I've read with interest the thread on the tips page of this forum, containing people's videos of their procedures, and i wanted there to be a similar thread here, with attention to lever technique. I will post a video in the next week or so, but maybe other people might volunteer too, whilst i dig out my camera.

an oldie but a goodie:
Spring lever video

That's my routine.

I posted mine somewhere around here... here's the youtube link:

Damn,

That last video was just beautiful. I love the multiple camera angles and the grinds drawer.

Bluecold, you sure have your routine down. I love the economy of motion and the way you just throw the basket into the portafilter before the pull. Just great.

Sadly, the production values on my videos are really poor and I'm embarrassed to post them. They're taken with a camera phone propped up or on a tripod. You can see my La Peppina pulls on the previously mentioned Spring Lever Video thread and I thought I posted the videos I took of my Gaggia Factory somewhere, but if not, the Youtube videos are below.

I should add that the "little blonde" video I made was five years ago, and my techiniques have changed a bit. It was more for fun that accuracy.

I now dose into the basket with no portafilter, but this is probably best for hand grinding.

Rather than 2-3 full pulls, I now use 1-2 half pulls, followed by one full pull. In the Ponte Vecchio this yields a perfect 15-16g, 30 ml ristretto.

Temperature management is most important with home levers. This is done by adjusting the p-stat higher or lower (changes brew temperature). Also, the amount of pre-heating of the group strongly effects brew temperature. For example, I like cooler brew temps (90 C), so I keep the pstat low and pull shots with the group only warm (not hot).

PC

yakster wrote:Damn,

That last video was just beautiful. I love the multiple camera angles and the grinds drawer.

+1

Bluecold, you sure have your routine down. I love the economy of motion and the way you just throw the basket into the portafilter before the pull. Just great.

Thanks, It really is a conscious effort on my part to develop a fluent routine. It's a great feeling to just do something consistently almost solely on muscle memory without having to pause because you need to search for something. I'm edging closer to that ideal everyday.

Sadly, the production values on my videos are really poor and I'm embarrassed to post them.

The last time I heard someone talk about production values, it was a really annoying person whining about why a great TV show should not have won a prestigious (in the netherlands) award. Everyone now thinks he's a douche.

Fantastic videos so far, and very competent techniques. It's so interesting, and i find it very useful too: a great way to pick up improved methods, or to speed up current processes.
My video is just quickly shot, and uneditted, from my ipad. Sorry.

That's an impressively long shot preparation routine even by HB standards. Have you tried just grinding into the basket and WDTing?

Yeah i tried not sifting from the grinder, but i do just find i get slightly more channeling without it, and a less even pour, and a slight change in the taste. It's perhaps overkill, but the system works. I am interested in simplifying and speeding up though. If i can change something, or replace something with a quicker step i will, but when i tried the same routine without the sifting, it wasn't as good.

Out of interest, how did you embed the video?