A less anti-social espresso machine (homemade)

I’ve always loved the DIY ethos. Punk rock. Homemade skate ramps. Handmade clothes. Zines. Scrub that, I made one zine.

My technical ability or rather, lack thereof, limits exactly what I can and I stay away from modifying electrical appliances.

Julian, however, is a tinkerer to the core and there’s nothing he won’t dismantle and refashion.

When I first met him, in 2009, he was an engineering student who worked weekends at my favourite local cafe.

By chance, I learned that he lived within walking distance from me and we soon became good friends as did our partners.

Anyway, I’m digressing. Working in a busy cafe, Julian was constantly frustrated that the beast of a coffee machine created a bulky barrier between him and his customers and he longed for something more akin to a beer tap.

What would be a fleeting thought for most baristas became a problem for Julian to solve and over months he obsessed over his design of a more social espresso machine.

I would have liked to have captured the entire journey on camera, but unfortunately, I only got a vision of him in his garage giving an overview of his incredible machine.