# Depth setting for distribution tools



## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

At the minute I have the following tools at my disposal;



Push tamper


Chinese AliExpress distribution tool


Motta distribution tool


Am I right in thinking that you would have to reset a palm tamper or distribution tool if it's doing the tamp with every different coffee and dose amount. The reason I ask is that I have noticed with the push at the moment quite often I'm getting an uneven tamp. I had it set to 7mm exactly and with 18g of coffee after a hard press it was still a mm or so out from touching the basket. So I adjusted it to the tamped bed, which was 6.2mm, however the volume will go up and down with each coffee depending on bean density I would imagine, so some tamps could come out less compressed or unable to be fully compressed depending on dose.

I sometimes have issues of grounds getting stuck between the basket wall and the tamp making it harder to compress evenly. I don't usually use the Chinese tool as it not only compresses the grounds but also spills them over the sides when you rotate due to the 54mm basket style.

What are people thought son these tools and how to set them?


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## facboy (Dec 13, 2019)

I use my Motta at the minimum it will go to, and I never change it. My grinder is a bit inconsistent (clumping, grind-size?), when it is 'right' the Motta is about perfect and leaves an even bed with 18g. When it is 'wrong' the Motta leaves a slight wave on the top, which i put up with. But the resulting coffee is not as good as when it is 'right'. I stopped tamping.


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

facboy said:


> I use my Motta at the minimum it will go to, and I never change it. My grinder is a bit inconsistent (clumping, grind-size?), when it is 'right' the Motta is about perfect and leaves an even bed with 18g. When it is 'wrong' the Motta leaves a slight wave on the top, which i put up with. But the resulting coffee is not as good as when it is 'right'. I stopped tamping.


 The motta is pretty deep by default isn't it, what I've noticed is that if I use my push tamper set to say 6.2mm I am compressing the grounds but not as hard as say a normal tamper where you would feel resistance back from the grounds. If I set it to say 7.5mm it will push against the grounds and the sides of the push won't touch the basket. Then my grind setting might end up coarser, i think I tend to get uneven pucks when I have it set too high.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Caffeinated_fiend said:


> The motta is pretty deep by default isn't it, what I've noticed is that if I use my push tamper set to say 6.2mm I am compressing the grounds but not as hard as say a normal tamper where you would feel resistance back from the grounds. If I set it to say 7.5mm it will push against the grounds and the sides of the push won't touch the basket. Then my grind setting might end up coarser, i think I tend to get uneven pucks when I have it set too high.


 I found 7.5mm too much. I only go 5mm so it just smooths out the top. I still tamp. I don't change for different coffees, either depth or tamp strength. I only adjust grind size. Started a new Crankhouse today, it flew out, so tomorrow will go finer. Still tasted good, though I think I'm not really a 'florals and pineapple candy' man.


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## Stanic (Dec 12, 2015)

I only started using a distribution tool with the MaraX, and think it is useful to provide a level surface for tamping. I set the depth to be slightly below the depth of the shower screen, so I always know that with tamping, the basket will not hit the shower screen.


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## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)

CocoLoco said:


> I found 7.5mm too much. I only go 5mm so it just smooths out the top. I still tamp. I don't change for different coffees, either depth or tamp strength. I only adjust grind size. Started a new Crankhouse today, it flew out, so tomorrow will go finer. Still tasted good, though I think I'm not really a 'florals and pineapple candy' man.


 I also set it at 5mm, doesn't change only the dose same as coco.. Was suprised that crank house was stunning as expresso based drinks


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Joe shorrock said:


> I also set it at 5mm, doesn't change only the dose same as coco.. Was suprised that crank house was stunning as expresso based drinks


 Crankhouse definitely interesting. The first one I had was more my speed but it also had different flavours. I'm enjoying being surprised by other notes than traditional coffee flavour.

I'll be going back and trying more of the range at some point, they're on my 'favourited' list.


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

I think I will have to get the Chinese distribution tool out again tomorrow, basically I am using a dosing funnel and tapping the basket to try and get it as distributed as possible, I have the distribution tool set to 5mm as well that's the lowest setting but then with the push set to say 6.2 so I am tamping 1.2mm which seems mental. I'm not feeling resistance back from the puck at 6.2mm, so I'm assuming my puck won't be as compressed as when using a normal tamper unless I set it a little bigger than the compressed basket.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Caffeinated_fiend said:


> I think I will have to get the Chinese distribution tool out again tomorrow, basically I am using a dosing funnel and tapping the basket to try and get it as distributed as possible, I have the distribution tool set to 5mm as well that's the lowest setting but then with the push set to say 6.2 so I am tamping 1.2mm which seems mental. I'm not feeling resistance back from the puck at 6.2mm, so I'm assuming my puck won't be as compressed as when using a normal tamper unless I set it a little bigger than the compressed basket.


