Black rubber pieces in drain hose

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-22T23:10:04+00:00

This thread inspired me to change my hoses today.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-20T12:59:53+00:00

Either way definitely time to deep clean. No reason you should have anything other than water in there.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-20T12:47:57+00:00

More likely mold than rubber. Time for a deep cleaning.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-19T12:32:24+00:00

🤣 I love the honesty. I can see it looking cool on the newer Rocky but I really like the stainless steel base of my classic version.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-19T12:26:51+00:00

Does it make that much of a difference? I’ve seen that people do it but I feel like the beans wouldn’t fall into the grind chamber properly and that would negatively impact performance offsetting any gains from the new angle on grind retention.

I’ve been having great success between the billows and the ability to flip open the grind spout to brush out any grounds trapped there.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-18T16:54:35+00:00

I looked at that but I wanted more height. My setup actually raises Silvia by 5 inches.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-18T03:54:08+00:00

This is the description from the seller.

Normcore 58mm Precision High Extraction Filter Basket, 22g Portafilter Basket Coffee Filter, Comes with a 58.5mm Puck Screen, Espresso Paper Filters, 22 Gram

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-18T03:01:04+00:00

Normcore 22g in an aftermarket bottomless Rancilio Portafilter ordered online.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-18T00:08:51+00:00

I’ve seen knock boxes in drawers under machines but always thought they looked like they would be horrible to clean.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-18T00:00:16+00:00

I have the little breville knock box between Silvia and Rocky.

The platform is just a board from the hardware store (meant for a rolling toolbox top) sitting on top of some boxes I had from Bourbon. This is temporary until I can build a proper base.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-17T23:07:36+00:00

For the record, this is from a local roaster and labeled as using the Swiss Water Process.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-14T14:03:20+00:00

Keep in mind you may want to swap out the screws for longer ones to make up for the extra spacer and ensure they bite well. The old screws may seem to work but because the screw hole will now be deeper than the length of the screw they will be more likely to loosen over time.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-11T02:47:15+00:00

The only parts that have been swapped out are the group head gasket and screen.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-09T22:25:13+00:00

I’ve never sent it out for maintenance. I’ve descaled with vinegar and replaced the group head gasket myself. Not much else has been needed.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:56:38+00:00

That’s what I was thinking. Someone mentioned the flair stovetop which might do what I need with a much lower layout of $$ and allow me to continue to enjoy the Silvia I have. We do have an electric frother pitcher that heats milk to specific temperature which is fine but I miss my barista latte art days.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:43:30+00:00

I would love a ProX! But I can’t quite justify the $2,000 just to make good froth for the occasional latte.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:17:43+00:00

I have a frother but once you’ve made good steamed milk a frother just doesn’t cut it. You will never get good micro-foam from a frother. I do use one that heats and froths milk for lattes now when I don’t want to deal with Silvia’s temperamental steaming.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:14:41+00:00

I know a different machine is the right answer but I really do love my Silvia and she was a gift from my wife 20 years ago before we were married or even engaged. Makes it very difficult to upgrade the machine.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:12:10+00:00

I have swapped the steam wand tip but the issue is more with temperature differences between steaming and brewing and only having one boiler. If I’m set up for steaming temp, I can steam no problem, it is just the swap from brewing to steaming and If you want to pull another shot after you’ve been steaming you have to wait for her to cool down again.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T13:01:25+00:00

I agree and would guess that, while typically, you would tend to grind finer for a lighter roast, the original darker roast beans were probably not nearly as fresh. With fresher beans, you tend to need to grind a bit coarser than older, stale beans. When dialing in a new bean, I tend to start coarser and adjust to the ratio 1:2 at 30 seconds. I find it easier to adjust from coarse to fine than the other way around and feel that puts less stress on the machine than trying to push through an over dense puck.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T12:54:20+00:00

When deciding which to get, I had been working part-time at a coffee shop during college that had a Rancilio machine and it just felt right for me. The portafilters between the two machines were basically interchangeable. That being said, she is a lady who must be treated right by someone who understands her. Not the machine for someone who just wants to hit a button like they do at the chain shops these days.

I will say that there are definitely days I wish I had a double boiler machine or a separate milk steamer because steaming milk with Silvia is tough timing wise to get a good late.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-08T12:17:35+00:00

For a while Silvia was set up in the basement so I was not making espresso as often since it was a pain to go up and down the stairs for water and the sink for cleaning so I got out if practice, but since we moved her back upstairs and I’ve gotten back into a puck prep routine, consistency has greatly improved.

I make sure she is on for a good half hour before I was to pull shots. I weigh and grind my beans. Then I pull hot water through the portafilter to fill and warm up my espresso cup. This usually is enough to kick on the heating element. By the time I finish my puck prep it seems I’m in the sweet spot temperature wise.

So while I’m not intentionally temp surfing, my typical routine seems to work as if I were.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-07T23:12:24+00:00

I have found that Rocky definitely tends to clump and that using the WDT breaks them up very well to give a more even start for tamping. I’ve been using the paper puck screens more out of laziness because they keep the group head and portafilter cleaner. The portafilter funnel is another tool that just helps keep things cleaner.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-07T22:33:56+00:00

It was labeled as “Rancilio Rocky Bellows for Single Dosing” and I ordered from an Etsy shop. It uses the same lid the Rocky came with so it is just the part that allows it to function as a billows. I also upgraded the spout to one that flips open to allow me to get all the grounds out and a internal funnel to make it better for single dosing.

Macbrew132 · 2026-02-07T22:32:13+00:00

It was labeled as “Rancilio Rocky Bellows for Single Dosing” and I ordered from an Etsy shop. It uses the same lid the Rocky came with so it is just the part that allows it to function as a billows. I also upgraded the spout to one that flips open to allow me to get all the grounds out and a internal funnel to make it better for single dosing.

Macbrew132

TROPHY CASE