Here's a slightly better view of a typical pour from the 18gm VST on my Semiautomatica. I'd like to know if this is how shots develop for others using the 18gm VST...

I let this pour go a bit too long -

Dogshot wrote:My better pours have a more normal flow from the cone, while my poorer pours show channeling (usually coming from the handle side of the pf, which is odd, because I prepare the basket outside the pf).

Just curious, how does one avoid banging basket when putting it in portafilter? Do you remove the spring?
Otherwise, I could see losing adhesion when the basket snaps in.

Yes, I've removed the spring in the pf. The basket settles into place gently enough that I'm sure it is not disturbing the puck.

Mark

That's how I make espresso, including cleanup afterwards.
Was a bit hasty taking out the PF, so there was a bit more cleanup than usual with my trusty microfibre cloth.

De Eenhoorn-Colombia El Progreso
Faema MC
La Peppina
Dealextreme scale
DIY tamper.

I grind while counting in my head, I brush the chute, I give it a short pulse push out everything I shoved back in the grind chamber by brushing and then empty the doser. then I check my weight and adjust for that. Do this often enough and you'll get a feel for the timing. In the video, I was off for 0.7 gram, this doesn't happen frequently. All in all, I don't waste much. If I overgrind for half a gram, I just let it sit in the doser for the next shot. I can't notice half a gram of stale grounds in a 14 gram shot. Every morning I give the grinder a short pulse to clear everything after a night of staling.

Total waste is maybe a gram per shot, depending on how many shots I make on a day. More shots => less waste.

Anybody have a video showing the cooling flush routine for the Rocket?
From start-up to shot.

Id appreciate it.

Bluecold wrote:That's how I make espresso, including cleanup afterwards.

I love it.
I too do single pull on La Peppina.


I must say, I love to see La Peppina on videos.

Don't try to cure me.

HD available (720p) shot on my Canon 7d at 50/sec f/6.3

Equip: Mazzer Super Jolly, Rocket Cellini Evoluzione, Espro Tamper

Critiques appreciated!! How's my dosing? Tamp? What are your thoughts on the extraction? Did this on my 1st take and I know it is off....I've only been pulling shots for about 4 months so I know I have a lot to learn but want to keep my routine simple and efficient. I'm normally a lot better at running the grinder for the perfect amount of time so I dont have to run it again but tweeked in front of the camera. Let me have it, I just want to learn and improve.

Shot pulled at about 5,300 feet above sea level.

I apologize for the background noise, my 2 year old was watching PBS cartoons.

After watching this, I can see my machine needs a good warrshing as some folks say.

CelliniEVO wrote:Critiques appreciated!! How's my dosing? Tamp? What are your thoughts on the extraction?

I don't consider myself an expert, but I'll say this: Don't tap the PF with the tamper. It's likely to break the seal between the edge of the puck and the PF, which promotes channeling around the edges. That's probably why your extraction began with the dreaded halo.

Don't feel bad. A lot of baristas in cafes do it.

Thanks for the feedback. My tamper is convex and thus leaves a tiny ring of grounds on one side of the portafilter, perhaps it doesn't fit perfectly.....how am I supposed to get those grounds level in the puck without tapping the side with the tamper??

CelliniEVO wrote:perhaps it doesn't fit perfectly.....how am I supposed to get those grounds level in the puck without tapping the side with the tamper??

I use same tamper, and don't worry about it, it fits perfectly. You can leave the grounds on the side alone, tamp only once and no twisting while you apply pressure. The ground on side are insignificant to end shot quality and they will be washed as soon as water gets on top of the puck. Just forget about it.