You guys are awesome! I setup the machine today, and while I'm still missing some puck prep tools and my DF64 is on the way, I still pulled a few shots anyway with my ode, a needle for wdt, and some side tapping for leveling, and then the meh breville tamper. Got a few sours but then got some great juicy shots around the 37 second mark doing 20 in and 50 out. I used a strawberry forward Ethiopian blend called Dur Feres from Catalyst Trade that I roasted. Overall, I'm super happy with the BDB and excited to really dial in manual shots and then try slayer style shots. I'm beginning to love this as much as I love filter pour overs!!!!

congrats on pulling the shot.
a proper 58.5 tamper actually makes a significant difference.
but u can still cheap out a bit.
i use few layers of high temp tape around the stock tamper to get close to 58.5mm diameter so that its more centered everytime i tamp.
i got a 58.5mm levelling tamper, and that helps a lot (but did take some fun out of tamping
im still considering if i should get a normal proper tamper.

jrcdzn wrote:
3. The god shot is a myth

I don't think it is. I have pulled shots that I remember a decade later, very vividly. My daily good pulls, I couldn't describe a day or two later if I tried. The memorable ones though are just something else entirely. They will leave you a bit weak in the knees.

Good point. I don't really chase those shots, I aim to pull as good as I can day to day I think of the WOWers as my reward for all those good shots pulled.