Here's the one from mine:


I think they were the same and that they decided to operate without a shower screen. Therefore the extension.
The machine could be safe to use if all the parts are clean.
-Richard
PS I used a brake hone to clean up my group. Then fine wet or dry paper over the hones to remove the worst of the scratches.

One more thought, Try putting the piston into the group in the exact height that it would be when all together. That would tell whether the extension was an after thought. Also look at the exit of the group to see whether it originally had a snap on indentation.
Cheers!

I finally popped my screen out. It's 62mm. Simon, my piston doesn't look like yours. It's made out of the same cheap metal but there's no rivet.

Brett

thanks Brett and Richard. I got busy in June with restructurings and didnt get a chance to work on this machine.

So, our two main problems are the piston and the dispersion screen. For the piston, we're going to pop the rivet off and try to return it to normal. I have no idea what the prior dude was thinking -- maybe no dispersion screen and pressing water through the portafilter itself. I would like to think no-one would do such a thing, even to these machines. It takes a bit of Macgyver to rivet a cylinder of aluminum onto the piston, so some thought process was there.

The dispersion screen is harder. I have one more parts place in Toronto I can visit next weekend and look for a screen. After that, I may need to just have one made, in which case I'll consult you both and probably make a few.

Until then gentlemen.

Oh - and Brett - you have to share your story about the chainsaw sale, that was pretty good. I had visions of you testing out these beat up ole husquarvna's and then coming across the Francis. I've never used one and they are real eye candy, but do they work well? How does it compare? Nice find there for 25 bones, I see them on the Big E for several hundred.