Three group La Pavoni rebuild

[bishopthirteen]

I moved my primary residence to the mountains a few years ago and discovered the beauty of projects done inside a heated home during winter . Around Halloween I drag my tools into the basement, turn the garage into storage and my office into an espresso machine shop. Recently; the weather has started changing, I've been posting way too frequently on HB, I'm running out of things to do on my winter project machine, it must almost be Spring! Here is installment one and I'll be quiet for awhile.

My first winter project (2006) was rebuilding an Astoria lever machine. The only camera I owned at the time was attached to an old cell phone so the pictures were lousy and I only posted a few.



My new cell phone has a better camera and I will be taking pictures along the way during my current winter (2007) project.

The goal for this years undertaking is to rebuild one of these neglected beauties. (Pictures from ad)





Stored for quite awhile with full boilers and worked nearly to death as a six group machine, I hope to make ½ this pair young again. I thought about doing parallel restorations but my basement is too small.

After sorting a milk crate of parts included with the machines and confirming I had enough pieces to complete both, I chose the worst of the two for this year's project. The chosen one is shown above missing the feet. I'm hoping to avoid scavenging one machine to save the other so a set of feet is on the list.

Here they are in just picked up condition.




Strip down began before bringing the chosen machine to my house (It was pretty nasty and smaller pieces are easier to carry.) I did not photo document the disassembly because I have an identical model now sitting at my shop for reference.

Disassembly was straight forward, no weird components just a huge boiler and my first HX (X3). One item of note is the Aluminum half round boiler end brackets are a nightmare for electrolysis. I guess if you use steel bolts to attach brass and aluminum swearing will result.

Disassembly highlights






Mmmm rusty.

Rebuilding components is a favorite restoration step of mine. Breaking the whole "Thing" into sub-groups and working through them individually. After careful inventory off goes the first parts order and cleaning begins. As I've always coveted E61 style groups and now have three on my bench I'm in restoration heaven!



After cleaning and re-assembly




I cannot get a bolt out that is holding the plastic handle to one of the portafilters. It looks to have been a problem for years and someone tried every tool they had. I'll get back to it later and make it the "Cold group" (furthest from the heating element) portafilter for now, it works but it feels loose.

Unlike the drama free group rebuilds the steam valves took a different path. I like this style of espresso machine because it is lacking the big overhang covering the groups and steam/water valves. To me it is a more classic look and everything is sticking off the front, exposed for my visual enjoyment. Therefore I was disappointed to discover the steam valves were injured. I think the rubber valve seats had been leaky for a very long time causing prolonged over-tightening by the baristas.


Compare the unbent end-thread on the stem to the rest.

This is a good illustration of a small problem left unfixed causing bigger more expensive ones. It's not a big deal, the parts were in stock and reasonably priced, but...the replacement part is only available in brass, damn, I hate that.



It may not be noticeable as they are hidden under the knobs however I think they were chrome for a reason. It is a pretty steamy environment they live in; I'll plate them later if function degrades.

I dropped off the frame and other bits for powder coating yesterday, it should have happened months ago but I became distracted by two other espresso related "winter projects". I'll start final assembly in a few weeks when the parts are back and will follow-up then.

Writing this is getting me excited again; a fun part is coming! Not the best part, that's pulling shots but final assembly is great. I skipped talking about; all the tedious cleaning steps, various upgrade ideas and research, body/frame color debate, remote pump acquisition, etc. That stuff is finished for this machine, all that remains is: bolting clean pieces together with new gaskets, cleaning up the wiring and flipping a switch. OK, now that I've cursed the project be prepared for some major disaster like ruptured HX's or a fried auto level box to manifest. Why do I always tempt fate?

Thanks

[mattwells]

If you ride/restore/love an old Norton, then I am sure your restoration ability is up to snuff for these two brutes.

Me, I ride a BMW Airhead - low and easy maintenance with a little bit of fixing it up thrown in every now and then.

I am sure the machine will look beautiful once you finish.

/mw

[jesawdy]

Sweet machines.... I too really like fact that nothing overhangs the working area of this machine. I also really like the stepped detail of the lower front corners of the frame.

What condition was the boiler, element and piping with regards to scale? I have been contemplating getting a small ultrasonic bath to use with citric (or maybe even muriatic) acid to clean up some pretty well scaled plumbing bits for a much newer La Cimbali machine. I'm not sure if that is overkill or not... but I'm thinking just soaking won't cut it in my case, some mechanical assistance would help. Also, what the best way to clean up brass components? (Paul Pratt, if you read this, please enlighten us on your use of ultrasonic baths, do you heat the solution, etc.?)

Have you polished up the steel panels already? If so, how did they turn out?

[bishopthirteen]

Thanks for the replies/questions.

