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Distribution funnel tamping

One question that is bugging my mind is why the distribution funnel is too small to get the tamper in it and tamp with the funnel still attached. I have seen another brand do this and it seems easy enough (maybe less easy with the button tamper) and also quite clean because the coffee can't spill from tamping and not from pulling off the funnel after distribution. Maybe I am also overfilling the basket slightly or the grinder grinds too fluffy (Eureka Atom). I am currently trying to reduce the mess around my workplace and coffee grounds on slightly coarse wood are really annoying to me.

Since I am sure there was an interesting tought process behind the diameter decision of the funnel, maybe the answers can save me some money on a second funnel ;)

Comments


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    hi nico

    the coffee grounds mess i get is from the fines that fall through the bottom of the portafilter basket when i stir with the distribution tool - no mess from the funnel itself

    the issue you refer to doesn't have an easy answer. to get the tamper fitting inside the funnel you need to settle for a tamper diameter that is considerably smaller than our 58.55mm tamper, and a snug fitting tamper is one of the keys to a good extraction so that doesnt seem like a price worth paying - an IMS basket will even accept a 55.80mm tamper

    the other way would be to have the locating step machined on the bottom of the funnel so it sits on the outside of the porter filter rim, rather than fitting closely inside the rim of the basket as ours does

    but that raises a separate set of issues as the profile of the rolled edge on a basket differs, not only between basket makers but even within a brand, for example IMS offer several different profiles on the rolled edge of their nominal 58mm baskets

    secondly it fouls on the portafilter lugs, so the step would need to be machined shallower, giving a less secure mount

    thridly you dont have a vertical face to make a close fitting with so the funnel sits on additionally you dont have anything to make a close fitting with so the funnel sits on the basket snugly

    finally you would need to use more stainless steel as you would need to increase the diameter of the funnel, which while adding to the cost as it puts you into a larger bar size, creates more of an issue in that it becomes even heavier

    kind regards

    reiss.
  • Hi Reiss,

    Thank you for the info! The tamp-trough version I know of only sits on top of the rim. You are right it will probably be quite wobbly and not as sturdy as your funnel especially when stirring the grounds.

    I did not know of the variations in the basket rims but will have a closer look next time.

    I also never checked for coffee fines to fall through the basket but that would explain a lot! Will also watch out for that.

    My main issue really is that when removing the tamper some coffee sometimes gets thrown out. Probably because of the ridge. For some reason my ridgeless IMS don't knock out so well (read: at all) so that's that.

    If I find a solution to my messy problem I will report.

    On a side note: could you please remove my email and instead put my name over the posts?

    Thanks!
  • Reiss Gunson post=14683 wrote:
    the other way would be to have the locating step machined on the bottom of the funnel so it sits on the outside of the porter filter rim, rather than fitting closely inside the rim of the basket as ours does

    but that raises a separate set of issues as the profile of the rolled edge on a basket differs, not only between basket makers but even within a brand, for example IMS offer several different profiles on the rolled edge of their nominal 58mm baskets

    secondly it fouls on the portafilter lugs, so the step would need to be machined shallower, giving a less secure mount

    thridly you dont have a vertical face to make a close fitting with so the funnel sits on additionally you dont have anything to make a close fitting with so the funnel sits on the basket snugly

    finally you would need to use more stainless steel as you would need to increase the diameter of the funnel, which while adding to the cost as it puts you into a larger bar size, creates more of an issue in that it becomes even heavier

    I found a funnel which does all this:
    [ul]
    [li]Fits all my baskets (many IMS, Londinium, Gaggia CC) with only a slight wobble[/li]
    [li]Mount is still quite secure but when pressing the button on the grinder you should also touch the upper part of the portafilter holder or the funnel will slide of but no real problem[/li]
    [li]This one is polished aluminium, so weight and price are less of a concern. Not quite as nice as the Londinium one, though/li]
    [/ul]

    Here some images. For now I like it a lot since you can tamp with your oversized tamper through it. Sadly the heights of the funnel ranges from 10 mm over 15 mm to 30 mm (my Version), leaving out the 20 mm height of the Londinium funnel which would be the ideal middle ground between small enough to keep the grinds in when stirring and not as oversized so it doesn't fit all grinders. I think thats the case because these funnels are not ment to distribute but to reduce the mess with cheaper grinders which regurgitate the grinds.

    In the last picture you can see the small edge of coffee which can't be tamped. Maybe knocking helps, I am just happy not to have anything on my counter (removing the remaining coffee by hand over the knockbox, don't want this in your machine either!)


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