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Post by nana on Aug 4, 2019 10:03:57 GMT -5
Well folks, it was Firemen's Auction time again in West Hebron, and here are my two latest aquisitions: I don't need help with the percolator, (notice the red light indicating the coffee is done, which I am drinking even as I write!) but isn't it sweet? I thought y'all might like to see it. But I do need a bit of instruction on the Silex vacuum pot. It is all there, but the stuff I found online about how to use it was sparse and vague. Mostly they show ones with a glass tube in the upper pot to act as a filter somehow, but this one has a ceramic disk with holes too big to be a filter, so I think it must have needed an additional filter, cloth back in the day, but I could probably use paper coffee filters cut to size, I guess. How to attach a filter? Also the base heater gets nice and hot, but the ceramic bed for the element, while all there, is cracked in a few places. Does that compromise safety too much? I most likely would not use it much, just once in a while for funsies and to impress unsuspecting houseguests. Can someone give me a little step by step tutorial? I have the gist of it from my cursory online research, but I feel there are gaps in my knowledge I'd rather not have...
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 4, 2019 10:22:59 GMT -5
I remember you talking about this in years past. Great scores! I have at least three VP which I use on weekends. If the base is ceramic that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Only one of mine is electric; the others are stove-top. Let me see if I can find info. Once you have this coffee it won't be "just for giggles" as it makes great coffee. do you have and ID numbers? Any close-ups of the filter?l Regarding making it, don't use too fine a coffee.... percolator grind is best or it can clog the filter. Fill the bottom with water.... when it boils it rises to the top. When it does that swirl it a few times with a plastic spoon to get the coffee away from the filter
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 4, 2019 10:44:16 GMT -5
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Post by karitx on Aug 4, 2019 12:09:39 GMT -5
I don't have any advice, but I do think they are both cute! I really like the scalloped flower look on the bottom of the vacuum pot.
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Post by nana on Aug 4, 2019 16:25:15 GMT -5
Thanks Vv. Here is a close up of the little ceramic disk in the top pot. There's a little hook and spring thingie that hooks onto the tube of the bottom part. If I use a piece of fabric as a filter, should I wrap it around the top of the disk and let the tension from the spring hold the fabric in place? I had thought I might get those little round paper percolator filters (if I can find any still) and cut a slit in one and slide it under the disk. That way I don't have to worry about washing it out all the time. The heater works, I'd be leery of using it on the stovetop since it wasn't made for that. I guess I'd have to stand by, and unplug it when it's time. How long do you let it boil once the water is in the top? I was reading up on these, and some said to let it boil 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.
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Post by nana on Aug 4, 2019 16:32:04 GMT -5
Here is a picture of the bottom of the heater. The numbers in the little box on the left of the screw say 525. My cursory research leads me to believe that is the watts, and the box on the right has a 120 on the first line and RA-8 on the second line.
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Post by nana on Aug 4, 2019 16:37:06 GMT -5
I don't have any advice, but I do think they are both cute! I really like the scalloped flower look on the bottom of the vacuum pot. The plastic scalloped part is cracked pretty bad under the handle, but it's just a cosmetic flaw. The glass seems perfect. I wonder how old it is? Before Silex joined up with Proctor, I guess.
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Post by nana on Aug 4, 2019 16:45:40 GMT -5
I just read that SILEX stands for "Sanitary and Interesting method of making Luscious coffee. it is Easy to operate on account of its being Xray transparent.
I don't know if that's true, but I want to think it is!!
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Post by mach12 on Aug 4, 2019 16:49:12 GMT -5
When I found my vacuum pot I did a lot of digging and found several great sites for info. Two were the most informative for a total novice like me and they'd probably be even better for those of you with a working brain. Here's one and I'll find the other and post it. baharris.org/coffee/VacuumCoffeePots.htm
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Post by nana on Aug 5, 2019 7:58:00 GMT -5
Here it is coming to a boil... And we have coffee! A small hiccup--the puny spring clip was no match for the mighty power of the gurgle when it came to holding in place the flimsy paper filter I had wrapped around the ceramic disk, so the coffee grounds got mixed into both pots and we had to filter the coffee out into a third pot, but even so, it was good coffee. And very exciting to watch! I ordered the cloth filters from Amazon. I wondered why they needed that drawstring. Now I know. Also, I may have put a bit too much water in, or the filter malfunction may have had something to do with it, but when it was at full gurgle there was a bit of splashing out the top, so it was a little messy, which is visible in the second picture. The base holds it at an ever so slight angle because of the broken ceramic part, so next time I may try shimming it up to level and see that if that helps with the splashing. I've got to think splashing is not part of normal operation, right?
