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Ron Dunn
18th February 2009, 09:52 AM
A coffee tamper is used to press ground coffee into the spigot of an espresso machine. They're usually made with a turned wooden handle, and a face of a disc of metal such as copper or brass.

I was about to go and hunt for one in local shops, but it suddenly occurred to me that there might be someone in the forum who would rather have the money.

Let me know if you're in this business :)

Ron.

Sawdust Maker
18th February 2009, 11:18 AM
I haven't but have seen examples and had thought of making a couple for something to do. Better then the plastic one which came with my machine.
Any idea what shape you would like? and timber? With a hardwood I don't think a metal disc would be required.

starr
18th February 2009, 12:58 PM
I turned one up from a small piece of Jarrah, finished with bees wax. There is no need for a metal bottom.

It works well. The shape can be whatever is pleasing to the hand, as long you turn the bottom to fit the coffee holder exactly.

BobL
18th February 2009, 01:14 PM
Here is my tamper set (I have a bunch of plastic and toy tampers but these are for serious coffee making.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=96753&stc=1&d=1234922751
From the left

Hand carved sandalwood, full thread here (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=37868).
This one is my favorite by far.

Next is a commercial one in Jarrah (this is the first one I bought and the only serious one I have with a flat base, all the others are curved)

The next one is hand carved spalted pear wood

Then a blackboy and cork model

Lastly my only turned handle in crapiata - I was going to give this one away but I decided to keep it and as I had a spare base I mounted it - I will replace it with either Huon, apricot or apple WIGRTI.

A curved metal base is near essential to evenly generate the 13.63 kg down force across the coffee in the basket. The shape of the curve varies with shape and depth of the base and the length of granny's nose :D

To see "the guru" of coffee tampers go to http://www.coffeetamper.com/

No I am not a coffee geek, well not as much as I am a ww geek these days.

Ozkaban
18th February 2009, 01:40 PM
that's a nice collection, Bobl.

I'd love to make some tamps, but I don't have a decent way of making a metal base. How do you do yours - do you make your own? I know you can use wood, but I would prefer the metal.

There's a lot of argument about whether the base should be slightly curved, or flat. But like most things in coffee, I tend to find whatever way tastes good to me and stick to that!!!

This guy makes and sells them - very expensive though (but they are brilliant)
http://www.coffeetamper.com.au/

Cheers,
Dave

rsser
18th February 2009, 01:54 PM
Curved as in concave or convex?

Ozkaban
18th February 2009, 02:15 PM
convex - usually by about 1.5mm or so across the width of the tamp.

Sturdee
18th February 2009, 03:27 PM
I'm not so much interested in the tampers but rather a base for holding the spigot thingy onto. Currently have to usethe edge of the kitchen table.:~


Peter.

BobL
18th February 2009, 04:10 PM
This guy makes and sells them - very expensive though (but they are brilliant)
http://www.coffeetamper.com.au/


That's where my Jarrah handled one is from - Pullman Tampers.

One very sensitive test of how well a barista tamps is to get them to use a naked or crutchless portafilter. Like this.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=96766&stc=1&d=1234933663

If you do it right the coffee looks like this dripping honey coming direct from the basket.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=96767&stc=1&d=1234933663

If it's not freshly roasted, ground or tamped correctly it will come out as little squirts and jets. These cannot be seen with a conventional portafilter handle. The crutchless portafilter teaches you to do all these things right which in turn makes a better coffee.

BobL
18th February 2009, 04:22 PM
I'm not so much interested in the tampers but rather a base for holding the spigot thingy onto. Currently have to usethe edge of the kitchen table.:~


Peter.

This is what I use - twas made for me as a birthday present but one of the guys at work. The portafilter (or Spigot) sits in between the two bits of wood on the LHS. Works great!

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=96771&stc=1&d=1234934504

Ozkaban
18th February 2009, 04:51 PM
Hi Bob,

Is that a picture of you extracting coffee or a stock photo :;???

Like your knock box. Is it the bottom half of a 2l milk carton in there? Very nifty.

cheers,
Dave

BobL
18th February 2009, 05:04 PM
Hi Bob,

Is that a picture of you extracting coffee or a stock photo :;???

Like your knock box. Is it the bottom half of a 2l milk carton in there? Very nifty.

I took those photos back in about 2004 when I made my first crutchless.

The knock box has a plastic insert - cut down from a taller plastic box to fit the space. It's about the same size as a 2L milk carton. It stops the water from any sloppy pucks making a mass of the wood. These days I line the box with a plastic bag.

nalmo
18th February 2009, 08:39 PM
I've made a few tampers for friends, generally out of Red Gum, washed scrubbed & left natural. I make them flat across the bottom - not sure about the cocave/convex discussion. The water pressure would be even across the face of the "plug" of coffee until the initial seal is broken.

