Incomplete list of Gravity-fed lever machines - Page 3

[happytamper]

I will be receiving the "caravel" Little some time the end of this week. Look forward to posting some images of this machine when I get it. I am wondering what the round dial on the right is for. Probably an on and off dial, but wouldn't it be great if it were a temperature adjustment dial.



Concerning the La Peppinna. I am finding that it is very grind sensitive. And with my Zassenhaus it is hard to get a consistent grind but when I do the shots are good though they do have a little less body than on the La pavoni.

[mathias]

Mathias, I've added one of your pictures to the list, I hope you don't mind.

It seems that both the Caravel and Comocafe were given face-lifts in the 70's (?), I wonder if the Minigaggia had a curvier predecessor?

Henry

Not at all Henry.

Mathias

[timo888]

Here is a front and rear view of the Pierre Cardin signature MiniGaggia.

[hbuchtel]

I will be receiving the "caravel" Little some time the end of this week. Look forward to posting some images of this machine when I get it. I am wondering what the round dial on the right is for. Probably an on and off dial, but wouldn't it be great if it were a temperature adjustment dial.

The old ones definitely had a dial controlling temperature (I think directly controlling the thermostat?), so it is a safe guess that yours has one too.

Another one "in the family"!

Here is a front and rear view of the Pierre Cardin signature MiniGaggia

Very pretty! I wonder why they chose a French brand . . . must have raised a few Italian eyebrows
Do you know when it was produced?

Here's a bit of a mystery, any idea why this Peppina is so bulky? The seller says it can steam, and the little diagram seems to support that, but the boiler-cap has no steam-wand . . .




Henry

[another_jim]

Here's a bit of a mystery, any idea why this Peppina is so bulky? The seller says it can steam, and the little diagram seems to support that, but the boiler-cap has no steam-wand . . .

I got a note on it ... these were made for Faema dealers and it was sold under the Faema label.

It could be that there's a thermoblock and some sort of steam discharge in the bulky group; but I'm guessing it has the usual steamer lid and the switch boosts the heat.

[mogogear]

I got a note on it ... these were made for Faema dealers and it was sold under the Faema label.

It could be that there's a thermoblock and some sort of steam discharge in the bulky group; but I'm guessing it has the usual steamer lid and the switch boosts the heat.

Henry,
Can you get us a shot of the lid- that is a horse of a different color for sure!! So as Jim said- a two stage heating element but no obvious steam port? Take that thing apart and give us a look at the "innards"

[hbuchtel]

Henry,
Can you get us a shot of the lid-

Sorry, I should have posted this one to begin with-



The sale (on ebay.it) still has 7 days, I won't copy the link just in case somebody is hoping I won't post the link

Henry

[mogogear]

Sorry, I should have posted this one to begin with-

image: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c99/hbuchtel/Rside.jpg

The sale (on ebay.it) still has 7 days, I won't copy the link just in case somebody is hoping I won't post the link

Henry

That makes two LP I have in my watching category and one caravel and one caravel Little-just like Mitchels new one!

[timo888]

Very pretty! I wonder why they chose a French brand . . . must have raised a few Italian eyebrows

Pierre Cardin MiniGaggia 1970, AFAIK.

Pierre, for a time he was all the rage, no? Here is Castro giving Pierre the original idea for the MiniGaggia prototype. Castro envisions a threaded 'group cap' between the group and piston cylinder, with a one-way valve to keep crud out of the boiler. Unfortunately, this design feature did not make it into the production model.



Spiffy dressers both, wouldn't you say, each in his own way?

[hbuchtel]

Castro envisions a threaded 'group cap' between the group and piston cylinder, with a one-way valve to keep crud out of the boiler

So that's where you've been getting your ideas from!

Henry

[hbuchtel]

Good lord . . another one.



Described by the seller as "The Famous "Kim" Bologna."

Any clues?

Henry

[timo888]

Described by the seller as "The Famous "Kim" Bologna."
Any clues?

There was one on eBay recently, and it sold for $79. What do you do, leave the boiler cap open for brewing and close it only for steam? Or is this a closed-boiler?

[happytamper]

Its seems we have the gravity lever market covered. I had both of those in my ebay watch list. Seems someone
just got a good deal on a Caravel. Hmm, wonder who....

[timo888]

Its seems we have the gravity lever market covered. I had both of those in my ebay watch list. Seems someone
just got a good deal on a Caravel. Hmm, wonder who....

It may have come into the new owner's possession this very morning. He may wonder if this little ship be watertight, and if they who named her Caravel were playing on the Greek? For she do look mighty like a hornéd beetle.

Regards
Timo

[peacecup]

Well, someone named hbuchtel just nabbed an orange Chaval off ebay for 48 Euros!

[timo888]

The Caravel does come apart very easily but how to disassemble the piston is not immediately apparent to me. Initial tests suggest it likes a fairly coarse grind. The lever feels quite delicate in comparison to the Cremina's.

[hbuchtel]

Well, someone named hbuchtel just nabbed an orange Chaval off ebay for 48 Euros!

Er. . . ahem . .well . . yes! I'm glad to join the Caravel Club. That one had an awful picture and no details, it's no surprise there were no other bidders. I do hope it's watertight as it (along with the Zerowatt) will indeed will be travelling by sea. With a specially trained mouse at the helm.
Henry

[timo888]

The Caravel has a hollow piston. In the center of the piston head is a porthole with a moving metal peg (see yellow arrow). When the piston retreats up away from the filter basket, the peg also retreats a little, opening the port hole. Water flows through a slot in the kettle into the hollow piston and down to the porthole and into the piston chamber. When the piston advances towards the puck, the peg also moves forward and closes the porthole, leaving the water no place to go but out through the puck.


When the piston is fully retracted, you can see an o-ring which fits into a slot on the inside wall of the piston chamber, rather than onto the piston. This seals the piston chamber.

[timo888]

I just pulled a very nice shot of Paradise Roaster's S.O. Brazil Yellow Bourbon on the Caravel. The machine produces a sweet, gentle espresso.

[happytamper]

I just pulled a very nice shot of Paradise Roaster's S.O. Brazil Yellow Bourbon on the Caravel. The machine produces a sweet, gentle espresso.

How do you compare the difference between the Caravel and the La Peppina, or the La Pavoni?