# The Puff before the Pull



## Deidre (Aug 13, 2019)

Have you ever noticed a very light puff of coffee grinds appear in the cup when you first pull the lever down? Is it simply the pressure exerted, and to be expected, or do I have air in the group that shouldn't be there?

I don't recall noticing this when I first began using the L1, but then again, I was focussing on other things! It may be related to my using a low dose (14 grams) and the light bits of coffee grinds that remain against the side of the basket, after levelling & tamping, above the compressed puck? I also raised the pstat level a bit recently. Could this be the explanation?


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

I have been pondering this all day and can't think where a puff of coffee grinds could appear from apart from around the edges of your group, outside the portafilter edges - have a wipe around there, is there anything? What baskets do you use?


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Could it be puck jump? The puck moving & shaking out some fines when a vacuum is created by lifting the piston?


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Yes ^^ are you pulling the lever quite slowly?


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## Deidre (Aug 13, 2019)

MWJB said:


> Could it be puck jump? The puck moving & shaking out some fines when a vacuum is created by lifting the piston?


 Maybe?? Is puck jump a normal behaviour for pucks? I certainly don't tamp as firmly as many do, preferring low dose, fine grind, light-ish tamp. Could my lighter tamp explain it?

(I should add I get really good naked pours, no signs of channelling, no spurts nor sprays nor erratic behaviour, and the spent puck is nice & even... nothing looks amiss.)



MildredM said:


> Yes ^^ are you pulling the lever quite slowly?


 Hmmm, I may indeed be bit slowish (or gentle) on the lever, not sure though. I pull it straight down, not harshly, just a nice even pull down, reach the bottom and then see a few grinds have sprinkled onto the base of my cup. Not many grinds, just a dusting, but it is a curious thing. At first I thought I must have picked a few stray grinds on the bottom of the pf when tamping, so I have been wiping the pf completely before putting it in the group. The grouphead is pristine inside (espazzola-ed☺)so it is a puzzle.

My usual basket is the original sloped & ridged londinium double basket, but 14 gram dose does sit low, so there are a few grinds that cling to the inner sides of the basket after tamping the dose. Could these get dislodged & fly off into the cup somehow or other, when the lever pulls downwards?

Very odd!?


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## Deidre (Aug 13, 2019)

I don't know if this other behaviour change could be a factor at all: The portafilter does not sit at the 6 o'clock position as easily as it did before I cleaned the gasket and shower screen a week or so ago. It is a much harder tug to get close to the 6 o'clock position, and the locked in pf still sits a bit shy of where it did before the clean. I just assumed the seal needed to re-settle in there with use for a bit, and would then be as it was before the cleaning. (No leaking, all fine there.)

Puck-jumping sounds like a nice affliction to have, regardless!☺


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

I've seen a few fines land in my cups (again, no Londo but Alex Izzo spring lever). Also dosing rather low, thus rather fine. Think they're just being forced through basket holes upon preinfusion - nothing I worry about as they would land in cup anyways


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## Deidre (Aug 13, 2019)

Hasi said:


> I've seen a few fines land in my cups (again, no Londo but Alex Izzo spring lever). Also dosing rather low, thus rather fine. Think they're just being forced through basket holes upon preinfusion - nothing I worry about as they would land in cup anyways


 Ah, mystery solved then! Thank you! I was curious about how or why or where they were getting through. ?


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## iroko (Nov 9, 2012)

I sometimes get a few fines in the cup sometimes, no problem.


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