LMWDP Rollcall - Page 8

[LaMad Capo]

I posted some more pictures on "Restoring 1960 Faema Urania Three pull, need advice" thread.

regards,
Bill The Bubblehead
LMWDP #078

[kev_uk]

Hi
I have ordered my Elektra "Micro Casa a Leva" Chrome & Brass
hope to have it in a few days, will post a picture, mind you I think everyone here knows what it looks like
it is my first lever. Looking forward to learning how to get the best from it.

[espressoperson]

Hi
I have ordered my Elektra "Micro Casa a Leva" Chrome & Brass
hope to have it in a few days, will post a picture, mind you I think everyone here knows what it looks like
it is my first lever. Looking forward to learning how to get the best from it.

Hello Kevin,

Welcome to lever heaven. Great choice of machine. As if you could make a bad choice with an Elektra. Enjoy!

[espressme]

Most Cherished Gentlepersons,
Thanks to the kind efforts and good will of one of our group, I am now the proud possessor of "La Peppina" "Carmenita Dulce" !




Not wishing to be "little Johnny" Would there mayhap be a number available for me?
I would prefer to have #099 or # 090

Now, let the study and fun begin!
Best Regards
Espressme

[mogogear]

Congrats Congrats- Tamper Man-!! So how is the search for the cord stuff coming? If you are still looking, take the ceramic part with you to Goodwill- they have lots of old wafflemaker cords etc. They just might get close......enough to work!! It might take a few trips but it could yield the gold mine you seek!! Have fun with your.......... Peppina Rosa! You were always a LMWDP member you are just getting your number!

Another nice Peppina tamper I spy

[espressme]

Congrats Congrats- Tamper Man-!! So how is the search for the cord stuff coming? If you are still looking, take the ceramic part with you to Goodwill- they have lots of old wafflemaker cords etc. They just might get close......enough to work!! It might take a few trips but it could yield the gold mine you seek!! Have fun with your.......... Peppina Rosa! You were always a LMWDP member you are just getting your number!
Another nice Peppina tamper I spy

Many thanks mo! That said, I have the socket and shall be doing the electrical plumbing this weekend. A real neat way they do the three prong connection at the pot to keep from ZZapping the aboriginals ( ground wire to the stain relief clip and that goes thru to spring thingy on the socket top and thence to the prong shield on the element.). I'm lucky enought to live near (>< 60miles) to about a gazillion thrift type stores. Six tampers out the door now. Even found a source for Coffee Measure spoon parts Now, I gotta get or trade for a real grinder.
Thanks all for helping it happen!
Best Regards
Espressme
LMWDP #90
Too many makers!

[kev_uk]

I have finally received my Elektra "Micro Casa a Leva", boy! It does look good.





Made one cappuccino, tasted amazingly good for a first attempt.

My next purchase will be a proper grinder, I already roast my own beans
with a Hearthware Home Roaster. Home roasted beans taste far better.
I am now looking forward to many months of making coffee.

I have been lurking on these forums for quite a few months
agonising over which lever to buy? I think I will be happy for quite some time to come.

Thank you to everyone on here... I feel I have made the right decision.


Sorry for posting this twice, I picked the wrong topic the first time.
I think it is because i am so excited with my new machine.

[mogogear]

I have finally received my Elektra "Micro Casa a Leva", boy! It does look good. ....

Congratulations Proud Pop!!

[LaMad Capo]

Congrats on the new addition but we need to take care of the grandparents too.

I posted some more pictures on "Restoring 1960 Faema Urania Three pull, need advice" thread.
Diassembly

regards,
Bill The Bubblehead
LMWDP #078

[KarlSchneider]

I have finally received my Elektra "Micro Casa a Leva", boy! It does look good.

I think I will be happy for quite some time to come.

Thank you to everyone on here... I feel I have made the right decision.

kev,

As an owner of an Elektra for a year and well over 1000 shots pulled i am sure you will be happy for a long time. There are many nuances to learn with this machine.

Enjoy!

