In reply to all:
Thanks for the comments.
Toby, you raise a good point, and it's something I very briefly discussed with Richard Talbot at ME, though we never reached a conclusion. ME are right that the only conditioning method currently recommended by the IDFL is the steaming method as it is fast, repeatable and gives 'big numbers' (it is the Official IDFB Method). Basically everyone reports numbers based on steam conditioning, though there are numerous other conditioning methods that may still be used. However, the other testing factor is the cylinder. The EN and the US cylinder differ very slightly in diameter, and the weight and subsequent pressure applied to the down. I have read through the IDFL's articles (www.idfl.com/info/articles/) and can't find mention of there being a specific cylinder to use. The lorch machine is used by many manufacturers but as far as I know is not the definitive testing machine. I will contact the IDFL for a bit of clarity on the issue and post up their response.