It looks like there's some side channeling on your pucks too. Clean your dispersion screen, and if that doesn't fix it, you ought to look at your distribution again.

Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it. I'll let you know what happens when I fix it!

I installed the original OEM Gaskets and no more divot. Pulled about 20 shots with them and every puck looks perfect now.

Though...I'm still getting bad extractions. During extraction, it always pours to the left of center. I can't seem to figure it out. Perhaps it is a pressure related thing or another gasket?

I am confident it is not my distribution or tamping. I use a distribution tool, so it's absolutely perfect every time...

Moreover, the consistency and exactness of how the bad extraction looks each time - it's too weird...

Or maybe there is something I'm missing that is particular with lever machines/the cremina?

Is your bench/machine level?

What distribution tool do you use? How do you know it's perfect?

haunce wrote:I installed the original OEM Gaskets and no more divot. Pulled about 20 shots with them and every puck looks perfect now.

Though...I'm still getting bad extractions. During extraction, it always pours to the left of center. I can't seem to figure it out. Perhaps it is a pressure related thing or another gasket?

I am confident it is not my distribution or tamping. I use a distribution tool, so it's absolutely perfect every time...

Moreover, the consistency and exactness of how the bad extraction looks each time - it's too weird...

Or maybe there is something I'm missing that is particular with lever machines/the cremina?

How do the shots taste? People get all screwed up about what the stuff looks like before it gets in the cup. Personally, a lot of my extractions can look a bit iffy but when I taste it's like nectar.

DJF posted:
"How do the shots taste? People get all screwed up about what the stuff looks like before it gets in the cup. Personally, a lot of my extractions can look a bit iffy but when I taste it's like nectar."

Ditto. The puck on my Cremina looks like crap. But the taste this AM was good. Could be I can't get a bad shot out of a Cremina despite my shortcomings.
And the fact just took it apart and light coat of Dow111 on everything this weekend. Paid particular attention to cylinder to make sure it was extremely light. And really gunked up the rear lever slot after Doug's admonition.

On the other hand when I have the screen off, machine heated up and lift the lever and lower I notice a stream of hot water is not centered. Looks like it is shooting off to side slightly on the front.

After reading this and some of Doug's posts I will take apart and rotate the cylinder as Doug suggests. Doug had this machine last year to check some electronics and to service prior to another guy selling it to me so it is not the gaskets. I did notice they were OEM gaskets rather than OE's.

At least the puck don't have divots. Oh divots, hope I'm not hijacking this thread but we are talking about side channeling also. Right? If not hope Dan can move this one.

and bad extraction on my Cremina? Could be better?

And as Doug warned re regular maintenance on the Cremina, and how easy it is:

"Back in the day when lever machines ruled the espresso world, service companies in Italy had little trucks where the guy from the factory would come by your bar on a regular schedule and do 3 things. Clean the screen, lube the pins, and lube the cylinder. He flirted with the barmaid, talked about football, gossiped a bit and billed the bar for his hour of work which took 5 minutes TOPS. You can do the same thing!"
Thanks Doug, always good for a laugh but deadly serious also with priceless advice.
Any suggestions appreciated on side channeling issue.