Gatewood,

Before you complete your order for a portafilter body, you'll want to make sure you can separate all the pieces on your current portafilter. I just tried with mine. The handle came off easily, but the connecting bolt will not screw out of the portafilter body by hand. I would be hesitant to use pliers or a locking vise as this may damage the bolt's threads. If yours is stuck, perhaps a bit of lubricating oil will help with removal. If you can't remove it from the portafilter body, you'll need to add the bolt to your order, but thankfully this part is not expensive. Of course this info is assuming you just want to order the portafilter body. If you are going to order all the parts for a complete portafilter w/o spouts, then you need not worry about this glitch.

I think a brass and wood tamper would look smashing with your machine!

Hogfire

Oops. Already ordered. I've emailed them, as there was a typo on my email address, and I've not gotten any messages from them, but I may have to call. I'll see about adding the bolt. I want to add another basket, anyhow. I forgot that one. I'm sure I can't get the bolt out. Nothing is coming out of there but the handle. I couldn't find a brass and wood tamper; I'd love to have one, but ordered a plain stainless with a super wood handle, anyhow. Where do you find the brass and wood ones? They weren't at espressoparts, that I could see.

Thanks for the bolt information, Hogfire. I'm still pulling "sink shots" and hope to mess around with it a lot today. It's taking way too much pressure to pull the lever, so I think I need to adjust grind or tamp.

Reg Barber offers brass bases, and can even custom size it to tenths of a mm, however the 51mm base I use from Espresso Parts fits perfectly. Check it out here:

http://www.coffeetamper.com/usa/cart_base.php


I doubt they stock the portafilter body (they had to order the baskets to complete my order, about two weeks wait), so if you ring them on Monday, it should be no problem to add/change your order. They carry Reg Barber tampers, so maybe you could get the brass base through them with the handle you've already got on order. Email is still a pretty unreliable form of communication, even with the most diligent businesses. I've spoken with Devon in the parts dept. at Espresso Parts, and he was very helpful in answering questions and was able to consolidate my orders as I decided to add more parts a few days later. Make sure you have your order number when you ring them as it helps locate the info.

Hogfire

My bolt is part of the handle, or at least is stuck in the wooden part. The threads, that is. The other part seems to be inherent in the body of the portafilter. So, I don't need to order the bolt. As for the brass tamper, I'm gonna do my best to get that. I might not be able to pull a decent shot, but won't it look fine!

Are you saying the Portafilter body has "male" threads sticking out of it? Or "female" threads going into it?? Either way, the bolt should be male only screwing into female threads on both sides. If it's stuck into the Portafilter side and you will likely still need one. At least it seems so. I agree, forcing it with pliers is not a good idea (though penetrating oil is a good idea).

Ken

No, the portafilter body has "female" threads. The bolt seems to be stuck tightly in the wooden handle, which suits me fine. That means I don't need a bolt, doesn' t it? The new portafilter body will also have the handle part threaded to receive the bolt, which I already have. No need to take it out of the handle.

Yep, that'll work.

Ken