Paraphanelia

[dashDustin]

Perhaps "tools" would be a better title?

Stuffs and things you use because they make your work better...

Just picked up a Joe Frex Technic tamper. Or, it just arrived today.

JoeFrex Technic Tamper Handle | Seattle Coffee Gear

Immediately realized that 95% of my tamping is way too low. The Technic is like a torque wrench for tamping. You set it to break where you want (mine is just under 30lbs), and apply pressure till it gives. For someone that's not pulling shots for 8hrs a day, I am guessing it'll help fine tune the tamp. Now I've read up on how important/ not important tamping is relative to everything else (grind, distribution, etc etc), but a lot of the other variables can be easily controlled. Tamping, not so much...and getting rid of just that one variable will help single out deficiencies elsewhere. Looking forward to this.

[mzilliox]

i recall my first days in the barista scene tamping on scales to understand just how much 30-40lbs pressure is. some would think the coffee counter was too low, but its way easier to tamp 40lbs on a 6hr shift when you can put your body over it some. high counters are a tough work!

this would have been useful, the scene has come a long way

[defspace]

Very cool. I really enjoy how much of coffee preparation is chemistry.

Dustin, I think you mentioned you had used another tamping/distribution tool in the past (something like the OCD, perhaps?). What was that unit?

[dashDustin]

Amazon.com: Coffee Distributor/Leveler Tool-New 3 Leaf Clover Base Palm Tampers Coffee Leveler Macaroon Tamper Proof for Espresso Coffee Grounds - 58mm (black): Kitchen & Dining

I meant to mention that...I pulled my first round of shots with a naked portafilter and this little guy last night on the new machine, and no channeling or spurts. I was impressed. I get the grounds pretty level in the portafilter, and then use this to make it even. i have it set pretty shallow so as to not compress the grinds any more than necessary.

[Cookietruck]

i'm lucky, on my lever machine all i have to do is fill the basket until there is a heaping pile on it, tap it a few times then use the tamp spread the grounds perfectly level with the top and then tamp. 18 grams every time...

[dashDustin]

Anyone using one of the >58mm tamps in their 58mm baskets? I've been thinking about getting a Pullman Big Step. It would answer the question I have had..."my 58mm tamp is slightly smaller than my baskets...what about channeling through those grounds?"

I've been using an Espresso Parts HQ basket and am getting really, really consistent shots.

[rwsaunders]

Keeping it simple for the past few years with a Hario Skerton. Not sure how these work for French Press or a coarse grind, as I have been using mine for the past few years purely for espresso grind. When my arm get tired of cranking and I grow just a tad more impatient, I'll move up to the big leagues.

[Too Tall]

Porlex has been good to me. The espresso grind is outtasight. Patience is required. IIRC it is about 200 turns to produce one canister full of espresso grind which fills a medium MoKa pot.

[Octave]

+1 for the Haro Skerton. It's a nightly ritual for the Mrs and I to crank out or grind for the wee-hours chemex (the thought of doing it at 5h30 makes my whole body weak with morning despair). We brew a 40g batch every morning to share and I'd say it takes about 5-7 minutes depending on motivation. One of us grinds while the other does dishes. It's pretty peaceful, actually - and nice for camping.

[BSUdude]

+2 for Hario Skerton...only grinder in our house, but wife and I only drink 1 cup per day each.

We've been using it for probably 4 or 5 years now...it is interesting to note that some batches of beans take much more effort to grind than others.

[j44ke]

This is the coolest and best tamper I've ever used. I bought one for my friend who has an Astra machine, and he thanks me every time we visit. The handle is aluminum but the tamper is steel. Temperature slip fit, if I'm not mistaken, and beautifully machined. Any cyclist will recognize the shape. Curtis Odom makes them. Check for him in Facebook to find out if he has any as his production schedule is periodic.

[rwsaunders]

This is the coolest and best tamper I've ever used. I bought one for my friend who has an Astra machine, and he thanks me every time we visit. The handle is aluminum but the tamper is steel. Temperature slip fit, if I'm not mistaken, and beautifully machined. Any cyclist will recognize the shape. Curtis Odom makes them. Check for him in Facebook to find out if he has any as his production schedule is periodic.

Thanks a lot Jorn...I just got lost on his Flickr page for an hour.

Flickr

[Octave]

...it is interesting to note that some batches of beans take much more effort to grind than others.

We've noticed the same thing - it's a moisture content issue. Drier beans crack more easily in the burrs and shatter, while the wetter beans tend to stay in the burrs longer and get tossed around.

[rwsaunders]

I can facilitate the purchase if anybody needs one...currently in stock at my LCS.

[rwsaunders]

Just when you thought that you had all of the toys...

[j44ke]

^That^ brings back memories of our neighbor's kitchen as a kid. My first experience watching someone make espresso was with one of those pots. They had several others, all purchased in the early 70's during a stint in Italy.

I wanted one of these, but I've never actually seen one in person or found a place selling them.



These don't inspire confidence (feels like you risk explosion) but they make decent espresso.

[Two]

My Monarch Methods kettle probably checks all the boxes necessary. Velocipede, Paraphernalia, and Coffee. Handmade in Canada.

Monarch Methods (@monarchmethods) • Instagram photos and videos

[VertigoCycles]

I've had a hunk of 3 1/2" diameter 6/4 titanium sitting on my lathe for 13 years that was originally supposed to become an EBB shell. A month or so ago, it seemed reasonable to turn it into a couple of tampers; one for me, one for a friend who's recently picked up an espresso machine. There has also been some ebony sitting around in my shop for a few years that, other than being square in cross section, was a great size to turn into handles. So this happened.

The darker handle has a little bit of shellac to hide a repair that was needed due to an unseen knot while I was turning it. A little superglue mixed with ebony dust with shellac on top hid it nicely. I left mine natural, it'll get oily with use and the hope is that we'll still be able to see the slight color variation in the wood. It took a bit of adjustment because I've been using a differently shaped tamper with a very different top edge for a decade or so. These sized this to fit into my basket with about an 0.005" tolerance to reduce the amount of grinds that pile up around the wall of the basket...it worked out to 58.6mm

[Too Tall]

Thousands Sean THOUSANDTHS??? WTAF???? heh ;)

[VertigoCycles]

Thousands Sean THOUSANDTHS??? WTAF???? heh ;)

Enough clearance so it won't rack and get stuck but not enough to leave a lot of coffee around the walls. It's been long enough that I really like it now.