If a Elektra Microcasa a Leva double baskets fits...!

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mogogear
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#1: Post by mogogear »

I ordered a double MCa L double baskets from the fine people at Stephanos ( down by Alchemist and Great Danes neck of the woods) In Elmira, OR. espressocare.com it ran me a modest $9.75

It fits nicely and perfectly in my Bezzera PF and adds quite a bit of volume. I will get the volume/weight measures later tonight.

Here are the specs:

from top of rolled upper lip- to the bottom of the base= 26mm
Across the top rolled outer edge = 57.95mm
Inside diameter -top of basket= 49.55mm
Inside diameter at base of basket=48.55mm

It also fits easily into a Cremina PF-! with the caveat that I have posted when I have modified La Pavoni basket for Cremina use. The "flare" of the rolled edge around the top of the basket has to be slightly rolled more downwards. I have accomplished this by using the rounded horn on a small jewelers anvil held in a vise jaw. I then and used a tack hammer to tap on the rim of the basket as I turn it round and round . Using a pretty sharp strike with a small hammer. This makes easy work of this little mod in about 10 minutes. I burnish the edges with some emory cloth. But the repetitive tapping rounds the edges so that they don't hang up upon removal of the PF from the group head.

The Elektra basket really fits well and should also do well in the older 49mm PF for those wishing to make theirs naked/ bottomless. I don't have a LP PF to verify that theory so "caveat emptor"

The price is sure right all though to avoid a additional minimum order assessment of $5 when your order is less than $30 -I should have ordered 3 and split with someone, oh well , little lost.
greg moore

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mogogear (original poster)
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#2: Post by mogogear (original poster) »

So I got the digital calpers out along with the camera, some standard table sugar and a 25ml graduated chemistry vial.
The following is a profile of the three baskets side by side:

On the left is the Elektra double, middle is the Original Olympia Cremina double, Right is the Bezzera double




That Elektra is pretty darn tall compared to my LOWLY B- basket!
So next I filled each basket, tapped each three times and leveled each with a straight-edge. Dumped the sugar content into the graduated cylinder and recorded the volumes. grabbed the calibers and had my way with each- no mercy!

Here are the results:
Olympia Cremina-
Top to bottom= 21.75mm
Across the top of the entire lip=57.4mm
Inside dia. the top of basket= 49.8mm
Inside dia. bottom of basket=48.7mm
Lip= 3.7mm
Total volume=41ml


Bezzera
Top to bottom= 20.6mm
Across the top of entire lip= 58.25mm
Inside dia. the top of basket=49.55mm
Inside dia. the botttom of basket=47.00mm
Lip= 4.1mm
Total volume= 38ml


Elektra-
Top to the bottom = 26mm
Across the topof entire lip = 57.95mm
Inside dia. top of basket= 49.55mm
Inside dia. the bottom of basket=48.55mm
Lip= 4.2mm wide
Total Volume= 51ml

So pretty revealing- a whopping difference of 13ml from the largets to the smallest
Inside diameters pretty consistent
And you need to narrow that lip on the Elektra basket about a 1/4mm all the way around!

I hope someone finds this mildly interesting :wink: :wink:
greg moore

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TUS172
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#3: Post by TUS172 »

Yes I know the difference in the La Pavoni Europiccola's 49mm basket is substantial but one needs to go bottmoless. With my roast I am getting over 17grams every time in the A Leva basket... Have you or are you planning on doing any weight comparisons with the variety of baskets you have on hand? It would be interesting to see. 8)

Since going bottomless on all my Pavonis I have now begun the search for the elusive 51mm basket for the Millenium. :wink:
Bob C.
(No longer a lever purist!)
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mogogear (original poster)
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#4: Post by mogogear (original poster) replying to TUS172 »

I may be feeble minded- weight is an illusive beast for me ( at least in my mind)

Can I get each basket filled, distributed all the same, leveled etc all the same to make an exact comparison haunts me.

