My machine I have purchased off of ebay is in great shape and the metal on the machine looks good. There is no detectable leaks or binding of the piston. I, however, would like to change the seals and have the Asbestos boiler coating removed. The problem is that due to my job, I do not have the time to disassemble the machine and rebuild it. Is there anyone I can pay to do the work? If I have more time and patience I would do it myself, but that is just the situation I am in. I would appreciate the feedback. Thanks in advance.

Orphan Espresso would be happy to do it for you.

As an owner of an old Cremina that I didn't know how to care for(the instruction book in 1987 didn't say anything re maintenance), rebuilding is really worth the effort. This is a simple machine and you'll learn everything you need to know about this machine.

Marvin

I've read that the Cremina is an easy machine to rebuild, so if you can squeeze in some time and watch some youtube rebuild videos you'd probably be able to handle it. That being said, not everyone is interested in working on espresso machines themselves.

If it's the asbestos that has you worried then you can look at other videos about removing that with the boiler submerged or well soaked with water. Asbestos is usually only a problem when the dust particles become airborne, so keeping it damp/wet will keep those particles from flying around. Put all the wet insulation in a plastic bag for disposal. Prolonged & repeat exposure to airborne particles is the main danger with asbestos.

Best of luck for finding a rebuilder or getting it rebuilt yourself. They have a great reputation.

If not for the fact that I needed a little professional help to remove a couple rusted boiler screws-a problem you are unlikely to encounter on a machine of your vintage-I would have had my '74 Cremina broken down and put back together with new gaskets and seals-not to mention fully cleaned and descaled-in less than 24 hours. I did have to modify a hex wrench to get at the group head screws. Otherwise, the dental picks that OE sells (for gasket and seal removal) are the only specialty tools that I recall using. OE also sells coffee cleaner, citric acid, bottle brushes (for the sight glass), lubricants (for gaskets and the lever), and so forth. Everything you might possibly need to refurbish and maintain the machine.



Sherman describes the skill-level required as follows, "If you can assemble Ikea furniture, you can rebuild a Cremina." OE espress has some 40 YouTube videos online to guide you through the process step-by-step-not to mention photos and text descriptions of the entire process on their website.

If it's completely untenable to do it yourself, Doug and Barb will gladly do it for you.

UFGators wrote:My machine I have purchased off of ebay is in great shape and the metal on the machine looks good. There is no detectable leaks or binding of the piston. I, however, would like to change the seals and have the Asbestos boiler coating removed.

If the machine is not leaking there's no need to change to seals. If the asbestos isn't discharging dust but is sitting inert on the outside of the boiler and all that's contained within the case, you can let that be too. If you've thoroughly descaled, which can be done without disassembling the machine at all, you might just enjoy using it. When you have time later it's easy to remove the case, disconnect the boiler from the group, the pressure switch and the steam tap and the frame. Be careful not to break the sight glass. With the right tools in hand (metric wrenches, hex key, screwdrivers, OE wrench for the nut holding the case on top) that disconnection process takes about 1/2 hour. Then you can seal the pipes, immerse it in water, safely remove the asbestos as instructed on the OE website and put it back together. If the seals start to leak they can be replaced then, and this is also quite easy.

UFGators wrote: The problem is that due to my job, I do not have the time to disassemble the machine and rebuild it. Is there anyone I can pay to do the work? If I have more time and patience I would do it myself, but that is just the situation I am in. I would appreciate the feedback. Thanks in advance.

considering this
I would suggest you contact Doug & Barb @ Orphan Espresso and see if they can do it for you - that way it will be done expertly

I have tried contacting them twice, both by email and pm
And no response. What is the best method to get ahold of them!

be patient - they run a busy 2 person operation

UFGators wrote:I have tried contacting them twice, both by email and pm
And no response. What is the best method to get ahold of them!

**EDIT: I just checked OE's website, and they request emails rather than phone calls. I can absolutely understand why, as I took up a lot of Doug's time when I called. So, please ignore my suggestion below to call them. **


I would suggest a phone call (call back if there's no answer) if you don't mind the long distance charges. Their email and pm inboxes fill rapidly, and sometimes a ringing phone is the right solution. It was for me...twice. I'd sent an email, but was a little impatient, and I had some questions about machine maintenance, when I got hold of Doug, we had a great conversation which answered everything I wanted to know about my vintage europiccola. Best of luck.