 The issue might be the amount of coffee? I'm finding 19g is the standard for my BE, not 18g. I start at 19g and go from there now. With 19g you could use the Chinese tool at 5mm to distribute then your Push at say 6mm and work from there if it wasn't enough. With 19g you'll get resistance earlier.


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

CocoLoco said:


> The issue might be the amount of coffee? I'm finding 19g is the standard for my BE, not 18g. I start at 19g and go from there now. With 19g you could use the Chinese tool at 5mm to distribute then your Push at say 6mm and work from there if it wasn't enough. With 19g you'll get resistance earlier.


 Could be for sure, do you find it difficult to distribute evenly? I'm trying to get a good even basket before I use any tool as it's only going to level the top 5mm out which won't be helpful if the rest is all over the place. I usually tap the basket to get it as level as possible in the dosing funnel and then tap the air out. With 19g though even with the air tap it would most likely still be higher than the basket so when I start spinning the distribution tool it's kicking coffee out over the side usually.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Caffeinated_fiend said:


> Could be for sure, do you find it difficult to distribute evenly? I'm trying to get a good even basket before I use any tool as it's only going to level the top 5mm out which won't be helpful if the rest is all over the place. I usually tap the basket to get it as level as possible in the dosing funnel and then tap the air out. With 19g though even with the air tap it would most likely still be higher than the basket so when I start spinning the distribution tool it's kicking coffee out over the side usually.


 Coffee never spills out over the side for me, even with 19g. I will say that different coffees take up different amounts of space in the pf, probably due to freshness but also maybe bean composition? Maybe someone more knowledgable knows about that. 19g of Crankhouse and Artisan didn't come over top of pf, but Origin did. Fineness plays a part too. My grinds are usually pretty fine, if you are grinding courser than me (currently top burr 3, dial 4), your grinds will take up more room, maybe it's not possible to replicate what I'm doing on your current settings?

Distribution - I find it OK to get even tbh. I may be lucky with my results, once I get a bottomless pf I might see a different story. I withdraw the funnel and use the funnel to push coffee over the other side of the pf as I withdraw it. I might then do that a little more with my finger, then tap, then use tool.


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## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)

Tbh I think it's there just to level, then tamping, normally start with 18g to dial in atm got these beans from laurina red bank and they are tiny beans using 20.2g to fill basket correctly could even go more


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## facboy (Dec 13, 2019)

I read a review of one of the distribution tools on DaveCUK's blog where he theorised that tamping after distributing with the tool might give worse results. Softer tamp with less compressed puck means the puck is less likely to crack during the extraction. This chimes with my somewhat limited experience.

https://coffeeequipmentreviews.wordpress.com/2019/11/01/coffee-leveller-tamper/


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

I don't have a naked portafilter yet for the pro but so used the Chinese distribution tool this morning with the push set to 7mm like the Razor dosing tool and here is the puck. Looks pretty good with no obvious signs of channeling, no little holes in the corner of puck either.

one annoying thing about the Chinese tool is it gets coffee stuck in it so you lose a little dose, it's from between the tool and the wall of the basket.


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## facboy (Dec 13, 2019)

To be honest i'm not sure puck inspection is a great way of determining if you have channelling or not unless it's really heinous.

I think the consensus on this forum is that it is a waste of time for determining the quality of a shot. They might say that about channelling too though!


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

facboy said:


> To be honest i'm not sure puck inspection is a great way of determining if you have channelling or not unless it's really heinous.
> 
> I think the consensus on this forum is that it is a waste of time for determining the quality of a shot. They might say that about channelling too though!


 True but quite often I have the corner holes that look like channeling. Once I have a bottomless portafilter I will see, hopefully. Tastes good though so not too worried. Here is a shot of the distribution tool where it gets grounds stuck.


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## Joe shorrock (Nov 18, 2019)

What's better then cheap Chinese tool or motta?


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

Joe shorrock said:


> What's better then cheap Chinese tool or motta?


 I don't use the motta as I find it is too deep and it compresses the grounds too much for me. Might be ok if you just want to use it as an all in one.


