Thread: Coffee Tamps

Originally Posted by dai sensei

That's what I call a wash, it is enough to slowly wash away wax finishes

I think that probably the hand contact/pressure is likely to wear away any sort of wax finish more than a wipe with a surface cleaner.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Nice ones Nick . Not sure about the finish, I would have thought a waterproof finish like CA or Glasscoat etc would be required for washing (not dishwasher though).

Unforunately everyone's hand is different, especially females versus males, so different shapes and colours are probably required and I doubt anyone shape will fit all.

...

I tend to agree and used the shellawax to get some done quickly
I'd probably use the two part rustins normally
in fact I was contemplating rechucking these and re doing them
I'd also like to seal the underside where the wood meets the tamp base.

Originally Posted by daninjt

Any reason why you couldnt use hardwood for the base instead of metal?

I've never seen a wooden one.

Cheers,

I did a Jarrah one for myself a while ago
it's also finished in shellawax and the bottom left natural
it only gets a wipe and not immersion in the suds

tamp and scoop 2.jpgtamp and scoop.jpg

it works well but is not a heavy

if anyone washed my tamper i would give em a clip under the ear .i make about 6 or 7 hundred coffees a week .
i do need to make a new tamper , the one i am using is a tad small for the basket i use now .been on my to do list for a long time .and i dont have a big enough chunk of stainless to make it from .

johno

Nick,

you may have more than me but I think mine is bigger than yours

https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...highlight=salt


If my partners daughters saw your tampers they would be sold like hotcakes. You just need the right market .

Actually I am finding this a great post as I tamp my own coffee but am just using the plastic one supplied so will look at making a wooden one - a great use of nice small pieces.

cheers

Mick

i made a wooden one and used it for a few weeks but could not get to like it , just never felt right . although it did save the a lot of dings on the filter where the mrs gives it a tap all the time ( i have got her out of that habit now when i showed her the damage it was doing to the brass body ) .
i think it just never had the right feel , wood being a lot lighter than the stainless steel . if i had some large enough diameter stainless i would make one that fits my baskets better but i dont have any , although coms to think of it i do have some large diameter brass bar food for thought there .

johno

Well after viewing this thread for a bit but not saying anything.
And having a Sunday in my creative zone
I got busy one chunk off aluminum round about 40mm hiding under the metal lathe some she oak (16mm disk 10 mm thick)
I came up with this and have already scored one free coffee
But am now planing mark 2 ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410684566.101826.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1410684621.943907.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1410684654.260306.jpg

thats a ripper mate i like that one , nice and chunky in the hand .

johno

Thanks johno
Think next one I will go a bit more rounded
I think I need to work on the form a bit
And I might make the she oak insert a little bigger
It seems a little lost a top there

pics are of the one we are using now and have been for about 4 years , think i bought it from chris at bezzera coffee . it is comfy to use but would be triky to make ( off set turning required ) you can see it has bounced off the floor and been glued back together .
pics from side view and front view .

johno

must make a new tamper . and a few mil bigger .

Imm got some more ideas to try out on the next one
That one reminds me of my fathers old shaving brush

I also have a conventionally handled aluminium one but it just doesn't do it for me, it just feels too light in the hand but maybe it's just what you get used to.

I had thought about making one out of Al and drilling out the middle and filling it full of lead shot but it seemed like far more trouble than it was worth.

The thought crossed my mind approximately 5.45 seconds after gluing in the she oak that a little bit of lead would help.
So great minds think a like

ok got a small chunck of stainless from evil bay and had a crack at making a tamper . this is the result of the first attempt . see how well it works over the next few weeks , or few hundered coffees .
had more fun making the base than the handle .
i will be on the look out for some stainless 303 bar stock 60mm so i can try a few other designs , need a bit more tooling too .
johno

solid looking base