Longtime lurker first time poster!

I recently picked up a very used 1996 Cimbali M30 Dosatron from auction for $600. Finally got it home this week and will be starting the restoration process. I'm hoping to glean as much information as I can by reading previous posts but I'm sure I will be missing things that I shouldn't so I will welcome any and all feedback.

I also have a Saeco superautomatic which I had to take apart completely and fixed so I do have a small amount of experience. Size and complexity is certainly more with the Cimbali.

I am also in the process of designing my basement space which will be the Cimbali's residence when its complete so my updates my be sporadic. I love pics so I will be posting a bunch.

So for starters is there any pointers and/tips that can get me started? Tool recommendations? etc.

Mike, nice looking machine. I would love to come by for a shot once it is done!

Where in NJ are you?

Scott,

Thank you. I live in Annandale. I can't wait to get the first shot pulled out of this machine. But once I finish restoring it, I will then have to wait until I get my basement finished (no 240v service). I feel as if I'm finishing my basement just so I can have this machine! Now that I have it, I'm bound to finish my basement. Its all good !

How far apart are you taking it?

The best thing that I did when fully taking apart machines was to take dozens if not a hundred digital photos during the entire process. If you do a good job of this, you won't have to label any of the pipes or take infinitesimal care to not mix up any fasteners while it is apart. It also makes any rewiring simpler.

Ditto to taking as many pictures as possible. Whenever Im taking apart something I don't feel absolutely positively 100% sure about how it goes back together, I take a gazillion pictures. It will probably feel redundant when the photos are actually being taken, but you will thank yourself in the end.

Plus.. then we get to see them too!

Jeff and Wesley,

I agree. Will be taking lot of pictures. The quality of my pics has been questionable due to the camera being a POS! Did some more disassembly last nite didn't take many pics though. Most of it has been copper plumbing and I have all the diagrams so I shouldn't have a problem putting them back. The order of putting everything back together will be interesting though.

I have some questions

The bottom of the machine is a flat sheet of heavy gauge steel which is perforated with holes. The legs have attaching lugs that are welded or attached in some way to this piece. Two of the lugs are missing. Has anyone had this problem and any ideas on fixing?

On trying to remove a copper tube I twisted it and then returned it back to almost original shape. It is slightly out of shape but it looks sound. Do I have to worry about replacing since there may have been a slight difference in inside diameter?

Also, I have one piece of tube that the fitting is stuck to the head (see pic) ( I already change the shape of the nut a bit). What can I do to unloosen it? Do you think I need to get another piece since the nut is hard to get a wrench on and tighten?



Will be posting some more pics during this weekend

Anybody with tool suggestions? restoration threads here that would be useful?

Thanks everyone!

Mike

Send some images of the broken lugs for a denitive answer but I might just drill some holes in the bottom and use nuts to hold the legs in place. You could get some T-nuts or threaded inserts but that seems like overkill effort-wise.

I've bent and distorted a lot of copper piping. Unless it is completely kinked, it should be fine. Most of the pipes are hugely oversized for the amount of water flowing. I think they make them big so it is easier to manufacture/repair with industry standard plumbing components.

For that stuck one, I use the same technique that I would with any other stuck bolt. Spray it with WD-40 or some other penetrant and let it sit overnight. Then hit it with a torch and heat the joint up to 200 degrees or so and let it cool. Try it to turn it again with a wrench that has a good fit on the flats. Be careful, that could be a really hard pipe to replace if you wreck it. You might have to make a new one from scratch.

WES

Wes,

Thanks for the information regarding the pipes makes be breathe a little easier because the pipe I bent is around $75. Will be posting pics of the under side this weekend if not tonight. Will try your suggestion re: the w-40 and heat tonight.

Thanks again.

Some suggestions:

Find the name of your nearest Cimbali dealer and send flowers, candy, or a bottle of good whiskey as a "I'm going to get to know you" gesture.

Obtain as much technical documentation on this machine as you can (operating manuals, parts books, electrical diagrams).

For that particular nut or any similar nut, use what is called a tube nut wrench:

Use heat with obvious caution - maybe the best source would be a mini butane torch that some chefs use for creme brulee. Try tightening the nut a tad to break loose any internal crud after heating.

And before you get too far, conduct a pressure test of the boiler and/or do your best to determine if any parts deemed unobtanium are broken.

I was back at it again last night. Was up to 3:30am taking this "tank" apart and learned a lot. When you see some of the pictures you may understand that for a couple of moments I was contemplating just parting this out and getting another machine. I can only imagine how much I can get for the boiler alone (it's in decent shape - thank God!)

Lets take a look at some of the pictures I took last night. I have several questions I hope I can get answered

This is a picture of the bottom side of the base and showing the leg lug. The lug isn't perpendicular to the base so the leg won't support the machine correctly. Another problem is that two lugs are present two are absent.


Here is an area where the lug should be but its conspicuously absent. The area is bent as well. Anyone know where I can get leg lugs so I can have someone weld them in place?




Well this was a just a nice kick in the johnson! I said the tank was in decent shape but I didn't say anything about the HX! Isn't is supposed to be like that! Really hot espressos! The other HX seems to be ok but it is also expanded out. I have a dremel like tool so I will brobably cut it out because in the shape it is now you can imagine that it doesn't just slip out.



The frame is in decent shape but does have a little rust that needs to be removed.
I'm thinking about having all the frame materials, pump mount and other like items powder coated. Do I need to strip the paint and rust or is that something the powder coater would do as an additional service? Or does the powder coating process take care of it. I just spend 25 minutes getting the pump holder down to bare metal and I'm not entirely done so I'm hoping I don't have to do all these pieces.


This one tube just doesn't want to come out of the boiler. So I had a great idea and started wrenching on the lug attached to the boiler. After almost deforming the lug I decided that I just keep it there for now. Are the lugs meant to be removed?



Now this is the reason that I had second thougths about going full bore on this machine. It seems to me that the circuitry has enjoyed some espresso on occasion! It looks like some snacks as well I'm hoping that there is nothing wrong with this board since they run about $375. Any way to check these? Or are these boards built to last?



If there are view that someone would like to see let me know. The entire beast is in parts and now begins the hard part, cleaning and shelling out hard earned money for parts.

Couple of parting questions/comments. I intend/hope not to go over $1k in the restoration. Does that seem feasible or realistic? That would put me in for $1600 for this machine.

What would cause the DX to deform like that and split?

Any pointers, tips, or other comments are always welcome.

Thanks again

Mike M