Have found 12"x12" sheet Teflon gasket material in three thicknesses at :
HERE Top of page #3375
Luck to you!
-Richard

Good to see all the advice on that gasket material.....what about the broken fitting? What about the broken element leads? You know, the HARD stuff. Couple of big stinker repairs here! Simon's got a new box of band aids and is ready to go.

Oh, well, I know a shop that custom makes heating elements, so that's no problem either, but they only come in 220V-380V versions, they can be expensive, and you would have to order them from Finland. ^^

The broken fitting shouldn't be much of a problem, just take your machine's boiler down to a machine shop that knows brass, and have them make a fitting and braze it on there.

There, problems solved, took me about a minute and a half...

Brazing on new fittings is a possible solution. Sorry, but it is not as simple as one might think. There are important technical issues that need to be taken into consideration to avoid ruining the boiler:

1. The choice of the brass alloy is important if not critical for success and safety. Many brasses contain lead which is toxic. Also these brasses should not be used for brazing because the lead can evaporate during brazing making it difficult if not impossible. Or at best leaving a porous joint.

2. The choice of the brazing alloy is critical because they also can contain toxic materials like cadmium etc. In addition the choice of its melting or eutectic range is critical otherwise the boiler could suffer from excess annealing or softness, and/or cause the joint to fail during use.

3. The joint design and preparation of both the fitting and the boiler is also critical to achieve a good joint and one that is appropriate for use at elevated pressures and temperatures.

4. Brazing is a manual operation in which the experience and skill of the craftsman is critical to success.

I hope this helps
Geoffrey

Therefore, go to a professional who knows what he's doing. It might take a while to find one, but it's far from impossible. And the joints aren't that critical on these machines since they never see pressures above approx. 1 bar over atmospheric pressure.

Thanks for the advice everyone -- very inspiring. But no punting man, I don't give up that easily. Like your new President says, yes we can.

I'm just back from another business trip and, bottle of wine firmly in hand, much more optimistic about these three little problems. I think I'll probably do the right thing and get some teflon and gasket paper, blow the money, and make some proper gaskets. If anyone is in need, let me know, I'll make copies insofar as materials permit, and send 'em to you, gratis. Going to add a couple of weeks to the refurb, but, a job done properly. The guy I'm going to give the Riviera to is patient friend, and as a favour, he recent brought me back a La Peppina from France for the *next* refurb. Very cool. Comes around, goes around.

The real kickers are the leads on the heat element and the snafu'd steam pipe. The leads I'm optimistic about. I'm going to clean the element first and then take it out to a shop and see if I can't get them to fix me some new leads, properly insulated. I'm keen to try and fix the element instead of investigate alternatives.

The thread issue is more complex. Not sure if I explained it properly. The hole in the boiler is now filled with bits of thread that seem fused in. So the boiler threads need cleaning somehow. I'm going to get a small brass brush tomorrow and do my best, but the threads are so corroded/fused to parts of the original fitting that snapped off, I reckon I may need a machine shop to re-drill the threads (however you phrase that). Then, I'll need a fitting that fits the threads, because the one that held in the steam tube is fused fused fused to the steam tube now, it came off in one piece. Maybe a shop can remove it and make me a new one. In that case, it might be good to get a new pipe too. All of this cutting into the refurb budget now, but, well, we'll see. If I can avoid a new heating element I'll consider it a victory.

Going to spend tomorrow morning visiting some local machine shops to do some due diligence on the possibilities. (Any suggestions for Toronto?) I'll take the notes on the brass issues, temperature issues, and materials issues sent to me by the HBers, thanks for those tips. Will let folks know what I find out this weekend.

Meanwhile, some nicer news: with the boiler on hold, I've been polishing up all the other parts of the machine, and they're coming up really nicely. The grouphead is clean and bright, the steam gauge, lever, steam wand, all coming out very nicely. I'll post some pics. What I've been finding is that standard metal cleaners are not helping much (I've tried about four), and the most effective cleaner is "Brasso", if you can believe it, but it is an incredibly laborious procedure. Any suggestions for improvements on metal/brass cleaners?

Second, any suggestions for de-scaling the heating element? Should I approach this by hand/brush or a chemical bath?

But first, second glass of wine and a rare night out with friends. More soon.

espressme wrote:Have found 12"x12" sheet Teflon gasket material in three thicknesses at :
HERE Top of page #3375
Luck to you!
-Richard

Thanks Richard, very helpful. Will get to it this weekend.

Wonderful spirit of optimism and perserverance....inspiring is the word. When faced with so many difficulties. Oh Canada indeed!
For the element I take a container with a small enough top to hold the element base and dangle the element into citric acid undil the scale is soft enough to brush off. It should soften enough to come off with a tooth brush, and then you can spin some steel wool onto a stick or thin rod and det to the scale between the loops of the element. Sandlbaster with baking soda is handy as well.

The time of year has interrupted my flow with this refurb, and of course, the two main problems with the boiler element leads and the boiler re-drilling that is required. I hope to get some of that addressed this weekend and somewhat in concert with Garth Breaks' parallel problems.

