This morning, I was playing around in the garage and decide to make a little fixture to hold a spout under my naked portafilter. The reason for this is because I really love using the naked portafilter (as far as making sure the shots are okay, etc.) but sometimes I want to break a shot up into two cups (or just capture one stream into a shot glass, while letting the other go into the drip tray).

The other reason is that I feel like the shots from the naked portafilter are a bit too hot for my personal preference. As such, I wanted the spout (and the brass "cup" affair on there) to draw away some of the temperature as the espresso flows into the cup.

Anyway, the rod is just a steel rod that I salvaged out of a used printer. I heated it up with a torch and then bent it a couple of times. Then filed some flat spots. It slips on and off the portafilter handle and is held in place by being pinched in between two decorative brass spacers. Once the fixture is in place, then you just drop the spout onto its support. It automatically balances itself on the two arms, so long as you have it facing so that the spouts are swinging back and forth, as opposed to side to side.

I haven't used it yet, but I was pretty happy with how it turned out, so I wanted to snap some photos right away and share them here.

All comments welcome! I'll see about making a video later maybe.

Ray


Looking down into the portafilter


Side view - sorry about the focus there!


Here it is on the machine; in this orientation, it sort of "auto balances" with regard to the spouts being level. I think that will help distribute the shot evenly between the two side of the spout


Here's another view. Here you can see how the fixture fit between the two brass bushings on the stud which holds the handle on. Installation just involves a quick twist of the handle and it's pinched in place; then a little adjustment and drop in the spout


A little free PR for OE


Here's a close up, which shows how the loop is secured in place. I used a file to flatten the surfaces on the rod, so that it would have a better surface to clamp down on. I haven't polished the fixture yet, so you can still see the tool marks and sanding, etc.


I think it looks kinda cool actually - even my girlfriend was impressed!

I'm impressed, too. It's a clothing-optional PF!

Great idea Ray. A really cool modification.

It looks cool and different. A nice little conversational piece at least. Nice work! How easy will it be to tamp evenly? Does the support rod and spouts go on after the basket is ready or do you tamp with the support rod in place?

Neat idea!
I'd like to see it in action though!!

Aaron wrote:It looks cool and different. A nice little conversational piece at least. Nice work! How easy will it be to tamp evenly? Does the support rod and spouts go on after the basket is ready or do you tamp with the support rod in place?

I tamp the basket by itself and then insert it into the portafilter. The 49mm portafilter is kinda small, so I have never really tamped the basket while it's in the handle.

The rods would not have enough strength to handle tamping without bending I don't think.

Ray

Doesn't it overflow on faster flowing shots?
Either way, I demand imagery of it in action!

Neat looking mod. First reaction: "It's a halter-top portafilter!"

I get the idea of splitting shots, but for temp change it wouldn't it be easier to pull into a room-temp cup?

Are you noticing significant temperature change/flavor difference?

I like the look of this and am interested in hearing how it performs. The look is quite appealing, almost a deconstructed portafilter.

As to the temperature of the shots, this brings up something I've been doing since I fired up my Gaggia Factory with the included bottomless portafilter, I've been pulling my shots into room temp demitasses because the espresso shots were hot enough without pre-heating the cups. I hesitated to mention this in the forums because I felt that pre-heating the cups was conventional wisdom, and I'd always done it on my La Peppina, but it works pretty well with the bottomless portafilter on the Factory.

It does look cool, and it is VERY nice work, but it somehow feels wrong to me.
Kinda like wearing chaps with no pants....not that I would know anything about THAT!