# New Machine!



## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Hi all,

After my Ascaso Dream packed up yet again, and after much deliberation I have just bought a Silvia from Has Bean. After emailing Steve to check stock etc I ordered it about 11.00am yesterday and 10.00am this morning it arrived! Unbelivably good service!

Got it all set up and can't belive how strong it feels, the portafilter alone is heavy enough!

Spent the afternoon playing with my new toy, shots are getting there, need more practice/coffee

The only thing I did notice when pulling a shot was a slight water leak from the grouphead,

maybe not tightening enough or too much coffee in the basket?

Any tips from Silvia owners about using/living with one of these would be most welcome as I think I have taken a big step (forward hopefully!)

Just tried the steam wand-- you could do some serious damage with that!

Regards

Mike


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## rosco29 (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi Mike,

I'm pretty new to all this but I also just got a Silvia from Hasbean, last Tuesday with a rocky Doserless and have too been obsessed with it ever since. I went through so much coffee just trying to dial in the grind but now I'm there the shots are exceptional, at least for me anyway. I'm currently using a dark roast, oily beans whilst waiting for my formula 6 beans that I got yesterday from James gourmet coffee to mature a bit. I find different beans react differently. I've seen many videos on utube where the double baskets are overfilled, levelled off then tamped, but for me that didnt work and almost choked my Silvia. Theres a ridge in the double basket and I now ensure after dosing, using the WDT I tamp to this line and u get the perfect shot. Steaming wise u r right its a lot more powerful than my old machine ever could have been and I'm creating some good microfoam with it as I drink caps normally. With regards to the dripping from the portafilter that's never happened to me but I always make sure to wipe any grins of the top of the basket before engaging the portafilter and I go at least half way.

Hope you continue having fun.

Cheers

Ross


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Hi Ross,

I think i have the"problem" of leakage sorted, it's down to me not locking the portafilter in tight enough! my old machine required very little force in comparision to this monster! I just didn't want to over do it, just pulled some nice shots with some Coffee Bean Shop Mocha Guatamala, and am well pleased wih the results. I need to source a decent 58mm tamper now as my old one is to small. Why on earth when you spend this sort of money on a machine do they include a plastic "tamper" which doesn't even fit!

Do you know if the spouts unscrew from the portafilter for cleaning etc? I f they do they are very tight as I cant move them.

Regards

Mike


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## rosco29 (Jun 6, 2011)

Glad you got it sorted. It's a hefty machine isn't it? I got a 58mm motta tamper from http://WWW.creamsupplies.co.uk. it has a wooden handle and is quite heavy. Yea I know you spend a fortune on a good machine and get a tamper that's fit for the bin!

Cheers

Ross


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## MikeHag (Mar 13, 2011)

I know it's not much consolation, since I agree that these plastic tampers are bollix, but as you accumulate more than one tamper they do still come in useful. For example, basket sizes differ, so having slightly different sized tampers can be useful. Or, one tamper might be used in the neck of a grinder instead of a hopper. Or they keep both your temples cool if you have a hangover. Just trying to make you feel better


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Hi Ross,

I checked cream supplies they only have the Motta wooden handled in curved base at the moment, is that the one you have, good site that but hard to get past the Motta jugs!

Mike


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## rosco29 (Jun 6, 2011)

Hi Mike,

That's the one but it's the one with the flat base that I got. I mean, it doesn't fit the basket 100% but if you do the north, south, east, west thing you can get most of the grounds off the side of the basket, failing that you can tamp once then tap the side of the basket with the tamper once to knock the grounds off the egdes, although some people say that can fracture the puck, so tapping the basket is something I only do occassionally and it's not given me any problems....yet! The Motta pitchers are great and I'm tempted to get one, but one thing I noticed that I have to be careful with is the amout of milk that is been steamed at one time. My existing pitcher holds 1 litre of liquid and that's to the brim. If I'm making coffee for myself then I generally fill it a third full and that's exactly enough after steaming to fill a large cap cup. If I'm making a drink for myself and my partner, I have to fill the pitcher approx 2 thirds full and whilst I can still get a decent amount of foam the swirling of the milk in the jug just isn't as stong as if it's only got enough milk in for one cap. Ideally to overcome this 2 just of the same size would be ideal but it's just a thought.

Cheers

Ross


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## rosco29 (Jun 6, 2011)

Sorry also meant to say about the spout. They are removable but I wouldn't bother. I use cafiza for backflushing and can also be used to soak the portafilter and baskets too, just don't let the solution get on the handle as it can apparently causes damage!

I think the spouts are fixed on with some very strong adhesive. I'm sure others will be along to tell you how to remove it if you really wanted to









Cheers


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks for the info, I came across this site which you might find interesting http://www.silviaschool.com Lots of info tips etc. Quite like the look of the Polecon tampers from Bella Barista.

Regards

Mike


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Getting used to the new machine and on the whole am very pleased with it, one small gripe was the drip tray cover which refused to come off at first due to it catching on the backplate, and when fitted back on when pulling a shot the cup "walks" across the cover due to vibration! Sorted this by tightening the cover.

Have been watching a various videos on the Silvia V3 and a lot of them say tighten the portafilter until it lines up with a mark on the grouphead, can't see one on mine, any other owners have such a mark? Not a problem, just curious

Mike


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

No markings on mine Mike. Just tighten as far as it will go comfortably. You will find this will vary depending on what PF and what basket you are using. Make sure you are cleaning the grouphead with a proper brush after each use I used to find if I didn't do this every time that grinds from a previous shot would end up sitting between the basket and the seal and you would get a leak. Also if using a bottomless PF these can flex if over tightened and this will also cause a leak. Hope this is of some use.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks Monkey for the info, I do clean/brush the grouphead between shots, and no problems now with leaking past the group seal, I think the marks on the grouphead may be on versions made for the American market as the videos I saw were American.It's just I am always concerned about over tightening things hence the question.

Thought I had the vibration problem sorted but seems not, just pulled a shot and had to hold the cup in place!

Back to the drawing board

Mike


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## MonkeyHarris (Dec 3, 2010)

Two things to check with the moving cup. Is your machine perfectly level? and is the bottom of the cup wet or damp? That's when I usually get the same issue.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions Monkey I will check if it's level tomorrow, I don't think that the cup is wet, it only happens when the basket is loaded and the pump is working hard, one suggestion is that the latest V3 version uses stainless braided hoses and the can touch the casing causing the problem, another is that the pump mountings may have worked loose in transit which may also cause problems.

Mike


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

There should be no markings on the grouphead

The amount of travel will vary as the rubber seal starts to wear

I have noticed when training people on their Rancilio Silvia's that on occasions the cups to have a mind of the their own and start to jitter across the tray.

Placing the machine on a rubber mat seems to eliminate this totally.


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## mike 100 (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks Glenn, thought it was the case with tightening the portafilter, it's just something I saw in an American video and was curious,as to the vibration I have checked the machine over for loose fixing screws etc all seemed ok, also the machine is dead level, I have just put some duct tape on the locating edge of the frame which may help to reduce the vibration of the drip tray

If not I will try a rubber mat as you suggest!

Thanks again Glenn

Mike


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## Shuttergirl (Oct 27, 2011)

Hi

Just had a new delivery of a Silvia too, no mark/spot on grouphead here either.


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