I just intentionally ordered an $80 espresso machine.

[John F]

I could pull ~alright~ shots with it, but somehow I was always choking it out. I wasn't very good at dialing in a grind at that point though.

Yeah... Things are going to get weird if I find myself upgrading the pump and building a new case on this thing Hahahaha!!

I think over the next few days I'll have a chance to actually pull a bunch of shots on it and I'll know if this project will continue or not.

[Ascholten]

Espresso's are something I probably could get into but, well... I never really did.  I mean I got the equipment, and do them occasionally but generally don't have enough occasion to really do a lot of them.  Sometimes in colder weather I will bring rig into work and do shots for folks but otherwise, it's my one quart 'coffee cup' in the morning and that's all I need to carry me thru the day.

aaron

[John F]

I agree.

I love all the coffee forms but if they told me I could never have espresso again it would be sad but I would live.

If they told me I could never have coffee again I'd probably only last a few months.

[Ascholten]

When I quit chewing tobacco, oh going on almost 20 years now.  One of the thngs Id do is,  take a finer grind coffee and stick that in my lip as sort of a placebo.  It felt like chew.. ok a little grittier, gave me a bit of flavor from the sliva mix.. not bad and gave me a little bit of a buzz from the caffeine in it.  Yes it was a crutch and yes it helped me wean off the tobacco once and for all.  Ive been clean for 20 years now.  When I started I was chewing a bag of red man a day and a can to a can and a half of copenhagen a day.  They had to start me on 2 patches to start the program because of how high my nicotine values were and I kept hearing comments like, you really shouold be about dead with this dose in you.   Well here I am.  Coffee saved me from death. and I don't look back.
Aaron

[John F]

Here is the un pressurized chopped portafilter.

I'm concerned about this oddball basket setup so the La Pavoni basket is on order so eventually you will see only the bottom of a normal basket in here.

[Badam]

Here is the un pressurized chopped portafilter.

I'm concerned about this oddball basket setup so the La Pavoni basket is on order so eventually you will see only the bottom of a normal basket in here.

It must've taken a heck of a drill to get through all that...... plastic, on the portafilter. Hahaha. 

[John F]

I used the Binford 9000 drill. 

[John F]

https://youtu.be/8t8qptPff8A

[Ascholten]

That looks like a scene from Dr.Pimple Popper.   Have you tried the topless / bottomless portafilter, I hear it gets rid of most the flow issues, the coffee goes right thru!

Aaron

[John F]

Hahaha...  It's only the beginning. 

[brianmch]

Thanks for doing this John. 

Seems like there is no reason not to gift these to the places I travel to frequently, like my mother in laws or my folks. 

It'll be a lot easier than lugging my Livia or PVL with me which I do.  That Super Jolly grinder is a lot more costly to replicate tho.

[John F]

Alright...this has nothing to do with the ability of the machine other than to prove capability.

This is VERY typical of my art skill hahahaha!

[John F]

Alright.... I just got the La Pavoni basket 15 min ago and pulled a shot. This is the first shot with this basket and I do have a few stray sprays here BUT.... This set up is under $150 at this point.


I'm pretty sure I'm stopping already.

I've pulled about 6 shots on this machine and what I can tell already is that I made a great choice in attempting this experiment.

The coffee is better than I expected faster than I expected.

I'm not sure who exactly this set up would be good for because it does help to have an idea of what exactly you are going for but I am prepared to say that it's pretty shocking what you can do with an $80 machine and a few simple mods. 

Obviously with under 10 shots in I have a lot of dialing in to do but the potential is apparent to me and proven basically out of the box.

I'm happy with this little thing.


https://youtu.be/5BIpqMQkuNk

[John F]

Thanks for doing this John. 

Seems like there is no reason not to gift these to the places I travel to frequently, like my mother in laws or my folks. 

Great idea...look at the video I just posted of my 1st shot with the La Pavoni basket. Not that it's a perfect shot or anything but after dialing in and under $150? It's almost unbelievable. 

[peter]

Someone mentioned a Super Jolly earlier in the thread; I'm assuming that's what this new machine is being paired with, yes?

That makes your experiment an anomaly - still fun and very interesting.  Who else will buy one of these, and have a SJ laying around.  That would make me ask Brian, what will you use for a grinder at your off-base location?