Has anyone heard of this machine? I've read the two or three threads on HB that mention it, as well as the German re-build pictorial, but there isn't a whole lot of information out there. The only major thread here is about one that a previous owner had turned into a Frankenstein electric pump machine. A thread on CG makes a cryptic reference to a five-position power switch that cost $100 to replace...

From what I gather, standard 58mm PF, plumb-in/drain connection, usually 220V. Some parts can be found, others, probably not...

seen this?:
http://yemanha.de/Cimbali/

Replacement elements are no longer available. Everything else important is. PF are std cimbali as are gr gaskets.

Yes, I have seen that site (German re-build pictorial), but I'm more interested in whether any HBers have any experience with the Eleva. I seem to recall reading somewhere that Cimbalis of this vintage are particularly fiddly designs without a lot of thought for longevity and repair, but I may be thinking about a completely different machine.

I gather it has some sort of multi-stage heating element setup (four-position rotary switch), with two separate elements that make about 1500W together. Too bad most of them don't run on 120V.

I don't have an eleva but do have its predecessor (rubino). I think eleva uses m15 gr. Anyway, older cimbali are finely designed but poorly engineered machines. Perhaps like an old ferrari. Difficult to work on. Mine certainly had some beautiful casting work but some of the fittings were a pig.

Paul in Brasil (whose website I linked to above) did not rank the coffee very high after using the machine for a year.

I don't know if you are asking opinions as to whether this is worth buying or restoring. I would recomend against restoring one as it may not be worth the effort and cost. If you could buy a nice working example for not too much money then it is ok.

Element - I had a custom flange machined out of S/S so I could use common faema 74mm element. One solution but costly.

Maybe Paul from Brasil's impression of the machine is a bit skewed as he didn't have the group cover. This could be an integral part of the design necessary for the correct temperature. Orphanespresso found out their lovely Conti Empress needed the group cover to function properly.

Paul wrote:I don't know if you are asking opinions as to whether this is worth buying or restoring. I would recomend against restoring one as it may not be worth the effort and cost. If you could buy a nice working example for not too much money then it is ok.

Element - I had a custom flange machined out of S/S so I could use common faema 74mm element. One solution but costly.

Probably more the former. There's a local barista out in Vancouver selling one on CL right now, and he claims it's been overhauled, but he sent me photos from the rebuild site we've been looking at, so I don't know what to think... (edit: they were just for illustrative purposes, the seller seems pretty genuine)

I guess it's probably fairly simple to convert the average low tech lever machine to 120V operation if you're able to adapt the heating element mount. The rest of the parts are easy to replace. Machining isn't really a problem for me. Have you got any photos of your new flange? What does the four position power switch do?

I'm not having much luck with lever machines. I was going to buy a used PV Lusso, but I haven't heard from the seller for over a week. Commercial single group levers don't come up too often in Canada.

pics - at work, i'll email you them on monday. I didn't machine it but my engineering bill was for 3hr.

switch - probably progressively added the element circuits from lowest to highest heat. Machine may have emmissions valve rather than pstat (though a pstat may have been added by now). The idea of an emmission valve is that the machine always gently heats and releases steam through a weighted valve atop the boiler. Don't worry about the switch. Least of your worries!