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 5, 2019 10:57:06 GMT -5
I was wondering if you had seen the link! I'm glad you ordered them. Also, two minutes sound long, but it's really just steeping it to your desired taste so experiment. There shouldn't be any splashing with the lid on. I'll have to watch mach12s link, but there was a youtube with one in action and the user had a Chambers! Also, search on this forum or the other as there was a long discussion about vaculators.
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Post by pooka on Aug 5, 2019 13:34:52 GMT -5
Here's the video of the Chambers & Vintage Vaculator.
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Post by nana on Aug 5, 2019 17:55:52 GMT -5
Thanks, Pooka! Watching that video lets me know for sure I need to fix something--that liquid came up to the very lip of the top pot with no bubble-over. I think my problem is the slight tilt mine has--the bottom of the tube was part in and part out of the water that was left down below while the top was filled. I think that contributed to the upheaval.
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 6, 2019 12:01:18 GMT -5
Thanks,Pooka! That's the one. Nana, are you saying the top pot doesn't fit straight into the bottom or is because the electric element area is uneven?
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Post by nana on Aug 6, 2019 19:50:56 GMT -5
The base is uneven. A design flaw; the bed the wire coil rests in and where the cord plugs in to is all one ceramic piece, and over time it cracked into a few pieces from the strain of plugging and unplugging it. If I shim it up with a coaster or something underneath the pot will sit level. The metal bowl that holds the element and cradles the bottom of the pot is also slightly bent. I think someone at one time tried to fix the broken ceramic and bent it a little out of whack. But it still heats up like it should, the water boils, the top and bottom fit perfectly together, the rubber stopper feels just like it should...As soon as I get my proper filters, I'll try it again. My husband said it was the smoothest coffee he'd ever tasted, even with the filter failure. I wouldn't know because I'm not a big coffee drinker. I just like watching it work!
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Post by nana on Aug 8, 2019 8:17:47 GMT -5
So! I got my filters, (washed them all by hand with mild soap and rinsed like 10 times), shimmed the base up level, and the pot performed like a champion!
One more thing to try is I will uplug it as soon as the water fills the top pot and I stir it, because we were timing to try to give it about 2 minutes, but it took a loooong time for it to stop boiling even after it was unplugged; we had to take it off the base and put it on a potholder. The first time we used it we were so distracted by the filter failure that all thought of precise timing went out the window, and with no filter in place, the water rushed back down as soon as the heat turned off. The filter of course makes it take a bit longer. I tried finding an owner's manual online with no luck, but I bet it was designed to sit on the base and after it boils , you stir, and unplug it, and it will "gurgle" for the correct amount of time. I want to perfect the technique before the next time my brother the coffee snob visits!
Any tips on cleaning the top pot and filter afterwards? It's kind of a messy procedure!
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 8, 2019 10:26:05 GMT -5
No tips on the filter since mine is just a white ceramic piece that slots in. I was lucky to find a trove of NOS of them in case one breaks. It's fantastic that they still make your filter! As I mentioned, I have an old SS bodum stand/surround from a broken french press. (I think I actually got it at St. Vinnie's to replace a plastic one.) It's the perfect size to hold the top section after removing it instead of placing it on the counter. I even store mine that way.After that discovery, I found I used it more often. I wash it as for any coffee pot. I will try to remember to take a pic of the set-up. Also, mine is stove-top so I just adjust the heat when the water rises. It's thrilling to use, isn't it?
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Post by mach12 on Aug 8, 2019 12:26:20 GMT -5
A little different one in this add but yours is still a dreamer! Semi-automatic but probably won't be classified as an assault coffee maker.
