Search found 37 matches

by BrewHaHa
Mon Mar 28, 2011 12:59 am
Forum: Coffee Grinders
Topic: Vario and Vivaldi
Replies: 183
Views: 164742

Re: Vario and Vivaldi

Why not set up a coffee bar in a different room? Dining room? Man cave? Truely! Our kitchen is small anyway, so our Vivaldi is on a counter in the laundry room. In the basement. No big deal; it's not like you're spending an hour making a meal. You go down, make the 'spros, and come back up to enjoy...
by BrewHaHa
Fri May 14, 2010 8:08 pm
Forum: Vivaldi Video Villa
Topic: Videos of the Vivaldi
Replies: 57
Views: 50322

Re: Videos of the Vivaldi

Chris told me that if he was going to have triples made up his minimum order would be 2000 baskets. Didn't seem to be an issue for Dalla Corte. Either: a. Dalla Corte expect to sell a LOT more machines than La Spaziale (or, at least expects to sell to a lot more users who want a triple). b. Dalla C...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:02 am
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: The Annual Triple Poll
Replies: 31
Views: 26272

Re: The Annual Triple Poll

So the point of this poll is both to add to the pot of information here and to gauge if anyone would want me to make some more. It's a pain and it takes quite a bit of time and it's certainly not my day job so I'd only do it if there were at least 10 people and then maybe I'd make 20 just in case. ...
by BrewHaHa
Tue Mar 23, 2010 10:14 pm
Forum: Tips & Tricks
Topic: Clear LaSpaziale Portafilter
Replies: 8
Views: 12897

Re: Clear LaSpaziale Portafilter

chas wrote:Cross Posting? I thought you were banned everywhere but here! :bom:
Hilarious!

Get 'em, Endo!

(I would also love to see the video!)
by BrewHaHa
Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:37 pm
Forum: Pride Page
Topic: Speedster Porn
Replies: 39
Views: 39216

Re: Speedster Porn

Maybe the black version should be named "Hipster"!
by BrewHaHa
Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:21 pm
Forum: General Q&A
Topic: yellow / orange gunk in the group screens
Replies: 8
Views: 7759

Re: yellow / orange gunk in the group screens

How often do you swap out the screens? What do you think the yellow/orange gunk that Cafiza doesn't dissolve is? Does it clog the holes in the dispersion block? I typically change out screens every week to 10 days - sometimes 2 weeks. When I'm not lazy or distracted, I swap screens after a week, th...
by BrewHaHa
Sun Jan 24, 2010 1:32 pm
Forum: General Q&A
Topic: yellow / orange gunk in the group screens
Replies: 8
Views: 7759

Re: yellow / orange gunk in the group screens

I'd be more worried about my health than the extraction. Let us know if you find the origin of the gooo. Could it be starting upstream of the machine? I have the typical CC softener and filter upstream, and we have very good water here in PDX, so it doesn't SEEM to me that it's a water quality prob...
by BrewHaHa
Sun Jan 24, 2010 5:04 am
Forum: General Q&A
Topic: yellow / orange gunk in the group screens
Replies: 8
Views: 7759

yellow / orange gunk in the group screens

Often when cleaning the group screens, I find them clogged with yellow/orange gunk. This "gunk" is a really resilient, rubbery substance that blocks the holes on both of the screens. It's not so obvious until you hold one of the screens up to a flat light source, such as a florescent light...
by BrewHaHa
Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:41 pm
Forum: Accessories
Topic: New No-Burn 4 hole Tip
Replies: 34
Views: 35505

Re: New No-Burn 4 hole Tip

Endo wrote:Can't afford a new wrench....saving up for a Speedster. :lol:
LOL!!!
by BrewHaHa
Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:36 pm
Forum: Suggested Improvements
Topic: 1 Degree Fahrenheit Adjustment
Replies: 56
Views: 60247

Re: 1 Degree Fahrenheit Adjustment

I had a Chef who literally held my hand through the entire process, the entire time I worked for him. Literally held your hand the entire time you worked for him?? How long did you work there? How did either of you get anything done? :lol: (I'm sure when you say "literally" you actually m...
by BrewHaHa
Fri Dec 18, 2009 2:46 am
Forum: VII Out-of-Warranty Problems
Topic: Descale questions. Boiler Cap melted
Replies: 2
Views: 7513

Re: Descale questions. Boiler Cap melted

Hi, I finally got around to taking care of the automatic boiler refill alarm, and I did clean out some deposits as you guys suggested in that previous post. Thanks!. I decided to also descale the boilers. I took apart the steam boiler, but before doing so, I noticed that a couple connections looked...
by BrewHaHa
Sun Nov 08, 2009 8:44 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Drain plumbing - with pictures
Replies: 30
Views: 48559

Re: Drain plumbing - with pictures

Thanks, Sylvain! Good info, and an especially good optioin for people like me, with an original Vivaldi w/o the drain hole in the metal plate beneath the drip tray.
by BrewHaHa
Fri Oct 09, 2009 5:46 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Persistent Channeling
Replies: 24
Views: 20749

Re: Persistent Channeling

Lately I've tried dosing more, and I can tell that the coffee touches the dispersion screen when I lock the PF in before the shot. This always seemed like over-dosing to me, but it seems to work on the La Spaz??? If you lock in the full PF, then remove it (before pulling the shot) and see that grou...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:08 pm
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: $14 Triple Baskets!
Replies: 33
Views: 37118

Re: $14 Triple Baskets!

