E61 Coffee Grouphead Cleaning Tool (portafilter)

This is a cleaning tool for the E61 58mm grouphead.  I designed it for our Izzo Alex Duetto Dual Boiler Coffee machine but may fit other 58mm E61s too.

Our machine is in everyday use but only domestically so needs to be cleaned after every use else the crud will harden.  For 16-years we have wiped the seal groove every time whilst trying to peer up into the grouphead.  Now with a printer and Fusion to hand I felt I could do better.

The tool is designed to use the hot water from the group to flush across the screen and seal (see sectioned views).  A conventional backflush doesn't get to all of the seal.  Our machine is plumbed-in to the water supply but not to drains so I have incorporated a container to capture the flushed water and grounds.  For us, the container will hold a full day's worth of flushes.  The three small holes in the side of the cleaner are there to allow air to vent.  If you just want to flush into the drip tray, it will work fine without the container.

I made my print with an O-ring groove to seal at the outer diameter.  I have however found it to be unnecessary as it doesn't leak with or without the O-ring fitted.  I have therefore provided files with and without the O-ring groove.  If you want to fit a ring it should be an 86mm (ID) x 2.5mm.

To use it, draw a shot as normal and then fit the tool and flush for a few seconds and remove immediately.

I printed it in PETG which seems to be withstanding the temperature adequately for the short flush period.

The head was printed with organic support under the two “portafilter” tangs and the bottle land.  I don't ever use support on screw threads as they print just fine.

For improved water-tightness I printed the bottle with random seams and zero seam gap.  I have found that this can be sufficient where a minor seep isn't critical, but since I had some to hand,  I gave it a soak in Dichtol AM Hydro.