KS

[joatmon]

Just received my Micro Casa a Leva this afternoon. Pulled 4 doubles tonight, all tasted great. Real good steaming power.

I've read about people having trouble adjusting the grind and tamp, but it was no big deal.

I purchased the set that includes the case and the murano glass top. Sunday, we'll take a road trip to North Litchfield Beach.

Life is good.

Jack

[Climb14er]

I got the 'go ahead' from Mr. Robinson, requested and received as my membership number 14,000 as I've been fortuitous to have climbed all of Colorado's fifty nine ranked 14,000 ft peaks.

[French]

Hi.

I've been using a La Pavoni Europiccola (old 2 switch model with the brown base) for about a year. I'm finally consistantly getting good shots from my homeroast. I'll need to take and post a picture of the machine, but I'm wondering if I can get a member number.

thanks,
French

[Paul]

Hi everyone,

I thought it time to pony up here and properly introduce myself and what I am about.

About 10 years ago, my flatmate first made me coffee from an old moka pot. I hadn't much exposure to real coffee before then. After about a year of this, I bought a krups pump machine. Never got a good shot from this and after a few months bought a disassembled La Cimbali domus to fix up. This served me well but I was always yearning for a commercial machine, preferably with a lever.

About 6 years ago I imported a copper europiccola and picked up a lux grinder. Finally a lever machine was in the house. I enjoyed the little fellow but was frustrated by its limitations. In 2003 I stumbled across what I was really after, a project 3gr Carimali lever machine.

I bought the Carimali from a chap who had a business in trading diesel machinery around the South Pacific. He had found it in the back of a bar in Port Vila, Vanuatu. In hindsight, it was in really bad condition. The bodywork was dented and rusty as was the chassis. The boiler was cracked and had broken studs. It took about 6 months of nights and weekends to restore it back to former glory. We have been using it in the kitchen for three years now without incident.

Earlier this year I embarked on a new project; a hobby business importing, restoring and selling antique commercial lever machines. This is going well and my current list of machines lined up at the bench is:

Faema Lambro 1gr c.1970
Faema Urania 1gr c.1955
Faema e61 2gr 1964 (my only pump machine)
Faema Marte 1gr 1953
Conti Empress 1gr 1960
La Cimbali Rubino 1gr 1956
Gaggia Americano 1gr 1960
Gaggia Montecarlo 1gr 1958
Gaggia Orione 2gr + moka 2gr c.1970
Boema 2gr c.1960
Brugnetti Aurora 1gr 1974

I want to participate in this messageboard to share knowledge (or lack thereof!) rather than selling machines or parts. I will post progress photos of restorations as I have the time.

I would like to stake a claim to be LMWDP084.

[espressme]

Hi everyone,

I thought it time to pony up here and properly introduce myself and what I am about.

About 10 years ago, my flatmate first made me coffee from an old moka pot. I hadn't much exposure to real coffee before then. After about a year of this, I bought a krups pump machine. Never got a good shot from this and after a few months bought a disassembled La Cimbali domus to fix up. This served me well but I was always yearning for a commercial machine, preferably with a lever.

About 6 years ago I imported a copper europiccola and picked up a lux grinder. Finally a lever machine was in the house. I enjoyed the little fellow but was frustrated by its limitations. In 2003 I stumbled across what I was really after, a project 3gr Carimali lever machine.

I bought the Carimali from a chap who had a business in trading diesel machinery around the South Pacific. He had found it in the back of a bar in Port Vila, Vanuatu. In hindsight, it was in really bad condition. The bodywork was dented and rusty as was the chassis. The boiler was cracked and had broken studs. It took about 6 months of nights and weekends to restore it back to former glory. We have been using it in the kitchen for three years now without incident.