Well, a while back I did pick up a couple of La San Marco 202118 21gram baskets (from Michaelo Espresso in Seattle), as well as a couple Dalla Corte triple baskets from espressoparts.com. The baskets are virtually the same size, so, like the Dalla Corte, the San Marco triple will not fit in a Vivald...
by BrewHaHa
Fri Jun 26, 2009 1:33 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Hello
Replies: 71
Views: 54940

Re: Hello

If you make an appointment & take a drive down you can get some very good deals on grinders they haven't cleaned up. The pickings are getting slim... Sounds like it was a pretty sweet deal back when you got your machines. Almost like finding buried treasure. Quite an image - rummaging through p...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:18 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Hello
Replies: 71
Views: 54940

Re: Hello

I'm thrilled with my Majors & the fact that the pair of them fully restored didn't cost me as much as the little Vario is frosting on the cake. Hmmm... I don't remember you saying what your "favorite "Mazzer Store"" is. Could it be you're waiting for a pair of Roburs to come...
by BrewHaHa
Tue Jun 23, 2009 6:33 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Steam Boiler is not refilling
Replies: 1
Views: 4068

Re: Steam Boiler is not refilling

Update: Jason at Chris' Coffee Service emailed me some excellent instructions. Turns out the boiler over-filled. Fortunately, it seems like a one-time incident. (Once I found out the boiler had over-filled, I noticed that other people here have had more trouble and/or expense fixing over-filling iss...
by BrewHaHa
Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:35 pm
Forum: Maintenance and Repair
Topic: Steam Boiler is not refilling
Replies: 1
Views: 4068

Steam Boiler is not refilling

Hi, all... A sad day for me. My steam boiler isn't refilling. No pump action, no error lights - nothing. I searched the forum, and I can't seem to find this exact issue. I wrote to Chris' Coffee Service this morning, but haven't received an answer yet. I thought I'd post here, even if just to docume...
by BrewHaHa
Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:38 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Hello
Replies: 71
Views: 54940

Re: Hello

You can't use the 4 hole tip on the no-burn wand, but you can use the no-burn 2 hole tip on the stock wand. As discussed in another thread on this forum, one way to use the 4 hole tip (or other non-no-burn tips) on the no-burn arm is to wrap the arm's Teflon tube with Teflon pipe thread tape until ...
by BrewHaHa
Sun Jun 07, 2009 4:04 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Mini Steaming Pressure Video
Replies: 10
Views: 9884

Re: Mini Steaming Pressure Video

No idea how it would work on your Mini but I have no issues with my 1.29mm tip with small milk quantities. I use the 16oz Motta pitcher for all my steaming whether it is for a Cappa or Latte. The steam knob gives you very good control if you only want a small amount of steam. How much milk do you s...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:54 am
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: On and Off
Replies: 6
Views: 7208

Re: On and Off

If you REALLY want reasons to obsess about this, here's a thread over on coffeed about on/off vs. on24/7: http://www.coffeed.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2402 One comment I thought especially interesting was from Terry at Espressoparts. Here's an excerpt: "Leaving the machine on 24/7 is the best...
by BrewHaHa
Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:59 am
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Just ordered
Replies: 46
Views: 32962

Re: Just ordered

I don't know how I'd handle a plumbed-in toilet, either. It's so part of my "ritual" to pour the buckets of water into the tank before my daily constitutional. How boring to just be able to push a handle to flush. ;-) But seriously, having a plumbed-in espresso machine is SO nice. I didn't...
by BrewHaHa
Fri May 29, 2009 4:42 pm
Forum: Tampers
Topic: Favorite Tamper?
Replies: 108
Views: 92883

Re: Favorite Tamper?

A tamper can't actually prevent popcorning, can it? Seems like only a layer of more beans can prevent beans from popping up out of the burrs. A tamper just prevents them from popping up as high, no? ...for everyone to agree on exactly how many "layers" are required would require a long, b...
by BrewHaHa
Fri May 29, 2009 2:05 am
Forum: Tampers
Topic: Favorite Tamper?
Replies: 108
Views: 92883

Re: Favorite Tamper?

JohnB wrote:The Thor spends most of its time preventing popcorning in my Major but the others see regular use.
A tamper can't actually prevent popcorning, can it? Seems like only a layer of more beans can prevent beans from popping up out of the burrs. A tamper just prevents them from popping up as high, no?
by BrewHaHa
Thu May 07, 2009 11:17 pm
Forum: Tips & Tricks
Topic: Reducing Steam Pressure?
Replies: 35
Views: 40249

Re: Reducing Steam Pressure?

