Associate
I have had the same experience as you when using beans that are very fresh. I now wait 5-7 days from roasting date before I start using them.
Siliconslave's how to make espresso thread
- Thread starter Siliconslave
- Start date
Soldato
Picked this up a few days ago, pre 2015 model used for 6 months then stored, Price £105.
Stripped and descaled the whole thing and replaced all the seals straight away while i waited for the tamp and jug to arrive. Have to say, externally the thing was immaculate, no scratches, no fading on the plastics, seems like a real bargain. Internally the machine was good, some scale and miner pitting but form what i have gathered from forums etc this is pretty common place for the machines aluminum boiler.
Still waiting on a selection of beans from rave but have had some beans ground by pumphrys in the town, can't guarantee how long they have been sitting though before being ground.
Would really like to pick up a knock out box, need a grinder and have a naked porta filter on it's way with a triple basket.
Beside the mess and the learning curve i love it, moved from a french press but this is something else. changes the coffee completely! It's certainly an art, Steaming milk is challenging to say the least but im getting there..... slowly.
Stripped and descaled the whole thing and replaced all the seals straight away while i waited for the tamp and jug to arrive. Have to say, externally the thing was immaculate, no scratches, no fading on the plastics, seems like a real bargain. Internally the machine was good, some scale and miner pitting but form what i have gathered from forums etc this is pretty common place for the machines aluminum boiler.
Still waiting on a selection of beans from rave but have had some beans ground by pumphrys in the town, can't guarantee how long they have been sitting though before being ground.
Would really like to pick up a knock out box, need a grinder and have a naked porta filter on it's way with a triple basket.
Beside the mess and the learning curve i love it, moved from a french press but this is something else. changes the coffee completely! It's certainly an art, Steaming milk is challenging to say the least but im getting there..... slowly.
Did you open up the boiler then & remove element for descale ? - I am not familiar with gaggia internals ...
Despite earlier thread discussion on knock-boxes - none of them seemed to present easy cleaning convenience - my solution heavy duty poly bottle
cracked open the rave/signature R+5days .. first two double shots grind was too fine so extraction >30s, pump straining, try again later, and backing-off further.
I've got one of the Heston Sage knock boxes (was a gift) and its pretty simple to clean - the knock bar comes out with a twist so its easy to get into the body to wash.
evidently the sage is standing up to the blows for you,
but my other concern was the strength of the sage+other metallic knock-boxes, to take sharp knocks without damaging PF basket rim either.
...another 2-doubles, (so 50g coffee down), finally dialled the new Rave in, needed 60% bigger particles than Asda beans I had last ground, assuming the Rocky grinder burrs are linear. ? they touch at 0, and now need 8 vs 5 before.
but my other concern was the strength of the sage+other metallic knock-boxes, to take sharp knocks without damaging PF basket rim either.
...another 2-doubles, (so 50g coffee down), finally dialled the new Rave in, needed 60% bigger particles than Asda beans I had last ground, assuming the Rocky grinder burrs are linear. ? they touch at 0, and now need 8 vs 5 before.
its silicon covered so a little give in it - doesn't seem to have done any damage over a years usage.
Soldato
Yes, fully stripped, cracked the boiler wide open to descale properly. The elements are fixed into the body of the boiler so are not easily removed, from what i can see.
Had real issues knocking the puck out of the porta when i used the pressurised basket, that has been eliminated with the naked portafilter and a 21g basket. shots seem to be pulling correctly, extracting from the middle of the basket with a nice single stream, very impressed with the coffee I'm drinking.
One issue i cannot seem to resolve is the coffee in the basket touching the showing screen on the group head, if i put in anywhere near what the basket is advertised to take in all 3 that i own, the 21 plus the single and double pressurised i have, it leaves a imprint of the shower head screw in the puck. The coffee I'm using at the moment pumphrys ground for me 3 days ago in a commercial grinder on its finest setting so im sure the grind size is good and i couldn't go any finer myself.
I do have 3 blends from rave sitting waiting, been 3 days since roast so i take it a couple more days is needed before drinking?
