Hello All:

I recently purchased this very rare first edition La Pavoni Europiccola. It is a 110V machine and I know of one other that is also red and 110V. According to Francesco Ceccarelli there are five of these machines and I know the owner of a sixth. Francesco's site reports that there were 400 made of this first production run, with serial numbers 001 to 400. Here is his page on this rare, earliest Europiccola model.

Mine is a surprise because it has the same features as the others but there is no serial number on the group in the usual place. Instead there is a tiny "1" stamped on the other side of the group. Here I've unpacked the machine but left the lever off so I could service the group.



Added 9/3/15: Recent research shows mine to be a transitional machine from the Caferina to the first run of 400 La Pavoni Europiccolas.

Added 7/8/18: This machine is now listed on Francesco's reference page as a hybrid between the Caferina and Europiccola.

http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/lapavoni_ep_eng.htm

This is the tiny number stamped on the group. What does it mean? I'm guessing it's a prototype delivered to La Pavoni before they ordered their production run. It's probably one of two or more. The other may have been the grey model. Otherwise it's possible the group was replaced, but I'm guessing not because there's wear on the group and the condition of the chrome otherwise is the same as the rest of the machine. The small numeral "1" is on the left and is more visible when looking at the group. It does not have a bottom bar to the letter. That's an anomaly from the photo. Chrome is hard to photograph with an iPhone.



I am also starting this thread because I'm running into some glitches servicing this machine, which is in excellent shape. If reading the difficulties of digging into one of these makes you wish you could just buy one ready to use, Francesco's website has an On Sale link. He restores them and at the time of this writing has the next version available where the sightglass was first added.

My machine has not been used in at least 25 years except for when the seller tested it for me, and heating elements for the low and high switch settings worked, but apparently it leaked underneath. I will soon replace the heating element gasket, but before getting there I've been disassembling the group to install new seals. There are scant threads on these very early Europiccolas. Francesco's website gives their history and it's fascinating to see his documenation that the same shop was producing almost identical machines to mine under different brands like Co-Fer, Caferina (red like mine), Wunder (without my ceramic terminal block), DP, and Olympia Express (with an on/off switch, unlike mine). DP may have been the original manfacturer and called their machines Caferina. They manufactured heating elements. Not much more is known about them except that these earliest models including La Pavoni are very well built and designed so that they maintain proper temperature for brewing on the low heating element and through the heat sink qualities of the group, all without even using a pressure switch for regulating temperature in the boiler. This early model has no sightglass or drip tray. Francesco's site surveys the different brands of the same machine. Those descriptions are accessible from this menu page:

http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/macch ... ia_eng.htm

As I've started to service my machine Francesco has been very helpful. I was able to get the seals from him. His page, above, shows the parts laid out where they reassemble. But just changing seals on something that hasn't been serviced in forever poses unique challenges. It would be easier to service this group if I could turn it out. It's probably locked in place by a small mount of scale or corrosion. He suggested I try and remove that c-clip without removing the group. Otherwise I would need to take out the heating element and remove the boiler cap, insert pieces of wood there and in the group to turn it out without damage.

Although the build quality of these is excellent, most machines have some vulnerability. In mine the c-clip that retains the piston rod washer and gasket is made of steel that rusts. And mine has rusted enough it can't be removed with clip pliers but still fills the slot to lock in that gasket and washer. I was able to pick out the old gasket and get the washer to move, but that washer is still locked in the channel by the rusted clip that is inserted into a groove. I've slathered it with molasses to try and rust it more so I can pick it out. While doing this I put a towel under the chrome and protected the red painted base with blue painter's tape. These restorations go slowly.

I was able to remove the brass sleeve using the Orphan Espresso steel sleeve removal tool. It was in there pretty tight and I inserted a screwdriver and gently tapped it with a mallet while holding it in place to get the threads to unlock. Since I'd removed the piston rod retaining and adjustment nut, the piston easily came out with the brass sleeve and shower screen. The seals on the piston are still supple as was the portafilter gasket. The piston rod gasket was another story. It took about an hour of heating with a small torch and picking to get it out. Before that I'd mistaken the holes in the washer for a c-clip that had mostly rusted out. I was left with this after removing the gasket.



