I got my first espresso machine a year ago, an older La Pavoni Pub single group. Beautiful machine, and I spent several months working out all the bugs, finding a grinder, building counter space, plumbing, etc. It's wonderful! But when everything works, life is boring.

I picked up the following Astoria for $275 on Craigslist recently, and I plan on renovating it and using it as my home machine. I have learned a lot while tinkering on my Pavoni--and reading Home-Barista!--but I can't even figure out what model this machine is. It is similar to the current Astoria (CMA) Fiore Lever rebuild on HB, but seems to be an E61 version. (The model name is not on the badge.) If anyone has an idea what it is, or its analog, that could make ordering parts much easier

Here is the machine. It appears to have an "underbite" but I believe that is the factory styling.





The machine is a runner, but runs rough. It makes good steam and hot water, and I used it to pull one very disgusting shot of mud.

Next step is dis-assembly and cleaning. Cheers.

I dis-assembled the Astoria. The wiring and much of the brass on the left hand side is covered with a a thick, sticky coating...as if a liter of vanilla syrup fell over on the cup warmer and then was cooked on, a sort of carmelization. Yuk.

The frame is very dirty, but has minimal rust. I took a shower with it to clean it up initially, but then removed the top rack of my dishwasher to fit it in there. That worked better. I then took off the rough spots with a sander.

• > The frame is being painted with DIY black engine enamel.
  
  >The metal panels will be taken to a sandblaster and powdercoated in a brown or bronze to match the kitchen decor.
  
  > The chrome panels were dishwashed as well, but still need a buffing or polishing. Maybe car polish? Any ideas here?
  
  > I will try to save the wires by cutting off the jacket and washing the syrup off. I may need to outright replace them though.
  
  > The brass and copper is going into a 5 gallon bucket with 12 oz of citric acid. I wanted to use more citric acid, but both brew shops I visited have been sold out due to "women building bath bombs" for Christmas.

Cheer.

I pulled the brass and copper out of the (now green) citric acid solution and washed it off thoroughly. The copper needed elbow grease in several areas, like the black insides of the boiler.

The brass fittings were red, which I guess is remnants from the copper pieces? I used a bench grinder to polish those with a steel brush wheel. I also lightly brushed the chromed grouphead and wands; the existing chrome was scratched severely, and the bench grinder gave it a more uniform satin finish which hides the scratches. Not ideal, but must less expensive than re-chroming or buying new parts.

In the meantime I painted the frame with several coats of car engine black, which dried quickly in the brief afternoon sun we had. I also scuffed up the metal behind the sight glass and painted it Rustoleum white.

I did a quick pre-assemble, sans gaskets, to help create my order list for parts.

Next steps: 1. Get powdercoat quotes for the outside panels, and 2. Place an order for gaskets, seals, knobs, and sundries.

Happy Holidays.

Man your machine was even dirtier than mine! Same crud at pretty much the same places. Actually mine was not too too bad, but it had a bit more corrosion.
Very similar to mine except for the group and heat exchanger/thermosyphon thing. Does the internal boiler also serve as an HX or only as a thermosyphon reservoir?
Funny thing that you use the exact same paint as me, down to the sight glass back panel. I assume that the lower portion of the frame had/has a textured finish? Did you keep it or did you sand it smooth? I kept mine and I like the look of it with enamel paint.

The dishwasher-for-the-frame trick got my attention! I never would have thought of that and the most significant person in my home would not have allowed it anyway!

You steam knob looks like an original and the water know looks like a replacement. The replacements are readily available but the original, I have not seen anywhere.

Keep us posted.

I forgot to mention that you can order the parts from OE or Espressopart or just about anywhere that sells parts for the Astoria/CMA. The parts for my machine and yours are pretty much the same except, again, the group and the thermosyphon.

Hi,

I kept the texture on the bottom as well....it is subtle but pretty when your eye catches it. I had considered fabricating wood or metal trim for it, but I've come to appreciate the original design.

I believe the internal boiler is actually the heat exchanger. Someone mentioned to me that some Astorias use a cartridge HX design; I imagine a coil of copper tube in there? The grouphead is mounted to the boiler, which would heat it? However this is right at, or just beyond, the boundaries of my knowledge of how espresso machines work so I don't know if I am answering your question correctly.

I have had no luck finding the original knobs, or deciphering the serial number either. If I solve either I will let you know.

Thank you for the recommendations for suppliers. I have not used those two yet, but I understand OE is an HB supporter, so I will send some business their way in the future.

Looking forward to your build-out!

Slow day for the Astoria.

- The panels are at the powder coater, due back next week before New Year. They are being sand blasted and powder coated a dark bronze gloss. That color should make the chrome "pop" in contrast. I had budgeted $150 for the powder coating, but my first quote was $260. Ouch. A local coffee shop owner recommended another powder coater, and their quote was $120. Much better!

- I washed the wires, and most of the stickiness has been removed. I need to find an appropriate heat-resistant replacement for the sheathing I cut off.

- Cleaned the group. There was coffee in every nook and cranny, even after two days of soaking. I had to bend the screen up like a taco and turn it to back out the screen screw. Looking better now.

- I placed an order for parts with a nearby Denver distributor, so those should arrive in the next day or two. The only part not available was the group head gasket--out 4 weeks. I have taken this as a chance to make a group gasket out of cork, similar to how I make car gaskets. It fit well. I don't know if cork were the right material, but I took it as a chance to learn.

Happy Solstice.

JBT wrote:. I need to find an appropriate heat-resistant replacement for the sheathing I cut off.

The key phrase is "heat resistant woven wiring loom"

Thanks for the keywords for looms. Google knew just what to do with them

I received the other parts order in the mail. I put the boiler back together and connected the main power line and pressure stat. I rearranged the wiring slightly to get it farther away from the boiler, neaten it up, and run the power line out the back of the machine--it was in the front previously. For such a simple machine (no flow meter, etc.) the wiring was too harried. I did a quick pressure test and had 7 leaks which I fixed with some tightening and teflon.

Next step will be to install the new gaskets in the steam and water taps and rebuild the group head.

The portafilter is in bad shape. I was hoping to replace just the handle, but it seems to be a one-piece portafilter. I could 1.) Cut the handle off and drill and tap a hole for a new handle (ideally one of those pretty wood ones), or 2. Keep this as a blind (or naked?) portafilter and order a new one for day-to-day use.

Happy Festivus.

PS. Had all the neighbors on my street over for a social and holiday coffee drinks last night. Ran my other machine, the La Pavoni, and I found out that one neighbor used to rep Pavoni lever machines in Denver. Small world.

The bottomless portafilter from Orphan Espresso is pretty nice.