User Experience with the Strietman CT2 - Page 67

#661: Post by **tompoland** » October 13th, 2022, 6:31 pm

Haven't had that issue at all, even when new. Very strange. I mean, it is metal on metal but it should feel smooth.

October 13th, 2022, 7:03 pm

Newfie wrote:I'm still having a lot of trouble getting my portafilter on/off. I read that it can take a couple of weeks before it starts feeling better but its been a couple of months now and it's seemingly worse.

I contacted Wouter a month ago and he said it could take 200+ shots before it starts to settle and feel better and I'm definitely over 200 now.

For it feel OK at all I have to apply the multilub but that only lasts ~2 days before it feels horrible again. It feels like metal on metal scraping so I feel like there's something wrong but now I've had the machine so long, hoping it would go away, that I can't really do anything about it in terms of return...

I've also noticed that I continuously have to wipe off this black residue that forms in the forks of portafilter and on the part it attaches to on the machine - but I assume that's just the grease turning that color. Still, I thought it worth mentioning just in case it's not.

Anyone else that got a machine in the last few months experiencing this?

Try dow 111 mokykote. Also put in a new gasket to see how it feels

#663: Post by **Corgo** » October 13th, 2022, 7:20 pm

Mine gets delivered tomorrow....hopefully it will be smooth. Didn't even know this could be an issue.

#664: Post by **tompoland** » October 13th, 2022, 7:23 pm

I had not heard of this issue before. I use molykote but I suspect any heavy grade food safe grease would work fine.

#665: Post by **MarkH** » October 14th, 2022, 3:16 am

I switched from a GS3 to a CT2 like 1.5 years ago and still totally love the manual process which results in a perfectly fine cup...

Still, sometimes I miss the option to produce steam that is capable oflatte art. So far I using a cheap frother which produces thick steam which is okish for an occasional cappuccino, with no latte art of course. Has anyone of you found a good solution for this? I don't like the idea to buy an additional espresso machine besides the CT2 just to be able to produce good steam...

Thanks!

#666: Post by **Ad-85** » October 14th, 2022, 5:35 am

I had this issue at first then I applied Luxeal 4 and it went away. For steaming milk I suggest breville bambino plus.

#667: Post by **MarkH** » October 14th, 2022, 6:11 am

Thank you!

I just found a recent thread dedicated to this topic: Electric steamer to accompany Strietman CT2?

I'll check out the options...

#668: Post by **erik82** » October 14th, 2022, 7:17 am

Most of the time it's overfilling of the basket. Try it with an empty filterbasket in the portafilter and you'll know for sure. Mine also does it after thousands of shots and I just scrub off the top of the portafilter with a dishwash brush every other day for a couple of seconds. Tolerances are low so everything that gunks up on it will make the portafilter go in pretty stiff.

#669: Post by **Strigops** » October 14th, 2022, 7:25 am

Mine is a bit tight with a packed basket, but loose without a packed basket (to the extent that if I accidentally bump it it'll fall off). What is yours like without the basket in?

#670: Post by **Rabh** » October 14th, 2022, 8:17 am

On another note, I was trying to find the answer in the thread but it didn't seem immediately obvious - is anybody using a Acaia Lunar (or Pyxis?) with the CT2? The area above the drip tray doesn't seem the biggest of spaces.

I typically have long blacks, with a Acme Cappucinno or Flat White cup directly underneath my Flair 58, but I'm guessing that is a complete no-go, for space reasons.

(I don't own one yet, just doing some research).