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Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

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  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, but methinks it quaint that an object totally out of sight can be considered ugly. And therefore consigned for replacement. :

    Hmmm, there are a couple of ugly screws holding the baffleplate under the Silvia watertank. They have to go. Maybe a little number in chrome, SAE of course... ;D ;D

    Robusto

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  • gregpullman
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Good work!

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  • Bill
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Hi Greg,

    No, its a stainless-steel screw. I got it from a specialist bolt supplier as I couldnt find anything suitable in stainless at the local hardware store.


    Bill

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  • gregpullman
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Bill,

    I had problems with a stuck screw on my old machine and when I finally got it out it was quite rusty so I replaced it with a stainless unit. From your photo it looks like yours is zinc plated steel as opposed to stainless. If this is the case Id highly recommend a stainless unit to ensure you dont get any rust.

    I certainly like the profile of your chosen fastener! My Silvia has the older cheese head screw which isnt as obnoxious as the hex head but I fancy yours may be better than both, aesthetically at least!

    Greg

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  • Javaphile
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Originally posted by PIDKits link=1183556192/0#14 date=1184177181
    Silvias used to have a round head slotted screw (I have an older machine like this). I speculate that it was changed because the screw had a tendency to get locked in place and couldnt be removed.

    You may need the leverage provided by a socket someday when you cant get the screw to budge using a screwdriver.
    The replacement bolt isnt a slotted or phillips head but a torque/allen wrench head. It will probably have to have the coffee cleaned out of it with a tooth pick or somesuch but, as long as the bit is fully inserted, it should be easily removable with a bit on a screwdriver. If needed you can always put the bit in a ratchetwrench. If that doesnt work then it was put on way to tight to begin with! ;D


    Java "Slot=Bad Torque=Good!" phile

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  • Bill
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Originally posted by leebroozlee link=1183556192/15#15 date=1184198250
    Hi Bill,

    Nice idea
    Id be interested to know if the new screw lets you dose a tiny bit more coffee without the extraction overflowing out the top/sides?

    Cheers,
    Paul
    Hi Paul,

    Well it does allow a fraction higher dose, but not by much. I havent had the coffee overflowing over the top/sides like you have. If thats happening to you, Id say the portafilter isnt sealing against the gasket properly, which would probably mean youve overdosed the basket or youre not putting the portafilter on tight enough. Is the portafilter tight to lock on? ie. tighter than when the basket is empty? If so, try dosing a fraction less.


    Bill

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  • leebroozlee
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Hi Bill,

    Nice idea
    Id be interested to know if the new screw lets you dose a tiny bit more coffee without the extraction overflowing out the top/sides?

    Cheers,
    Paul

    Leave a comment:


  • jggall01
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Bill -

    Beware of the Law of Unintended Consequences

    Silvias used to have a round head slotted screw (I have an older machine like this). I speculate that it was changed because the screw had a tendency to get locked in place and couldnt be removed.

    You may need the leverage provided by a socket someday when you cant get the screw to budge using a screwdriver.

    Jim (who is unfortunately very familiar with the LUC)

    Leave a comment:


  • Dimal
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Hi again Bill,

    Personally, I reckon your mod is a great idea... whether you can taste the difference or not. I think that great ugly hex-head bolt can only help to cause problems, not solve them and from the few Silvias Ive seen, the screw/bolt seems to have a much flatter head than the one you have in yours, it really does look, er.... Industrial.

    Id reckon if you want a lower profile bolt head than the round-head you have now youd probably have to go to a specialised Nut&Bolt place and see what they can do for you. If you know anyone who has a lathe at home or can get access to one somewhere else, they could knock you up a few stainless steel bolts with what ever head profile you want... lots of possibilities.

    Mal.

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  • Bill
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Originally posted by Coffee Kid link=1183556192/0#11 date=1184158464
    Though can you really tell the taste difference?
    Well I havent done a blind side-by-side tasting, but yes I do believe it made an improvement. People spend hundreds of dollars installing PID units, modifying OPV valves etc, etc. Well for the price of a $1 screw and 30secs of your time, its a bit of a no-brainer really.


    Bill

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  • Coffee_Kid
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Though can you really tell the taste difference?

    Leave a comment:


  • Bill
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Originally posted by robusto link=1183556192/0#8 date=1184156246
    I hear what you say Bill, but I wouldnt worry about one bolt head projecting into the puck. A well-dosed basket should have a slight contact with the bolt.
    Well I just knocked up this photo quickly. This is the LOWEST that the basket can be filled to. This is filled to the bottom of the ridge. The Pullman tamper hits the ridge and wont go any deeper in to the basket than this, so this is the lowest practical fill level. Note the huge indent that the standard screw-head makes in to the puck.

    Leave a comment:


  • Coffee_Kid
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Ill agree with robusto.
    I would really doubt you could taste the difference just because of a bolt not letting the coffee expand... Much more variable for something to not taste right would be like the grind, dose, tamp and somewhat tempreture.
    Guess you could just do it for the fun of it.

    Leave a comment:


  • robusto
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    I hear what you say Bill, but I wouldnt worry about one bolt head projecting into the puck. A well-dosed basket should have a slight contact with the bolt.

    The amount of headroom it takes up is very small compared to the overall volume.

    Modify if you like, of course, but I really think it will involve a lot of effort for very little --if any--reward.

    Silvias have made excellent coffee for years --hexagonal bolt and all.

    --Robusto

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  • Bill
    replied
    Re: Silvia Showerscreen and Screw Conversion

    Originally posted by robusto link=1183556192/0#5 date=1184152065
    Id stick with the original hexagonal head ---- a redeeming feature of the Silvia.

    Its difficult enough to remove, working upside down, and it gets very very tight. (Hint: screw back in finger-tight only)
    I haven’t had any problems removing it. Perhaps it’s just a case of not over-tightening it.


    Originally posted by robusto link=1183556192/0#5 date=1184152065
    As for conversion -- I dont think that is possible without modifying the shower screen. And then theres the problem of the dispersion block underneath, too.
    Yep, Im looking in to other showerscreens that have the same dimensions as the Silvia, but with the recess to take a countersunk screw. Yes, the dispersion block would need a countersink cut in to it too. I probably wont try this for a while, and only on spare parts so I can change it back if it doesnt work for whatever reason.


    Originally posted by robusto link=1183556192/0#5 date=1184152065
    Anyway Bill, why do you want to change it?
    Because it sticks into the coffee puck and breaks up the nicely tamped surface, reduces the space for the coffee puck to expand, and may cause channeling issues. The Silvia has very little headspace (is that what its called?) due to its lower than usual showerscreen, and that large screw-head doesnt help matters any.


    Bill

    Leave a comment:

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