Astra Super Mega I [sounds like a Japanese comic]

[bishopthirteen]

Don't ask me why but I could not resist!



I'm waiting on an owners manual and a parts book from Astra before I even look at this thing hard.
I know MoGo has some non super auto Astras so I'm hoping to hear from him regarding his experience getting parts from the factory.
Has anyone ever worked with one of these?

PS Don't tell the LMWDP about this, I'm not sure if owning a super-auto will void my membership!

[jesawdy]

My first reaction was , a leverhead with a superauto! And then I saw:

PS Don't tell the LMWDP about this, I'm not sure if owning a super-auto will void my membership!

You know, a few leverheads come over here from time to time.....

I don't think you will find many folks here that know anything about commercial superautos, beside the commercial folks, like maybe Chris N, Jim P, Michael Teahan, etc. I don't want to run you off, but I would try to put some feelers out on CG if you don't get any responses here.

Personally, I am interested in knowing more about it and other commercial superautos, if only to satisfy my curiosity, so if the conversation moves elsewhere, please let me know.

[bishopthirteen]

I did also post on CG.
http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/espresso/machines/280252

How can we not be curious about a monster like this!

(Edit this is a Astra Super Mega II, It has two grinders, mine has one)

the parts are familiar but the context seems all wrong! If there is enough interest I will do a Photo diary of the rebuild.

I'll give the machine to my wife as an Arbor day present, then it won't reeeally be mine.

[annp]

I was all excited that there'd be something really bizarre behind the title to this thread...

Well, yes!

Um, whats the little door for on the left hand side of the machine on the first picture?

On the next picture - that brass thing looks familiar, the pump?

Ann

[bishopthirteen]

It's a Mini-Fridge with a pickup line for milk.





From the Astra website
"The enclosed refrigeration system holds the milk at a constant temperature, all the way to the frother. The Super Mega I is self-cleaning and self-pasteurizing, ensuring the delivery of a safe, tasty beverage with each brewing cycle."

So does that mean I can milk a cow and the machine will pasteurize it? I'll check with the factory. they are going to love me.


The Brass you see is the Procon pump. It's attached to a little rotary motor.

I cannot move the freakin thing by myself so it's still in the scout waiting for an unsuspecting friend to come over. Then I'll post some pic's.

The boiler looks tiny (4.2Lt), but I cannot get to it yet.

[annp]

Something like that is really tempting - but only when the alarm is set very early and I'm contemplating getting out of bed.

By the time my feet hit the floor, sleep deprived or not - I'm perfectly fine with going and doing some work to make an espresso drink.

Still, if the Astra worked really well and lived on a timer... Hmmmm : ) The milk storage is a riot!

Ann

[bishopthirteen]

Hi Ann,

You made me think of the noise this thing must make. Yikes!

I love how quiet my lever machine is in the morning. I even grind the night before so all I have to hear is hissing and clicking.

Now I'm imagining firing up the Astra Super Mega I ; the mini-fridge running, the built in grinder, the milk turbine frother thingie, all those little arms and drive gears waving around, a rotary pump, etc. I think this sucker is destined for my shop. It will fit right in, and with proper space management there should be room for beer in the fridge!

[bishopthirteen]

No-one seems to have much interest regarding "Super Automatics" here in Web land.
One E-mail I got in summary.

I'm weary of them both as a purist, and as a tech.

So in reduced format, just to satisfy my own selfish desires, here on "super Automatic island" is an update:

My machine was made in 1998

What a bomber this thing is! Truly agricultural. One Astra side panel weighs as much as all three of the panels from my Brasilia.

It's size and moving parts make cleaning it similar to washing a motorcycle.

Astra has to be the coolest mfr. ever; free manual, free parts list, free phone support by a tech., all parts are available and they are in my time zone!

(I wonder if they are so accommodating because my machine cost almost $10K when new?)

When I asked the Tech. to send me everything I should replace the total was under $75

My Electrician, Sparky, would rather hang out with his girlfriend on V-Day than put in a dedicated 220V outlet for me.




Control board.
Gulp Please work, Please work, Please work.

All this is just academic fun until I taste what it puts in the cup, mechanically however I'm impressed.

I'll post again after pulling shots, not that anyone cares

[jesawdy]

Astra has to be the coolest mfr. ever; free manual, free parts list, free phone support by a tech., all parts are available and they are in my time zone!

That is good info to know.... Astra E61's pop up on eBay pretty often.

All this is just academic fun until I taste what it puts in the cup, mechanically however I'm impressed.

I'll post again after pulling shots, not that anyone cares

I am listening...

[annp]

No-one seems to have much interest regarding "Super Automatics" here in Web land.
One E-mail I got in summary.

What snobs! LOL

I'm weary of them both as a purist, and as a tech.

Oh heck, sometimes being a purist is boring (I just made my SO sit in a car in the worst possible afternoon traffic in ATL because we HAD to go by my roaster TODAY) and this is a hobby for the sake of Mike...

So in reduced format, just to satisfy my own selfish desires, here on "super Automatic island" is an update:

My machine was made in 1998

What a bomber this thing is! Truly agricultural. One Astra side panel weighs as much as all three of the panels from my Brasilia.

It's size and moving parts make cleaning it similar to washing a motorcycle.