That is why for my interest- I will stop at basic volume comparisons. It seems more exact for my proposes. I assume if you have different volumes, there fore you will be able to push a proportionally different amount of coffee in to each basket..... The amounts you will be working out a little to each persons fine tuning

Once again my logic sometimes limits my imagination
greg moore

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TUS172
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#5: Post by TUS172 »

Part of the reason I do a weight comparison is for the effect of the pull in comparison to the grind and tamp itself...Different grind-different tamp, more pressure-less pressure. With a finer grind I use less of a tamp... less weight but perhaps just as much volume... A coarser grind I tamp with more pressure and while the volume is the same I get more weight. Variances can be more than 2 grams in a double basket. But I know you already know all of this. It is just a comparison I use as compared to volume measurements. I guess I could similarly dump the grind into the basket and not tamp for a weight measurment but I don't see the relative sense in that. In a LaPavoni If I put too much of a fine grind with a tamp that is too heavy, I'm in trouble right? If I pre-weigh the grind after I have done some previous experimentation with a particular grind setting on my grinder I can get a very consistent pull. Maybe that seems a bit overboard but I tend to do that in other areas of my life too... go figure. :?
I don't do it all the time but I do keep a powder scale on top of my kitchen cabinets at all times.
Bob C.
(No longer a lever purist!)
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timo888
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#6: Post by timo888 »

mogogear wrote:I hope someone finds this mildly interesting :wink: :wink:
I visit the thread regularly, for its misura :D

I bought a jeweler's anvil and a teeny hammer on eBay -- they haven't arrived yet. I plan to leave them out with the baskets overnight. When I wake the following morning, I hope the espresso elves will have turned my Elektra basket into a Cremina basket.

Regards
Timo

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mogogear (original poster)
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#7: Post by mogogear (original poster) »

You will think that it is a dripping faucet... then you will awake and WA LA! perfect fitting baskets. Their Elves do good work.

As a note, one of the original Oly baskets ( sitting while their machines are in dry dock) fits sooo perfectly in my Bezzera PF- it almost won't fall out when I use the knock box.. not tight -just a little suction action keeps it in its seat till the end of the performance :wink:
The elektra basket works great "un-tapped" in the Bezzera. It does need the rounding for Oly duty though.

I think your elves will find it a simple task..
greg moore

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timo888
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#8: Post by timo888 »

mogogear wrote:I think your elves will find it a simple task..
The elves went to town with the little hammer, with mixed success.

The Elektra basket doesn't cling to the group anymore. Hammering has narrowed the lip. Some success there. But the PF still doesn't seat as deeply as it does when the original Cremina basket is used. So the lip must also be too high. This shallow seating tends to result in a little sneeze, as the release from the group is more abrupt with the Elektra basket.

The basket of unknown origin that I bought through CG is now worse for the hammering. It was not too wide at the lip; rather the arch of the lip was much too high. It rubbed on the top. The hammering appears to have raised the lip even further. The basket was 99% unusable before the little pointy-eared bas#*$ds set to work, and it is now 100% unusable.



I guess that proves the adage: When all you have is a hammer, everything begins looking like an Elektra basket.

Regards
Timo

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mogogear (original poster)
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#9: Post by mogogear (original poster) »

I am not sure what to say about your CG Cremina basket- But remember with the Elektra basket - there is quite a bit more coffee and the pressure that would normally find an exit through the puck has further to get to the exit so to speak. A slight bit increase in the Sneeze - ability is not to be unexpected. Mine don't sneeze at all but do leave a wetter puck.... In addition to tapping I also did a little emory cloth work around the circumference of the basket as well.

Tim , you are destined to trek forth in "The search for the Holey Pail" It should take you to lands far , far away. Wear light armor, the horse will love you for it :wink: Beware of the Knights of Nee!
greg moore

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timo888
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#10: Post by timo888 replying to mogogear »

Actually, two single baskets were sent to the smithy. They hold the same as the original Cremina single.

:idea: I will convert these many extra baskets that do not fit my Cremina into a coat of armor :idea: It will be lightweight and rustproof. Either that, or maybe I can sell two of them to peacecup to wear in the Ididerod to prevent snow-blindness?

Regards
Timo

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