# WDT Tool



## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Hi, Could anyone advice me at all on a WDT tool and whether it is worth it. My kids want to get me something for Christmas and at the moment I use an unbent paperclip which I actually find really useful. They have some lovely ones on Etsy but are not from the UK , the Londinium one seems to be the only UK option . Are they worth the money or not and would I be getting the same results as I do at the moment? I am not into making stuff myself, I haven't the tools or the patience.


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

Do the make a difference? I think so, more so on certain grinders than others. I use mine all the time. Are they worth it? Well, that depends what you think they are worth it. I didn't pay much for mine... I think it was USD 20? Or something rather. Would I be happy with a barbecue skewers instead, or a toothpick? Yes. 🙂


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

OK thanks, its a shame they are more affordable from other countries and seem limited in the UK.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

....just buy from another country?


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Yes I would but with postage it doesn't make them that much cheaper than the Londinium one and if that is better quality then it would be best to pay an extra fiver and get that one.


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

buy cheap buy twice


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

nearly £50 with postage,

wow


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

Irisco said:


> buy cheap buy twice


 agree to some extent, but not on this occasion lol

the decent guy said cork and some acupuncture needles,

i made my own
View attachment 42140


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

its not as big in person 😆


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Do they scratch the basket?


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

mine doesnt, i rounded the edge, and the londonium wouldnt


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## InfamousTuba (Feb 5, 2020)

You could probably buy some cheap inoculating loops from ebay and use those because they are probably identical to what are used in most of the WDTs i can see


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Yes thanks, I'll look into it. I'm sure there will be a few corks flying around at Christmas I can use!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Sugru mouldable rubber and some eye pins is my solution, I call it the Sloughdinium WDT tool.

I also find it helps basket prep and reduces the likelihood of spritzers or dead spots.

I must say, I would much prefer the real deal from Reiss, but my ghetto version works ok and just now I'm not really feeling that flush to actually buy a proper one!


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

@Irisco "My kids want to get me something for Christmas" give them some extra pocket money as you get a free Londinium WDT with every LR24 purchase - happy days


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Now theres a thought!


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## Inspector (Feb 23, 2017)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chef-Aid-2-Mini-Whisks/dp/B000NORGDC/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=mini+whisker&qid=1606847645&sr=8-6

small one works fine for me if i need to use it with very fine grinds.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

Irisco said:


> Yes I would but with postage it doesn't make them that much cheaper than the Londinium one and if that is better quality then it would be best to pay an extra fiver and get that one.


 Are you looking at this? https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/791419499/wdt-tool-espresso-stirrer-coffee?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=WDT+tool&ref=sr_gallery-1-2&organic_search_click=1&bes=1

No reason to believe there would be a quality difference at all, one is just branded they do the same thing. You can make one yourself as others have said that will give just as good results for 1% of the price.

There's a whole variety of wood finishes to choose from on etsy too and the Londinium one is priced excluding VAT and shipping so it's not £5 more. In fact the Londinium one comes out to just short of £50 and the etsy one comes out to about £28.


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Well I'm working on the "spouses" exchange rate. £5.00 told to my husband usually does equal £20 but I don't let on.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Yes, my fear is that when I die, she'll sell my coffee gear and hifi for what I told her they cost...


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## matted (Sep 30, 2019)

I made one from the cork of a special bottle of tequila.

Fortaleza tequila. Was amazing to drink and very easy to then use the cork, trim some pipe cleaners from eBay and stick in the cork.

Simple.


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Thanks, that looks good!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

The main problem with my version is the pins are fairly soft and will bend a bit like a paper clip. I think Reiss uses decent spring steel wires which don't easily kink. My pins came from a craft shop on Ebay, and I suspect that nichrome inoculation loops would also kink rather than spring. Might be worth buying a length of spring steel wire, but I'm not sure what gauge would be stiff enough without being overly thick. Maybe a G string? (stop sniggering at the back!)


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## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

I was tempted to make my own from spare bicycle spokes as I think the J bends on them would be quite good at mixing. Never got round to it and bought the Londinium one in the end, works well and wires are pretty sturdy.


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## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)

Got mine off Etsy with free delivery bout 6 months back.. olive wood mine is by a guy called edeko design


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Lovely! thanks.


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## InfamousTuba (Feb 5, 2020)

hotmetal said:


> The main problem with my version is the pins are fairly soft and will bend a bit like a paper clip. I think Reiss uses decent spring steel wires which don't easily kink. My pins came from a craft shop on Ebay, and I suspect that nichrome inoculation loops would also kink rather than spring. Might be worth buying a length of spring steel wire, but I'm not sure what gauge would be stiff enough without being overly thick. Maybe a G string? (stop sniggering at the back!)


