This thread is one of the reasons why I decided to give up my search for the ~$200 La Pavoni on Ebay and buy that Caravel from Orphan Espresso. Since times are a little tight right now, Doug and Barb are letting me spread the payment for it and a good hand espresso mill across a couple of paychecks, so it'll be a couple of weeks yet before I can take possession and am able to claim a membership number in the LMWDP. Needless to say, I'm both psyched and a little intimidated, since this will be not only my first lever machine, but my first non-super-automatic. I'm currently the owner of a Gaggia Synchrony Digital, which is mostly used for Americanos, as its espresso shots seem somewhat rushed at about 10-12 seconds for a single. They're not absolutely horrible (Lord knows I've had worse at some of the coffee shops here in L.A.), and it's okay for a morning eye-opener, but I've been wanting a bit more from the coffee I'm taking the trouble to roast.

So, I'm reading carefully, making a log of all the tips that everyone is being so kind as to share about how to get the most out of the Caravel, and starting to compile something vaguely resembling a user's guide to the Caravel. If it ends up looking decent, maybe a couple of you folks can be beta readers and it can end up posted somewhere where it can be useful.

I think a guide is a fabulous idea, especially as I am still under a week of ownership and there are a couple things I need to figure out, like where to get an Italian style plug in the US so that I can build a new power cord ( I have a step up converter) and how to handle preinfusion as when I've been doing it the pressure increases tremendously for the actual pull. Right now I oull the lever about halfway, until a couple of drops come out and then lift again for the full pull. Perhaps I should not be doing this. I will add though, that I've never had better espresso. Really, not saying much though.

Should be able to get the plug at Radio Shack - that's where I got mine. OrphanEspresso also has them I think.

mikekarr wrote:) how to handle preinfusion as when I've been doing it the pressure increases tremendously for the actual pull. Right now I oull the lever about halfway, until a couple of drops come out and then lift again for the full pull. Perhaps I should not be doing this. I will add though, that I've never had better espresso. Really, not saying much though.

Try bringing the handle all the way up and leaving it there until it stops "gurgling." Next pump it up and down a few times in the "no resistance" zone until you feel resistance against a good part of the stroke. Then bring the lever down once in a single motion. Others advocate variants on this including a double pull. For me, this is the routine that has worked best brewing with the Caravel.

So far a half pull and then a full pull seem to do OK, but I need to play more with the pumping notion. Quality has suffered greatly this week though as the machine has moved to my office and I've had to grind before leaving for work. Time for that hand grinder. Are there any threads on here about hypnosis so that I can "convince" my wife that I need just a few more pieces to the puzzle.

mikekarr wrote: ...so that I can "convince" my wife that I need...

I suggest honey cappuccinos on a daily basis . I paired a 'steam-toy' with my Caravel for a while, makes good small milk drinks.

Regards, Henry

You are getting sleepy....sleepy....

http://www.home-barista.com/grind...o-essay-t4482.html

If you're grinding ahead of time, try dosing really full. I get my best results with the Caravel when the basket is REALLY full, virtually level with the top after tamping. Especially if I'm doing any Fellini preinfusions or extra half pulls.

PC

mikekarr wrote:I think a guide is a fabulous idea, especially as I am still under a week of ownership and there are a couple things I need to figure out, like where to get an Italian style plug in the US so that I can build a new power cord ( I have a step up converter) and how to handle preinfusion as when I've been doing it the pressure increases tremendously for the actual pull. Right now I oull the lever about halfway, until a couple of drops come out and then lift again for the full pull. Perhaps I should not be doing this. I will add though, that I've never had better espresso. Really, not saying much though.

When the coffee in the basket gets wet during the preinfusion, it swells, and the amount of force required to send water through the swollen coffee bed increases. When the dose is too much and/or the grind is too fine, the pressure required will exceed what the rubber o-ring seals can bear up under. So you do want to remain under that physical limit of the materials. How much under is a matter of taste, i.e. it depends on whether you're going for a normale or a ristretto. A "very tight" ristretto might barely dribble out over 35 seconds, whereas a normale would typically flow in a fairly generous if narrow stream for 10-20 seconds.

In my limited time with my borrowed Caravel, I seemed to get the best result with a finer grind, lighter tamp. I'm sure this was discussed like, maybe 11 pages ago!

When the dose is too much and/or the grind is too fine, the pressure required will exceed what the rubber o-ring seals can bear up under.

