expy98 wrote:Just wondering which basket you prefer to use, the "single" or the "double"?

So far I've been experimenting mostly with the single basket, simply because I can only consume
2 shots a day. The difference between the smaller single and the double is minimal,
at my current grind setting, 9-11g in the single, 12-14g in the double (perhaps it was 11-13g
instead).

Also, depending on where I put the thermometer, I get very different temp readings. If it's
near the rear of the boiler, it's usually up to 5F higher than the front of the boiler. Then I
bought an Ikea thermometer and using both at the same time, similar results. If the tip is
touching the bottom of the boiler, it reads higher perhaps because due to the heating element
or the boiler's bottom is hotter. Next will try a clip to keep the tip from the bottom.

Tips?

I've only got the regular 12g double basket so I'm not especially qualified to comment. That said, I still consider a standard pre-infusion + one full pull to be a 'single' shot, especially using 12-13g of coffee. It's just closer to a ristretto in density and consistency than what you're getting out of the single basket. I don't think the caffeine quotient will be noticeably different, for what it's worth, so it really just depends whether you prefer your shots syrupy or closer to a normal shot consistency. (I might be wrong, but I think the Caravel's reputation was founded on its amazing ristretto shots.)

As for temperature measurements: YES. I've definitely noticed this on my machine as well (and I'm using a slightly fancier thermometer than the Ikea). You should also notice that the temperature near the top of the water is also significantly hotter than the bottom. I think this has something to do with the old "heat rises" theory

Anyway, my solution is to take my thermometer wand and swirl it around in the water for a few seconds. Theoretically, this is mixing the water and giving you a slightly better idea of its overall temperature. Again, maybe I'm completely out to lunch on this, but the main thing I want to avoid is burning the coffee and so this seems like a reasonable way to ensure that no portion of the water is over 210 F or whatever!

Moreover, while accuracy is nice, the main thing you want to ensure is consistency. So if you always measure from the same spot, just use that as your reference and you'll be fine. It might mean that you're getting good results from pulling a few degrees hotter or colder than you'd expect, but the ultimate goal is to get your shots tasting right regardless of what your thermometer is telling you. It's really just there to let you know whether your water is objectively hotter or colder than the last time you measured it.

You have to love that Caravel manual- the first image- a child using it and the word:

Scomponibile

m. and f. (m and f plural scomponibili). decomposable, modular, disassemblable.

even a child can take it apart? And then nun with one on a trolley... making exquisite espresso for a some Cardinal one imagines... its such a stylish manual. The Caravel company was a class act- through and through.

I think Caravel is as safe or safer than any pot on a boiling stove- assuming it is situated in the appropriate spot.

sorrentinacoffee wrote:You have to love that Caravel manual- the first image- a child using it

I know--the culture shock factor is through the roof, innit?

But wait--shouldn't that little girl be smoking a cigarette?

I'm pretty sure it's resting in an ash tray at the other end of the table, next to her glass of wine.

great info/tips Ted. I've been under the weather, haven't had opps to experiment. Hopefully
this weekend. But the diff between my single and double basket is really small, 2g at most.

expy98 wrote:great info/tips Ted. I've been under the weather, haven't had opps to experiment. Hopefully
this weekend. But the diff between my single and double basket is really small, 2g at most.

Just got over a rather brutal cold myself. Being sick somehow wasn't as much fun as I'd remembered...!

Regarding the single/double thing, there's something to be said for saving on coffee too--if you find you like your 10g shots as much as 13-14g ristretti, there's no shame in sticking with the single basket. But speaking as a relative caffeine weenie myself, I wouldn't worry about overdoing it given the tiny shots the Caravel produces.

Don't forget that it's also possible to use the double basket for a more realistic double shot too. You can easily coax 16-17 grams into that basket (a tamper and funnel make this easier), grind a bit coarser, and do two fulll pulls should you find yourself needing a little more volume (i.e. for a milk-based drink).

hi again - has anyone fitted new suction cups to the feet? i had a set arrive from OE and i am having trouble getting them on with the metal cups.

Before all of this below: I didn't read any info that Doug & Barb might have written about the suction cups before ordering them. Perhaps there is much better info on OE:s web pages.
But for what it is worth, it is a simple fix. This is what I did:

The new plastic feet are a slightly different design. The metal cups don't fit on the new feet, and aren't needed. There is much more plastic in the new suction cups, it makes the small metal cup redundant.

Oh, and the holes in the new suction cups are designed for sheet metal screws I think, not the M6 (or was it M5... you'll have to check it out yourself) metal bolts that were used with the old suction cups on the Caravel - at least there are ISO flat head metal bolts on the model I have.
Drilling up the Caravel chassis for sheet metal screws just to fit the new suction cups would be... not nice. To put it nicely. So I drilled out the suction cup hole to more-or-less-6-mm-wide with a 6 mm drill. The hole will most likely look ugly but that doesn't matter. Just be careful when drilling so you don't split the suction cup or pull it apart. Go easy on it.

Next, the old bolt will be too short. The new suction cup doesn't have the recess you would have needed to get the old bolt with its flat/pan head deep enough into the hole in the center of the suction cup. So it won't work even if you manage to get it through far enough to make it stick to the threads in the chassis (no vacuum will form since you can't push the suction cup flat against the table with that bolt head sticking out).

You will need bolts with countersunk bolt heads (the E profile in the wikipedia image here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Screw_head_types.svg - don't look at the threads though... those are wood threads). I think mine had a 30 mm long threaded rod, but I had to saw a couple mm off it.

Unless you have cans full of different old size and profile ISO metal bolts like I had, you will need to go shopping. It is probably safest to bring the drilled-out suction cup and the old screw to your nearest warehouse, so you can see for yourself what fits. 5 mm or so sticking out of the hole when you have pushed the screw through is enough. An ISO (M5 or) M6 screw with a countersunk/flat head is what you will be looking for. Oval/raised countersunk heads or pan heads don't work.

In all, this was a 10 minute fix for me but I managed to make it more like 60 minutes of fun with rummaging around for the right size and head profile bolt, and cutting them to length. Then another 30 to write this... so if you got as far as this line, it is NOT as hard as I made it look. I promise.

hi Mats - thanks for the reply. i asked Doug in the comments section of the order form for any information but he did not respond. i have found that getting the correct sized nut and screwing the original bolt hard, it pushes its way in until it sits flush with the suction cap. that is what i did with the 1st set a couple of years ago. i have done it again. with the softness of the new suction feet i am so close to getting the metal cups on as well and if i could work out a way to hold the body still while i applied heaps of pressure i think it would make it.

i just thought that since i could find no mention of this issue previously then i must have been missing something obvious.

I put a set of these suction feet on a machine some time ago. I think I also used longer screws and drilled out the hole through the centre of the foot just as Mats did. I remember cutting round the edge of the top of the suction cup to make it fit inside the metal cups though.

I got a set of the replacement suction cups and simply chopped off the top of them with a razor knife, seated the metal cap on top and used the original screws. Haven't had a problem since and continued to use the original parts. Voila! Took me ten minutes.

Pete