I use the levercraft tool and was an immediate believer just due to how quick and easy it is. When I am done with real full depth wdt I gently rake the top to pretty it up a bit. You can use simpler tools though and I did for years. Some gentle side tapping and a less gentle down tap before tamping can smooth and level the surface. And in fact I still do that anyway even with levercraft tool.

Exactly what Nate42 said. Early on when I first started using the LeverCraft tool, I experimented with using a distribution leveling tool and personally found that it created more channeling. I found that after a few good deep swirls, I bring it up to the surface and perform a gentle "groom" to level. One or two gentle down taps and I'm ready to tamp. I grind using a MFlat and trust me if your puck prep isn't super good...you will know it in an instant.

Derryisreal wrote:In my experience, the thinner the needles, the better. 0.4 mm is too thick, I am currently using a Sworksdesign WDT with nine 0.22mm needles with spring base. Works excellently. The tool is somewhat pricey, but it is a night and day difference from DIY solutions.

Is the only way to contact or communicate with SWORKSDESIGN is through Instagram?

I'm on some meds that kill my memory, one of those being that I replied to this thread a month ago. Ok... Since then I read a lot and ordered some acupuncture needles that actually came in a 3D printer cleanning kit ( The needles were much thinner than the sewing needles and tooth picks that I'd created a month ago. In addition, the butt ends of the needs have springs and I clipped off the pointy tips like someone else. I drilled a cork and installed 4 of them and this later concoction seems to be doing a much better job.

But like others have said, the top surface seems bumpy, but a tap on the counter fixes that, and probably settles the grounds on the bottom. But sometimes the surface is a bit uneven. IS IS SAFE TO CONCLUDE THAT IF ALL ELSE WITHIN THE PUCK IS CONSISTENT, A LEVELER (cheap OCD knockoff) , if not going too deep as if to tamp, would just LEVEL OFF THE SURFACE GROUNDS so that tamping would be more even? I know the leveler isn't tamping because when I tamp the tamper goes in another 1/16"- 3/32" or so until I can feel everything compact without using a ton of pressure?

I went "all in" and dropped $3 on mine. works fine as best i can tell. uses acupuncture type needles.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/3256803144493112.html

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When I upgraded my basket from what was original on the Synchronika to a IMS BaristaPro my puck prep required "reworking". The prep that had worked well on the original basket was not good enough for the IMS. I did buy the Levercraft tool and use it every time.

It took some experimentation but I finally have a system that gives me nice shots.