Can anyone tell me about the La Marzocco sight glass tool? Is it necessary to work on the sight glass and Is it just a common tool like an allen wrench or torx head, or is it really something special? If so, where can I get one?

I've searched online, but the only mention I can find is on the La Marzocco parts catalogs.

It's a metal disk with four metal pins on one side and a pipe with a hole going across it on the other side.

Thanks! that helps. Looks like something I can make. Not sure if it's worth it though, just to clean the inside of the glass!

You should be able to use a face pin spanner, like this one:

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/?_nkw=Wrenc...in+Spanner

You would just need to make sure the pin diameter is smaller than the diameter of the holes in the sight glass.

So huge amounts of torque not required? I'd prefer to get a more general purpose tool like that if it will do the job.

you'll be surprised the difference having that tool makes
especially if the sight glass gasket is baked on from years of usage

Well, I have to agree with Stefano now after having removed a sightglass. I made a tool similar to the La Marzocco one pictured above, but without the tommy bar hole; just a big hunk of solid bar. I finally had to use a 24" pipe wrench to turn it, and even then it was hard, so I no longer think the pin face spanner will work.

dcbrown, when I took apart my single group Linea I used the pin face spanner. While it wasn't exactly as easy as turning a wrench, I was able to get the job done and the money I saved from buying that tool I could use on other parts.

Edit: After reviewing my notes from my rebuild, I actually started with the pin face spanner but ended up using a piece of wood with two holes drilled through it. I used allen wrenches in the holes that just barely stuck out. The longer piece of wood gave me more leverage than the spanner. Ghetto, but it worked for me.

Making one that does not have the pipe welded on, but instead has a 1/2" drive fitting seems like the best way. Then you could use an extension with a breaker bar for those baked-on gaskets.

Lurkerjohnny wrote:dcbrown, when I took apart my single group Linea I used the pin face spanner. While it wasn't exactly as easy as turning a wrench, I was able to get the job done and the money I saved from buying that tool I could use on other parts.

Edit: After reviewing my notes from my rebuild, I actually started with the pin face spanner but ended up using a piece of wood with two holes drilled through it. I used allen wrenches in the holes that just barely stuck out. The longer piece of wood gave me more leverage than the spanner. Ghetto, but it worked for me.

I did exactly the same as Keith. I did not have a bench vise to hold the sight glass so I built a jig out of some old plywood and 2x4 stock. The images are here Another Linea A1 Story. Far from pretty but worked great.