Which steams better? I prefer the one where the steam goes down more...but that said....both are way too powerful for anything less than a 20 oz pitcher. Still looking for a tip that will work with my smaller 12 oz pitcher (single Latte size). After trying 6 different tips (2,3 and 4 holes), I'm st...
by BrewHaHa
Tue Mar 03, 2009 5:03 pm
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: $14 Triple Baskets!
Replies: 33
Views: 37118

Re: $14 Triple Baskets!

hey johnb, nice idea with the DC baskets. i was also wondering if la san marco baskets fit and whether they ever made triples anyay...? I posted this a couple days ago: "One other option I haven't personally checked out is a 53mm La San Marco triple basket. I read on another forum that it fits...
by BrewHaHa
Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:13 pm
Forum: Temp Measurements & Tools
Topic: Scace Needs T Thermocouple Compatible Digital Thermometer
Replies: 50
Views: 43207

Re: Scace Needs T Thermocouple Compatible Digital Thermometer

JohnB wrote:Just ordered one of these for the occasional temp check & my roasting which I'm getting ready to jump into:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0312364913 About $50 cheaper then I see it elsewhere.
Good find! Just snagged one myself.

Thanks for the link!

-John
by BrewHaHa
Fri Feb 27, 2009 11:50 am
Forum: Suggested Improvements
Topic: Remember state after power failure
Replies: 2
Views: 6517

Remember state after power failure

There's nothing sadder than to get up in the morning and find the Vivaldi's standby light blinking because of a power interruption during the night. :cry: (And I don't get up early enough to wait for the machine to warm up before leaving for work, so no 'spro for me.) I wish the machine could rememb...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:01 pm
Forum: Tampers
Topic: Espro Tampers
Replies: 42
Views: 36401

Re: Espro Tampers

Looks like the concave Original Gourmet Espresso Tamper is still being sold, but unfortunately it's only offered in a dual 50mm/55mm version. It's not really a design one would want to use on a regular basis, but for $20 it might be fun to play with, IF it had been the right diameter. black_tamper-l...
by BrewHaHa
Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:53 pm
Forum: Pride Page
Topic: Put Up Your Latte Art Pics!
Replies: 141
Views: 137486

Re: Put Up Your Latte Art Pics!

Have you seen James Hoffman's "Absurd Latte Art Challenge"from last year?
(Don't miss the pics posted in the comments!)

Here's one example:
LatteCash.JPG
LatteCash.JPG (39.52 KiB) Viewed 89224 times
by BrewHaHa
Mon Nov 17, 2008 2:29 pm
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: triple basket update
Replies: 25
Views: 22308

Re: triple basket update

TomP10 wrote:... I will withdraw the offers from anyone who has not responded by Thanksgiving (11/27). On Black Friday I will send PM messages to the next set of folks *patiently* waiting.

- Tom
Thanks for the update, Tom. I can now relax - nervously - until then...

- "Patient" in Portland
by BrewHaHa
Tue Nov 11, 2008 4:07 pm
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: triple basket update
Replies: 25
Views: 22308

Re: triple basket update

michael wrote:whats on that page; is that different from the waiting list for triples 8)
No, I think we're talking about the same thing. It's this page, that he referred to in the first post of the thread:
http://homeroastespresso.googlepages.com/53mmtriples
by BrewHaHa
Tue Nov 11, 2008 2:13 pm
Forum: Triple Baskets
Topic: triple basket update
Replies: 25
Views: 22308

Re: triple basket update

I've been trying to limit myself to refreshing Tom's Want-to-buy list page no more than, oh, 10 times an hour... :bounce:
by BrewHaHa
Thu Nov 06, 2008 2:29 am
Forum: General Q&A
Topic: Great first extraction..second is runnier?
Replies: 29
Views: 22631

Re: Great first extraction..second is runnier?

It doesn't seem like you want to raise the temp OR adjust the grind to make all your shots like the first shot. If I understand you correctly: 1. Your first shot, that you pull before any warming flushes, is great. 2. Without changing any other variable, subsequent shots are not as good. I think we'...
by BrewHaHa
Fri Oct 31, 2008 12:32 pm
Forum: VII General Q&A
Topic: No-Burn steam arm
Replies: 8
Views: 9762

Re: No-Burn steam arm

You can actually put the four hole tip on the no burn arm but then it loses its no burn characteristics. The No Burn Arm has a Teflon tube inside and then the tip has a clear silicone gasket that insulates the tip from the arm. Without that clear silicon gasket you lose the no burn. The tip has to ...
by BrewHaHa
Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:53 pm
Forum: General Q&A
Topic: New York City???
Replies: 5
Views: 5627

Re: New York City???

Here's another good resource to check when you're traveling around:
http://espressomap.com/

It's not comprehensive, but it if a place is on the map, it's probably worth a visit.

Have fun!

-John
by BrewHaHa
Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:40 pm
Forum: Mini General Q&A
Topic: Mini owners! Need your help.
Replies: 15
Views: 12110

Re: Mini owners! Need your help.

The 20A will only factor in if both boilers need to run at the same time. Exactly. In other words, switching to 20A operation doesn't make the steam boiler heat up any faster or any hotter, it simply ensures that the steam boiler element stays on even if the group boiler element comes on. If the gr...

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