# Plymouth - help needed



## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Hi

I am new to coffee forums and live in Plymouth and am struggling with my coffee set up. I have an mdf grinder and have just bought a rancillio Silvia (upgraded from a gaggia baby twin). I wondered if there was anyone around here who might be happy to spare half an hour to give me a few tips?

I have had basic barrista training and know about brew ratios etc grind etc.. But putting it into practice on this kit is proving hard.

It is a bit of a coffee desert here in Plymouth so I thought I'd try the forum route.

If anyone could that would be great.

Cheers

Robert


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

No where near you , but had a silvia up until recently . What do you think you require help on with it ?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Hi Robert and welcome to Coffee Forums UK

Were you finding shots are coming through too quickly by any chance?

What coffee are you using? (and when was it roasted)

Do you have scales?


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Hi thank to you both for getting in touch. This is the situation. I use HasBean coffee which is freshly roasted and sent to me on the weekly 'in my cup' deal so the coffee should be fresh. I am using a gaggia mdf grinder which has been cleaned. The rancilio i bought second hand off ebay but from someone who seemed to know what they were doing and had upgraded to more significant kit which is a good sign. He says he has had no problem with this rancilio but you don't know what standard of coffee he was making.

When i make an espresso I, weight the coffee and try 8gr in a single cup of 15gr in a double. The issues seems to be that if i grind on a setting of 3 then the coffee comes through too fast&#8230; If i grind on 2 it either takes a long time till the coffee comes through&#8230; i.e. over extracted&#8230; or does not pull at all. Also, the most annoying thing seems to be inconsistency with whether i get water seeping through&#8230; Some shots there has been a powerful stream of water coming out of the back of the group head and other times there is just a lot of water that seems to drip into the cup at the same time as the espresso. I have made videos of these happening if that would help.

Sometimes it does not happen but the inconsistency is infuriating. I have spent the weekend trying to make the grinder step less&#8230; via the use of plumbing tape (the idea being that maybe i need a grind of 2.5 for the perfect shot) but i could not seem to do this so gave up. I have been toying with getting the vario grinder but don't want to spend £300 when the machine also is going to need sorting. I know a bit about brew ratio and weighing the shot etc but to be honest the setup at the moment is too inconsistent with this water problem to get down to that level. I would really appreciate your thoughts or any advice you have

thanks a lot

Rupert (sorry - Robert was autocorrect mistype i didn't spot)


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Definitely need to change the grinder, the MDF can do a good job but its limitation is the size of the steps between grind settings, consider a step less grinder and if you have the room perhaps a commercial, as the burrs are ginger and the grind consistency better, if size is a limiting factor I would recommended the eureka mignon a very well respected little grinder on this forum.


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## repeat (Nov 14, 2009)

Should still be able to get good shots with the setup without upgrading. Need to understand what is wrong with current shots. Too fast, too sour or bitter, etc.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

My experience of the MDF is that when all to often you end with the perfect grind setting between the factory settings, it is a competent grinder and if the bean is right you can get a good shot from it, but this is made all the more harder if the ideal is I between settings. An option is to try the finer setting and tamp lighter or vice versa.


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

It's all about opinions and mine varies slightly. The MDF is a fabulous grinder with just one flaw, it is stepped. So just do the stepless modification. Also, adjust your tamp, heavier on 3 and lighter on 2. The stepless mod takes 5 minutes from what I can remember and is worth it - although I use another grinder now, I have pulled shots just as good with the MDF. I have said before, in the States, I was surprised to see some respected coffee chains pairing the MDF with some fairly costly machines. But remember that the pull is a combination of coffee, freshness, grind, and tamp.


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

Here

http://coffeeaspirations.blogspot.com.es/2006/07/barista-guild-of-america-and-how-to.html

and

http://www.home-barista.com/grinders/gaggia-mdf-stepless-mod-with-pictures-t10163.html


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

I have an MDF on my bench right now and I suppose everyone is entitled to their own opinion but side by side next to a mignon, the mignon is a much better grinder, better grind consistency and much more fuller flavour in the cup, but that is my opinion based on side by side tasting.


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## xiuxiuejar (Jan 24, 2012)

Never used the Mignon and I'm not comparing but my point is that with the stepless mod he will have a slow, direct drive grinder that won't burn or beat the beans and that produces actually a very consistant grind. He doesn't want to spend money if he doesn't have to.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

I think most silvia owners of which I have been, will attest that they are really grind sensitive and are hard work at times, but once ou master them they are fantastic machines, from threads and experience of users on here they usually upgrade the entry level grinder I.e rocky, MDF to something a bit more substantial like a mazzer super jolly and then start to see the fruits of their grinder investment. All too often people do not invest in their grinder and wonder why the shots are not knockout, if ou invest as much money into the grinder as you do in the machine the results are so much better, anyway if the indeed the OP does not want to spend any more money then modding what they have in terms of grinder and routine is the only way to go.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

coffeechap said:


> I think most silvia owners of which I have been, will attest that they are really grind sensitive and are hard work at times, but once ou master them they are fantastic machines, from threads and experience of users on here they usually upgrade the entry level grinder I.e rocky, MDF to something a bit more substantial like a mazzer super jolly and then start to see the fruits of their grinder investment. All too often people do not invest in their grinder and wonder why the shots are not knockout, if ou invest as much money into the grinder as you do in the machine the results are so much better, anyway if the indeed the OP does not want to spend any more money then modding what they have in terms of grinder and routine is the only way to go.


+1 what he said


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks for the ideas... I tried making the grinder stepless this weekend but had problems screwing the top burr back on once it had been taped and gave up. I'll try again.

Any ideas on why I would be getting the water dripping (and sometimes a stream shooting) from the group head?


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Also using the expro tamper so consistently getting 30lb pressure


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Your group seal probably needs changing, have u read the threads here on temp surfing with the silvia and an appropriate routine? Espro tampers are good training aids but 30 lbs is sometimes just too much pressure, I tamp at around 15 tops!!!! Some time harder, the thing with the gaggia as a stepped grinder is that you will have to adjust the tamp pressure to get a good shot, or as has been said before do the mod, wonder if anyone is close enough to ou to come over and help....


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## shaun1 (Oct 8, 2012)

Hi Rupert.

I'm also in Plymouth. How are you getting on? Have you tried any of the suggestions yet?

If you're still struggling I would happily try to help although I'm no expert!

Shaun.


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Hi Shaun I am slowly working my way through some of things people have suggested but if you are in Plymouth it would be great to get some help... It would also be nice to meet someone else who is interested as it is a bit of a coffee dessert down here!

Cheers

Rupert


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## shaun1 (Oct 8, 2012)

Hi Rupert.

PM sent.


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## Nod (Sep 7, 2013)

Thanks to everyone for their help. I will replace the group head gasket, work on getting the grinder stepless and start temperature surfing. Rupert


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