Another little coffee turning exercise was to replace a broken handle on a "Elektra" machine - the old fashioned type with a large lever which pulls a plunger up against the spring to generate the pressure as the coffee is pulled.

http://www.coffeeitalia.com.au/prodimages/DivisioneCasa/Familyretro/MicroCasaLeva/MicroCasaLevaCop&Brass/lever.jpg

Excellent spindle turning practice as it had to match the other handle on the machine which had not broken - plenty of beads coves & shoulders. Just wish I could get that syruppy looking coffee out of my machine.

Sturdee
18th February 2009, 09:59 PM
This is what I use - twas made for me as a birthday present but one of the guys at work. The portafilter (or Spigot) sits in between the two bits of wood on the LHS. Works great!

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=96771&stc=1&d=1234934504

Thanks Bob, seems simple enough to make, will be on top of my list once I've finished insulating and reorganising my workshop.


Peter.

RETIRED
19th February 2009, 08:03 AM
I'm glad I am cultured and drink tea. :whistling::rolleyes:

Ozkaban
19th February 2009, 08:09 AM
I'm glad I am cultured and drink tea. :whistling::rolleyes:

That's fair enough. Tea is an acceptable alternative. :cool:

I'll let you settle back in your paisley armchair with your tea strainer resting delicately on the bone china saucer whilst sipping your darjeeling with one pinky in the air:no:

I'm off to wake up with a decent double-shot espresso, thanks:2tsup:

:D:D:D

cheers,
Dave

Grumpy John
19th February 2009, 08:18 AM
I'm glad I am cultured and drink tea. :whistling::rolleyes:

:stirthepot:

Sturdee
19th February 2009, 08:33 AM
I'm glad I am cultured and drink tea. :whistling::rolleyes:

So do I. I drink it once every 10 years just to prove that I still don't like it.:D


Peter.

Ed Reiss
19th February 2009, 08:48 AM
Bob...interesting collection of coffee tampers, never heard of or saw one before your post.:U

TTIT
19th February 2009, 08:56 AM
I'm glad I am cultured and drink tea. :whistling::rolleyes::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:


One very sensitive test of how well a barista tamps is to get them to use a naked or crutchless portafilter. Like this.

So do I. I drink it once every 10 years just to prove that I still don't like it.:D

.............I'll off to wake up with a decent double-shot espresso, thanks:2tsup:
I reckon it sounds like a whole lot of buggerizin' around to me. Hmmmph - billy tea .vs. lattechinowhatsies - that's what separates the 'yuppies' from the 'boys from the bush' I spose!:U:;

Ozkaban
19th February 2009, 09:02 AM
Bob...interesting collection of coffee tampers, never heard of or saw one before your post.:U

Thats 'cos Americans don't drink coffee :D:D:D

Well, at lest not 'proper' coffee :;

cheers,
Dave

switt775
19th February 2009, 09:16 AM
:exactly:
Thats 'cos Americans don't drink coffee :D:D:D

Well, at lest not 'proper' coffee :;

cheers,
Dave

:whs:

Ron Dunn
19th February 2009, 01:37 PM
Wow! I had no idea it was such as rich/deep field.

Thanks to all for the responses.

BobL
22nd February 2009, 11:44 AM
I reckon it sounds like a whole lot of buggerizin' around to me. Hmmmph - billy tea .vs. lattechinowhatsies - that's what separates the 'yuppies' from the 'boys from the bush' I spose!:U:;

I got into coffee because it's about the same level of technicallity and degree of buggesrizin around as setting up and new lathe and making sets of rests and chuck jaws. A measure of the seriousness of my coffee machine and grinders is I paid about the same for them as mid-range Vicmarc! :oo: This level of expenditure is not essential but it's like comparing a Vicmarc to a GMC.

Anyway real coffee is espresso (definitely no milk or sugar, and no lattechinowhatsies). If I add anything to it, it's grappa. My favorite is a 14 g basket short espresso (15-20 s shot) I'll match that for oophm and complexity against any billy-tea any time.

The process is also very similar to quality wood/metal work with three factors required in roughly equal amounts, hand skill, good machines (yes a quality grinder is essential) and good freshly roasted and ground coffee. Making tea . . . . . well? . . . where's the challenge???

Yes I do drink like and tea - mainly not many people or restaurants can make a half decent coffee. It is also possible to get quite good coffee from a plunger - but once again freshly roasted coffee, and a good grinder are essential.

Groggy
22nd February 2009, 11:49 AM
Fancy machines seem a waste. The best coffee I have ever had was brewed in a saucepan in the middle of a desert. Darn stuff made my eyes slam open and I was hyper for at least 5 hours - but the taste was to die for. It was made by a bunch of young Columbian soldiers (and no, there were no powdered additives...). I just wish I knew their secret.