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Date: 15 Sep 2006 21:39:15
From: Danny
Subject: channeling? it was the spring...
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I've noticed over the last few weeks that the occasional puck cracked
as it was knocked out and that sometimes the pour went blonde early,
or went blonde from one spout only. I thought about grinder burrs etc
etc but yesterday it hit me. I noticed that as I tamped the basket
depressed slightly, and on occasion it rose slightly after tamping,
with enough of a jolt to disturb the puck, even though the movement
was very slight. I examined every pack after that, and sure enough
there were telltale cracks in some.
I took a replacement pf in today, which I couldn't use, since it
wouldn't lock on properly (the existing pf's are very worn around the
"ears". So I swapped the basket and spring. I didn't say anything to
the staff, but later Charlotte told me that she'd had some great pours
today, and that the pour was lasting longer. Sure enough, a new
spring (nothing to do with the basket really, since both are the same
vintage, but one has had greater use) had improved our output.
Silly little things catch you out...
--
Regards, Danny
http://www.gaggia-espresso.com (a purely hobby site)
http://www.malabargold.co.uk (UK/EU ordering for Malabar Gold blend)
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Date: 18 Sep 2006 20:22:45
From: I->Ian
Subject: Re: channeling? it was the spring...
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On Fri, 15 Sep 2006 21:39:15 +0100, Danny
<danny@nospam.gaggia-espresso.com > wrote:
>I've noticed over the last few weeks that the occasional puck cracked
>as it was knocked out and that sometimes the pour went blonde early,
>or went blonde from one spout only. I thought about grinder burrs etc
>etc but yesterday it hit me. I noticed that as I tamped the basket
>depressed slightly, and on occasion it rose slightly after tamping,
>with enough of a jolt to disturb the puck, even though the movement
>was very slight. I examined every pack after that, and sure enough
>there were telltale cracks in some.
>
>I took a replacement pf in today, which I couldn't use, since it
>wouldn't lock on properly (the existing pf's are very worn around the
>"ears". So I swapped the basket and spring. I didn't say anything to
>the staff, but later Charlotte told me that she'd had some great pours
>today, and that the pour was lasting longer. Sure enough, a new
>spring (nothing to do with the basket really, since both are the same
>vintage, but one has had greater use) had improved our output.
>
>Silly little things catch you out...
Quite likely just the spring pushed out of place by the ridge on the
basket. Seen this on brand new kit...
... which is why ridgeless baskets are de rigeur here.
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