Elektra T1 - #771 built in 2000 is now mine - Page 7

[cannonfodder]

How high of speed is your car buffer? I've been stalling out the bench grinder so I figured a hand held unit wouldn't work as well.

You either have a small bench grinder, or you are pushing into the buffer too hard. You should not need to push against the wheel very hard. Let the compound do the work, use a gentle touch. The buffer, don't know what the speed it. It is a large two speed, high speed buffer, Black and Decker if I remember correctly.

[mhoy]

Dave: Yeah, it's a small 6" ryobi 2 amp bench grinder. I'll be more gentle with it.

Stefano has supplied the two locations that a Tstat could be on my machine. I think this empty thread on the boiler flange is where the T-Stat was suppose to reside. This look correct to you guys/gals?



=-=-
Thanks,
Mark

[SylvainMtl]

Dave: Yeah, it's a small 6" ryobi 2 amp bench grinder. I'll be more gentle with it.

Stefano has supplied the two locations that a Tstat could be on my machine. I think this empty thread on the boiler flange is where the T-Stat was suppose to reside. This look correct to you guys/gals?

Mark

Yes this is exactly were mine is located. I was told it was screwed on also by the local dealer for Elektras. He quoted me 15$ for it.

[stefano65]

Yes small style /old type in stock

[mhoy]

Well my daughter thinks it's shiny enough....



So I guess I'll stop polishing for a while.



It does have some polishing marks when held at a certain angle, but good enough!
=-=-
Mark

[mhoy]

Got the thermostat and the connectors in the mail today from Stefano's. The original wiring is getting pretty short, but I didn't want to take another trip to the hardware store looking for a small enough connector for the heating element that still fits the 12 gauge wire. So to make it fit I rotated the melamine protector to have the wire exit at the top (not ideal since water could get into the cup). I had hoped for a resettable thermostat, but it looks to be a $20 one shot deal. Still, way better than not having it connected in line. Here is a shot looking down at it.



=-=-
Mark

[mhoy]

Relocated the name plate to inside.



Mark

[mhoy]

As in page 1 before I started on this journey...



and now as she is almost finished. I tried to use the same camera angle and similar lighting conditions. You might notice 4 polished stainless screw where the name plate used to be.



I'll be saving the Elektra name plate until I'm almost ready to install her, which will give me plenty of time to do a good job.
=-=-
Mark

[HB]

Wow, beautiful work! Thanks for sharing the journey, I have really enjoyed the trip.

[ccfore]

I've been following along and its great to see it shine! Fantastic job on a classic beauty.

[JollyGreenBucket]

I have to agree with everyone else, this has been one of my favorite restorations I've seen. You are a lucky man, and that is one beautiful piece of espresso making art!

[zin1953]

Mark, I have found this whole thread a truly worthwhile, entertaining, and enjoyable journey . . . even though I have a brand-new machine and know that I don't know enough to ever restore a machine myself. More than vicarious thrills (though there is that aspect, too, I'm sure), I am truly amazed at what you've achieved in relatively so short a period of time.

Bravo!

[mhoy]

Thanks for all the kind words. It's been an enjoyable and very enlightening. Perhaps I should change the thread title to "Rebuilding an Elektra T1, year 2000, #771".

Paul Pratt's web site and other great rebuild posts on HB (are what made me believe this was a doable task). It turned out to be easier than I expected with the major hurdles being small things like washer that didn't fit. I really appreciate all the feedback and help I got along the way. The HB forum has a great bunch of members. I've had help from across the US, Canada and New Zealand. In particular I'd like to thank Dave Stephens who answered numerous questions for me and his rebuild pictures that inspired me to do the same.

If anyone else wanders down the Elektra rebuild route, please feel free to ask me questions or ask for pictures as I took a lot of them while I was doing this and I'll try my best to help out.

I've changed my profile to "rebuilt Elektra" and added rebuilding "La Cimbali Cadet". So you know what I'll be doing for the next little while. (Aside from the bathroom vanity that just got ordered and the new slide in range we are looking at).
=-=-
Mark

[cannonfodder]

Looks good. Something a bit more satisfying when you do it yourself. Now you just have to get the remodel finished and wire/plumb that girl in and let it run.

FYI, if you moth ball it for a month or two, make sure it stays above freezing (I have a machine with a ruptured HX from freezing) and the rotary pump will seize if it sits for a long time. When I shut my machine down (have to use one of the other machines now and then) I turn it on to run the pump for a few seconds every week, which keeps it from seizing.

[dsc]

Hi Mark,

awesome thread:) I really enjoy reading rebuild reports and this one was a very good one, with a lot of photos and detailed description.

I should be getting my T1 this week so if I run into any problems I'll be sure to check your topic or simply send a PM with some questions:D

Cheers,
dsc.

[mhoy]

dsc: Thanks, I enjoyed writing about my progress and the feedback really helped. In particular, I'm really glad I put in a new safety overpressure valve and the missing over temperature switch. You can be sure I'll be feeding my Elektra soft water as I don't want to take it down to nuts and bolts again.

When your T1 arrives, start a thread and I'll be sitting back enjoying reading on your progress. There is something satisfying about seeing a machine brought back to life being used by someone who really enjoys it. I've a couple of hundred more pictures of various parts of the machine in various stages of disassembly that I used as reference while putting it back together. I've archived them, so I could reference them when needed. Yours is likely in much better shape than mine, so you may be able to do a simpler descale.

If you didn't get a manual, send email to Elektra in Italy via their website, they may send you one.

Mark

[shadowfax]

Mark, seems like you need to post this archive to flickr!

[mhoy]

If I was to move the side U shaped panel back by 1/4" and make a new ledge for it to catch on that was 1.5 " lower than it was currently and drill 4 holes on the side I could lower the top by 1.5". If I then put shorted legs on it I could fit it on my current kitchen counter.... then I could sell my Anita and get to using my newly restored beauty. I figure I need from 1/2" to 1" to fit the drainage pipe and water intake under the system. I was thinking of placing the machine next to my fridge and sending the plumbing off the side to behind the fridge where I could install a hidden soft water intake and a waste water return.

What size lines are you guys using to/from your Elektras?

This is a modification that is totally reversible and should cause no damage to anything (other than a couple of extra holes in the iron frame.

Your thoughts?

Mark

[shadowfax]

mark, how much clearance under the cabinets would you end up with? If it's barely fitting, it's worth noting that there will be a lot of heat put out by the machine. I doubt that it would damage re cabinets unless they are low quality, but they might really heat up whatever is in the cabinets more than you might like...

[mhoy]

Good point.

If I insulate the boiler, at the 2/3 setting it's really similar to what my Anita is doing to the cabinets..... I could activate a small QUIET fan to help dissipate the heat.

Mark