Ponte Vecchio Tamper: custom size

#1: Post by **sosha** » January 10th, 2014, 9:59 am

I've got a lovely PV Export, with a 45mm tamper from Vaneli's in Sacramento. Loving the machine, but, the tamper is a wee bit too small in diameter. I'm thinking about getting one from Reg Barber, but am not sure how many tenths of a mm I should increase the size.

Anyone done this? What seems to be a perfect fit?

Thx.

#2: Post by **SJM** » January 10th, 2014, 12:35 pm

Sosha, have you put a micrometer on the one you already have? I just put one on mine and it's pretty right on at 45 mm. (Granted the battery is going out on my micrometer, but the error is slight and on the lower side so that it reads 44.78 - 45 and certainly no more.) Is it possible that the one you have is actually less than 45 mm?

#3: Post by **wsfarrell** » January 10th, 2014, 1:01 pm

I would wrap it in painter's tape until it was the perfect fit (with room for nutation, etc.), then measure it with calipers and send an order in to Reg. Harbor Freight sells really inexpensive calipers if you lack them (< $10).

January 10th, 2014, 1:03 pm

I have one from vanellis and one from OE. Both fit well. OE is probably a little better. Remember that you can't have too close a fit because the basket tapers, so a tight fit at the top would get stuck in the middle of the basket.

January 10th, 2014, 1:36 pm

Time to get some calipers.

#6: Post by **prof_stack** » January 10th, 2014, 1:58 pm

I have the same tamper from Vaneli's. Do you use the small or large basket for most of your shots?

January 11th, 2014, 12:04 am

The large basket only. There's a thin layer of grounds around the basket above the puck.

January 11th, 2014, 12:13 am

This always happened with that tamper for me. I smacked the portafilter on the bar then polish tamped. OE 45 mm fits exactly in both sama (ponte vecchio) and la peppina baskets.

January 11th, 2014, 11:56 pm

Reg Barber will mill a tamper piston to your specified size for a small fee.

#10: Post by **rgrosz** » June 6th, 2014, 3:45 pm

sosha wrote:The large basket only. There's a thin layer of grounds around the basket above the puck.

I'm investigating tampers for my soon-to-be-purchased PVL. I'm curious what you finally decided to use.