Ready to call it a night I slathered the rusted remnants of the clip with molasses to try and dissolve it enough I can pick it out and install a new gasket, washer and c-clip.

On my La Pavoni the c-clip was a little worse off. I used a long, thin jeweler's driver with straight tip as a punch/chisel to tap and break the clip. Careful tapping around the edge of the c-clip caused mine to break. Then a dental pick to pick out the bits. It was well over 10 pieces that finally came out. (I've since put in a stainless c-clip from OE there.)

If all else fails we can dissolve it out with alum. Interesting use of molasses there.

Amazing find there by the way! Nobody better to document it.

I'm very interested in seeing what you think of it as I've seen these old style ones on Craigslist with the old group from time to time.

Francesco says these old ones with the brass sleeve are the best. I can already tell that when I press the lever down there will be no "give" at all. It's completely stable. Please tell me more about "alum." I may need to dissolve that clip, and I do have a stainless replacement. Trying to pick it out will take a very long time.

Are you sure that Oxalic acid solution would not be a good way to remove the rust corrosion? It should at least loosen it. You could dissolve a bit of the acid in water, and keep the area wet with the solution for a little while and then rinse carefully. You do not want it to be in contact with the brass for too long or it will tend to remove zinc from brass. Then when it was thoroughly dry you could attempt to put a low viscosity oil type material on it like the classic WD40? You do not want to use anything that will damage the brass!

This beautiful machine seems to be intact enough so that you probably will not have to decide how to go about dealing with parts that are no longer available. There tends to be two solutions to that problem, make replacements from metal stock or modify similar parts from other machines. I have rebuilt several research microscopes. I often have to discard their illumination systems entirely and machine holders that use modern high power LEDs. I often had to modify other things to utilise more recent replacements for damaged or missing items. Doing this can make them quite unlike the original, but doing this made them into microscopes that were often better than they were when originally manufactured rather than make them look like museum pieces. I have run into the problem of having to choose between originality and functionality! It seems to me that with espresso machines one needs to emphasise originality more than functionality! (With laboratory instruments it is always the reverse if you want to put them back into service.)

It's been about 5 years since I rebuilt my LP but I remember my c-clip coming out without too much trouble, even though the machine looked pretty neglected, but I've ordered the stainless steel kit from OE anyway.
I also had a leak at the element and boy, what a right pain it was to remove, as I didn't have the proper tool at the time. These screw on elements were known to warp a bit and OE used to carry a thicker element seal. I installed that seal and have been leak free ever since.
The flange that secures the boiler can also be a pain to remove, as it's a bit difficult to get a good angle with your tools in there given the limited space. Good luck with the build.

Alum for iron removal from brass:
I learned this when working on a refurb of my La Pavoni and the portafilter stud was rusted into the handle so hard no tapping, heating or drilling would remove it. Watch & clock makers use this to remove old rusted steel pins from the entrapped brass gears.

Alum in a water solution and near boiling will react with anything that has iron in it, dissolving it away. It also strips the anodized coating of aluminum too. Use it in a junk aluminum pot or other non-reactive pot.

Dissolve 1oz of alum powder into 4 cups of water. Place on the stove with your item immersed inside. Keep on heat and just below boiling temps. You'll see profuse bubbling coming out from any iron as it works to dissolve it. Took me 1 week of off and on stove heating to dissolve that stud from my portafilter, but the threads were unharmed. A c-clip would be quite quick I think.

I picked up alum in my local middle eastern market. It's in those pre-packaged spice racks, and evidently used for pickles of some kind. I think some hispanic markets also stock it.

