Hi!!
A few months ago, I published and Instructable titled:
“Pocket size Espresso Machine with integrated alcohol stove.”
I got a ton of comments on the design; a good number of them focused on my use of copper as the main build material.
Questions of material safety with food were raised and some people even went the extra mile to see if using copper in this way was food safe.
A second point was also raised, that it was not really an espresso maker but a moka pot, due to its inability to exert sufficient water pressure on the coffee grounds.
So, for all of you, I went back to the drawing board and came up with a new design that solved both the copper and the pressure problems!
And incredibly, it's also cheaper and easier to make!
BTW, it is just big enough to hold 2oz of water so you can pull a double shot :D
A short video of the machine in action:
A few months ago, I published and Instructable titled:
“Pocket size Espresso Machine with integrated alcohol stove.”
I got a ton of comments on the design; a good number of them focused on my use of copper as the main build material.
Questions of material safety with food were raised and some people even went the extra mile to see if using copper in this way was food safe.
A second point was also raised, that it was not really an espresso maker but a moka pot, due to its inability to exert sufficient water pressure on the coffee grounds.
So, for all of you, I went back to the drawing board and came up with a new design that solved both the copper and the pressure problems!
And incredibly, it's also cheaper and easier to make!
BTW, it is just big enough to hold 2oz of water so you can pull a double shot :D
A short video of the machine in action:
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: Design constraints
The espresso maker works by releasing air at high pressure into the brew chamber (I used a small bike pump to build up the air pressure).
It works just like the commercial Handpresso which is my main inspiration.
To build this, I set the following constraints:
- All water handling parts had to be either aluminum or stainless steel.
- All parts had to be easily and cheaply obtained.
- Only simple tools could be used.
- It must be safe (no exploding parts due to high pressure or hands burned by hot water)
- Must be easy to give maintenance (sometimes overlooked)
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
It would be great if it had a pressure gauge on it so you knew when you pumped up to 16bar.
Look for a portable bike pump with integrated pressure gauge :D
If you can, share pics of you build!
I know the air valve is spring loaded, but is there any added value in making the screw in the air release spring loaded?
Do you have any suggestions on places to get syringe plunger heads?
As to the plunger heads, any Walgreans or Wallmart will sell syringes.
Me? I don't care. The caffeine may be similarly unhealthy, especially at espresso doses. Perhaps you could call it the Coffee Crackpipe?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTVE5iPMKLg
i would love to buy one too, maybe even 2 since i would use it so much it would probably wear out haha
Any updates after using it for a few months? Any thoughts on improvements?
Well, actually I'm working on version 3 of my espresso maker. This will be (hopefully) a lever machine that put out some really high quality espresso.
On the other end of the espresso tool chain, I'm halfway done with a new kind of grinder.....let's see how that turns out
I´m actually trying to make a la pavoni type machine. The hard part is trying to "out design" the need for any type of metal manufacturing, so that anyone could built it. The PID boiler is also a real challenge, but I've come up with a new/old idea that will make it workable.
So, I had to use the PVC Cement.
1) how do you pour water into the espresso maker, and then screw in the coffee cup, without spilling one, into the other?
2) what's the glue you are using? Isn't PVC glue toxic?
3) what's the pouring hole look like at the bottom?
4) can you make another video with more detail, maybe showing how one piece fits into another, and the entire process of making coffee (no skipping the water pouting step ;)
Again, an amazing instructable, thank you for posting
I'll answer your questions in the same order.
1) Since I tamperd the coffee hard, I turn the basket + Union outer ring upside down without the coffee falling out :D
2)It is PVC glue, but since it never touches the water or the coffee it's not a problem.
3) I didn't understand this question, can you rephrase it?
4) Yes, I just have to wait till my wife gets back form a work trip, since I need an extra pair of hands.
When you done, tell me how good your espresso is :D
But I was wondering if you had made or could make a Diagram of your Hand held Espresso maker. Your photos are great but it's still hard to see the whole concept.
Thanks for making cool stuff.
Now entering the Newb zone, so here goes.
Seems as though the entire assembly is predicated on the filter.
Can you source the filter plate, and I'll exercise due diligence in finding the rest.
Thanks
FNG.
-There are several ways you can buy one. Look on ebay and you can buy a new one for about $5 to $9.
-You could find them from any local coffee supply store.
-Another option is to ask around if anyone has a broken espresso maker. It doesn't mater if it's one of those cheap $45 krups pressure moka pots that they call espresso makers.
-flee markets and garage sales.
-the "lose parts" bin in you local best buy or similar.
Since there they come in several different sizes, that's the reason you need to size you machine to the basket.
The one I used was from a broken moka/espresso pot that they gave me at work (it as dead)
Nop, the PVC is just used as the shell and the air chamber.