Gold filter for a Bunn-o-matic?

[grinderz]

I've been too lazy (i.e. swamped) at work to mess with making my usual french press coffee and have been making it in our company's big commercial Bunn VPR drip maker. It's my own roasted coffee, but its seems like a big step backwards in taste, though the convenience is really nice. Have any of you had any luck using a gold filter such as the swissgold kf10 in a machine like this? It seems like it might pour too fast. I don't want to buy one and find out it wont work. Thanks!

[ButtWhiskers]

I've been too lazy (i.e. swamped) at work to mess with making my usual french press coffee and have been making it in our company's big commercial Bunn VPR drip maker. It's my own roasted coffee, but its seems like a big step backwards in taste, though the convenience is really nice. Have any of you had any luck using a gold filter such as the swissgold kf10 in a machine like this? It seems like it might pour too fast. I don't want to buy one and find out it wont work. Thanks!

I bought one for my VPS Bunn Airpot brewer, but it is really too small to hold enough coffee.  I was recently tossing around the idea of making my own to fit the Bunn Gourmet C funnel, because even the large paper filters aren't quite big enough for my liking.  I'm sure that kind of screen is available somewhere...

[grinderz]

Thanks, BW. Just how many grounds would you say a KF10 could hold without overflowing? If it would work with 1 cup of grounds, I could live with only being able to brewing 8 cups at a time.

[ButtWhiskers]

Thanks, BW. Just how many grounds would you say a KF10 could hold without overflowing? If it would work with 1 cup of grounds, I could live with only being able to brewing 8 cups at a time.

It will certainly hold a cup, maybe 1.5 cups, but the real limitation has to do with bloom and how fresh your coffee is.  If you have any significant bloom you will have overflow.  The KF10 is pretty small, only about 4.5" across the top (where your Bunn funnel is about 7"), and rather short as well.  I left mine at my Mom's cabin where she has a small drip brewer which is much more appropriately sized for this.

Gold is pretty awesome as it is very inert, platinum would be a little better, though.  No luck finding the raw mesh screen so far, though...

[ButtWhiskers]

I've been having really poor luck finding gold or platinum-plated mesh, but I did find food-grade Stainless Steel in some very fine 50x250 Dutch-weave mesh (0.002" openings) at McMaster-Carr.  I think I'll give this an initial try, it's about $70 a square yard or $10 a square foot (36" width).  For $20 I can get an 8" x 36" strip that should allow me to make two ~7" diameter x 4" high screen baskets.

[grinderz]

I was thinking about making one this morning and couldn't figure out a good way to join the seam. Soldering is out, welding on such light gauge material would require some highly specialized equipment and skill, adhesives seem like a no go... which leaves some sort of mechanical solution. I don't have any ideas at the moment better than the stapler sitting on my desk.

[ButtWhiskers]

I was thinking about making one this morning and couldn't figure out a good way to join the seam. Soldering is out, welding on such light gauge material would require some highly specialized equipment and skill, adhesives seem like a no go... which leaves some sort of mechanical solution. I don't have any ideas at the moment better than the stapler sitting on my desk.

I plan on brazing it.  There will be 2 seams, one up the side and one around the bottom.  I will just use a light brazing rod to fuse the overlaps together.

I bet that JB weld would work well, too.

I'd probably use pop rivets otherwise, but they would be a hassle.  You might even stitch it together with thin wire, as well.

[grinderz]

Eureka! I found a filter housing with a gold filter that will fit a Bunn-o-matic. I ordered one to try out and I'll let you know how it works. The basket looks a little wonky due to being a one size fits all type of unit, but it looks like it will do the job.

http://www.pacificrimtrading.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PRTC&Product_Code=SG0100

[grinderz]

I received the filter and basket in the mail last week and have made a few pots with it. It's worked well, so far. I like the coffee it produces much better than with the paper filters (I've always been a French Press kind of coffee drinker). The basket is designed to work with a variety of different coffee makers but fits the Bunn just right. It has no problem holding a cup and a half of grounds, so it's plenty big enough.