First of my La Peppinas comes home..

[mogogear]

Well of course you couldn't ask for more on a Saturday than to have the mail-carrier drop off a nice red La Peppina at my door step!!!! Yee Haw!! Here is the pre-game activities and scouting report: She is clean inside and out, packed Ok - with lots of current Italian newspaper and some bubble wrap around the machine.



She ( as was obvious in the photo posted on Ebay- is sporting a steamer lid-without the handle, just the stud that screws into the center tube- double nutted- steam tube is ok but.. where to find a handle? !!The nuts are so nice and " shade tree" styled She is a 1000w / 220v with a three prong European plug.







My new step up transformer only came with a twp prong receptacle- Radio Shack here I come.
After disassembling her for the basic clean out I found all the seals to be very pliable and in great shape. Even the flapper valve washer in the group head wash very new feeling( brass screw in center a free turning jewel)









There were remnants of some loose silt-like scale deposits found in the base of the kettle, but it washed off with a tooth brush. No weeping from the hole in the front of the base!! All in all I am happy with the machine ( it has been at least 40 minutes )
To get my cursory first doppio, I had to boil water and fill the kettle to pull my shot, it was not too disappointing.

One thing -Timo- or others- I assume that the larger o-ring that peeks out from under the dispersion screen is the PF gasket? Here is why I ask, After reassembling "the screen, o-ring, the other dispersion plate followed by two metal washers over the valve area" I found that the PF is way, WAY too tight to insert the bayonets and do the 1/4 turn into the grouphead??? It could be the wrong o-ring in the first place or I could be missing something. I find it odd on an old machine that parts are hard to find for, from Italy that this o-ring would be this tight. I don't want to force the PF till I can get a little dialogue from you or others. The shot I pulled didn't leak and pulled Ok with me just adding boiling water to the kettle, flushing and pumped handle etc. After putting in the lugs , I can only get the PF to turn about 1/3 the total travel from inserted to fully seated. No where near straight to my belly button?

Any thoughts( I will re-read your redux while recharging the camera)[/img]

[timo888]

Looks to be in very good condition

The retaining screw that holds the one-way washer in place at the top of the piston chamber DOES unscrew. I was beginning to think the Peppina crew had played a variation of the game where you superglue a silver dollar to the top of a spike and drive it into the ground

I've reread your post and believe the problem is that you have the two metal spacers together.

One metal ring fits snugly inside the smaller o-ring; its outer diameter matches the inner diameter of the smaller o-ring. The other metal spacer fits loosely inside the larger o-ring directly above the dispersion screen; this spacer floats freely until held in place by the three retaining screws.

I insert the PF with the handle at 8 o'clock (looking down at the machine from directly above) and then turn counterclockwise to lock.

Regards
Tim

[timo888]

In your photo, am I seeing more of the larger o-ring visible on the right hand side than on the left?
Regards
Timo

[timo888]

Yours has a dozen portholes between boiler base and piston chamber. The two I've seen have eight. I wonder if that's a difference between 700W and 1000W or a change in the design generally?

What is imprinted into your calrod? When you give the calrod a good thwack with the nail of your middle finger (as if you were kicking a field-goal in a game of lunchroom football with a piece of paper folded up into a triangle) does it sound solid or hollow?

Regards
Timo

[mogogear]

Looks to be in very good condition

The retaining screw that holds the one-way washer in place at the top of the piston chamber DOES unscrew. I was beginning to think the Peppina crew had played a variation of the game where you superglue a silver dollar to the top of a spike and drive it into the ground

I've reread your post and believe the problem is that you have the two metal spacers together.

One metal ring fits snugly inside the smaller o-ring; its outer diameter matches the inner diameter of the smaller o-ring. The other metal spacer fits loosely inside the larger o-ring directly above the dispersion screen; this spacer floats freely until held in place by the three retaining screws.

I insert the PF with the handle at 8 o'clock (looking down at the machine from directly above) and then turn counterclockwise to lock.

Regards
Tim

They were together when I took it apart. So , If I understand you correctly one spacer washer ( w/ 3 holes)) between the dsipersion screen, then the main plate ( the one you quoted in Redux as "Who will win this staring contest?") then the next spacer washer, with the valve seal and and retaining screw under that ? I am I good there?

[timo888]

Could you please measure the filter basket carefully? Do you have metric calipers? My basket is trapped inside the PF, and the second Peppina I bought had a PF but no basket. I could look for a replacement if I knew the dimensions.

1. Inner diameter at top
2. Outer diameter at the bottom
3. Outer diameter below the lip
4. Outer diameter at the lip
5. Height of lip
6. Total Height

Regards
Timo

[mogogear]

Yours has a dozen portholes between boiler base and piston chamber. The two I've seen have eight. I wonder if that's a difference between 700W and 1000W or a change in the design generally?

What is imprinted into your calrod? When you give the calrod a good thwack with the nail of your middle finger (as if you were kicking a field-goal in a game of lunchroom football with a piece of paper folded up into a triangle) does it sound solid or hollow?

Regards
Timo

Calrod= V220 W1000 FEAR 78

More Hollow sounding, but it is also beacuse the exptra loops rattle against each other

Just a surpirse note on my part- The PF is way lighter in weight than I thought it was going to be ?!

Also my power cord does not have that left turn plug coming out of the machine- mine comes out straight

[timo888]

They were together when I took it apart. So , If I understand you correctly one spacer washer ( w/ 3 holes)) between the dsipersion screen, then the main plate ( the one you quoted in Redux as "Who will win this staring contest?") then the next spacer washer, with the valve seal and and retaining screw under that ? I am I good there?