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Post by mach12 on Aug 8, 2019 12:55:20 GMT -5
My pot came with a filter that's a glass rod with two thin ceramic discs on it but all of the ones I see online of that style filter rod have two thin and one thick. You can see the filter In this picture I took when I brought the pot home and below that is a picture I downloaded of the same thing with the three discs. I've been watching for a 3 disc one but no luck so far. The tag the seller had on the pot says Drip-o-later but that's not on the pot anywhere but it does say Magic-flo. I don't find any info on Drip-o-later so it's probably a misspell of Drip-o-lator, an entirely different brand. Mine makes good coffee so I don't know what it would do with three discs but I'd love to find out.
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Post by mach12 on Aug 8, 2019 13:21:13 GMT -5
This instruction sheet is for a vacuum pot using a filter I've never seen but it's still good info on the procedure. One thing that gets overlooked or that some might not be aware of is using wire trivets with glass coffee pots on an electric range or cooktop. The wire trivet is placed on the burner and then you place the pot on the trivet. Glass pots should never be placed directly on the burner of an electric range. I've never seen in any of the other instructions I've seen where you wait and put the top bowl on after the water starts to simmer and the part about waiting one full minute is confusing as well. I followed some instructions I had downloaded, I think from the site I referenced above, and it said to turn off the gas when the water was in the upper part and then wait for it to drop down. The sheet does have the most important part: "Serve Attractively" but I struggled with that, too. I finally decided that doing my best to serve it handsomely (a struggle in my case) would just have to do.
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 8, 2019 13:25:32 GMT -5
Thank you, mach12. That is the filter and instruction manual that came with my Vaculator. I couldn't find it to take a picture of so thank you!
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Post by nana on Aug 9, 2019 8:10:22 GMT -5
The filters were pretty cheap for ten of them. They are basically a round circle of cotton cloth with a pull string basted on so you can put it over the ceramic disk my pot has and tie it on underneath like a little hood. Now that I know the thickness, I can just make new ones myself once these are done. For ease of cleaning, I kind of like yours, with the filter being all glass and ceramic, although I don't know how they work to keep the grounds out, but I guess they must. Cleaning the cloth filters is kind of a pain, because it just adds more work. I want to make sure it has no old coffee or soap residue left on it, so I rinse and rinse and rinse.
I will keep my eye out for a better upper pot holder than the plastic container I'm using. It's just what I could find that was the right size. I can see why people went for metal percolators when they came out--I am so nervous about breaking that tube every time I use it. It hangs down and is so delicate, although I see from the picture that the lady is holding it BY the tube, since that one has no handle. I am about to try round three of coffee making with mine--wish me luck!
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Post by nana on Aug 9, 2019 10:21:05 GMT -5
Round three--I unplugged the base when the top was about half full and I gave it a stir. It kept bubbling, but it seemed to be not filling up as quickly, so I plugged it back in for about 30 seconds to make sure it filled up, and then unplugged it again, but I still ended up having to put it on a potholder to complete the sucking back down. Then I spent some time meandering through the online world of siphon coffee brewing geeks hoping for some insight. The only thing I learned that was of value to me was that after the first time or two of using a cloth filter the weave tightens up a bit which makes it take a little longer, so there you go. There was a TON of very persnickety discussion on proper temperature, techniques for getting a "juicy, fruity" flavor etc, etc, that indicates to me that some people are so incredibly dedicated to the perfect cup of coffee that I wonder if they have outside lives at all. I suppose discussion of Chambers stoves would seem the same to them. Judge not, lest ye be judged.
There must have been an owners manual for mine with instructions like the one you posted, Mach12. I know they wouldn't have left it up to chance--there must be a point in the process where you unplug it and it will be the right ratio of boiling to cooling. I can't imagine that having an electric base that holds the pot, they would require you to take it off the base in order to complete the process.
