Olympia Cremina filter basket and tamper size?

[chopinhauer]

Hi all,

I'm am the new proud owner of a 1973 Olympia Cremina. Well almost, I won the bid on ebay Australia and am awaiting delivery. It looks good in the pics and the seller claims it is in 'near mint' condition. We'll see when it arrives.

Anyway, being a long time lever owner (1980 Pavoni Europiccola) I'm already gearing up for my new baby. (I'll post pics when it arrives). But I have a few preliminary questions.

First, it seems that it only will come with a single basket, so I would like to know whether the double baskets from my Pavoni will fit. The pavoni double is 49mm, and I have heard the Cremina 67 is 49mm as well. Is that correct? If it is that would be great because my beloved Reg Barber tamper is also 49mm.

Second, I think I'd like to order a full set of seals and gaskets, and maybe 2 new double baskets as well (if you think the Cremina baskets will do a better job than the Pavonis). Where do you recommend I get them from? That is, who stocks spare parts and accessories for these older Creminas? I doubt if anyone in Australia does, so I am expecting somewhere in the US.

That's all for now, but expect to be bombarded with questions and comments, for although I am no newbie when it comes to lever machines (indeed, I was one of the very first to subscribe to the LMWDP) I am a total Cremina newbie and know next to nothing about them except that you guys here made me buy one! I blame you all!!

[sneakymagic]

Hi there - and congratulations on your new baby!

OK - I just took a a shiny new PRE-millenium europiccola basket out of its portafilter and dropped it straight into my Cremina's: locked and loaded perfectly. HOWEVER - it is not as deep as the basket that came with the Olympia portafilter. I haven't measured the volume of the draw on my Cremina nor on my Millenium Pavoni, but my impression is that the Cremina draws more liquid per stroke. Your pre-millenium Pavoni may draw more/less liquid - the short of which is that if it's volume and strength you're after from your Cremina then you may need to find a bigger basket. Personally, the single draw through the Cremina's double basket is just about perfect - when I want more I just pull a second shot.

My universally derided plastic Europiccola tamper works very well in the Cremina - don't think that Pavoni changed the tamper size when they did the millenium re-sizing, hence it's continuing poor reputation. Reg sounds like it'll be fine. Seem to remember there's a psychotically accurate custom tamper maker down under who will mill one for your unique basket, so you could hold fire for a while and get another new toy. I'll try to find the link.

Good luck - I hope she turns out as mechanically good as she appears.
P.

Got it - PULLMAN tampers http://www.coffeetamper.com.au - my quick scan couldn't find prices though...

[iginfect]

Earlier this year someone on coffeegeek had extra cremina baskets for sale (in the US). It indeed is 49 mm and I got one from Reg Barber, the only tamper I found in NA at 49mm. You can also check out http://www.laforzatamp.com/

Marvin

[chopinhauer]

Well that's good news so far. So at least until I get a proper Cremina double basket the Pavoni double will fit. I had a feeling the Cremina basket might be deeper. And if they are both 49mm it would seem the Reg Barber will fit the Cremina baskets, but if they don't, well I guess I'll have to get Greg Pullman to make me one. (I actually go the Reg before I even knew of the Pullman tampers existence. I guess if I could have just one tamper I'd probably go with one of his, but the RB is pretty damn fine as it is.

Now I just need to find out where to get the baskets and gaskets etc that fit the Cremina 67. I'n not sure if First line deal in parts for these older machines, though I guess I could send them an email.

[timo888]

Although the diameter of the baskets on sale on eBay earlier in the year fit my 1992 Cremina, the fit is imperfect. The ridge at the lip is slightly higher, and so the PF can be locked into the group to less than half the depth the original can be. However, these double baskets fit better than the replacements I received from the factory; the factory replacements sit even higher in the PF than the eBay ones do, but because the curve at the base near the filter contacts the PF higher up on its curve. The factory replacements can be seated to perhaps only a third of the way into the group. We're talking only a millimeter or so of extra height, but the tolerances are not very forgiving.

My PF handle has developed a stress crack as a result of using these too tightly seated replacement baskets. And sneezing is also a problem. The factory originals that came with my machine are perfectly suited to the machine, and there is no sneeze because the pressure is released gradually as the PF is unlocked. The release of the poorly fitting baskets is not gradual, but abrupt.

Regards
Timo

P.S. Here are the dimensions of the factory baskets that are too tight:

[mogogear]

The seals from 1st Line will fit your machine just fine. I used some LP double baskets in the past. The only problem I had was they had a wee wider flare at the top skirt, if you will. Caused them to hang in the group when I removed the PF.

I just worked them around the horn on a small vise in my shop. Tapping on them with a small, small ball peen hammer. this rounded the lip and the problem evaporated. Round and round I tapped. Took about 10 minutes of work!

Cheers and Good Luck with the new machine!!

[chopinhauer]

Thanks mogogear for the tip for modifying my pavoni baskets to fit the cremina. I will give it a try if I persist with the pavoni basket.

As for what you write timo888, that's pretty worrying and turns me off ordering a cremina double basket directly from cremina or even 1st Line.

I've read somewhere that the Elektra microcasa double basket will fit in the older cremina portafilters. I know the Elektra double is 49mm wide but quite a lot deeper than the pavoni and probably the cremina baskets as well. Can anyone confirm whether the Elektra basket fits and works well in the cremina?

thanks

[timo888]

I just ordered an Elektra MicroCasa a Leva single basket to see how it compares to the two Cremina singles, the shorter one (#1) that is more gently conical, and the taller one (#2) that is more sharply sloped. The Elektra more closely resembles the shorter of the two Cremina baskets.


Diameter at rim
Cremina#1: 57.0mm
Cremina#2: 57.2mm
Elektra......: 58.0mm


Diameter below rim
Cremina#1: 51.0mm
Cremina#2: 50.8mm
Elektra......: 51.1mm

Overall height
Cremina#1: 24.0mm
Cremina#2: 27.0mm
Elektra......: 21.5mm


Diameter at filter
Cremina#1: 29.0mm
Cremina#2: 25.0mm
Elektra......: 29.0mm


Regards
Timo

[chopinhauer]

I mainly uses doubles, and since the new cremina double is apparently the same size as the pre millenium pavoni europiccola / pro (which I have) I will probably buy an elektra double basket (which is roughly the same size as the older cremina double).