Yes, I managed to blow the bottom piston seal recently, probably because I push the machine rather towards its pressure limitations by both grind and dose. Mainly, I like a very full dose, so if I grind just a little too fine it can be difficult to pull the shot. But, I do find that I like the results best when I have to apply relatively a lot of pressure.

So you do want to remain under that physical limit of the materials.

The good news is that piston seal replacement is simple, by design. I'm hoping to find a good local source, otherwise I'll be getting a lot of mail from Idaho.

PC

That darned little o-ring... I see that small devil still is a problem in design...it needs a cylinder shaped or barrel shaped seal that sits in a deeper recess...

Cheers jack

mikekarr wrote:So far a half pull and then a full pull seem to do OK, but I need to play more with the pumping notion. Quality has suffered greatly this week though as the machine has moved to my office and I've had to grind before leaving for work. Time for that hand grinder. Are there any threads on here about hypnosis so that I can "convince" my wife that I need just a few more pieces to the puzzle.

It is time for better "Stealth" on your part.. she will never see the hand grinder at the office...... and at the low prices they are to be found at -- little guilt as well

IMAWriter wrote:A while back,Orphan Espressos kindly loaned me a Caravel while they were performing surgery (successful) on my Olympia Cremina.
I loved this little guy once I got into the vibe.
Anyhow, it's over at Orphan, pining for a new home. (Italians are emotional)

And I'm glad that Doug and Barb were willing to work with me so I could give 'Clarabelle' a new home. She's being chauffeured across several states, even as I type, by guys in shorts driving brown trucks, and I'm roasting a blend of Costa Rican Violeta, Sumatra Mandheling, and Guatemalan Huehuetenango that should be just about ready to greet her when she gets here in the middle of next week. Les Albjerg is making her a new tamper, and I've got a nice place with a window view of the pool where she can settle in. Best of all, my wife is all in favor of giving her a place to live.

I guess it's not just Italians who are emotional. I'm all verklempt.

peacecup wrote:Yes, I managed to blow the bottom piston seal recently, probably because I push the machine rather towards its pressure limitations by both grind and dose....
PC

Towards?

I've noticed that I'm getting a very small amount of grinds flowing back to the boiler after a pull or two. Is this normal behavior or do I need to replace some seals?

I get grinds in the kettle too, or at least discolored water. You might be able to prevent it with a new upper piston seal. I'd like to source one sometime - the ones I got from Doug are too thick for my Caravel. But for now I just empty the kettle - I like to use fresh water each time I brew anyway.

Thick???? First we have heard about it. How so thick? OD? ID? Cross section? Height? Density?
Those seals are a real bugger....like so many. Covered this ground before but since the Caravel threads are floating to the top....

Most of the old Italian seals are rectangular in cross section. the Caravel is about 1 1/2" OD but the groove is 1/4" high. Pretty much all of the available modern seals, not custom molded, are a square profile so a 1 1/2" OD by 1/4 high is 1" ID, which is too small for the Caravel. Of course if someone in Sweden for example would buckle down and get some custom molded seals made, (approximate mold charge 12,234 Kroner) then this dimensional concept would be solved. and there would still be brown water in the kettle at times....I think it is the nature of the beast. And when you get the seals made put us down for a few dozen:).

peacecup wrote: the ones I got from Doug are too thick for my Caravel.

Jack,

Is your Caravel different than most? I have two (recently bought a beautiful VAM from Doug and Barb) - pictures to follow). The seal kit works w/o a problem on both.

Hal, you haven't added the VAM to your list! I love those VAM's, at least from the photos. But for now I'm sticking with the two levers. I'm slowly scerching for a pump machine that my wife will like, but that's another thread. AND THANKS FOR THE REAL COFFEE! The last of the GC is still hanging in there, and I've switched to Italian beans so my wife can savor it

Yes, once I installed the o-ring I could not get the piston back in. The seal fits well into the groove, but the OD, once inserted is too big for the piston chamber. When I finally got it re-inserted, the o-ring was damaged, and it leaked on the upstroke worse than it did with the old Italian seal. So I put the old one back. Then I tore the lower seal (probably too much pressure, but it could have dried out over a long weekend of unuse). The lower seals from OE are also mis-fit, that is they are too short for the groove in the piston, and they require an extra o-ring spacer.

There are some photos of my piston assembly at the beginning of the thread. Maybe I'll start a Caravel seals thread, although we have been over some of it before.

I do need to source these locally, so I always have a full supply. Especially because of my preference for full baskets and slow pours.

The Caravel Club has really grown!
PC