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## Apr1985 (Apr 18, 2020)

I have literally just got the motta 20mins ago 😀

first shot, i did 18g of Dr Strangelove espresso that I have been drinking for a couple of weeks now. Set the Motta to the lowest setting (which is still slightly lower than the razor) and just used the Motta with no tamp. 
In the bottomless I could see everything came together quicker and cleaner and shot has a fair bit more acidity and mouthwater to it than previously. 
very interesting as I wasn't expecting much from it!


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

Apr1985 said:


> I have literally just got the motta 20mins ago 😀
> 
> first shot, i did 18g of Dr Strangelove espresso that I have been drinking for a couple of weeks now. Set the Motta to the lowest setting (which is still slightly lower than the razor) and just used the Motta with no tamp.
> In the bottomless I could see everything came together quicker and cleaner and shot shot has a fair bit more acidity and mouthwater to it than previously.
> very interesting as I wasn't expecting much from it!


 I think the motta is closer to 8mm, glad you're getting good results that's good to hear. I'm only really wanting the top level for a tamp but this may be the way to go as an all in one if you have the basket distributed well before you use it.


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

Anyone get random shots where you seem to have done everything exactly the same as the last time you made espresso but it finishes 6 seconds faster. Can only imagine I still have some inconsistencies with my prep.


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## facboy (Dec 13, 2019)

Yes, every shot 😅.


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

facboy said:


> Yes, every shot 😅.


 You're my new favourite person 😁


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Caffeinated_fiend said:


> You're my new favourite person 😁


 mine was 3 seconds difference today an hour after brewing the exact same weight with exact same grind setting. tried to tamp the same too but no, 30 seconds as opposed to 27 haha


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Apr1985 said:


> I have literally just got the motta 20mins ago 😀
> 
> first shot, i did 18g of Dr Strangelove espresso that I have been drinking for a couple of weeks now. Set the Motta to the lowest setting (which is still slightly lower than the razor) and just used the Motta with no tamp.
> In the bottomless I could see everything came together quicker and cleaner and shot has a fair bit more acidity and mouthwater to it than previously.
> very interesting as I wasn't expecting much from it!


 that's very interesting, does the tool compress the ground coffee then similar to tamping? I would assume otherwise that the coffee would gush


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## cuprajake (Mar 30, 2020)

https://www.coffeeforums.co.uk/index.php?app=core&module=system&controller=embed&url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CA7sPuIBHNV/?igshid=6qgkbv5dbm8b


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## Apr1985 (Apr 18, 2020)

JamesMac said:


> that's very interesting, does the tool compress the ground coffee then similar to tamping? I would assume otherwise that the coffee would gush


 Yeah it does a great tamping job, it is certainly a weighty bit it kit.

My shots without changing grind size so just changing to use the distribution tool over tamper went from about 25 seconds and channely to 35 seconds and pretty consistent.

TBH I haven't tried tamping after distribution as I haven't needed to but I guess I could grind courser and add a tamp


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## Jason11 (Oct 25, 2019)

Apr1985 said:


> TBH I haven't tried tamping after distribution as I haven't needed to but I guess I could grind courser and add a tamp


I've been using one for the last week and have had a similar experience to you with it. For a less experienced home barista like me I can't see any reason to include a tamp and possibly upset the apple cart.


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## JamesMac (Apr 7, 2020)

Apr1985 said:


> Yeah it does a great tamping job, it is certainly a weighty bit it kit.
> 
> My shots without changing grind size so just changing to use the distribution tool over tamper went from about 25 seconds and channely to 35 seconds and pretty consistent.
> 
> TBH I haven't tried tamping after distribution as I haven't needed to but I guess I could grind courser and add a tamp


 Think I might commit and give it a shot. I don't have a bottomless PF but I do always wonder how well distributed my grinds are under the surface. Ill add it to the payday list with a IMS screen , vts 20g basket and a bottomless PF.


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

Caffeinated_fiend said:


> At the minute I have the following tools at my disposal;
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 @Caffeinated_fiend

do you a link to your Ali express Purchase?


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## Caffeinated_fiend (Apr 15, 2020)

Wisey said:


> @Caffeinated_fiend
> 
> do you a link to your Ali express Purchase?


 Here you go;

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000915946227.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.44ef4c4dyQxKmE


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## Wisey (May 17, 2020)

@Caffeinated_fiend

thanks mate

found the exact same one on amazon but £19.50


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