blowing to me is that even shots pulled very fast in 13 seconds and those pulled very long at 42 seconds are drinkable when ground on the Titus (I am not saying I want to do this - I am just saying it is tricky in a sense to find the ultimate sweet spot because the window of good tasting shots is so wide that dialing in to the very very best shot is going to be harder. Where is the ultimate sweet spot going to be found when so many ranges of shots taste good? Does that make sense?

Shots pulled on the Forte at these extremes (13 seconds or 42 seconds) would have been "spit in your face, horrid".

So, am I happy with the Titus? Oh my,yes!