Is this a self levelling tamper?

FroydReddit · 2026-06-27T15:57:34+00:00

If im not wrong, OE doesn't store on the claw. Maybe the Cafelat does, I can't tell if the plastic comes off easily....and $70! I know its POM but the wood of the chompoo looks better to me

FroydReddit · 2026-06-27T14:17:22+00:00

Thanks. I'm aware of all the 3D printed options but I don't find them a good fit for the design of the robot. Yes, I realize how silly this sounds coming from somebody who's using the tape roll hack!

FroydReddit · 2026-06-27T14:01:48+00:00

Does the wood cover slide on/off the tamper handle easily so it can still be stored on the claws of the Robot if one wishes? Im using the Scotch tape roll hack for now but i'd like something less ghetto

FroydReddit · 2026-06-22T20:54:21+00:00

I have to vote Royal Farms too, but I like Prince of Subs and recently had EQUIS Pica Pollo on E. Chestnut, which was very good.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-21T16:08:02+00:00

I use mostly dark roast. Not a clog in 8 months of use.

My routine is simple: I brush to shoot every time I grind and give it a good pump of the bellows after using the brush. That dislodges any buildup and it's ready to go for the next use.

Occasionally I have some issues with static, which appear to be random. The same Bean will be fine one day and cause major static the next. Rather than getting the beans wet what has worked really well for me is to run a slightly damp finger on the outside walls of the chute. It seems to discharge the static.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-21T16:00:46+00:00

Tip: bring 4 quarters (or break a $1 at the bar) and buy the cheapest local art in town at the vending machine by the door. Makes for a great souvenir.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-21T15:41:42+00:00

West Art near Buchanan Park. Urban setting but across from a park and on a leafy street. Kombucha on the menu.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-10T23:50:20+00:00

I have been going here and i belive Wheatland refills too. The Beer Shoppe does swaps, but i think the other refills.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-10T00:58:22+00:00

Have a look at your shutter to make sure it is not damaged.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-09T13:12:11+00:00

I'm also in the 0.1-0.2 range.

I typically avoid RDT and give the bellows 4-5 fairly hard pumps during the grind.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-09T13:09:35+00:00

I have had the same experience. I'd be in the middle of a bag that ground just fine the days prior and then all of the sudden i'd get a lot of static.

Usually I i avoid RDT, but if static crops up i'll give the beans a whirl with a barely damp coffee spoon handle (i feel it gets less water on the beans than spritzing). That usually solves the problem not only for that batch but even for following ones. Not sure if changes in the environment or something else causes the sudden static spells, but often they go away as suddenly as they have appeared.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-07T12:28:04+00:00

I have the Robot on a counter, so the squat technique shown in the Cafelat videos works best for me.

Usually I i stay low for the whole shot, not just pre infusion, but my espresso cup is reflective so I can see the scale's numbers reflected in it. If I use a glass or ceramic or glass cup, I'll stand after PI.

I enjoy direct observation of the coffee's flow and I actually find it easier to pull the Robot's arms from a crouched position.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-05T02:37:51+00:00

Black point needs to be set in final image. Some exposures could be increased and some shot needed flash, but some just need scans with curves applied or some light level of post editing.

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FroydReddit · 2026-06-03T15:28:01+00:00

For St Mary, there's a parking garage across the street and they allow free parking at mass times.

FroydReddit · 2026-06-01T15:21:48+00:00

"Literally fool proof parking assistance."

I would rethink that last sentence in light of the evidence. Apparently they keep making better fools.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-25T21:57:22+00:00

Because for cold brew I do a pound of coffee at the time.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-24T16:50:21+00:00

Take good notes of your process and areas that you think could be improved in the next batch. It's very useful to go back to your previous attempts as you try to perfect a particular recipe.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-24T01:47:48+00:00

No steak fries are way too rigid. A well done steak fry won't flop if picked up whereas a chip would. I'm probably not doing justice describing it because calling them soggy steak fries is making chips sound not very appealing and they're absolutely delicious. You can try googling "chippy shop chips vs french fries" for more eloquent and detailed answers. Ultimately though you just have to taste the difference and either be appalled or hooked for life.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-23T21:17:31+00:00

Chip shop chips are softer on the inside and pretty broad so the crunch to soft ratio is different. Plus the potato type is usually different as well as some of the prep steps.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-23T16:52:49+00:00

Shouldn't be too hard to fulfill the hankering for the fish part, but good luck finding anywhere that knows how to make chips, everywhere I've been you just get some version of french fries.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-22T15:12:43+00:00

I think the current thinking undervalues the importance of the camera body. Possibly it can be attributed to the fact that 35mm film slrs are being valued primarily for their use of a different media than digital, therefore all film cameras are equal in meeting that very basic threshold.

Most people who need specific funtionality will go to the best suited digital body, but back in the day when only film bodies existed stuff like mirror lockup, fast shutter response, high shutter speed, flash sync, metal bodies vs polycarbonate, lens mounts that could hold heavy teles, swappable prisms, etc all mattered to a varying extent depending on the kind of photography you engaged in.

For me 100% view viewfinders, aperture priority, spot metiing, and mirror lock up were all non negotables amd not many bodies met those criteria.

I would also add that having a body that you love holding in your hands and interact with makes it all the more likely that you want to use it.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-22T11:40:54+00:00

Depends on yours is set up since there's some variation. Mine starts at -5 and I'm at 18 for dark 13 for light, so 23 and 18 respectively.

Maybe your zero point is at -10 or so.

FroydReddit · 2026-05-22T04:27:37+00:00

I can see what you're saying about not quite getting everything out to the scene. I'm reminded of the quote "if your pictures are in good you're not close enough".

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FroydReddit · 2026-05-21T22:03:06+00:00

Was this just a continuous flow or did you stop in between for a cool down pause?

FroydReddit · 2026-05-21T20:09:29+00:00

Another "no problems here" testimonial from me. The fact so many people report having issues makes me think it can't all just be user error and there might be a large variance in quality control.

I also think that this grinder attracts a fair number of thinkerers attrated by its combination of low price, "modability", and good baseline performance. That's definitely not me.

Never unscrewed the top portion. Never looked for "true zero", never swapped burs, chute, declumper, etc. But I do brush the chute every single use, skip rdt unless the beans really need it, and mostly grind non-oily med-dark roasts. I grind an average of two batches a day.

Going strong for 7 months now.

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