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Main
Date: 21 Nov 2006 13:22:19
From: gscace
Subject: La Spaz dispersion disk choices
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Hi there:
I have a La Spaz S1 at work now. One of the quirks of the machine is
that the dispersion block and screen stick down quite far into the
portafilter. This reduces the internal volume of the basket, and also
disturbs the top of the coffee cake, if the basket is filled
particularly full. The disturbed surface seems to promote channeling.
Consequently the La Spaz does not like to be updosed at all. UK
barista champ, James Hoffman, mentioned to me that La Spaz makes
several dispersion disks. A call to La Spaz in the USA confirmed this.
The very helpful folks there pointed me in the right direction and
sold me a dispersion disk a coupla millimeters thinner than the stock
one. The benefit is that i can cram a little more coffee into the
basket now - a good thing as far as I can tell.
The dispersion block is the thinnest of the three blocks made by La
Spaz. The S1 is currently supplied with the middle thickness. Cost
was 27 bucks incuding shipping and COD fee.
-Greg Scace
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Date: 21 Nov 2006 21:43:21
From: Heat + Beans
Subject: Re: La Spaz dispersion disk choices
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Thanks for the updose heads up. Do you have one of the new Vivaldi
II's or an older machine? I ask because my V-II has what Chas Rimpo's
LaSpaz site pictures as "newer" (with holes in a circle, rather than a
star pattern). But I don't know if there's still a thinner dispurser.
I've posted this and another question there as well.
Martin.
gscace wrote:
> Hi there:
>
> I have a La Spaz S1 at work now. One of the quirks of the machine is
> that the dispersion block and screen stick down quite far into the
> portafilter. This reduces the internal volume of the basket, and also
> disturbs the top of the coffee cake, if the basket is filled
> particularly full. The disturbed surface seems to promote channeling.
> Consequently the La Spaz does not like to be updosed at all. UK
> barista champ, James Hoffman, mentioned to me that La Spaz makes
> several dispersion disks. A call to La Spaz in the USA confirmed this.
> The very helpful folks there pointed me in the right direction and
> sold me a dispersion disk a coupla millimeters thinner than the stock
> one. The benefit is that i can cram a little more coffee into the
> basket now - a good thing as far as I can tell.
>
> The dispersion block is the thinnest of the three blocks made by La
> Spaz. The S1 is currently supplied with the middle thickness. Cost
> was 27 bucks incuding shipping and COD fee.
>
> -Greg Scace
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Date: 22 Nov 2006 14:52:39
From: Bertie Doe
Subject: Re: La Spaz dispersion disk choices
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"gscace" wrote in message > Hi there:
>
The very helpful folks there pointed me in the right direction and
> sold me a dispersion disk a coupla millimeters thinner than the stock
> one. The benefit is that i can cram a little more coffee into the
> basket now - a good thing as far as I can tell.
>
> -Greg Scace
Have you tried splitting the dose to get an extra 2gr of coffee in the
basket AND still avoid the screen. i.e. a single dose 16g becomes 9g + 9g.
If you see Mark Prince's recent Geek Tamping article, he refers to the top
half of the coffee pack being over-compressed.
Split dosing dosen't cure this problem, but IMO produces a more even pack
distribution.
I guess triple or quad dosing is even more efficient, but the added time
involved would lead to p/f cooling and a lost shot.Worth a try.
Bertie
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Date: 22 Nov 2006 03:55:29
From:
Subject: Re: La Spaz dispersion disk choices
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Mine's a newer old version. I can't remember what the hole pattern is.
I'll have to look and measure it on Monday.
-Greg
Heat + Beans wrote:
> Thanks for the updose heads up. Do you have one of the new Vivaldi
> II's or an older machine? I ask because my V-II has what Chas Rimpo's
> LaSpaz site pictures as "newer" (with holes in a circle, rather than a
> star pattern). But I don't know if there's still a thinner dispurser.
> I've posted this and another question there as well.
>
> Martin.
>
> gscace wrote:
> > Hi there:
> >
> > I have a La Spaz S1 at work now. One of the quirks of the machine is
> > that the dispersion block and screen stick down quite far into the
> > portafilter. This reduces the internal volume of the basket, and also
> > disturbs the top of the coffee cake, if the basket is filled
> > particularly full. The disturbed surface seems to promote channeling.
> > Consequently the La Spaz does not like to be updosed at all. UK
> > barista champ, James Hoffman, mentioned to me that La Spaz makes
> > several dispersion disks. A call to La Spaz in the USA confirmed this.
> > The very helpful folks there pointed me in the right direction and
> > sold me a dispersion disk a coupla millimeters thinner than the stock
> > one. The benefit is that i can cram a little more coffee into the
> > basket now - a good thing as far as I can tell.
> >
> > The dispersion block is the thinnest of the three blocks made by La
> > Spaz. The S1 is currently supplied with the middle thickness. Cost
> > was 27 bucks incuding shipping and COD fee.
> >
> > -Greg Scace
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Date: 22 Nov 2006 13:06:31
From: TPiddy
Subject: Re: La Spaz dispersion disk choices
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Greg,
You were not kidding about nice - thanks to LS. I called this morning
and put in my order - thanks for posting this.
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