Help id'ing my Goodwill Maximatic find.

Need help with equipment usage or want to share your latest discovery?
alfanutta
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#1: Post by alfanutta »

Ciao tutti,

It was my lucky day yesterday, I took some stuff to Goodwill for recycling and what did I see on the shelf there? A Maximatic just sitting there, minus the portafilter. I had to take a double look, couldn't believe my luck :)

I am a long time Creminas owner, back to Zabar's days. I own several and service several more, so I am familiar with Olympia history and the variations between model years of the Cremina.

But I can't quite make out much about the specifics of this particular machine, not being a Maximatic enthusiast. I have been searching the web, OE and on this forum and I have yet to see a picture of one that looks like mine.

Here's the details:



- SN# 963001 - So I am assuming it's a 1996 model year?



- It has the old square on/off switch, but this one has the pressure gauge. I have yet seen one with this combo.



- It has a 49mm grouphead, thankfully, since I have plenty of spares from my Cremina stash, including my Richard Penny's beta newd portafilter, which fits perfectly. The odd thing is, it seems to have the clip-on Cremina shower screen instead of screwed on one, like the example on OE website. What's the story here with the different grouphead sizes? Was it a Zabar option or Olympia?



- It has a plastic drip tray and plastic reservoir.





Any info is much appreciated, any gotchas before I fire her up for the first time, there is no rust or scale that I could see. I'll find time to take a look inside this weekend and will update.
con brio!

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drgary
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#2: Post by drgary »

Interesting find.

I wonder whether it's a transitional machine to add the pressure gauge, or whether it's a modded machine. Also I'm surprised that the power button is below, like a Cremina's, and the coffee button is above. And, I would expect to see the Maximatic name on the front plate. I'm guessing it's a modded machine. I'll bet you paid top dollar for it too! :mrgreen:

I would be interested in seeing photos inside the case where the switches reside.
Gary
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flathead1
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#3: Post by flathead1 »

Interesting find. Can't help on the specifics although it does look like a transitional machine. Just a reminder, Maximatics take a long time to prime after being dried out. Fill both the boiler and tank and let them sit for a bit, then when you turn it on you can bump the coffee button a few times to get it to prime. Sometimes takes a bit of patience, you don't want to run the vibe pump too long at a single go.
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cuppajoe
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#4: Post by cuppajoe »

If I recollect, the early versions with the 52(1?)mm portafilters were the rebadged Pasquinis. When they reorganized and went to SS boilers, think the whole line went to the larger size. Has been awhile since I had the Pasquini.

That screwed on brass name plate looks odd. Prototype, or possible factory display unit? Any other markings?
David - LMWDP 448

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drgary
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#5: Post by drgary »

Steve,

I'm now thinking that's a transitional machine. Here's an image I found on the site of an early 2000's Livietta taken from an eBay listing.



What's interesting is the Olympia Caffarex VT had a square brew switch in the middle and a Cremina-like power switch on the front plate.

Here's a closeup from a photo taken by HB member Danno during his 2005 visit to the factory, where some machines were apparently on the shelf for repairs.



This link will show you a better picture.

http://shop.olympia-express.ch

The serial number on your machine is intriguing. 96 is the year. The last digit is 1. Is it the first of a new model?

Added: Another clue is that your machine was dated at the time that Felix Wey and Markus Fasnacht were re-designing the Maximatic. From my history thread:
drgary wrote:In 1992 the company was closed. It was acquired by Markus Fasnacht, who ran the workshop in Mendriso, Switzerland. Felix Wey became a partner in the late 1990s. He and Fasnacht redesigned the Cremina and Maximatic in their near-current versions.
Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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drgary
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#6: Post by drgary »

There's a 1998 ('96 model) Cremina documented on CG that has similar features. It also has a manometer in front and the old style switch on the front plate. Like this Maximatic the serial tag is brass and is mounted in front.
Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

alfanutta (original poster)
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#7: Post by alfanutta (original poster) »

Thanks Gary.

I just got home, tried to upload pics and other info I discovered but my network got wonky and my post didn't get posted.

Short of it is pump is kaput, water reservoir leaks very slowly.

I'll report tomorrow.

cheerio.
con brio!

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drgary
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#8: Post by drgary »

The pump is easily replaced, although I wonder whether it's not running or just needs priming. Please post about repair issues in one of the Maximatic restoration threads or start a new one for this machine because people will want to find it if they run across a similar and rare one like yours.
Gary
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What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

alfanutta (original poster)
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#9: Post by alfanutta (original poster) »

Hi Gary,

Having taken a look inside, I am now fairly certain this is a transition machine of some sort, interesting link from CG that you posted from the person with the 96 Cremina for sale (#962001), my Maximatic has many of the identical characteristics, from the gauge, to the brass tag, to square power switch, down to the blue high limit switch on the bottom of the boiler, which is different than others I have worked on.

Another weird coincidence, I also own a 59 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 750 transition car :) in 1959, they mix the new parts and features onto the old short wheel based 750 platform, which became the 101 model the following year... Gotta love the Italians :)

Here's the view of the gauge, looks factory installed to me.



Solenoid valve and contacts look clean and working



Reservoir holder rusted through due to minor leak form tank. Pump is not working.



WRT the FOT pump, I think it ceased, nothing move when energized, I am soaking it in citric. The inner workings of the FOT pump is quite different and substantial than the ULKA varieties, I am not even sure which part is supposed to be moving, the whole big brass cylinder or just the inner piston. Anyway, I have spare Ulkas that I could swap in, but I think I'll order another FOT 1106 pump, as a direct swap, since the plug has a built in thermal diode already.

I see hairline cracks in the reservoir where the little filter is, which is the reason for the rust below. How do you fix this? I am thinking of super/Krazy glue? I had Goop, but not sure if it is food safe. May be silicone caulking will work??

BTW, from what I can tell this is an insanely well engineered machine in such a small HX packaging; and it has a flow restrictor inline, which serves as a passive preinfusion thing, like an E61 head, very clever.

All that said, I still think the Cremina is far simpler and in the hands of a barista, you can still pull any shot profile you want, but I am so jazzed to get this working.
con brio!

alfanutta (original poster)
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#10: Post by alfanutta (original poster) »

Here's the Fluid-O-Tech (FOT) pump apart



inside the brass cylinder:




Anyone knows if the inner piston should come out? It seems to be permanently in there.

Time for a new pump :)
con brio!

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