Theres a hole in my puck!!

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Could somebody give me some help please?? Im getting a hole at the edge of my puck after I pull a shot!!
This happens every time and at the same spot. I understand that this is an indication of channelling and it leads to uneven extraction.

I dont think Im underdosing as the pucks come out firm and dry with shower screen marks, and I think my temping pressure is hard enough. Ive also used the Weiss Distribution Method(home-barista.com) to see if this might help but I kept getting that damn hole .

Could this be my machine having too much pressure? or my ss temper(it doesnt fit perfectly to my basket) being too small and not applying enough force at the edge of the puck??? Im using original basket for my Expobar and 58mm ss temper from Coffeeparts.com.

Thks

[JR Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JR]

Re: Theres a hole in my puck!!

I would suggest its due to the poor fitting tamper.

I thing you should try is grind, dose and tamp as normal then rotate the basket 180 degrees in the portafilter before pulling the shot. This will help some what identify whether is it your technique or something peculiar with your water dispersion.

Dan

[Javaphile Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Javaphile]

Re: Theres a hole in my puck!!

You might also want to check your shower screen for crud. It may be blocked and the water is coming out at that one point as a jet.

Java "No jets allowed!" phile

[Billy Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Billy]

Re: Theres a hole in my puck!!

thks Dan and Javaphile for your reply!

To Dan: Ive tried your suggestion by rotating the basket before pulling the shot and guess what?? a hole followed as well!! Which tells me that its either my temping technique or uneven basket design to be blamed.

To Javaphile: my machine is only few weeks old so I dont think its blocked shower screen just yet(I hope). But thks for your info, as now I know where to look later down the track if this happens and everything else looks OK.

[Framey Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Framey]

Re: Theres a hole in my puck!!

I used to have troubles with chanelling at about 7 oclock on the puck. I stopped applying any pressure to the puck as i spun the tamper and hey presto, no chanelling. I guess if you dont spin your tamper with any pressure, then take no notice of all Ive previously written  

[Clinto Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Clinto]

Re: Theres a hole in my puck!!

Billy

I think it might be your tamper. I have a expobar minore and had been using a tamper that i got with the machine. turns out the tamper is only 57.5mm. Although I think the expobar basket is actually bigger than 58mm anyway. I had the same issue, I was always getting channelling. It was even more pronouced when i got my naked portafilter. Whenever I would tamp, there would be this ring of coffee around the edge of the basket, that never got tamped. I would then have to tap the portafilter to get it to fall on top of the puck and retamp it.

I have since bought a pullman tamper (sent the basket over to get it to fit). Since I got my new tamper, I dont get any chanelling. The new tamper has really improved my pours when you use the naked portafilter. the pour is much more consistent coming out of the basket. The tamper fits the basket perfectly so you dont get any coffee between the side of the tamper and the basket.

I would highly recomend the Pullman tamper. they really are well made and look much better than the aluminium one i got with my machine. Greg was really helpful and great to deal with. Turns out Greg was coming to Perth the weekend i sent it across so he brought it on the plane and I picked it up from him.

regards

Clint