Earlier this year I embarked on a new project; a hobby business importing, restoring and selling antique commercial lever machines. This is going well and my current list of machines lined up at the bench is:

Faema Lambro 1gr c.1970
Faema Urania 1gr c.1955
Faema e61 2gr 1964 (my only pump machine)
Faema Marte 1gr 1953
Conti Empress 1gr 1960
La Cimbali Rubino 1gr 1956
Gaggia Americano 1gr 1960
Gaggia Montecarlo 1gr 1958
Gaggia Orione 2gr + moka 2gr c.1970
Boema 2gr c.1960
Brugnetti Aurora 1gr 1974

I want to participate in this messageboard to share knowledge (or lack thereof!) rather than selling machines or parts. I will post progress photos of restorations as I have the time.

I would like to stake a claim to be LMWDP084.

Hello Paul,
Welcome aboard. As Mo said to sometone earlier " You've always been a member and now you get your number."
What a wonderful collection of goodies!! Especially since, as I understand, there was no real espresso presence there till recently.
We will all benefit from your rebuild photos when shown by model on the "lever espresso machine" thread.
Thanks for helping us enjoy our hobby!
Sincerely
Espressme / Richard

[Paul]

Thanks for the kind words,

You are right, espresso was essentially unknown by the masses in NZ about 15 years ago. I think we just might end up with the most lever machines per capita (with only 4m people!).

My conti is about 80% finished. Just waiting on the panels to return from being replated. Will post more pics soon.

[PaulTheRoaster]

Finally, my Conti Comocafe pulls shots.

I don't have a camera, but it is the same as Mathias's:


The E-Bay seller said "the pump worked", but it did not. Replacing the gaskets in the cylinder and group turned out to be the easy part--the portafilter included in the machine was from a steam toy and definitely did not fit.

I ordered a Europiccola double basket, added a thick home-made gasket in the grouphead, and now I can pull shots.

I've only pulled two. Compared to my pump machine, these shots have almost no crema and less body, but great clarity. I think I need to learn how to finesse the machine a bit--I drilled a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the portafilter, and all the espresso is coming from the outside of the hole. (I will make the portafilter bottomless shortly.)

There are no obvious cracks in the puck though. But there is always a dimple in the middle of the top, as Mathias has reported. I might try releasing the lever more slowly on the first pull. Mathias has suggested cutting up a paper coffee filter and putting it on top of the puck, but that seems like too much work to me.

The machine has a thermostat, but it seems to have a very large deadband. I think the Peppina power cord with the inline switch is probably a better design. Although the machine has a steam switch (not that it can really steam), so I could adjust the thermostat down and achieve the same effect.

I am using the bottom of a wood carving as a tamper--I should order something better. I'm still waiting to get a deal on a Europiccola portafilter or something else in 51 mm that's a little heavier than aluminum. *sigh*

What LMWDP number do I get?

[espressme]

Finally, my Conti Comocafe pulls shots.

Snip..
I am using the bottom of a wood carving as a tamper--I should order something better. I'm still waiting to get a deal on a Europiccola portafilter or something else in 51 mm that's a little heavier than aluminum. *sigh*

What LMWDP number do I get?

Hi Paul,

Looks like you have been assigned # 85 by Steve Robinson! He's the guy what started this anarchical society and thread..!
The Numbers are posted on page one of this thread.
Welcome to the fold! That's looks as though it's going to be a great machine! You may want to do a search for the name, you never know who has posted something about it.
Best Regards
Richard / Espressme

[PaulTheRoaster]

That's looks as though it's going to be a great machine! You may want to do a search for the name, you never know who has posted something about it.

This site is the only place I've found anything about the machine. (And the odd European E-Bay auction.) Believe me, I have searched!

It is a great machine. I have only made two more shots since I claimed LMWDP membership, and they have improved a lot. I'm even getting respectable crema. It's a great weekend to have a new machine--I have Metropolis Red Line, and home-roasted Harrar Horse, Panama Gesha, and a sample of Metropolis Kenya "Kirigu".

Cheers,
-Paul "LMWDP #85"

[timo888]

.. I'm still waiting to get a deal on a Europiccola portafilter or something else in 51 mm that's a little heavier than aluminum. *sigh*

You don't need to use a metal like brass which will act as a heat sink if the water from the boiler is not superheated but at brew temperature. You want to use a metal that won't absorb heat from the water.

Regards
Timo