Yes, I think you're good. From top to bottom:

GROUP
one-way washer and retaining screw into the group
metal spacer ring (aligned over the 3-holes) sitting inside the smaller o-ring
main 'bell' into which PF locks
larger o-ring
metal spacer aligned over the three holes
dispersion screen aligned over the three holes
three retaining screws





Regards
Timo

[timo888]

Careful with the retaining screws in the dispersion screen. They're easy to chew up. The slots on the screws of my most recently acquired Peppina were in bad shape, though the screen itself was in great shape.
Regards
Timo

[mogogear]

Careful with the retaining screws in the dispersion screen. They're easy to chew up. The slots on the screws of my most recently acquired Peppina were in bad shape, though the screen itself was in great shape.
Regards
Timo

Thanks Tim,
I don't have a metric set of calipers, but I could borrow some. Thanks for the re-organization info on the grouphead- And the caution on the screws - they already drew blood from me yesterday- As far as the o-ring looking off set in the picture- I think it is just the angle of the shot. I hope my pf fits better after your suggestion.
So off to Home Depot to find a threaded knob to replace the missing steamer top handle ( as a temporary fix- Hmmmm maybe a 8 ball from a set of pool balls????) a plug adapter from radio Shack and maybe to Harbor Freight tools for a metric dial caliper .

Also in the long run if you want when I get my other LP her I would be happy to loan you a basket to be able to test fit options- Plus I am heading to Seattle for business all this week. I will take my basket and PF with me and drop in at Home Espresso Repair- and see if they have a basket ( since one of my machines is arriving sans PF and basket as well it will serve us both
I have already asked them if they have an extra PF- nope

[happytamper]

Hey Mogogear,

Congratulations, Nice red kettle. Use it in good health. ie not too many shots in one day.

Would it be possible to get a photo of the lid, mine was missing and I was thinking of making one.

Regards

[ortemio]

I found the manual for this la peppina at this web site::

http://www.dmreed.com/coffee_equipment_manuals.htm

Funny thing is it does not show them metal spacers? Mine has two, it looks like it would work without them but might place some stress on the dispersion plate. Also if you place them as explained above the water might leak. Mine has both spacers above the dispersion plate.

I paid $5 ~15 years back from a garage sale at the italian ambassador to US...

enjoy,
Ortemio

[timo888]

One of the metal spacers fits behind the dispersion screen so that, when the three screws are tightened, the force does not cause the dispersion screen to flex such that it becomes concave, perhaps asymetrically (if the screws are not turned to the same depth). That concave warping would cause the screen to pull away at its perimeter from the rubber o-ring behind it. In fact, I believe you can see the evidence of such warping in mogogear's photograph; the dispersion screen there is misaligned. Backing the dispersion screen with a spacer will fix that problem.

The smaller o-ring forms a water-tight seal between group and bell. The tube diameter of the smaller o-ring is such that it rises slightly above the plane of the bell; the o-ring is represented here by ^ :

____________
----------- ^ ---

When the three screws are tightened, the compression squeezes the o-ring against the flat surface of the group above, thus forming a seal. A second metal spacer stacked above the first would interfere with this compression.

Regards
Timo

[timo888]

Thanks Tim,
I don't have a metric set of calipers, but I could borrow some.

Thanks for the help on the basket measurements.

Could you please tell me the diameter of the washer in the piston-chamber? I wonder if it's a different size than that used for the machines with only eight holes?

Regards
Timo

[timo888]

Would it be possible to get a photo of the lid, mine was missing and I was thinking of making one.

[mogogear]

Could you please measure the filter basket carefully? Do you have metric calipers? My basket is trapped inside the PF, and the second Peppina I bought had a PF but no basket. I could look for a replacement if I knew the dimensions.

1. Inner diameter at top
2. Outer diameter at the bottom
3. Outer diameter below the lip
4. Outer diameter at the lip
5. Height of lip
6. Total Height

Regards
Timo

1. 45mm
2. 47mm ( that is just at the curve that is the bottom edge)
3. 47mm
4. 51mm(outer diameter of the lip)
5. it is flat 90 degree angle, no curve or arc (.5 mm) at most
6. 25mm

[mogogear]

Thanks for the help on the basket measurements.

Could you please tell me the diameter of the washer in the piston-chamber? I wonder if it's a different size than that used for the machines with only eight holes?

Regards
Timo

I have it back together right now, but will pull it apart and confirm the washer diameter, but the imprinted ring around the holes( viewing from the top of the boiler side) is 32mm. Distance fron the inside of port holes at 12 and 6 oclock is 24.5mm. If that makes sense. The outer most diameter of the ring, that the port holes form.

Back to the basket measurements- It is very staright sided as viewed side by side to the Cremina doppi basket. Flat lipped and flat bottomed. The curve at the base of the Cremina basket is pronounced when compared to the LP. The curve at the base of the LP is slightly slightly rounded as compared to its top flat lip.

[timo888]

Distance fron the inside of port holes at 12 and 6 oclock is 24.5mm. If that makes sense. The outer most diameter of the ring, that the port holes form.

If I understand you correctly, diametrically opposed holes are 24.5mm apart, measuring from extreme edge to extreme edge?


|.........24.5........|
(x).................(x)

Regards
Timo

[mogogear]

If I understand you correctly, diametrically opposed holes are 24.5mm apart, measuring from extreme edge to extreme edge?


|.........24.5........|
(x).................(x)

Regards
Timo

You are Correct SIR !!

[timo888]

The same size one-way washer appears to have been used on both machines. Thanks for confirming.
Regards
Timo