Author Topic: Low Tech Clover knockoff?  (Read 1513 times)

Offline MMW

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Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« on: January 28, 2009, 10:26:47 AM »
Trying not to hijack the cafe solo thread...

What we really should/oughtta do is to figger out a way to make a low-tech Clover knockoff, ya know, the TurboCrazy of the Clover world.  Combining stirring, heat control, french press and vac-pot into an obtainable form.


and

What we really should/oughtta do is to figger out a way to make a low-tech Clover knockoff, ya know, the TurboCrazy of the Clover world.  Combining stirring, heat control, french press and vac-pot into an obtainable form.


Yeah... I got to see one in action at Intelli with JohnF and staylor..... just need a piston to start.... old lawn mower  :icon_scratch:  nah.. maybe??!?!??   :-\ 


I've been thinking about this for a bit yesterday evening and this morning (even the radio can't drown out my over active thought process sometimes).

For the piston:  Maybe some polycarbonate tubing?  The stuff is strong, resists heat well within coffee brewing range, isn't terribly expensive, is machinable, and is FDA approved.  Some 1/2" Lexan sheet could be worked into the piston head with O-rings for the sealing mechanism.

How about one of these (pdf warning) for the actuator?  24 lbs of force ought to be plenty.  4.7 in of travel for 30 bucks.

At 4.5 in of travel, 3" or 3.25" ID ought to give a little over 17 or 21 oz capacity in the piston respectively.  A good sized cup of joe.  Some other bits and pieces like solenoid valves, switches and such round out the requisites.

Timing in the first iteration could be a stop watch, water heat control through a thermocouple in a kettle.

Thoughts?
"During the early 19th century, most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey, and coffee.  ----- Where did we go wrong?

thejavaman

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Re: Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2009, 11:33:12 AM »
I think you're on the right track.  I'm sure BW and his infinite wisdom will chime in with some good ideas too.  You would think this could be done with a solid plan and some experimentation....

Offline peter

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Re: Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2009, 11:44:15 AM »
I think you're nuts to try and copy one. 

When the piston goes up, creating the vacuum which pull the coffee down and leaves the grounds above, the piston rod (if you want to call it that) looks to be submerged in brewed coffee.  Unless I'm not seeing something.  That means your threaded actuator won't work.

The water temp off the boiler is PID'd.  You could cannibalize an espresso machine for that, and PID it, leaving the pump intact.  If you don't add a PID, then you're missing out on one of the Clover's selling points of being able to control water temp, and you may as well stick to a french press.

The valve and solenoid that closes to produce the vacuum and opens to push the brewed coffee to the spigot would be difficult.

I'd never say it couldn't be done.  If someone has the tooling, money and patience, anything's possible.  But for an amateur to attempt it...  press pot, vacpot, or aeropress come close enough for me.

Nothing would delight me more than to be proven wrong on this.
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Offline MMW

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Re: Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2009, 11:45:07 AM »
You'd think so...

I'm noticing:
mcmaster has 3 1/4 ID tubing at 15.29/ft with a 1 foot minimum  ;D (they have everything!)
Solenoid valves are expensive

Pricing so far:
Looking at about $100 for the piston/actuator.
Another $100 or so for the valve.
I'm guessing another $100 for case materials and epoxy
and another $100 in electrical/misc.
-------------
About $400-$500 bucks total

Just thinking out loud here.
"During the early 19th century, most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey, and coffee.  ----- Where did we go wrong?

Offline MMW

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Re: Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2009, 11:53:43 AM »
I think you're nuts to try and copy one. 

Probably

Quote
When the piston goes up, creating the vacuum which pull the coffee down and leaves the grounds above, the piston rod (if you want to call it that) looks to be submerged in brewed coffee.  Unless I'm not seeing something.  That means your threaded actuator won't work.

Thinking of that.  It'll need another sealing surface in the base of the piston/cup thingy around a smooth rod that gets pushed/pulled by the threaded actuator.

Quote
The water temp off the boiler is PID'd.  You could cannibalize an espresso machine for that, and PID it, leaving the pump intact.  If you don't add a PID, then you're missing out on one of the Clover's selling points of being able to control water temp, and you may as well stick to a french press.

The first iteration could use a tea kettle/TC...baby steps

Quote
The valve and solenoid that closes to produce the vacuum and opens to push the brewed coffee to the spigot would be difficult.

Not really...I don't think we're talking about huge pressure differentials here.

« Last Edit: January 28, 2009, 11:56:39 AM by MMW »
"During the early 19th century, most Americans subsisted on a diet of pork, whiskey, and coffee.  ----- Where did we go wrong?

Offline staylor

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Re: Low Tech Clover knockoff?
« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2009, 12:20:44 PM »
If a person could knock it off and make it look like this...

http://www.wired.com/video/clover-coffee-machine/1813573869

for a reasonable price, while not infringing on any patents like this:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=XXabAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&dq=%22coffee+equipment+company%22#PPA1,M1

and write an interesting story like this:

http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/16-08/mf_clover

then name it something original like the Cheapover, well I'd be interested. ;-)