After the gasket in my One Black popped way out after backflushing, I started searching for advice and saw this:
http://www.salvatore-espresso.com/oneblackNewmachine.html

Bummer.
On another note, I read that a stiffer E61 rubber gasket may not pop out. Can anyone confirm this? How else could I backflush without the dreaded gasket pop?

Apparently they're selling their basic semi-auto with the one black's brew group for 1275. It's a pretty good price step and now I'm wondering if the bz07 is a better bet. I know the Salvatore machine has some better guts but that might cut too deep into my hinder budget to be worth it. Either that or wait a little longer and save more if the difference is really worth it. That 6 year warranty really has me pretty hooked...

The One Black is the only basic HX that would fit under my cabinets (12" height) with some extra room to fill the reserve tank. It's kind of a ugly duckling compared to the others but doesn't stand out in the kitchen either.

The new semi-auto at $1275 is really a bargain, compared to the One Black. It's the same machine as the Semi-Auto ($1775) with a different group head. The new semi-auto has several upgrades to the One Black: bigger and better boiler, stainless shell and front, no burn wands, and more room under the group head for different size cups.

Zoomchick, I also had a lot of trouble with the group gasket popping down after backflushing and making coffee. The problem is much better now after making some minor changes to my routine. During backflushing I push the switch on then off immediately, do the portafilter wiggle after every session, and coat the portafilter ears and top of the basket with a little olive oil. From EPNS ordered an F59 gasket (73x57x8) and a F1110 teflon gasket that fits on the steam wand and seems to help a lot. Have not tried the F59 gasket yet so don't know if it's any better than the supplied one.

When the gasket does stick out after backflushing, I use a little tool made out of a scrap piece of 1/8" plexiglass with one end tapering down to a rounded point, to push the group gasket back in place, (after the machine is cold).

hankua, thanks for sharing! Will definitely try some of your suggestions. I was using a plastic chopstick.

When I disconnect the basket from the portafilter (naked) for cleaning, it is so tight I have to use a screwdriver to separate them. Is this normal? This is not the case for the dual pf I use on occasion.

Tricie,

I just made a very small "v" notch on the outside of the gasket using a utility knife. This allows any moisture or pressure to escape from above the gasket. Otherwise, no detriment to its performance as a gasket and no more popping out. On my machine after the modification, the gasket seated higher up into the group which also means that the pf will need a little more throw to lock completely. Now it is very consistent at the point of seating and release.

Hope that helps,
Mickey

Tricie, My basket just pops out of the naked portafilter from the bottom. If your baskets are getting stuck, taking out the spring should solve the problem. Micky's gasket mod sounds like a winner, very clever idea!

What other mods have people done to their One Black? I have several walmart 1L water bottles with right angle valves that will not overfill the reserve tank, and fit under my cabinets. No need to move the machine around and have extra valves to share (Waddington & Duval Quick Serve Tap).



Hank

zoomchick wrote:After the gasket in my One Black popped way out after backflushing, I started searching for advice and saw this:
http://www.salvatore-espresso.com/oneblackNewmachine.html

Bummer.

Looks like another nice machine from Salvatore. I bought a One Black around April 09'. I sold it a few months back to help pay down some bills. Didn't want to but needed the money, besides, I have an espresso machine rebuild project I keep meaning to 'get back to', the project is a Futurmat Rimini. Still haven't assembled the Rimini but will one day

zoomchick wrote:On another note, I read that a stiffer E61 rubber gasket may not pop out. Can anyone confirm this? How else could I backflush without the dreaded gasket pop?

I have a theory why the group gaskets on the One Blacks pop out, but bear with me for a little story=:-) when the oem group gasket wouldn't seal anymore...I called Wendy to have her ship a new group gasket to me but forgot that I had some 58 mm group gaskets I purchased for the Rimini...after Wendy sent a replacement gasket

the oem group gasket I pulled from the machine was flat on both sides while the Rimini group gasket has a beveled leading edge...meaning, when you install the gasket, the bevel side goes up. Anyways, after I installed that gasket into my One Black, it never...I repeat, never popped out like the oem gasket would during backflushing

I think the beveled edge of the other gasket allows some of the pressure to bleed off w/o forcing the flat sided (both sides) oem group gasket to come out just a bit. As I stated, after installing that Rimini Gasket, she never came out

I bought the Rimini group gaskets from Quality Espresso in Miami Fla.


Jake
Reddick Fla.
"Too dumb for opera, too smart for NASCAR"-Anonymous