I've been negligent getting the dispersion screen photo. I just have been too busy to touch the CA. I'll need gaskets for mine as well, so I'll be watching the rebuild. Here's a photo of mine:




The hole on top of the group is to allow air to escape when the group fills with water. If water is coming out that hole I suspect that the boiler pressure is rather high, and that the piston seals have gone bad. I'll be watching for photos when you've taken yours apart.

Also, if you come upon a parts source, I really need a portafilter for mine, so I'd appreciate hearing if you see one.

Thanks,

PC

Hi Folks,

Here are a couple of photos of the Switch mod thanks to Bobpaule. He found the switches and gave me one for a very fair price.
Because the new switch ( on the right)is not as tall as the original, I made the adapter out of a piece of thin brass. That allows
the switch to snap into the machne:


And the screen and group, there are little punch marks around the scren to snap into the groove around the cylinder.:


"Henry" the Italianstyle" "Enrico" is finally coming to the end of the maintenance and refurb. Next installment will be the the group
cylinder rework.

Have fun Folks
sincerely
espressme

Nice job espressme. I was a bit more lazy, just cut out a square of aluminum and stuffed it into the joint where the copper sides meet the faceplate, making sure it pushes on the upper part of the switch. Now i need one of you analytical chemists to reassure me that the metals will not perform some weird anion exchange and get ruined.

More GOOD NEWS, Burkii, a guy from Hawaii sent me some parts, and i saw the thermostat on his springloaded Enrico IS ADJUSTABLE! I imediately looked with a flashlight under my machine and i could see where the mounting holes were, so i blindly guesstimated the location of the switch, to get an idea look below. I took the drill the the bottom plate and drilled very slowly and carefully until i hit a fiberglass protective layer. I cut a hole with a #11 blade (surgeons and hobbyists love it) and below it lies the adjustable with a screwdriver t-stat. I replaced the steam valve-wand assembly with the one he sent me, keeping the color graded gauge from my old one (his dial was white) and increased the t-stat a bit so boiler pressure now hovers around 1, no more backflow into the reservoir.

Love this machine. I've done so many things to her that it has acquired sentimental value, so now it will stay with me.

One more thing, i used a rubber bulb pump and oxygen tubing to make a sump pump for the reservoir, without it one can never fully empty it.

What totally pxxxes me off is that now i will have to add a third grinder to my home collection. Have you noticed the need for coarser grinding with this machine? I come from the ULKA world of Isomac Millennium/Venus and Solis SL-90.



The above should not be interpreted as encouragement to do the same. Do the same at own risk.

bobpaule wrote:Nice job espressme. I was a bit more lazy, just cut out a square of aluminum and stuffed it into the joint where the copper sides meet the faceplate, making sure it pushes on the upper part of the switch. Now i need one of you analytical chemists to reassure me that the metals will not perform some weird anion exchange and get ruined.

snip...

Love this machine. I've done so many things to her that it has acquired sentimental value, so now it will stay with me.

I should think so, You sure have helped me out because of it!

One more thing, i used a rubber bulb pump and oxygen tubing to make a sump pump for the reservoir, without it one can never fully empty it.

Thats kinda sorta what my instructions said to do also! It would be a good idea on all the boiler lever machines!

What totally pxxxes me off is that now i will have to add a third grinder to my home collection. Have you noticed the need for coarser grinding with this machine? I come from the ULKA world of Isomac Millennium/Venus and Solis SL-90.

snip
Actually, I did my first trials with canned, ,coffee! Seems the machine may be designed for a home and heating water with the steam wand and shots the regular way! Awful small reservoir/boiler! My rocky will go to real extremes and I look forward to finding how well i did the refurb!
Wouldn't it be nice to do as the guy with the PID LaPav and plumb in?

The above should not be interpreted as encouragement to do the same. Do the same at own risk.

Ain't that the truth!
sincerely
richard
PS. Good idea! I may do that before reassembly!

Here is a picture of the dispersion screen on the Cap Amore, Same machine as Peacecup.




bob paule,

I noticed the picture of the thermostat with the sensor. Did you get a new one for your machine? Mine is shot and I was thinking of just putting in a pressure stat but if maybe the thermostat would be fine as well. Where did you find the one in the pic.

I put the new center gasket on the corroded piston rod but the machine still leaks, Not sure if it is the piston rod or the two old gaskets (top and bottom).



Anyone know where to get the top and bottom gasket? The ones from the Baby Riviera are supposed to fit.

Another fun element to working on this machine is the removal of the piston assembly for maintenance, Here is a picture of my process. First remove the dispersion head and then find the scariest clamp in the workshop. Same method to put the assembly back together.


I would love a spring lever in my home. The strength needed for nine bars on my pavoni, (ever since the mod) has made my arm a bit tired, and sometime in the morning a spring would be a welcome break. I would also be able to steam the soya during the extraction. Am I just getting lazy? Is this just one step away from a motor? or perhaps even a fully automatic. egad.

Hello Mitchel,

Well, thanks for getting the dispersion screen photo. I have been too busy to touch my CA, but may finally get to it again soon. It looks like I'll need to break out the C clamp, and probably find some piston seals.

I still need a PF. When you get time, could you please measure the ID of the PF basket, and the OD of the PF, to areas with and without lugs. I tried a standard 58-mm Gaggia and it was too large. Conversely, the 55 mm Saeco appears to be too small. Thanks,

PC

I have a Faemina which I picked up at a Goodwill store for $5 about 10 years ago. I don't have a porta filter for it but somewhere have one that is a close fit. I'm curious how things turned out for the original poster and would like to know the link which was referred to where someone got parts diagrams. Or, if those diagrams can be emailed to me. I would like to try to get this machine working. How about a source for a porta filter.

Thanks.

Tom

My previous reply was posted to the wrong thread, but any help is still welcomed. Here is the intended thread.

http://www.home-barista.com/forum...faemina-t1072.html

Tom

Interesting 4 pages of reading. So, Expressme and Peacecup have some experience with this machine?

Sounds like the Enrico Italianstyle might be more than I want to bite off right now.

Prof,

My understanding is that parts are completely unavailable - I have never found a PF for mine, and I'm sure seals and gaskets are difficult to find. Others who have used working models may be able to say how they brew.

PC