Tweaked my back over Thanksgiving, so had a couple of weekends to tackle a project that has been in my mental rolodex for quite some time.

I've experimented with all different techniques to create the perfect puck, and finally settled on my daily routine which is WDT while tapping the portafilter multiple times on the pad, followed by leveling then finally tamping. I was looking for ways to improve the tapping/vibration portion of this sequence and several years ago started experimenting with a dental stone vibrator. Results were decent, but it was awkward to use, and I didn't really feel like bring my work home with me...

So when injury struck I took it upon myself to relocate to the garage and get to work. This is what ultimately transpired:





Actually gave it a try this morning. The result was nice flow with tigerstriping, no gushers or spurts due to channeling. In the cup, I could not detect any differences from what I am accustomed to. Pulled a nice shot with some SM Monkey Espresso that I roasted on Friday.

So, happy with the results of my work with V1.0 of my Vibration Device. There will be no V1.1 or 2.0 as I simply make stuff to keep my noggin working... and in all reality, it doesn't do anything that I couldn't do manually in the same amount of time. But it looks cool on the counter

Just a quick video to show this vibrator in action