Hi all,

Thank you for the replies, some interesting stuff there. To clarify I do have a hand grinder although it nowhere near the HG1 level. I would prefer an electric for this though.

Do you think any of the old grinders are up to the task? In a way I was hoping there might be a particular one which was renowned as a good performer that I could keep an eye out for. However if it will always be a handicap then I will probably just get a modern grinder.

Drgary, I had read on HB that the early Lambro's date to the very late 50's, can you confirm that this is incorrect?

Dominico, the Faema FP looks nice, I think that would pair nicely but would look even better next to a Faema Mercurio. Again, not sure if I'm giving myself a handicap.

Thanks again,

Tiff.

EspressoPhD wrote:Drgary, I had read on HB that the early Lambro's date to the very late 50's, can you confirm that this is incorrect?

drgary wrote:Enrico Maltoni's book, Faema Espresso, 1945 - 2010 shows a 1960 Lambro on pages 218-219. Paul Pratt restored a 1962 Lambro.

That's all I was able to find in actual search. Your Lambro may have a date on the heating element.

That's a good idea, I was lucky that my vintage Faema has the manufacture date and serial number stamped onto the boiler.

If a good vintage grinder can't be had, you might be able to fit a nice glass hopper on a T48:

http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/Quamar ... -p5490.htm

Dress a modern grinder up to look like a vintage one, great idea, best of both worlds!

russel wrote:If a good vintage grinder can't be had, you might be able to fit a nice glass hopper on a T48:

http://www.1st-line.com/store/pc/Quamar ... -p5490.htm

I have not seen the Quamar before and on the outside it looks about right as it is. Am I right in thinking it is a blade grinder though? I was always led to believe I was better going for burrs?

I think combining the two might be the ultimate solution. My family business is in machining and manufacturing so assuming I can get all the modern grinder parts to physically fit inside an old grinder carcass I don't think it would be too big a problem to do this, beyond finding the time!

Lots for me to think about, thanks everyone.

I will go for a modern grinder and at a later date I will pick up an old grinder carcass and look into combining the two.

Tiff.

I don't think there should be any doubt that the Quamar is a burr grinder, but burrs themselves are often described as blades in sales pages.

leicaism, one of the lever forum members, has some vintage grinders I think:

Lever Espresso Machine Gallery

Aeclectic, thanks. The website was calling them blades which was confusing me. After I typed my last post I looked on the Spare Parts pdf on their site and saw they are burrs. Its strange they have decided to call them a blade.