I tried unsuccessfully to unscrew the big brass screw from the E61 grouphead. I would like to clean it!

What took do you use to unscrew this monster ? Can you post a pic? I am scared to break the "line".

All straight screwdrivers seems to have the head too thin (not large enough).

sorry for the english.

And by the way, what direction to unscrew it (anti-clockwise) like other stuff ?

Thanks

Stubby screwdriver
or remove the head, place it on as vise upside down
and use an impact drive ( the hammered one)

Or -

Go to the hardware store and buy what's called a fender washer and grind a flat on it as shown. Go to your paint store and ask kindly for a paint can lid remover (thanks to Dave Stephens) to easily remove the dispersion screen (next time).

Put them together on a D ring and you've got another special tool set.

It is the water distributor

http://www.coffeeparts.com/machines/ecm.html

I know what part you are trying to remove. The fender washer, after you grind the flat on it, acts as a REALLY JUMBO STUBBY screwdriver and is really easy to grip.

Great idea Eric
simpler that my "custom" tool
I took an old knife ( style Jack Nicholson in the shinning)
cut most of the blade and left a piece big and wide enough for the purpose.

damn italians..., why it need to be always complicate for nothing. They cannot make a normal screw head like everybody?

erics wrote:I know what part you are trying to remove. The fender washer, after you grind the flat on it, acts as a REALLY JUMBO STUBBY screwdriver and is really easy to grip.

Eric, another product for you to manufacture?

The dammed Italian ( this one at least)are also assuming that people clean the equipment often enought that will not get fossilized in there

i agree with you, but I was too poor to buy a new machine, I made the mistake to buy it used from someone who didn't maintained very well...

A $1 coin perfectly fits the jumbo screw head slot on my Quick Mill's dispersion screen. You might need to grip it with a slip-joint plier to get it off, but only use the coin to replace it & you won't have to worry about over-tightening.

I was able once to remove it with a 25c canadian, but I have tighten it too much. Now i am not able to unscrew it...My cents become twisted by the force I am putting, and the brass begin to disintegrate..it makes me nervous, i dont know what i will do...

A stubby worked for me too.... but in your case, put it upside down...

...and I'll tell you the truth. God sent man one special gift to prevent destroying expensive equipment with cheap tools.

WD-40!

Spray it on there and let it sit, then it will come out easy as pie. I had a few seized screws that got me so mad I was going to throw the machine down the stairs - but a little WD-40 probably saved my marriage... And if you're still worked about food safe - then you aren't frustrated enough yet

Actually, now that I think about it, I seem to recall using a large blade stubby driver sideways the first time I unscrewed that thing. That would give you the leverage you're looking for & the large blade would be strong enough not to deform.

I, too, would hesitate using WD-40 or any other petroleum penetrant. I'm not sure what you could use, short of turning it upside down & soaking it with veg oil. Can you even reach the threads with something, or is the dispersion screen in the way?

I always reassemble food-contact threading with olive oil. Any veg oil should work, & even a drop of clear mineral oil (the stuff used to saturate/protect wood cutting boards & found in the laxative aisle of the store) would be safe.

If you think about the cutting fluids used during construction of various bits of metal that are in your espresso machine, you'll eventually conclude that as long as it's clean now, then you're set to drink the results. So use what ever it takes to get the job done, but clean off the stuff before ingesting. If the screw hasn't been moved in a while it will be hard to get loosen the first time.

I'd guess a big short stubby screw driver or a large coin/washer that fits snugly and vice grips on the coin. With lots of coffee tars on the threads, it may be easier when warmer. (But heat expands, so this may be an incorrect assumption).

Mark

I just use a short stubby screw driver. You could try an automotive break adjustment tool, looks like a slotted screwdriver with a 90 degree bend in the handle. You won't get much torque from the later option though.

Another stupid question : This screw, you unscrew it "anti-clockwise" like other normals screws?

Yes, it is removed by turning counter-clockwise. If you're looking at it from above, remember the direction is reversed. I've struggled a few times to remove a bolt/screw by turning the "wrong" way, relative to the way I was looking at it, if you know what I mean.