So I took it home, emptied it, filled it, plugged it in, and the water heated up, but it leaked out of the place where you put the coffee. So I took it apart, saw that a gasket was all crusty, removed the gasket, and set about getting a new one. Thinking it would be unlikely I could find this gasket at the local hardware store, I looked online... and discovered I have a super deluxe espresso machine!
I'm pretty psyched, needless to say. So now that I know this thing is worth something, I guess I will sally forth with a little more care- though what I really love about this machine is that it is totally mechanical. As in, not electronic- you can just take it apart and see how it works.
Anyways, I guess I'm looking for advice- now what, to make it work nicely? I guess I have to spring for the $90 gasket set, but then what? it seems to be complete- it has the drip tray and the thing you put the coffee in, it's just missing one of the lights on the front, as you can see in the photo. The chrome doesn't look so good, maybe it's corroded or maybe it's scale or something, but the inside of the tank looks great, no scale at all, I was expecting a lot. I took the- hmm, is it the head? The thing that the lever moves up and down- out, and that's where the crusty gasket was, though the other gasket seemed to be in decent shape. If you look up in the machine where the head thing was, with a flashlight there's some black gunk there, anyone know what it is or how to clean it (or if i even have to)? I read something about silicone grease somewhere... what for and where do you get it? Any other advice? Thanks so much in advance... oh, and the serial number on the side plate starts with 84, and I read that's usually the year it was manufactured? Is there any other important info on that plate? Sorry the pic is incomplete, it's still totally taken apart.
