maximatica wrote:

another_jim wrote: for naked pfs, the moment the tigerstriping ends, rather than a few seconds later when the pour gets translucent.

Hi Jim,

Is there a readily available NPF for the Semi?

No, I'm using the Rancilio bottomless that Chris sells for the E61s, it needs a light ear filing (about 10 strokes fore and aft) and is a bit thin so goes to about 4 o'clock) but it works fine. The Elektra PF is massive, and way too pretty to chop

So glad you brought my attention back to the one that probably fits my needs the most; I like single cappys about 99% of the time and would like to drop the audiophilia aspect of the espresso endeavor. I'd like to buy something and just go with it. My tendencies to monkey around are aroused by temp control and such and I have other things to spend my time on.

M./

I think this thought is going around. This thread is turning into two articles, a review of the Elektra and a meditation on pursuing the godshot. If we're at the point of seriously considering $4500 machines, we're also at the point were I can add around 15 separate PID control loops to the Tea for the same money (I'm not sure anyone can figure out a use for that many!). I think we're seeing the birth of the hotrodded home-espresso machine, and "my shot can leave your shot in the dust" type bragging. Obviously, this means that no actual machine will work -- the hotrod will always be a bench full of interconnected parts.

I don't really want to opt out of fun like this, but I do need something to drink while the hotrod is up on blocks. Also, hotrodded home machines are unlikely to evoke the romance of espresso. So I figured the Elektra was by far the best antidote or balance to all this meshugas.

On the noise. The Elektra is now quieter than my Tea, which has developed the same series of sympathetic buzzes as your Millenium and whose rubber pump mount has rotted. However, I doubt it's quieter than a brand new one. The pump is screwed into the base with a rubber pad, and the braided hose is a good vibration damper compared to hard pipe. The noise is mostly from the pump, not from sympathetic vibration. If you are plumbing it in, it's no effort to take out the pump and either move it under a counter or replace it with a rotary. I'm set up next to a sink, and I like the machine being mobile, so I doubt I'll go this route.

I am finding some restrictions on my shots because of the high pressure (mainly overextracted notes in the long aftertaste); so I will add an OPV and give the how tos (to put this in perspective -- it not nearly as bad as the 11 bar factory set vibe E61 boxes). I've run into no temperature control problems despite its loose repeatability, a shorter or longer flush does the trick for sour or bitter respectively.

Thanks again for this thread. I have decided to order a chrome semi before the weekend. I will be free from work the whole next week so it can't get much better.

I will probably not be able to put it near the sink, i will have to turn around and walk three steps for water and sink.

I am thinking of maybe just put in a hose in the bottom of the driptray and lead it down a shelf to a bigger tray or something similar. Then i will get rid of the problem with a full driptray all the time.

I will certainly try to learn to operate it as "dry" as possible first with the help of a small bowl and so on. I am also in need of the portability. If i have a hose hole in the bottom of the tray i can just plug it when i take it with me.

We are rebuilding the kitchen in a couple of months so i might wait and get my choice of a better counter space for my coffeemania

niad wrote:Thanks again for this thread. I have decided to order a chrome semi before the weekend. I will be free from work the whole next week so it can't get much better.

Congratulations.

I look forward to seeing your posts (and finding out how wrong I was )

Joel was by to test the machine; but didn't want any shots from the Tea. So that was a bust. He did give me a quick lesson on how to get something decent from the Europiccolo (get really, really finicky on the grind).

I think I've finally harrowed BSPT hell and have enough fittings to hook up the OPV. I'm not sure if the taste will change at all, but the before and after videos of the pour ought to be dramatically different. At the moment, it's a squirt, a pause, then a slowly gathering dribble (for a single).

That sounds exactly like what I use to get out of my Faema. A quick squirt followed by a proper extraction. When I added the delay on make relay for preinfusion, that all went away. I preinfuse until I get the first tiny beads of espresso just starting on the basket then the pump engages. I get a much better shot now.

Unless this suddenly becomes the best machine in the known universe, I can't see the pressure mod making a big difference to the taste; I'm getting just about everything out of the coffees I'm using I got out of any machine. I'm hoping the change makes it less finicky on grind versus shot volume. Although the extractions are all good, the stock set-up does over-respond to grind changes, so that shot volumes are more variable than I would like. This is not a biggie for straight shots, but it makes macs a bit of an adventure.

As usual, a day at Jim's place was full of great conversation and great tastes. I loved the coffee that oozes out of his new machine and the whole thing is just so drop dead beautiful. The Elektra sits on the counter and almost audibly states, "Adore me, I'm so Italian!" Seriously, only the Italians could have designed this beautiful macchina. Mi piace!

Jim also provided, as has become the standard, a three course, gourmet lunch topped with chocolate mousse with raspberry sauce and fresh cream.

At home, with the Brewtus and the Micro Casa a Leva, my primary problem is keeping beans fresh. I'm the only coffee drinker in the house, so I resort to freezing after purchase. We're fortunate to enjoy a plethora of world class roasters including Intelligentsia, Metropolitan, our local north suburban Newport Cafe, and the new Conscious Cup in the Chicago area. I certainly can't duplicate what they do with my humble Z&D, and virtually every other home roasting unit seems to be unreliable, catches fire, or sets off smoke detectors. What Jim extracts is from the freshest of beans.

When we had our recent mini-meet at the Conscious Cup in Crystal Lake, I lugged along my Leva and vertically challenge NS grinder. IMHO, I was pulling sweeter shots with the Conscious Cup house blend shot after shot than any of us were able to achieve with the commercial 2 group. Again, the beans used were optimally fresh.

My point, Jim, is that the result of what we achieved with your Pavoni was not my skill so much as your superb roasting. After all, we only tweaked the grind with one small adjustment.

The beauty and utility of the Mini Verticale actually has me considering putting my beloved Brewtus up for sale. I'm certain that the Brewtus can pull just as great shots, but like that lust for a new car, maybe it's time for something new.

To anyone near Chicago: if you accept one of Jim's invitations to the coffee cognosceti, you're in for an incredible treat. It's more than worth any inconvenience of transportation. For me, it's an 1.5 hour drive on the worst of Chicago's expressways, or a commute of up to 2 hours via public transportation. Just do it!

Joel-AKA-ilVecchio

Thanks for the compliments, Joel.

Whatever my espresso skills; my plumbing needs a lot of help. Just as I thought the niceties of BSPP would get me through, I find out I also need to deal with metric flare fittings. So McMasters gets yet another order, and maybe, just maybe, I'll have all the bits I need on Monday.

I added a needle valve to the order. If it fits into the case, I'll be able to dial in the dwell time as well as the pressure.

I'll play with boiler fills, boiler pressure and flush times this weekend to see how workable the shot temps are.

Correction. The review is done, and I won't be messing with the machine in the near future ...

... I just pulled two godshot+ singles from my houseblend (I couldn't believe my mouth on the first one) -- apricot and mandarin marmelade, white chocolate (banana-cream?) and sherry, buttery as egg-cream, and an aftertaste that's still getting sweeter. The taste was hugely concentrated, but as mild as regular coffee ...

I don't care if the Semi isn't operating at proper espresso machine parameters, I don't even care if it's voodoo; I'm going to be very southern about this and not fix what ain't even close to broke. The parts will have to wait until whatever charm is on this machine wears off.

Now you must sacrifice a bag of StarBucks beans to the espresso gods and dance naked while chanting and swinging the portafilter over your head in the back yard to ward off the evil bitter espresso spirits.