It has been observed that the Vintage Home Lever Espresso Machines
have their own special character, one of the aspects of this
'character' is that the portafilter baskets often do not conform to
modern, standard sizing. A standard 49mm tamper with an Olympia
Cremina always feels a bit loose, the Pre-Millenium La Pavoni's aren't
quite right with the standard size either, and, any tamper size less
than 49mm -the sizes needed for the La Peppina, Riviera, the Caravel,
and others, is either impossible to find, or unsatisfying in the
quality. These tampers are not an approximate generic fit for each
machine, but a perfect fit. And, fit, in the basket is very important,
to not only the tamp itself, but also personal satisfaction, as tamping
is a central component in the art of espresso. These
distinctive, custom espresso tampers were designed & manufactured
by Richard Penney from the ground up, working from the original
portafilter baskets for each of the Vintage Lever Espresso Machines, to
fit correctly. Careful attention has been paid to the height of the
tamper at the shoulder to provide the perfect head space needed by each
machine in the portafilter basket. The Old World Style, which Richard
calls "Retro", is also a part of the functional design of the tamper -
it encourages you to feel the shoulder edge of the piston for perfect
levelling of the espresso puck. The wood handle is shaped to give
plenty of surface for the palm of your hand for the final finishing
polish of your tamp. These tampers are also ideal for those machines
that work best with light to moderate tamp, as well as those that only
require a levelling & polishing. The Penney's Tamper was
designed and refined over time with the input of numerous espresso
aficionados beginning with the duplication of an original OEM La
Peppina tamper followed by a hands on process of tweaking the design,
resulting in the current form. These refinements, plus ample talent at
the lathe and the appreciation for good espresso & espresso
machines, have resulted in this Fine Tamper. Specifications: Total Height = 71.6 mm (2 7/8 ") Handle Diameter at Top = 23 mm (7/8 ") Handle Dieameter at Base = 17.5 mm (11/16 ") Tamper Piston Height = 5 mm (3/16 ")
Technical
considerations aside, these tampers are a beautiful example of form
& function, jewel like in appearance - the perfect tamper for our
machines! Richard writes: "The
Retro design suits the older machines to a turn. With the 5mm thick
base and a little practice, your tamp is exact and level. With the
thin base and a light tamp these masterworks do the job with panache.
The basic tamper comes to you with a grip of American Walnut, long
known for its beauty. The finish is food grade walnut oil and beeswax
to bring out the natural highlights of the wood. The tamper should be
treated with food oil as though it were a wooden salad bowl. The
finish and lustre will improve with use and time. The best way to
polish the base is to unscrew the grip and polish it with brass
polish. We recommend "Wrights Brass Polish" because it washes off
cleanly and enhances the lustre (some other brass cleaners may leave a
residue of chemicals that could affect the flavor of your coffee.)
Wipe the base piston dry and you will have no water spots." It
is a pleasure, and a privilege to be associated with Richard Penney on
this project! Penney's Tamper is unique, distinctive and available
only in very limited quantities. |
