Summer E61 upgrades and maint ...

[ecc]

I bought my little Quickmill E61 in the summer a few years ago, so every summer I start thinking about maintenance on it.  Last year I was pretty focused on pour-over, but with my new ekk43 grinder I have been doing exclusively espresso for the last six months.
 
   * general cleaning
   * inspected all the tubing, drained, descaled, and flushed it
   * replaced the little plastic intake filter in my tank
   * bought new 20g VST baskets and a Cafelat XT portafilter, much heavier and stainless steel

Also getting ready to upgrade to
   * new Cafelat silicone group gaskets - thread over on HB mostly talking about fit
   * new high flow precision E61 showerhead

I bought a few extra group gaskets and showerheads wholesale if anyone else wants to play along. (PM me)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf3bo5lnRdk - showerheads

Cheers!

[GC7]

That shower head looks like a real improvement and I'll pick one up for my QM Anita one of these days. Thanks

After a few years you should also be prepared to replace all the internal gaskets, the cam pin for the arm that initiates water flow and the exhaust mechanism. EricS has great instructions for this on HB and is really good about helping when needed.

[GC7]

The reservoir float sensor on my machine started sinking and shutting off the heater so it needed to be replaced. At the same time, I ordered the improved shower screen from Chris Coffee and I must say it is an improvement Perhaps now I can get better use out of my VST basket which I found finicky with the old setup.

Thanks for the tip ECC!

[ecc]

The reservoir float sensor on my machine started sinking and shutting off the heater so it needed to be replaced. At the same time, I ordered the improved shower screen from Chris Coffee and I must say it is an improvement Perhaps now I can get better use out of my VST basket which I found finicky with the old setup.

Thanks for the tip ECC!

Awesome!  Mine is smoother than the original, easier to wipe off, and seems like it does give the VST basket a fighting chance.  Had to change my grinder settings. I also thought I was doing a good job on the backflush, but when I pulled off the old shower head I was not impressed.

I should also mention that I have recently qualified as a Chris Coffee retailer, you long-term members should hit me up to see if I can land you a little discount.  It usually isn't as profound as you would think, but if a little cheaper means more toys ...

[GC7]

Did you say discount?     

I just pulled two shots with the 15 gm VST and some Ethiopia Amaro Gayo and I'm still not totally comfortable dialing in the shots but it does emphasize the bright notes and clarity.

I pull my screen every month and clean it with Cafiza. Backflushing doesn't come close to getting it free of coffee oils and debris. I also notice the smoother surface and ease of wiping it clean after each shot.