I'm thinking about making a portafilter for a Europiccola project that I just started. I didn't pay much for the machine (it's missing the portafilter and needs a heating element) and I have a mill and lathe, so instead of buying a new bottomless portafilter, I'll invest my time and machine one. But since I don't have the original one, I don't have dimensions. Any chance someone already has the dimensions or would be willing to take the dimensions off of one?

thanks,
Paul

I am playing with a conti comocafe (thanks to Paul the Roaster!) that lacks its own proper portafilter. I was trying to see what portafilters might fit the comocafe, and so took measurements of various portafilters to see which might be adaptable (the comocafe pf has three tabs rather than the usual 2, which severely complicates matters). Below are the dimensions I have -- the comocafe dimensions are thanks to Whale (merci, Sylvain!). Toy refers to the frankenfilter Paul S knocked together for the comocafe from a steam toy. In all cases with two tabs, the tabs are at 3 and 9 o'clock (with the handle at 6 o'clock). The lip is the indentation upon which the basket sits. Note that the pavoni and cremina are reversed as to whether the left / right end of the tab is the narrower (cremina locks in contraclockwise, pavoni clockwise - seen from above, the narrower is the leading edge locking in.)

Be aware that these are from pfs that are between 5 and 35 years old, and so the measurements may be imperfect due to wear (and my imperfect use of calipers).

Hope this helps.

the pavoni and the Richard Penny both work with the 49mm pavoni

pavoni portafilter dimensions
51.7 inside diameter
57.5 outside diameter (max)
55.7 outside diameter at lip
2.7 top of tab to top of lip
2 number of tabs
16.9 length of tab
4.3 height of tab max
3.3 height of tab min
7.0 bottom of tab to top of lip

Richard Penney Naked portafilter dimensions
51.2 inside diameter
56.3 outside diameter (where the tabs are)
54.7 outside diameter at lip
2.9 tab to top of lip
2 number of tabs
20.7 length of tab
4.2 height of tab max
4.2 height of tab min
7.1 bottom of tab to top of lip

nb. the RP is wider below where it locks into the machine, I am ignoring this.
the RP is brilliantly designed to work with the Pavoni, the Cremina and the MCAL. It is a thing of beauty.

Here are the others, just for comparison's sake (they do NOT work with my Pavoni):

mcal portafilter dimensions
51.8 inside diameter
58.0 outside diameter (max)
55.8 outside diameter at lip
3.0 tab to top of lip
2 number of tabs
18.2 length of tab
5.1 height of tab max
5.0 height of tab min
8.1 bottom of tab to top of lip

cremina portafilter dimensions
51.7 inside diameter
56.3 outside diameter (max)
54.6 outside diameter at lip
3.0 tab to top of lip
2 number of tabs
19.1 length of tab
4.3 height of tab max
4.1 height of tab min
7.3 bottom of tab to top of lip

presso portafilter dimensions
53.1 inside diameter (but has spring)
59.2 outside diameter (max)
56.8 outside diameter at lip
3.0 tab to top of lip
2 number of tabs
17.9 length of tab
5.1 height of tab max
3.8 height of tab min
8.2 bottom of tab to top of lip

comocafe portafilter dimensions
60.4 outside diameter (max)
59.4 outside diameter at lip
2.3 tab to top of lip
3 number of tabs
23.7 length of tab
3.1 height of tab max
3.0 height of tab min
5.4 bottom of tab to top of lip


toy portafilter dimensions
59.2 inside diameter
60.3 outside diameter (max)
none outside diameter at lip
0.0 tab to top of lip
3 number of tabs
18.0 length of tab
4.5 height of tab max
3.9 height of tab min
4.5 bottom of tab to top of lip

p.s. My Cremina pf will also work on my Pavoni (but not vice versa). MfM

People have had problems with their Richard Penney portafilter working with their Pavoni. My Penney PF would not lock into my pre-Millennium 49 mm Pavoni when I had it.

Michael,
that info is perfect, thanks a million! I'll probably model things up in solidworks first and then start playing around on the mill/lathe this weekend.

thanks again,
Paul

Gary: Good catch! I had forgotten about this issue.

I have a frightening large number of 49mm baskets, but only one double basket will work with the RP on my Pavoni. The rest will not lock in (too tall at the lip, I assume). Alas, I cannot remember exactly where that basket is from, but it is the basket that now lives in my RP portafilter.

And just to be a completionist: the RP portafilter (and that special basket) will also work on the Bezzera Family (aka the milano).

I was just going to ask why the RP's didn't work. Would filing down one side of the ear fix it? I assume that the basket that works is a little shorter at the top allowing the ear's to fit in?

One basket that could work is for the Baby Lusso/Riviera machines that have 49 mm portafilter and a flat rim. I don't have a 49 mm Pavoni anymore to test this, though.

drgary wrote:People have had problems with their Richard Penney portafilter working with their Pavoni. My Penney PF would not lock into my pre-Millennium 49 mm Pavoni when I had it.

+1
However, my Cremina PF did fit my Pavoni...I think the problem with the RP was the thickness of ears (tabs).

mborkow wrote:I think the problem with the RP was the thickness of ears (tabs).

I filed the ears on my RP a little to make it fit the Pavoni better, but there was a different problem, discussed here: Best place to find a replacement La Pavoni portafilter