# Knocking out grounds?



## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Tried my new knock top today http://www.madebyknock.com/knocktop.html and it looks great, however it seems to take a lot of knocking to get the puck out...... is this a symptom of something? after a few min it came out but right from the machine (Classic) it would not budge? Any ideas?


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## Big Tony (Dec 18, 2012)

Freaky... was just looking at one of these for my new Gaggia Classic and wondered whether they were any good!


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Got to say it took a bit of time to arrive but is the best container i have seen under £50 and the matt is great.


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

Do you have unpressurised baskets? (Hold your basket up to a light do you see one single hole or lots) - that's one of the main things for if it will knock out easily or not. Only reason I ask is that I've heard most post Phillips machines run pressurised baskets.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Could also be that the grind is not quite right, what does the puck look like when you remove the portafilter is it still wet?


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Thanks it is a pressurised basket and there is water/liquid on the top of the puck when I remove from machine ( using pre ground at present lavazza espresso at te moment.


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## Steve_S_T (Dec 7, 2012)

You have to give a fairly hefty wallop so the knock box needs to be on a solid surface. If there's any give in the surface then that will diminish the force of your knock. I use a Grindenstein knock box and have never used a draw type, but is the draw fully supported on the base when it's out as this could affect impact too I suppose? Usually if the puck is wet it tends to come out in pieces whereas a dry puck will often come out in one go and leave a fairly clean basket, but it's rare to need more than a couple of knocks to be honest.

Steve.


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

HDAV said:


> Thanks it is a pressurised basket and there is water/liquid on the top of the puck when I remove from machine ( using pre ground at present lavazza espresso at te moment.


Pressurised pucks don't just knock out I don't think get a hold of a unpressurised if you have your own grinder - wet pucks aren't good but when I had my classic and dosed 14g I got wet pucks, I just dumped the juice and knocked out. I wasn't getting nice intact cake type pucks but they came out easy enough.

Way around wet pucks for me was to slowly increase dose, because 14g gave too much headroom therefore too much water for the solenoid to slurp up when removing the excess group pressure. But that's just my take on things.

IMO the standard classic no pressurised is too big to learn - 14g LM was a help for me minimal wastage and it works (obviously) with a 14-16g dose (it is effectively a 15g ridged VST)


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

Steve_S_T said:


> Usually if the puck is wet it tends to come out in pieces whereas a dry puck will often come out in one go and leave a fairly clean basket, but it's rare to need more than a couple of knocks to be honest


I agree also, but the issue of main is the pressurised basket.

Pressurised baskets means all sorts of things happen different - you shouldn't time extraction as to the 20 to 30sec double. I once timed a pressurised extraction to 30seconds the result was absolutely disgusting on my first machine. Ah glad to be rid of them and my blade grinder....... Coffeechap is probably laughing at these facts of my squidhood into the coffeebug.


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## Steve_S_T (Dec 7, 2012)

I stopped using the pressurised basket on my Classic too, but for all it's faults and differences I don't recall ever having a problem knocking the puck out Callum, did you?

Steve.


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Steve_S_T said:


> You have to give a fairly hefty wallop so the knock box needs to be on a solid surface. If there's any give in the surface then that will diminish the force of your knock.


The knock top is on the the kitchen work top on its matt http://www.madebyknock.com/uploads/9/5/2/5/9525953/8969302.jpg i am dosing by "eye" but often have to scoop a bit out as i cant get in to the head.... I am working on a none pressurised basket but i will have too wait as I'll need to buy one...


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## Callum_T (Dec 23, 2012)

Steve_S_T said:


> I stopped using the pressurised basket on my Classic too, but for all it's faults and differences I don't recall ever having a problem knocking the puck out Callum, did you?
> 
> Steve.


I've never used a pressurised basket in a classic so I can't comment, only my dualit thing had pressurised baskets and no solenoid so it was a spoon out into the bin job.

I wouldn't rush to a non pressurised so quickly if you don't have a decent grinder, it might make things even more difficult. Most people say a hario or porlex will grind fine enough


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## Steve_S_T (Dec 7, 2012)

HDAV said:


> The knock top is on the the kitchen work top on its matt http://www.madebyknock.com/uploads/9/5/2/5/9525953/8969302.jpg i am dosing by "eye" but often have to scoop a bit out as i cant get in to the head.... I am working on a none pressurised basket but i will have too wait as I'll need to buy one...


Try a different dosing method - fill the basket to just above level with the top. Using a straight finger rested on the basket edges, and without exerting any downward pressure on the coffee, drag the finger from top to centre, right to centre, bottom to centre and then left to centre (N S E W). If you have a pile of coffee left in the middle scrape it off the edge and into your knock box using the same straight finger, then tamp the coffee in the basket and you should be about right quantity wise. You'll also be pretty consistent in weight terms too.

Steve.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD


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## HDAV (Dec 28, 2012)

Steve_S_T said:


> Try a different dosing method - fill the basket to just above level with the top. Using a straight finger rested on the basket edges, and without exerting any downward pressure on the coffee, drag the finger from top to centre, right to centre, bottom to centre and then left to centre (N S E W). If you have a pile of coffee left in the middle scrape it off the edge and into your knock box using the same straight finger, then tamp the coffee in the basket and you should be about right quantity wise. You'll also be pretty consistent in weight terms too.
> 
> Steve.


Thats roughly what i do i just try not to waste the extra........ a level basket tamped seems tight very very tight to get into the holder... ???


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