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 9, 2019 11:08:40 GMT -5
So I'm guessing there's no temp control, but just on/off. Now that it's shimmed up, perhaps you could just leave it on until it comes up and for a minute afterwards. Since I now have a stand I don't have to hold min from the tube; does your have a handle on the top? I've never seen on that does. I also remember reading that my ceramic type can be used as a univeral one. I might not use too much soap on the filter as that's meant to alter the taste of coffee, but who knows. Yeah... I've been on those sites and they are die-hard!!! I thought we were bad with our stoves! : )) Let us know how it goes. Hopefully, third times a charm. P.S. Here's a pic of my set up. It's not a Bodum stand, but Starbucks. They have them all the time at St. Vinnies since the glass breaks. Usually they are plastic. Delay. There's no setting on my phone for pics.This may take a bit to finagle. Click to enlarge this picture.
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Post by mach12 on Aug 9, 2019 22:56:50 GMT -5
Round three--I unplugged the base when the top was about half full and I gave it a stir. It kept bubbling, but it seemed to be not filling up as quickly, so I plugged it back in for about 30 seconds to make sure it filled up, and then unplugged it again, but I still ended up having to put it on a potholder to complete the sucking back down. Then I spent some time meandering through the online world of siphon coffee brewing geeks hoping for some insight. The only thing I learned that was of value to me was that after the first time or two of using a cloth filter the weave tightens up a bit which makes it take a little longer, so there you go. There was a TON of very persnickety discussion on proper temperature, techniques for getting a "juicy, fruity" flavor etc, etc, that indicates to me that some people are so incredibly dedicated to the perfect cup of coffee that I wonder if they have outside lives at all. I suppose discussion of Chambers stoves would seem the same to them. Judge not, lest ye be judged. There must have been an owners manual for mine with instructions like the one you posted, Mach12. I know they wouldn't have left it up to chance--there must be a point in the process where you unplug it and it will be the right ratio of boiling to cooling. I can't imagine that having an electric base that holds the pot, they would require you to take it off the base in order to complete the process. Sounds like you did pretty much what the instructions I have say to do. Below is what I have. Your pot is a circa 1939 Delray according to the site I posted above and this pamphlet seems to illustrate the circa 1945 Bretton. (I never did have the page that has steps 1 & 2, whatever those steps were).
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 9, 2019 23:04:49 GMT -5
Those directions seem to indicate it's the same glass container for both the electric and gas model. That is so great that you found those!
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Post by mach12 on Aug 9, 2019 23:36:04 GMT -5
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Post by nana on Aug 10, 2019 9:20:21 GMT -5
Thank you, Mach12, I'll have to check that site out! Uh oh, though. Why can't I use soapy water if I rinse it all out? And keeping an unwashed filter in a glass of water seems like a recipe for algae and bacteria to grow... Also, should I serve it proudly or attractively? Proudly may be easier to achieve, since I'm usually in my bathrobe and slippers when it's coffee time. Vaporvac, yes my upper pot has its own handle. It makes it easy to pull the top pot off and move it to a stand to cool down. I wonder why they mostly don't have a handle. Odd.
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Post by vaporvac on Aug 11, 2019 11:13:57 GMT -5
Jitterbuzz is a great site. That's where I originally got all my Ironrite info years ago. Nana, I think the soap recommendation for the pot may not apply with modern detergents. Soap-based cleaners will leave a residue that can produce off-flavours in coffee. I wonder about keeping it in the water.... what is the point of that? If it's in the fridge, it shouldn't grow anything day-to-day, but that seems like pretty extreme care even for me! Perhaps read a bit more about the filter from the source that still makes them. I might look up the company for care instructions.
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Post by mach12 on Aug 11, 2019 12:43:58 GMT -5
Taking a lesson from homebrewing practices, Oxiclean Free would be what I'd use. Just stay away from the regular Oxiclean or your coffee will taste like the perfumes in it. If you have trouble finding it they sometimes have it with the baby stuff. Right next to the distilled water that I buy for topping off car batteries. You just never know where to look for stuff in stores anymore. Its been a long, long time since I was a parent so the logic of keeping distilled water stuck in there with the baby diapers totally goes over my head.
I wouldn't wash the filter every time though, just give it a good, hot tap water rinse, squeeze as much liquid out as possible, and then put it in a zip lock bag and toss it in the fridge. I've also gone to hemp fabric for the bags for brewing and for boiling herbs and spices when cooking and canning. I haven't tried hemp for coffee filters but I'll bet it'll beat cotton and it's not processed with the chemicals cotton is.
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