# my set up



## coffeeman (Mar 20, 2010)

Hey all here's my set up:


Astoria 3 Group lever machine

Piaggio Ape van

folding table

menu board

cool boxes


Unfortunately there is no grinder on board at the mo which sucks as I soooooo want one. I need to put in a conversion kit for electric and maybe swap the 3 group for a 2 for more space.


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

Wehey, love it. Those Ape's are great. How are you making the coffee then if you don't have a grinder?

Regards

Lee


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Snap (grinder)

Playing the hide-the-grinder game?

First time I have seen a 3 group in an Ape

Assume you are using a generator to power this?


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## sandykt (Dec 3, 2009)

Looks good. Lots of polishing I guess.


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## BanishInstant (Oct 12, 2009)

Perhaps this is not the right place, but I was wondering what advantage there was between a two and three group? I suspect it is so that you can set 3 drinks going at the same time, but can you have the concentration to make sure all three drinks are great?


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Two answers

1. The ability to make more drinks in a defined period (great when 2 people are serving)

2. With a lever machine you can alternate between groups to reduce the wear and tear and manage heat stability issues


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## coffeeman (Mar 20, 2010)

Lee

I'm having to use pre ground which i grind before I go out on the van (on a la pavoni joli) so it's usually been ground for no more than an hour when I start using it. not ideal I know but no one i serve seems that bothered (just me)

Glenn

No the water is pumped from the tank to the boiler manually and the machine is gas powered. It can run off electric but I've not tried it out yet. it is a pain pumping it but it's nice to be totaly power free (except the gas)

BanishInstant

I like the 3 group personally, but on a mobile van I don't think there's a lot of point having a 3. I would much rather be using a 2 in all honesty but the guy I brought it off only had the 3 available. if i get busy enough for 2 of us to be on it I shall probably have one doing money and orders and filling milk jugs etc while I make the coffee.

Thanks for the great responses guys.


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## LeeWardle (Nov 16, 2008)

Three groups are really handy even for one person. In our store we have 2, 2 group machines. Only ever one person on shots and one on milk. Were a big busy store so we make a lot of coffee! When the board went on one of the machines we had to use just the one. A two group for a 120 cover coffee house with two floors plus a massive takeaway trade was a nightmare. We did it though, over Christmas too!

You learn to do things bloody quickly without compromise on quality.

Lee


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## ChiarasDad (Mar 21, 2010)

Even if you're only brewing with two groups, the third is a handy place to preheat a just-washed PF.


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