Bob, the boiler is indeed quite massive at ~6L, but it has a heating element that seems to draw about 18 amps. I haven't noticed that it takes all that long to heat up. IIRC, it's up to temp in <20 min, but takes somewhat longer to get to "steady state," where flushing and brewing are predictable, something like an hour. This is similar to a standard E61 machine, I think. I haven't investigated it much yet, but I expect the grouphead thermometer will make it easier to cheat good early shots out of the machine after 30 minutes or so. It's on a very heavy duty A/C timer; this time of year, it turns on in the morning and off in the evening. As the heat hits Houston and I actually turn on the A/C, I have no doubt I will turn it on somewhat less often then.

Thanks for all the kind comments on the machine. Hotrodding this espresso machine has definitely become a fun little hobby. Sometimes I wish I could be Paul Pratt.

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It takes a good hour to get to operating temperature. To get to what I call equilibrium, where every part that is going to get hot has gotten hot and is not longer sucking heat, the frame, bodywork, all the tubing, thermally stable, an hour and a half. You can speed heat by doing several flushes and venting steam every 10 or so min. I just leave my machine on 24/7 and descale twice a year, spring and fall.

Dang, Sylvain... Those are ridiculously tall!

I've fitted mine today, and it's a really interesting feeling. Adding an inch and a half really helps that "commercial" feeling of having an elevated group. It also, indeed, helps the "cleanability" of the space beneath the machine.

Anyway, here they are. The one on the left is the one for the front left leg, and it's slightly shorter than the rest. These are solid Aluminum, cut on a lathe with a 5 degree taper They're about 2.75" tall, more like 2.9" total with the feet.



My friend cut out a recess in the base of the foot and tapped it for Mazzer grinder feet--something I can replace easily, and something I think will last a good long time:



Here's how the new setup looks with the legs:



I really liked the original Elektra design for the legs, and I wanted to stay true to it, but adding a little bit more height to the legs. I am really, really pleased with the outcome.

So much nicer than the plastic chromed Elektra feet. Nicely done on the tapper.

Mark

Hi Nicholas,

looking good!:)

I was rather disappointed with the plastic legs as I thought they were metal. Still I haven't got skilled friends like you so I will have to live with the original ones.

Regards,
dsc.

The legs on my A3 are stainless, and stock. Must have been an older version thing.

Must be, Dave. I thought I had read that they were "chromed" plastic in Dan's Bench Post, but it turns out I am wrong on that count--it's not specific. I seem to remember tapping on the chrome legs of the display model at my local Williams-Sonoma and realizing that they were plastic, but I am not even sure about this now. I must have read it in one of the restoration threads.

It would be interesting to confirm that this is some kind of older version thing, or what. I know it can be a little confusing. In my searches for parts, etc. I have found all kinds of little variations between the late 90s/early 2000s versions and the newer ones. The big differences are obviously that the newer ones have hose connections rather than pipes going to the pump, which I assume is for vibration dampening, much better-built portafilters, solenoid valve cover, and mesh drip tray rather than stamped stainless. Obviously the older ones came with ~1.5" black rubber feet; Newer ones have the option of 3/4" short black rubber feet or the nice 2.5" chromed plastic/metal (?) legs. If you guys feel like pulling a foot and taking a picture and posting it with the year of your Elektra, I am sure posterity will appreciate your help clarifying this. Tom, yours is from ~2005, right?

Hi Nicholas,

yeah mine is 2004 or 2005 and I do have cheap crappy plastic feet. It looks like Elektra switched to full SS ones quite recently according to what Dave said.

The pump hoses on my are 80% stainless braided rubber hoses and 20% copper pipes with compression fittings at their ends. The one that goes from the outlet of the pump to the rest of the machine has a male thread on one end which goes through a hole in the back rack on which the pstat and some tubes sit. The copper pipes with compression fittings that attach to the pump are bent into a U shape to eliminate 180deg bends on the hose.

Regards,
dsc.

Strike that. I unscrewed one of the legs on my machine and it is chromed plastic. I must have been thinking of the VBM, it has steel feet. Man that machine is heavy. Hold the front end up with one hand while you unscrew a leg, look at it, then screw it back on. Doesn't help that the studs are a mile long.