Astra has to be the coolest mfr. ever; free manual, free parts list, free phone support by a tech., all parts are available and they are in my time zone!

(I wonder if they are so accommodating because my machine cost almost $10K when new?)

When I asked the Tech. to send me everything I should replace the total was under $75

All this is just academic fun until I taste what it puts in the cup, mechanically however I'm impressed.

I'll post again after pulling shots, not that anyone cares

Well just 'cause I'm not going to convert our inconvenient and unused downstairs bathroom into a shrine for a 10K super auto doesn't mean that I don't think its incredibly cool to read about your adventures with yours.

Plus, honestly, it has to make better coffee than most places.

And hey - you could always put beer in the little fridge!

No, I'll be disappointed if you don't keep us posted. Last I heard it was sitting in the back of your Scout awaiting assistance, so I'm glad its indoors and soon to be ready for action.

Ann

[jesawdy]

Does Astra Super Giant Godzilla Macchina live? Does it keep your milk cold ?

[bishopthirteen]

Does Astra Super Giant Godzilla Macchina live?

I'm still waiting on Sparky to "put 220 on the money"

Does it keep your milk cold ?

The first picture I'm going to take if Astra Super Giant Godzilla Macchina works is of a thermometer in the fridge next to the boiler pressure gauge. Fire and Ice Baby.

I gave up on moving the beast into my basement for rebuilding and brought it to my shop where I used an overhead hoist to get it onto a work cart, It's a really heavy "157 Lbs." .

I got the parts list, manual and some new bits from Astra, stripped it down, touched up the frame, cleaned the brew group, grinder, etc. The easy stuff is done, I assume tuning will be a treat.

I still am very impressed with the quality and design e.g. the entire brewing and grinder assembly comes out with 2 bolts and one quick release wiring harness.

So now it sits in the corner waiting for power to answer my question, "Did I just spent a week 'polishing a chrome turd'? (it would be a stainless turd actually )".

Here it is is cleaned and re-assembled waiting for our QA guy Kevin to sign off.




PS. Always have more than two coffee cups handy when checking if a boiler is empty.

[beadaholic]

I think this is pretty cool myself! hehe and I don't know much of anything at all! So please keep us posted, I love reading about an adventure like this!

[bishopthirteen]

One new thing I have learned is, the clear tube and it's fittings (at the top of the picture) are a one time use item. I could not figure out why Astra sent me a new one until I tried disconnecting it.
There are little teeth that hold the tube into the fitting and once you push the red locking ring in it's permanent.
So to future cleaners of Astra Super Giant Godzilla Macchinas and other tinkerers I say "Leave this style of little tube alone" or call Astra, the complete assembly was around $10.




Something else I need to mention, using Standard tools to work on an espresso machine is weird.
Unless you; service domestic farm equipment, ride a Harley, drive a Dodge Dart or work on aircraft, your tool box may be lacking sizes.
I forget sometimes the US is still not Metric, good thing I own an International Harvester.

[annp]

Something else I need to mention, using Standard tools to work on an espresso machine is weird. Unless you; service domestic farm equipment, ride a Harley, drive a Dodge Dart or work on aircraft, your tool box may be lacking sizes.
I forget sometimes the US is still not Metric, good thing I own an International Harvester.

I used to mess with American cars - like fun 1970s cars - so I have these things, sockets and wrenches - and haven't touched them in years...

I'm really curious about the grinder in something like this - is it at all adjustable?

Ann

[bishopthirteen]

It is adjustable. After you unlock and open the front panel the top burr holder is accessible. No keys no adjustment.


Here are the burrs uncleaned. You can see the spring that holds one of two indexing ball bearings on the grinder body.


This is the grinder detached from the brewing assembly

[jesawdy]

Does it have two bean hoppers (for decaf and regular)? If so, how is that gated?

[bishopthirteen]

It has two hoppers, but really more like one hopper and one funnel. A large regular size hopper for whole beans (Regular) and a small hopper which is more like a funnel that bypasses the grinder for using measured pre ground coffee (decaf).

Some Super Autos have two grinders, (Like the one pictured above, Astra Super Mega II) would that make them Super Duper Automatics? That would be Super Sweet.





(In the background you can see various La Pavoni parts. The frame is at the powder coaters, reassembly imminent!)

[bishopthirteen]

It lives! This is a picture of why Sparky has been dragging his feet to come over and wire my "Espresso Machine Station". I wanted dedicated 220V for 30 and 20 amps with the correct outlets and 110V for grinders and such. Then I needed an overhead light which would work for the; espresso machine, the shop sink and the tire changing machine, it swings between the three, about 45*.






It took Three days longer to put in the wiring than I budgeted for so I had very little time to tune the Astra before I had to leave.


Mmmm coffee and cigarettes



Robotic Barista



I'm hoping to get a better shot with tuning. The puck is really wet and the grinder dosing seems light. Next trip to the shop I'll work on it some more and post results. The first shot with really oily french roasted beans tasted just like Starbucks! (we did a taste test, a worst of the worst scenario, double yuck.)

I calling out again for any techs who have logged hours with these, I have a few tuning/programing questions.

Thanks

[jesawdy]

What?!.... you don't like 6 second single shots?

Thanks for the update.