 I was thinking that stainless steel inoculation loops would do the job but they are quite expensive for just making one tool. It is a shame I don't work in a lab anymore. Spring steel wire might be a good choice. Might have to do some more investigating over christmas.

Something like this could work: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/30pcs-Spinner-Lure-Making-Wire-Spinner-Shaft-Stainless-Steel-Bending-Forming-/223801783218


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## MediumRoastSteam (Jul 7, 2015)

It doesn't need to be complicated...

this was my fancy one for a while. It did the trick

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/topic/41198-la-pav/?do=embed&comment=589598&embedComment=589598&embedDo=findComment


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## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)




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## B-Roadie (Feb 29, 2016)

Northern_Monkey said:


> I was tempted to make my own from spare bicycle spokes as I think the J bends on them would be quite good at mixing. Never got round to it and bought the Londinium one in the end, works well and wires are pretty sturdy.
> 
> View attachment 49017


 🤦‍♂️

I've never thought of this. Must have a thousand spokes in the garage.

FWIW, I use WDT with every shot. With the Mignon grinder it's almost a necessity with a bottomless PF. I just use a cocktail stick, nice as it doesn't mark the basket at all.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Introducing the Sloughdinium MkII, new improved ghetto version of the LDT. Instead of a lump of Sugru and 3 easily bent eye pins, the 'luxury' (ha!) MkII now features a mini cork and longer, less bendable pins which are actually spring steel for making your own fishing lures. Couple of quid on Ebay via a slow boat from China.

The hotmetalette's response was 'just get one off Etsy and have done with it'. Muahahaha... my work here is done. I might suggest to her that my Christmas project is to make a 1-group dual boiler lever machine next, using bean cans and sweetie tins...


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## Rincewind (Aug 25, 2020)

hotmetal said:


> ... I might suggest to her...


 Wow you're a brave man 😰 ....Rule No.1 in Happy Marriages (aka How to live longer), Never ever "suggest" anything to a woman unless there is a clear exit route; you are armed with flowers/chocolate/s; or your life is crap and you've decided to end it all and this seemed like a better option than head in the oven.

Well done on the *ghetto* version...IMO it just needs some "graffiti"/other to make it look "ard"


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## adam85 (Feb 16, 2018)

adam85 said:


> ...Another excuse for me to show what I made at Christmas 😅😁 In my opinion, works well --- and in this time of lockdown, you've every right to make use of a bottled drink that has a cork to use 🙃
> 
> Nice advice chaps!
> 
> View attachment 38308


 Oooh yes, I get to share this again 🤣


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

hotmetal said:


> Introducing the Sloughdinium MkII, new improved ghetto version of the LDT. Instead of a lump of Sugru and 3 easily bent eye pins, the 'luxury' (ha!) MkII now features a mini cork and longer, less bendable pins which are actually spring steel for making your own fishing lures. Couple of quid on Ebay via a slow boat from China.
> 
> The hotmetalette's response was 'just get one off Etsy and have done with it'. Muahahaha... my work here is done. I might suggest to her that my Christmas project is to make a 1-group dual boiler lever machine next, using bean cans and sweetie tins...


Looks good

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## Coffeenoobster (Nov 24, 2018)

And here's me using 3 toothpicks and a rubber band.









edited typo


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Not used ones I hope!


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## Coffeenoobster (Nov 24, 2018)

Irisco said:


> Not used ones I hope!


 Depends if I'm feeling frisky or not, you never tried beef flavour infused coffee?


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## PortafilterProcrastinator (Aug 26, 2020)

@hotmetal Those fishing lures look really good.

I made one out of the classic pipe cleaners. It is serving me well, but they are a bit springy and the coffee tends to get stuck in the twists, so needs a wipe after each use. Something stiffer and that requires less maintenance would be a good upgrade.









I had also looked at eye pins. Need to be careful of thickness.

https://www.etsy.com/sg-en/listing/759261095/25-or-100-extra-long-80mm-8cm-strong?ref=reviews

If you wanted to go in to WDT production then this site sells rolls of 1.6mm wire - but straightening it is probably going to be the issue.

https://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/ss316.html?gclid=CjwKCAiA_eb-BRB2EiwAGBnXXsy1gFuTcEeuZoc3jf0L0jR6g-nYEpV4Xd2SocxF9Ne_KUmPDxDC7RoCkQ8QAvD_BwE#ass1000_2d316_2d050


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## Irisco (Jun 12, 2020)

Coffeenoobster said:


> Depends if I'm feeling frisky or not, you never tried beef flavour infused coffee?


 I'm vegetarian!


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