This video really has me looking out for the UPS guy every day now and also made me happy that my Gaggia MDF grinder is held in high enough regard by the guy pulling this shot.....

Make sure your volume is on to get the full effect.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUHva...eature=related
[Reply]

That was cool. I see why you're sweating the delivery.

He should put black tape over those distracting gauges.
[Reply]

I couldn't see a thing with being blinded by all that chrome. All I could hear was some silly music, I guess when you have one of those quiet vibe pumps you need to add sound. :-):-)

The 9 days I waited for my machine had my wife looking into having me bumped off, hope it gets to you soon :-).
[Reply]

I just got a call asking if it would be ok if they send the machine on a skid, which I guess is a pallate. Of course I said ok.

Thursday looks like the day.
[Reply]

Got a call from the UPS center today telling me to be home tommorow between 10-4 because a 110 pallate is arriving and I am very confused as to how it all of a sudden became 110 pounds, unless the pallate weighs 60 pounds?

They said the driver will need help to unload and my back is as bad as it's been in 15 years.:-)

I thought everything, including the chrome and guages was around 50 lbs.....
[Reply]

You hanging in there?
Dreaming about pulling shots with sunglasses on?
You going to take the hood off and have a look before firing it up?
Do you have plenty of beans on hand?
Do you have a 20amp circut for where it is being plugged in?
Are you enjoying the last days you will ever spend with your Gaggia?
Are you tracking the shipment every hour just in case?
Do you have a Reg Barber Tamper?
Nice!
[Reply]

Yes to most, but no sunglasses and I don't know about the 20 amp circuit breaker.

Pound of Black Cat Espresso beans arrived today.

I did order a bottomless portafilter to track my progress and post annoying pics of my blonding shots hopefully.

Got instructions on how to drain the Gaggia boiler and will probably keep it around to take on short trips.
[Reply]

I went through a pound in the first 2 days :-).
[Reply]

Har har har. I think I burned thru a pound with the Mazzer in about 45 minutes trying to figure out stepless grinding precision; another pound the next day trying to figure out a 58mm basket, tamp, etc. It was very distressing, my ineptitude. Fl'ink already knows his MDF and the 58mm basket. No way he'll squander his Black Cat on a new brewer.

That 110# delivery has me flummoxed.

WTH. I paid cash for my Oscar, a demo boxed and complete, in Bellingham, WA. A friend of the importer carried it over to my hotel with his van and I had to cart it up to my room. Next day I managed to get it (plus my luggage, samples, etc.) to SEA-TAC airport in the trunk of a cab, tied down with twine and a bungee. I cannot remember how I got it through SEATAC baggage check-in and back out to my car at Raleigh/RDU. I just remember it was big, heavy, unpleasant and insane to travel with. But the fact was I couldn't wait another five days for the UPS shipment. Who cares if the pallet weighs 65#? Leave it alongside the house and somebodys kids will make a treehouse out of it.

But! If the pallet really is that heavy then it has to be the most wonderful 48x40 4-way that ever was. Keep it for resale - gotta be worth at least $20.

I think my Reg Barber came on a pallet. It's heavy. :-)
[Reply]

Would it be innapropriate if I did a photo essay showing the UPS delivery along with the setup tommorow, or would it be gloating??
[Reply]

I would be pleased to share in your excitement. Photos, yes, of course. Especially the pallet.
[Reply]

I grossly under stated how much. There was the 1lb that got me to re-calibrate the Vario finer and then another 1lb that night to prove that I had the tamp figured out and that wasn't the previous problem. 2lbs the next day because it was just so good and I was learning to froth milk, by day three I realized I better start roasting to give rest time while the other 2 lbs where being used. I didn't sleep for days. I just figured Pete knew what he was doing :-), might even hear the cry of agony all the way up here as the last 14g of Black Cat goes through the grinder Friday morning. It is 32 double shots, oh yeah it is a little less since those MDF's rob your precious grinds.
[Reply]

I thought you said it was coming Thursday? You lucky dog, please gloat away, you should.
[Reply]

I thought Thursday earliest as they finished the tech stuff checkup early Monday and were planning on putting it on the truck that day.

They're in upstate New York, I'm in Orlando Florida, that's a long way to go in 2 days.

Stay tuned, tommorow may be epic.:-)

On a side note, the service as always, at Wholelattelove puts them at the top of the list of people I will deal with when it comes to Coffee equipment.

They have answered a million questions by phone and email as cheerfully as can be.

First class operation all around.
[Reply]

Nice.

Have to say, the barista has an unusual technique.:-)

Gotta love the E61

You should consider getting something not shown in the video, a bottomless portafilter. Very good learning tool
[Reply]

Ordered it already. Thank goodness I put it off or I would have had the wrong one after the E61.
[Reply]

Espresso amor = bottomless.
[Reply]