# La Spaziale Automatic Tamper



## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

One of these in the Glasgow Gumtree page.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/commercial-coffee-tamper-la-spaziale/1031897833

Are these worth getting? Any idea on the diameter of this? I'm using VST baskets - I'm guessing it's not 58.35mm or so but wondering if it's close enough to be worth considering or not for the added consistency it might bring...


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## funinacup (Aug 30, 2010)

Hi Michael

I wouldn't say that it's required to achieve a consistent tamp. Instead use a well fitted hand tamper and get a feel for the pressure you're applying. Use the edge of the tamper base and rim of the basket to gauge how much you're pressing down and it'll remove itself as a variable in espresso preparation eventually.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

There is always a chance that the tamper is a regular screw fitting and you would be able to swap out the head. At the very least you could find someone who knows how to machine a tamper head or adjust the screw fitting to fit it.

For me I would think its a bit overkill for home use, tamping it part of the pleasure of making the drink for me, but that is just me









I think its probably a great price at £50, I would guess they are worth more to some people.


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## bignorry (Mar 19, 2013)

I offered £30 last week and got no reply, any more and you will have a really good hand tamper.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Thanks! I have a Motta 58mm just now - I have been nutating recently but my only issues is that the extraction seems to begin at the front of the basket and stays nearer there and more dribbles out the holes nearer to me.

It's a Fracino Cherub (formerly shrink's!) with the standard portafilter converted to naked by Callum from the forum.


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Bare in mind there is no 'correct tamp' I use quite a light tamp on fairly fine beans, but you can use your entire weight on a coarser grind if thats what suits your taste and beans. You can always try switching up your tamp to get a better pour, coarser grinds are a little more forgiving.

Is your machine regularly backflushed? Also check for a even water dispersion from the shower screen.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Yup I usually backflush once daily with water and clean all the bits maybe once a week, back flush with Puly Caff maybe once a fortnight. Now that I mentioned this, the shot I just pulled came out perfectly! Just switched from Rave's Italian Job to Fudge - maybe the Italian Job is pulled magnetically towards Italy ?


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## PaulN (Mar 10, 2011)

That machine looks like a sodding press for heavy engineering not coffee making... it say comercial but most coffee shops give the lightest tamp ive ever seen.

I do feel im over doing my pressure and maybe need to reset my whole grind, tamp and extraction time... but i think why bother i get good coffee im normally using light roast beans quite fine grind, hard tamp and long extraction....


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## Wobin19 (Mar 19, 2013)

michaelg said:


> Yup I usually backflush once daily with water and clean all the bits maybe once a week, back flush with Puly Caff maybe once a fortnight. Now that I mentioned this, the shot I just pulled came out perfectly! Just switched from Rave's Italian Job to Fudge - maybe the Italian Job is pulled magnetically towards Italy 


michaelg, You have a very similar issue to me by the sounds of it. I have the same machine and a Fracino PF nicely converted to bottomless by Callum. I too have recently been nutating. Snap! My pours are more often than not like yours except, they do eventually centralise for the last 5 seconds or so. The advise offered was the most likely cause is poor distribution in the basket. My shots seem to taste pretty good to me, but like most, I am wondering if they could or should be even better. If I just run water out of the group with an empty basket and the PF in place, the flow is perfectly central, so pretty sure its my tamp / distribution causing the problem....


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Interesting! Yup I think it probably is my technique - I'm trying to make sure then gap between the puck and the top of the basket is even as I 'polish'! Surely there's a market for tampers with a bubble spirit level on top like on tripods for cameras etc! At least I know I didn't install my kitchen workroom otherwise that would have been the obvious culprit!


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

These tamper are 57mm, interestingly that tamper was sold on eBay two days ago! I have the elktra version of this but to be honest it is just for show as they are not as good as hand tamping, also the thread is not standard fit.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Think I'll stick with my hand tamping for now then! Tempted by one of your Torr tampers though , Dave! Will sell one of my Motta ones first though to appease Mrs G before I consider it - she's pretty tolerant but she does have her limits! ?


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

I also started to 'nutate' recently (I really hate the word, cant really put my finger on why) and I found it most effective when it was quite 'aggressive' (really angle the tamper) quite soft during the rotation, go round at least 3 times and then level out and tamp. Made a pretty big difference to how my pour goes, still not perfect however.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Not sure if it was your video I watched here but that's how I do it too following that example. I'm a convert for sure! Still not sure my espresso tastes that great! Find it a bit bitter even though am extracting 1.6x weight of coffee in the 25-30s time period, tried ristettos too (going at 1x weight of ground coffee) and not much different. I am more of a flat white or Americano drinker mind you but I like the odd espresso but haven't had one I could say I truly enjoyed so far ?


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## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

DE: Is it because nutate sounds like mutate (mutants....zombies....??) lol


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## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

Ha ha, maybe.

I think it sounds almost medical, perhaps too much of an interesting word for a pretty simple motion. I prefer 'Rotational squidging'


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## bignorry (Mar 19, 2013)

I've started spinning very lightly to level off (like polishing),then tamp as normal and my pours are better than ever.Also more consistent as Im changing bean more often.


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## michaelg (Jul 25, 2013)

Also it's incredibly frustrating that auto-correct always assumes you meant mutate too!

Precess might be a good alternative term - I recall it from some of the more theoretical (ie frequently skipped) lecturer at uni!


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