You're spot on, Isa. Grind and tamping are two opposing parts of the equation. To obtain consistent espresso, both grind and tamp have to be consistent with the given beans. I have gotten both tamp and grind correct several times recently, but am finding my results difficult to duplicate.
I was considering the filter technique you describe this afternoon. Unfortunately, I could not design in my mind a system which was any more efficient than spending a couple hundred bucks on a good grinder. 
Oh, well.
Thanks for the help.
Dan