Soldato
I think a screw imprint is fairly normal. The grounds expand with moisture and end up being pressed to the shower plate.
Also have the issue with pucks stuck in pressurised portafilters, really annoying!
Also have the issue with pucks stuck in pressurised portafilters, really annoying!
Soldato
@Kanifee Would you mind sharing the source of service kit that you used to replace the seals please? My Classic is giving me issues and I think it needs exactly what you have done to yours (a full strip).
Also, mine does the same as yours (coffee being left on the shower screen).
Also, mine does the same as yours (coffee being left on the shower screen).
I was mean't to post this here, posted it in GD by mistake, but I am thinking of getting the "Sage BES875UK The Barista Express", do others use that here? What are the thoughts on it?
If not any other recommendations around £300-400 that I can look into.
If not any other recommendations around £300-400 that I can look into.
you'll find that the volume of coffee varies greatly with the darkness of roast so if your dosing by weight (which is the right way) sometimes it'll hit the shower screen and sometimes it won't. Grind will make a difference but don't worry about that and just concentrate on getting the shot time right by varying the grind.
Caporegime
Can the Barista Express be had below £400 at the moment?
the 18g rimless ims filter, earlier in thread, was easier to extract a puck from than a rimmed marazocco 18g
but need somewhere good to knock out too - some cafes punsh their PF's.
I forget, I thought Italian and other/VMS filters are specified differently for gramme capacity .. so 18g could be 21g in another talk, IMS site specified exact dimensions.
As LuckyBenski said, touching not unusual, I had read coffeforums threads about 'pointy' bolt fileing, to improve flow;
but probably need an E61/$$$ which have push on screens to avoid it, but the dispersion plate directs flow anyway.
If your Rave is already ground ?, then may have to use it faster ... refit on an macap grinder next ? ..I've eyed a few up.
....
I have used caterparts for spares, but also had good email replies from espresso-solutions (good exploded diagrams there), postage always a killer.
Soldato
eBay item number:
323517569944
Thats without the grouphead gasket, if i was buying again i would buy a silicone GH seal, the one i got wouldn't allow the PF to lock in to the 6 o'clock position, luckily the naked filter i got does lock to 6 with this gasket but by all accounts the silicone seals are much better. I'll get one eventually.
@jpaul my rave is in beans, going to pick up a grinder in the next few days.
Soldato
Thanks mate. I already have a silicon GH seal that may be due for replacement so can confirm everything you've just read.
It's my first espresso machine and for a long time it's been solid but it's been neglected for a while (and say unused) so I think it's time it had some TLC!
It's my first espresso machine and for a long time it's been solid but it's been neglected for a while (and say unused) so I think it's time it had some TLC!
Does anyone replace there water tank filter frequently ?, or do they try to re-charge by immersing in saline, I'm never sure if that's really effective
probably less of a concern if you used bottled.
ie https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-So...fee-Machine-Maker-descaler-resin/281948740604
probably less of a concern if you used bottled.
ie https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Water-So...fee-Machine-Maker-descaler-resin/281948740604
Associate
I replace mine every 3-4 months as i put the water though a brita jug before i fill the coffee machine
weird - i didn't ever have one of those... but then i have a softener on the water & some serious filtration on the feed from the bore hole!
Caporegime
Where do you get a naked portafilter from?
Descale - day
40g citric acid in 2L water;
I now syphon out the boiler initially (remove anti-vac valve w/socket), refill with citric through water tank,
then, syphon out, after 30mins wait bringing it up to heat+pulling some water.
- short circuit the low tank level mechanism too, to reduce fluid needed.
syphon'ing out avoids the sour/citric acid taste I used to have for a while, as fresh water dilutes remaining citric
40g citric acid in 2L water;
I now syphon out the boiler initially (remove anti-vac valve w/socket), refill with citric through water tank,
then, syphon out, after 30mins wait bringing it up to heat+pulling some water.
- short circuit the low tank level mechanism too, to reduce fluid needed.
syphon'ing out avoids the sour/citric acid taste I used to have for a while, as fresh water dilutes remaining citric
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