Hot Rodded SAMA Export

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FJ60Cam
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#1: Post by FJ60Cam »

I've had my SAMA Export for a few months now and thought I'd post up the collection of small mods I've done to her.

First, here she sits as she arrived from eBay...



She needed lots of work and a few parts before being operational. As part of the rebuild, I stripped and painted the base in a hammered finish rather than the stock wrinkle paint finish that can't be easily cleaned...



Once up and running, I was really enjoying my first lever with the new flavors and the peace and quiet over a pump machine. All was not perfect though as I was experiencing some surface erosion of the puck (not channeling, necessarily), but with the stock spouted portafilter, I was flying blind during the shot.

Enter the PV bottomless portafilter...


FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#2: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) »

Of course, with a bottomless PF, comes the straining of the neck that comes with wanting to watch every shot. So, I gave her a shot mirror...





It is a magnetic inspection mirror with one of the articulating links removed. Very handy and no more bottomless PF neck syndrome.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008Z67CMK/re ... ywbC33F9ZC

FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#3: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) »

When rebuilding her, I used a cheap pressure gauge with a piece of tubing attached to the steam wand and a cheap tire gauge. Turning the p'stat all the way down produced 0.9 bar. This worked well for some of the medium+ roasted beans I using.

When I tried pulling some lighter roasts, I could not make it work and found myself needing to adjust the p'stat. This means removing the bottom cover, which becomes a nuisance while experimenting. I also broke one of the screws that holds the feet & bottom plate on.

So, I drilled a p'stat access hole...



Now p'stat adjustments are quick and painless.

FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#4: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) »

As I got more and more familiar with the Export, I still felt like I didn't have full temperature control over the shots. The first shot was always smooth and sweet. Follow up shots or shots pulled after leaving the machine on for a while were on the hot side.

So, to track the group temperature, I added a cheap digital thermometer with the metal probe sleeve removed.



It is just temporarily attached for testing purposes right now. I'm finding that the sticky pad I'm using doesn't hold up to the heat. Now that I like it, I'll epoxy a small magnet to the thermometer itself.

The perfect place to measure the temp is through the air vent at the top of the group.





The actual number is just for reference, not to determine actual shot temp. I find that around 170 at this location works with my current bean. I use a wet cloth to drop to ideal temp and then pull. The cloth trick is not new, but it helps to know when to pull it.

To give you an idea of the temperature swing - group temp will climb to the low 190's if left on long enough.

FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#5: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) »

Last but not least, the power cord...

From the factory it sticks out of the side. It is long too, so it tries to take over the countertop, where the rest of my shot prep gear is.

So it got moved to the back and shortened...





I think if I could just plumb & auto fill the tiny boiler I'd be set!

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drgary
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#6: Post by drgary »

Nice mods. You might try one more thing that Ponte Vecchio does with its recent Exports. They use a heat break gasket* between the group and the boiler. I don't know if Sama did that.




* If installing a do it yourself heat break gasket instead of a factory spec part, for safety, be sure to install bolts that are longer by at least the extra thickness of the gasket. You'll want to have the bolt turn in by six full threads of engagement into the boiler, keeping in mind that any modifications to factory specification are taken at your risk as per the terms of use that you agree to when accessing this site.
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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Boldjava
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#7: Post by Boldjava »

The mirror provoked an inner howl and chuckle.

Thanks for sharing!
-----
LMWDP #339

FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#8: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) replying to Boldjava »

Commonly heard by guests: "why does that thing have a rear view mirror? Afraid of people sneaking up behind you?" :lol:

FJ60Cam (original poster)
Posts: 61
Joined: 9 years ago

#9: Post by FJ60Cam (original poster) »

drgary wrote:Nice mods. You might try one more thing that Ponte Vecchio does with its recent Exports. They use a heat break gasket between the group and the boiler. I don't know if Sama did that.
Thanks! I may give the new gasket a try. This one is from Joe at the GCC. He hand cut it from a different material that is several times thicker than the thin paper gasket. Not sure it's a heat break though.

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drgary
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#10: Post by drgary »

It looks white in your photo. If it's hard and shiny it may be PTFE, which would be a heat break gasket.
Gary
LMWDP#308

What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!

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