Thanks for all of your knowledgeable suggestions. I am thinking of starting with Robert's method of applying oxalic acid solution, rinsing it, then applying WD-40. Robert, when I'm done with the WD-40, what do I use to thoroughly remove any residue? I'm also working with Francesco who agrees with the lubricant and says that I would insert pliers into the holes of the washer and turn it, which might help get it out. Some more picking at the rusted clip may be needed after using the above steps to dissolve it.

Dano, the alum looks like an interesting solution. I don't want to try that yet because it would require removing the group and so far that doesn't want to move. Sometimes on these old restorations it's best to leave things be if one can. But for someone who wants to use alum does it harm chrome or brass?

For those asking about whether I would need replacement parts, not with this machine. And to Robert's question about any modifications away from original I am thinking of doing one thing and making it reversible to original. I would like to install a heat safety switch to the bottom of the boiler and connect that to the hot side of the circuit for both elements. So before disassembly I'll map the existing circuit, checking it against Francesco's photos of the same machine. The wiring is original. The seller removed and put back in place a couple of wires after the machine leaked during testing, so I will double check to make sure that's right. I will also install new heavier gauge Teflon coated wire and properly color code it. I am also thinking of keeping the power cord as a historic part but installing a grounded power cord with a similar looking ribbed rubber insulation, if I can find that. Perhaps there's another way to ground the machine and leave the power cord intact. If I do that I will probably want to permanently plug it in to something that can be switched on and off. The easiest solution may be a switched, grounded power cord like I'm using on the Lady Duchessa where the original cord had been replaced when I acquired it.

I've also obtained a black Viton rubber sheet that I will cut into the shape of the indented drip tray. I'll use that to protect the paint from further damage. The paint is still pretty good but has some nicks that I'll leave alone. Nothing needs rechroming.

One can usually get rid of most oily materials by brushing with high proof ethanol, the stuff that they call "grain alcohol" or "Everclear" at a rum shop. It is 190 Proof. Some oils may not be miscible, but the alcohol will still tend to wash them away by partly dissolving them. Pure 1-butanol, 2-propanol or 1-propanol would be good too, maybe even better. Methanol tends to dissolve oily materials less than higher alcohols. It is also toxic, though not violently so. I would simply avoid it.

The nice thing about oxalic is that it actually dissolves rust. It would not be a good idea to soak brass in it for many hours or days, but it is commonly used to clean brass surfaces as well as to remove rust. I would not apply anything that contains chlorides. This is high zinc brass, which can become porous on its surface and harbour chloride, and initiate serious corrosion because cuprous chloride can initiate something similar to rusting for bronzes and even pure copper.

drgary wrote:Dano, the alum looks like an interesting solution. I don't want to try that yet because it would require removing the group and so far that doesn't want to move. Sometimes on these old restorations it's best to leave things be if one can. But for someone who wants to use alum does it harm chrome or brass?

When I did my week+ long simmer in alum, changing the solution every couple of days, I noticed no degradation in the chrome or brass surfaces. Chrome was chipped already, and there has been no flaking of that since the alum bath. From what I read it seems to be okay on brass too.

Instead of WD40 I keep a jug of Citra Solv Concentrate around and use that when possible on food equipment. It's not as lubricating as WD40, but it does penetrate well and lubricates enough to get many things loosened up. It also works well to wash away WD40, followed by a dish washing liquid to wash away the orange oils. (Makes a good direct spray bug killer, even diluted with water too.)
I think you can pickup Citra Solv products in many stores these days. I only buy the concentrate when using as a 'penetrating oil'.

I don't think we have the 190 proof Everclear in California, but CVS pharmacy sells 91% Isoprophyl Alcohol that could work. Follow that up with a hot, soap wash and you can probably get all residues removed.

In this case I'm thinking that lubricating the rusted clip remnants are less an issue than dissolving them. So I'm moved to try a simple food oil, like olive oil. The rusted spring seems wedged through spring action rather than tightly adhering to the brass.

For these kinds of restorations other stuck points can drive the solution to take. Since it's challenging to remove the group I'll start with oxalic acid solution. Robert, what dilution should I use and how long should I let it soak before thoroughly rinsing?