Good stuff, mate. A helpful guide, in terms of getting the right grind consistency is to buy a small packet of ground espresso coffee from the supermarket (get decent stuff and you can always mix some of it in later with your own mix) and use it to gauge the how coarse or fine your grind is in comparison.

It won't be perfect, but it'll certainly get you in the right ballpark, then just refine things from there

It's worth persevering with the grind, as IME it's *vital* in order to get the best results. Don't be afraid to tamp down nice and firmly too, as it'll give you a nice rich coffee with good crema

Scroll back a couple of pages and look at the results Justin produced earlier with his espresso. That's the colour you're aiming for and the thickness of crema!

Marco.