Incomplete list of Gravity-fed lever machines - Page 3

#21: Post by **mogogear** » May 12th, 2006, 11:33 pm

hbuchtel wrote:Cool. Where did you find that image?

I have to say I prefer the elegance of the original design over this one . . . the cup warmer would come in handy tho!

Henry

Here you go Henry

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 6279688819

#22: Post by **timo888** » May 13th, 2006, 6:23 am

Where did I find the image of the Caravel Little?

Elsewhere on H-B. I will say no more at this time.

'Little' is a Lilliputian moniker--small compared to some, true, but rather large compared to others. The cup-heating tray is a convenience until it's time to fill the boiler, I'd imagine.

If only there were a ready source of malleable 110V calrods!

Regards
Timo

#23: Post by **Staffan** » May 13th, 2006, 1:18 pm

hbuchtel wrote:It isn't that the boiler temp is unstable, it's that the brewing temp is unstable. Doesn't necessarily mean the espresso isn't good, but rather it is a challenge to get the water to a good brewing temperature.

Inside a boiler at steam pressure the water temp is far above the range of acceptable brewing temperatures. Lever machines with this design rely on the exposed metal group head to absorb heat from the couple ounces of water you will introduce to the coffee.

After a certain amount of time or certain number of shots the group head gets too hot to perform it's heat-absorbing function, and you get unpleasant shots.

With the gravity-lever or open (unpressurized)-boiler machines in this topic the whole shebang (boiler, group head) is kept at brewing temperature, so getting a good shot should be much easier.

Another interesting thing about comparing pressurized-boiler and open-boiler designs is that they will have different temperature profiles during the extraction. Pressurized-boiler designs should start out hotter and cool a bit, while open-boiler designs should have a flatter profile. I don't know how these two profiles would effect the taste.

Henry

That doesn't explain why the Achille's heel of the Achille would be the pressurized boiler, since it is a basic HX.

Ps. It's probably fed by the suction of the piston, not gravity.
ds.

#24: Post by **mogogear** » May 13th, 2006, 4:49 pm

timo888 wrote:Where did I find the image of the Caravel Little?

Elsewhere on H-B. I will say no more at this time.

'Little' is a Lilliputian moniker--small compared to some, true, but rather large compared to others. The cup-heating tray is a convenience until it's time to fill the boiler, I'd imagine.

If only there were a ready source of malleable 110V calrods!

Regards
Timo

http://www.hasco.com/webseite.nsf/Frame ... SHGMU-UK-p

220v but getting closer

http://www.hotset.de/englisch/rohrheizkoerper.html

maybe... one of these is upside down- witha threaded neck to screw in to the base of a percolator??

http://www.hotset.de/englisch/rohrheizkoerper.html

Probably not theright answers - also it couldbe easier to hace one of those flanged elements that you just bolt on over a round hole. using 4 bolts- or over 4 studs around a central hole for the element to insert through. A off the shelf option will always make it cheaper and easier to bring to reality.
got to go mow the yard

#25: Post by **mogogear** » May 13th, 2006, 4:49 pm

timo888 wrote:Where did I find the image of the Caravel Little?

Elsewhere on H-B. I will say no more at this time.

'Little' is a Lilliputian moniker--small compared to some, true, but rather large compared to others. The cup-heating tray is a convenience until it's time to fill the boiler, I'd imagine.

If only there were a ready source of malleable 110V calrods!

Regards
Timo

http://www.hasco.com/webseite.nsf/Frame ... SHGMU-UK-p

220v but getting closer

http://www.hotset.de/englisch/rohrheizkoerper.html

maybe... one of these is upside down- witha threaded neck to screw in to the base of a percolator??

http://www.hotset.de/englisch/rohrheizkoerper.html

Probably not theright answers - also it could be easier to have one of those flanged elements that you just bolt on over a round hole. using 4 bolts- or over 4 studs around a central hole for the element to insert through. A off the shelf option will always make it cheaper and easier to bring to reality.

got to go mow the yard

May 13th, 2006, 9:34 pm

Staffan wrote:That doesn't explain why the Achille's heel of the Achille would be the pressurized boiler, since it is a basic HX.

Ps. It's probably fed by the suction of the piston, not gravity.
ds.

Honestly I cannot see any weakness in the Achille design, only that it would take a lot of experience to know when the brew water was at a good temperature...

How is it working for you? Do you find you need to flush some water through like people do with non-lever HXs?

Henry

#27: Post by **timo888** » May 13th, 2006, 10:07 pm

hbuchtel wrote:Honestly I cannot see any weakness in the Achille design, only that it would take a lot of experience to know when the brew water was at a good temperature...

I guess it depends on how one defines 'design weakness'. To produce good espresso requires control, perhaps first and foremost, over temperature. I'm puzzled that anyone would consider an espresso machine well-designed if achieving and maintaining proper brew temperature is not simply to be taken for granted.

Regards
Timo

May 14th, 2006, 11:09 am

With HX machines you can control the brew temperature. Getting the right temp. wouldn't be a no-brainer though, trade-off for having instant-steaming I guess.

I imagine the Achille's HX would be fairly difficult to control. The temperature of the boiler water should be constant, and the water flowing through the group head should be quite stable, so with experience you would know how long to wait (after flushing the HX tube) for the brew water to come up to to temperature. (I think it would warm up more slowly then a standard HX 'cause the Achille HX 'tube' is shorter.) A complicating factor would be that the fresh water tank would not be very stable temperature-wise, it would absorb heat from the boiler beneath it, but cool down when refilled . . .

If there was a two boiler lever machine for the Achille's price (or if it existed at all!) it would be a better choice, eh?

Henry

#29: Post by **PaulTheRoaster** » May 14th, 2006, 11:51 pm

Woohoo! I just won a bright yellow Conti Comocafe :
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 4461320633

It looks like it could perhaps be a demi machine. I will let everyone know how it works out. (My first lever with a heating element!)

#30: Post by JD » May 15th, 2006, 12:29 am

Congratulations on your new machine!! You outbid me on that one, I did not think it would go very high so my bid was low. Oh well I just won the red La Peppina

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 4461354817