Greetings fellow Creministas!

QUESTION: How far up does your piston move at the highest extension of the lever in a 67 Cremina? (I'll take metric or inches). (At its highest extension, what is the distance from the top of the group to the bottom of the threads on the piston? / or to the top of the piston nut?)

I recently discovered that my 81 Cremina group had the dreaded rear pin lever slot damage. For an idea see the page at orphanespresso (best site in the universe). My group looked pretty much like the group in the photo:

http://www.orphanespresso.com/Olympia-C...622-1.html

I was bemoaning its fate to my neighbour (a master plumber) when he offered to see if he could fix it ... and he did (he brazed it with a silver alloy, which he promised was harder than the original brass).

I am now finishing filing out the new slot and have a question: How far does the piston travel from base to top? I ought to have made better measurements before he brazed it, but as he offered on the spot, I handed the group right over. I just need to make sure that I have filed out enough of a slot (but not too much).

New pins and brushing have been ordered from Doug and Barb @orphanespresso (the best site in the universe).

For all of you: If your group is in good shape, please lube the rear pin slot more often than you think necessary! It is a bear to repair. I am just really lucky that my neighbour is 1) a master plumber with a workshop and 2) highly amused by my espresso machine obsession (he doesn't even like espresso -- he much prefers a double double from Tim Horton's).

Thanks!
Mike

Pretty amazing that your found someone so easily to just DO IT and fix your Cremina group....I would think you could take him to Tim Horton's for double doubles all week and still be ahead!

I hope these are the views you are looking for....when the lever is down the bottom of the rod thread is flush with the top of the group parts. and another view with the lever all the way up

Thanks for the kudos Mike, as it has been one of those days when the lever world seems to have forgotten that at one time getting parts and information was not quite so easy....