Search found 102 matches

by coelcanth
February 16th, 2022, 11:11 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1692

Base and gasket replacement - 1962 La Pavoni Europiccola gen 1

how are you detecting the short ? are you certain this is not a problem with the outlet itself or the circuit breaker/GFCI if using one ?
by coelcanth
February 13th, 2022, 2:02 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1692

Base and gasket replacement - 1962 La Pavoni Europiccola gen 1

i don't know what is causing your problem, but on my machine the upper terminal on the switch is surprisingly close to touching the base.. if your switch was loose or misaligned it could perhaps be contacting the aluminum base and making a short circuit with the ground wire ???
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by coelcanth
February 12th, 2022, 11:48 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1692

Base and gasket replacement - 1962 La Pavoni Europiccola gen 1

stefano's espresso care offers some boiler flange tools and adapters for earlier machines they're large tools and custom machined so they can seem expensive though {link} {link} sometimes it's possible to slightly loosen or tighten up carefully tapping with a hammer and punch.. you have to be very c...
by coelcanth
February 11th, 2022, 1:41 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 6
Views: 330

La Pavoni Europiccola v1.4 ongoing maintenance

doesn't seem like a problem. it's been years since i last serviced my early Europiccola but today the sleeve came out with no difficulty. the threads had been coated in Dow food safe grease, so that seems to help. also, I have no issue reaching the piston seal. my model is also 1964, with the perman...
by coelcanth
February 6th, 2022, 11:12 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 12
Views: 628

I need your thoughts on this crappy restoration

traditionally liquid shellac is just shellac flakes (from the beetle bug) dissolved in denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) the Indian Head seems not much different judging by the 20-40% ethanol by weight listed on the MSDS. alcohol should be plenty solvent to soften it up again, might not need an...
by coelcanth
February 12th, 2013, 10:15 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 16
Views: 1695

Innovative home lever on eBay

i'm not sure how it works.. does it not have a boiler ? is the water plumbed directly into the group or something ? well it certainly seems rare !
by coelcanth
February 9th, 2013, 2:50 pm
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 17
Views: 1751

Older La Cara

yes i've used them too, and in most cases they are fine.. but the Orphan Espresso internal group sleeve seal for early Europiccola or La Cara is the wrong size and, in this application, Doug Garrott was also wrong about the durability of the common buna o-ring
by coelcanth
February 8th, 2013, 10:30 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 17
Views: 1751

Older La Cara

my hardware store o-ring has been working perfectly for more than 3 years inside the group of my 60s la Pavoni. at the time i rebuilt the machine, the hardware store was the only place to get a seal that fit. i can say with confidence it doesn't matter what it is "rated" because in use it holds up
by coelcanth
February 6th, 2013, 11:51 am
Forum: Lever Espresso Machines
Replies: 17
Views: 1751

Older La Cara

most of the rubber replacement parts should be available because they are close enough to the still-manufactured la Pavoni machines some parts that are not easy to source maybe found at a good local hardware store in the o-rings department. citric acid will be handy for descaling inside but is easy ...
by coelcanth
February 6th, 2013, 11:39 am
Forum: Repairs, Restorations & Mods
Replies: 3
Views: 639

Olympia Cremina Repairs

if you don't want to do the work yourself or send the machine away, I can overhaul the Cremina for you. I am in Brooklyn