peacecup wrote:I have only replaced the seal once, after having got the machine. I don't do handstands as a rule, but was trying to explain that a lot of pressure can be applied if its wanted.

Happy New Year, Jack, Hal, and all.


Jack, Do the veins in your forearms pop out?...That would be a clue
Though I'm ready for the onslaught of derision which is sure to follow this next treatise, here goes:
My experience with Doug and barb's loaner was not all it could have been, due, I believe to my lack of a proper tamper.
I had problems using different kitchen implements, even those close to the right fit. Mainly, LEVELING.
I love my Penney tamper for my Cremina, as it's base/piston is only 5mm thick, still plenty of heft, but somewhat easier to level with than my also wonderful Reg.
As many have said here, a nearly full basket (a mm or so to the lip) is ideal for the Caravel, it would seem a level tamp, no matter how light would insure an even pour. This would seem crucial when we're dealing in .75oz/1oz shots.
I believe Richard has made available to Orphan a Caravel sized tamper, no?
How about a deal on a combo Caravel and tamper!!!!???
BTW, these Caravels are getting harder to find these days, no thanks to this and other threads

IMAWriter wrote:Happy New Year, Jack, Hal, and all.

Jack, Do the veins in your forearms pop out?...That would be a clue
Though I'm ready for the onslaught of derision which is sure to follow this next treatise, here goes:
My experience with Doug and barb's loaner was not all it could have been, due, I believe to my lack of a proper tamper.

No derision here. However, I've found the Caravel to be pretty forgiving in terms of tamp. I have the beautiful Penny tamper and use it. But Doug and Barb included a measuring spoon with a flat bottom and I find that I'm often getting the best results with that. There are so many variables though, including different grinders and different roasts that what seems to work for me might well be different elsewhere. Have had nice recent results using Vivace's Dolce and CCC's Gizmo that way.

A Happy New Year to you too. Enjoy your posts.

Happy New Year to you guys too

Thanks for all the info guys, you lever heads sound like the fanatics of the coffee fanatics

Well I received the new seals yesterday and got them into the machine last night. I have made two coffee's with the new seals and while the coffee itself is coming out thick and syrupy I am not getting much in the way of crema. I have started out with a grind setting the same as what I am using for my Faema compact (which occasionally chokes when i get carried away with tamping)
I filled the double basket (I have both a double and a single) and tamped medium hard but got no crema the first time. Second time I tamped as hard as i could and still there was very little resistance on the lever and a little deep rust red crema but not a whole lot. Again the coffee itself was great tasting, I just wish I had a little more in the crema department. I guess I will have to grind a bit finer and see how that goes. The beans I used (sumatran blue lintong) which were roasted about four days ago and ground in a mazzer SJ a few minutes prior to pulling the shot, so its not a freshness problem.
Has everyone else found they had to significantly decrease their grind size with this machine?

Bluecold wrote:I think I've found the relation between Arrarex and VAM.
VAM made the heating element. http://www.applicazionivam.com/eng/home.htm

My Machine has the VAM sphinx and VAM drilled into the drip plate, but when you take the drip tray out it says Arrarex Milano.

If the flow is too fast try grinding finer. I dose very full, and grind to that I need to apply considerable pressure to the lever to obtain a slow stream of espresso, which, even with oldish beans, is usually very cremafull.

BTW Aaron, glad to have you aboard. Didn't you post a while ago about converting the Bezzera to 220? I did so recently with my PV Export.

Another method I've been experimenting with lately with the Caravel is a partial first, than full second lever pull. This yields a bit more espresso (1 oz?), which is not out of line with the 14-15g of beans I'm using.

My routine is as follows:

Bring water to >203 F. (measured in the kettle)
Pull a blank shot into the cup.
Wait until the kettle reads 203-201, then lock and pull the shot.
1. Raise the lever until the piston is full (can hear it)
2. Depress until before drips appear (with a fine grind they seldom do)
3. Lift and fill again (sometimes I repeat for a third time)
4. Begin the lever pull for the shot.
5. If I'm going for more volume I'll pull until the lever is approx. parallel to the desk then raise and take a full pull.
6. Otherwise I just take one full pull.

Another thing I like is to have the Caravel on my work desk, which is lower than a counter. At that height I can actually pull a shot with one hand without holding the machine (though I usually do for safety)

If the SO doesn't work out, try a good espresso blend.

PC

Yes that was me. Unfortunately I sold the Bezzera - I had it repaired and the guy totally butchered it. It had a few on going problems that I couldnt seem to solve so I decided to get a new Faema HX. I am totally happy with the Faema, but I really miss the old lever action so I started looking around at lever machines on the bay and wound up snagging this one.
I might add, that I ground finer this morning and got slightly more crema, but felt like the new seals in the piston were letting the water back through the cylinder, I got a bit of water leaking out the lever slots on the sides of the cylinder and after a fairly tight feeling pull I would have had about a table spoon of espresso in the cup with the rest of the water disappearing somewhere. I am pretty sure I am getting water flushing back into the boiler as it is always discoloured after the first pull.
My machine does not have the small O ring in the centre of the piston, just the two u cups on the piston head

One of the things you can do with the Caravel to increase shot volume as well as pressure is to give a generous preinfusion -- full lift, wait, partial pull, wait, lift slowly again, then complete the pull. This approach works best with a moderate to light tamp, and about 6mm headroom in the double basket.

Be sure to have run a couple of warming flushes through the group beforehand.

Regards
T

Good stuff from Timmo, Jack, etc.
One observation. Once you figure out your problem, and you're getting the requisite amount of volume per shot (usually around .75oz to 1oz tops), do not be dismayed if your pucks are a bit soggy, especially when compared to a pump machine. It's normal, at least it was for me.