In no particular order:

I have been contemplating getting a small ultrasonic bath

Me too, I've been trolling flea-bay looking for one with a heating element. Some of the worst pieces from this machine required me to: boil water on the stove, make a really hot citric acid solution, fill a metal bucket with the solution and parts then keep the solution hot by using a torch on the outside of the bucket. Paul has it down to a science, I'm still rubbing sticks together. For the majority of the pieces straight vinegar did the trick with multiple cleanings.

Have you polished up the steel panels already? If so, how did they turn out?

There are only a few pieces of stainless to clean up, unfortunately they are big and have a bright finish that is covered with lots of micro scratches. I've been trying different cream polishes to lessen the impact of the wear. Last resort is getting them professionally done. This is why I like brushed stainless, a little work with #0000 steel wool and it's good as new. Any polishing tips?

I ride a BMW Airhead

I owned one once but it was way too stable and reliable for me. I rent space at my shop to a mechanic who restores old BMW's. Some of his customers are getting over 100K on an engine. What fun is that?
I restored my Norton in high school and drove it daily for years. I hope this espresso machine doesn't put me through the same rings of hell it did. I still ride it very occasionally for old times sake but even my wifes scooter is faster and better handling. Nothing worse than getting smoked by a chick on a Vespa.

I am sure the machine will look beautiful once you finish.

Thank you! I hope so. I just saw a picture of a really clean two group from the same vintage and got all goose-bumpy, It is a good looking machine, I was never really sure because mine were so trashed.

Thanks

[oofnik]

Looks like a lovely project. It's funny; my dad is really big on the old British bikes too. He has Nortons, Ariels, BSA's, Sunbeams and others crowded in his basement / machine shop. He's got the tools to make my Wega project a heck of a lot easier.
I would love to have one of his bikes.. bishopthirteen, your parents let you ride a Norton in high school? Damn. Sweet.

[bishopthirteen]

your parents let you ride a Norton in high school? Damn. Shocked

Nope, I secretly rented a garage and "rode a bicycle" to school. I got busted (years later) when my mom pulled up next to me at a stop light, She recognized my girlfriend on the back, rolled down the window and started yelling at her about being on a bike. Then she saw me....

They made me park it until I moved out (about a year) and gave me a trashed '58 VW bug as consolation. My dad said he always wondered why I never asked for a car. (edit: he got my sister a '65 convertible dodge dart, I should have asked he probably would have gotten me something cool!)

By the time they found me out me I had a: Norton, Lambretta, Ducati, and a Suzuki dirt bike. My dad flipped when he saw my "shop", he thought I was just really into mountain biking.

I still have (edit: 20 years later) three of those bikes , hopefully I'll be better at moving my finished Espresso projects along to new homes. How many could I possibly need?

P.S. your Dad sounds like my kind of people. Here is a good trick, buy a really cheap, really ugly/undesirable, total basket case British bike, then ask him for help. He will eventually give you one of his finished bikes to ride because A:yours is so far gone B: parts are too expensive C: the thrill of helping you wash/fix old parts has worn off. And if/when it ever does by some miracle get finished it will still be ugly/undesirable and he will have to see you ride it and listen to you talk about it, forever.

[Paul_Pratt]

I've got a small ultrasonic cleaner with built in heater. It certainly makes life a lot easier and get's used for 2 jobs. The first is to clean parts, I add a bit of detergent as well. Anything that can fit in there goes in there such as steam/water valves, check valves, expansion valves and even an E61 group.

Once all the gunk is off i'll dump in clean water and some citric acid as well. Usually the small components just need about 30 mins in there. Now I come to think about it, it's an invaluable tool and really gets things clean.

I think I paid about $300 for it and it's just big enough for an E61 or a couple of steam valves.

Paul

[Psyd]

your Dad sounds like my kind of people. Here is a good trick, buy a really cheap, really ugly/undesirable, total basket case British bike, then ask him for help. And if/when it ever does by some miracle get finished it will still be ugly/undesirable and he will have to see you ride it and listen to you talk about it, forever.

I'm so stealing this!
Not half a chance that you were riding the Norton down the five to LA last Sept? I mean, how many old Nortons can there be on the road in that area? Two? Thirty? A hundred?

[bishopthirteen]

I'm so stealing this!

Keep us posted how it works out. I've had it used numerous times on me, I don't have any kids but it seems to work well for girlfriends/friends.

I can assure you it was not me on Hwy. Five in LA. My Norton has not been south of San Francisco since the late 80's. There are lots of them in California, at one time they were nearly free. I got mine for $75 from a guy who had pieces of it stashed in garages all over town including a map to the telephone pole where he had locked the frame. I'm not sure I would buy anything under circumstances like these again, ah the ignorance of youth.


Thanks for the reply Paul. Your site along with HB got me into restoring espresso machines, now if I can just afford a project Marzocco I can use all your shared knowledge.

[bishopthirteen]

I just got the Pavoni bits back from my powder-coater, much easier on the eyes!

I'll post a few pictures and when I get further along will post a real update.






(Part 2 here: http://www.home-barista.com/forum...art-two-t3621.html )