One thing I did find out which made me chuckle: I wrote to McMaster to source some teflon sheets in several thicknesses to make some custom gaskets and heat breaks -- maybe even make some for other machines that I'm working on (more on that later: on the horizon a seal/gasket replacement on the Peppina and a La Pav Carina which I'm going to use exclusively at work, and then a full take-down of a total rust-bucket Enrico Italianstyle) -- but McMaster Carr wrote me back, and politely, apologetically, informed me that export laws prohibit them from sending me teflon sheets in Canada.

I cannot for the life of me imagine why, but there it is. I'm actually versed in basics of trade law (I'm a lawyer) and a friend works here in the gov't trade law department (DFAIT) so in exchange for a pound of his fave grind I've got him asking odd questions around DFAIT about teflon export rules. Yes, it's pretty silly, but you know, makes for a change from the usual.

Meanwhile, I'll have to make, um, informal arrangements to get my mitts on some teflon.

While I'm held up by the boiler and the element, I've pushed on with other parts of the refurb, which I'll post on soon. The polishing proceeds apace and the piston clean and rebuild is next.

I've also noticed two or three Rivieras pass along ebay recently, wondering what sort of homes they are going to.

One quick update I'd forgotten to mention earlier. I had a lot of scale/build-up of calcium, etc. on the heating element itself. I was wary of taking a brush to it given how tightly wound the element is.

So I tried a metal cleaner, and it worked like magic. "3M Stainless Steel Cleaner and Polish", pressurized spray, for use on food plant and other industrial use. XN-1015-5591-2. $6.99 Canadian for 600g.

It is pretty so-so as a stainless steel polish (Wenol is bettah) but it was entirely effective on the element. One coat and a rinse under cold water and the element was clean-like-new, and no brushing or scrubbing at all: a 2 1/2 minute job instead of an hour in front of the TV.

Given the lame quality of my photography, I thought I'd scour the intertubes for some Riviera schematics and specs to help complete the technical information available in this thread.

The following are from the Zacconi Workshop website which has some pretty quaint translations -- impressive they translate at all. I've sent them a couple of emails asking about parts and general information, but...I'm going to have to engage my Italian-speaking friend DL to write to them for me. More bribes required. The translation/negotiation process I had to recently do on another small matter with a business in Rome put me in mind of travelling through the (former) East Bloc in 1990, just after the wall fell, or crossing the Mexican border to Guatemala. You know you got to grease the way forward, but I'm a gringo without the lingo. I digress.

I especially like the reference to the "bi-polar switch", which is somehow appropriately describing my manic/depressive mood before I have my morning shot, waiting for the little red flashing light to tell me it's all going to be OK...

A) security valve cap
B) water level indicator
C) steamer
D) percolator holder
E) bipolar switch (red)
F) 'machine ready' switch (green)
G) control manometer
H) steam tap
I) lever handle
L) drainage grill
M) base
N) water tank
O) lever



Someone is Arizona is selling 7 old "Riviera Eagle" manuals, which look like they might have some useful information in them. I've got one coming to me (so much for budgets) and will PDF it and make it available online here or on a blog I run if the upload is too difficult. Below are the ebay teasers. The exploded schematic will likely be useful when I have three parts left over after re-assembly.

It must be said that Doug is 100% right -- no extra seals under the sight glass, so whatever I was finding there was prior innovation.

I think you'll find that Teflon export restrictions are based on the chemical composition, and use - one in export limitation in particular is based on the use of Fluoropolymers in fluid handling, and equipment - chemical warfare, biological weapons, etc. Another is Teflon used in weaponry such as bullet coatings. McMaster has probably found it easier to simply limit all Teflon, PTFE, Fluoropolymers, from export rather than expend the time, and money, to figure out which is actually limited. Many of them can be exported as long as the buyer is properly licensed. Just a bit of food for thought...

That's me - running a small gasket refurb op (hey -- a GROP) to cover my Taliban roadside bomb sideline. I wonder what kind of lists I'm getting on.

It's not such a big deal - I'm finding some of the stuff locally - it is just so much easier to order online after 11 pm than to scour the stores.

More soon.

simonarcher wrote:I've also noticed two or three Rivieras pass along ebay recently, wondering what sort of homes they are going to.

Hi Simon,
I beleive I have just picked up one of the recent Ebay La Riviera's and am waiting it's arrival - I'll post picks and let you know it's general condition when it arrives
Cheers
Anthony

Hello faithfuls. Just a quick post to let you know I have not forgotten this project -- it is laid out on my desk at home. Christmas, work, stuff like that has intervened. Not to mention some time spent with the new Rocky grinder and getting the Cremina shots up to speed. The right kind of distracted.

I'm still waiting on a machine shop solution for the boiler issue described above. However, knowledge continues to accrete and I have now got hold of an old manual, so I'll PDF it and post it tomorrow so that there are some diagrams available for Riviera owners, especially the exploded parts diagram which is useful. More Rivieria rebuild material coming soon, including, we hope, a completed project this month.

As promised, some schematics for the this Riviera. For the larger resolution images, click schematic 1 and schematic 2.



I've been having some pretty interesting private chats with Riv owners and modders, the basics of which I'll post and attribute in due course.

I'm stalled out at the moment on getting my machine shop work done -- I can't seem to get time on the weekends to attend to it. I will as soon as I can and finish this up.

ademello72 wrote:Hi Simon,
I beleive I have just picked up one of the recent Ebay La Riviera's and am waiting it's arrival - I'll post picks and let you know it's general condition when it arrives
Cheers
Anthony

Anthony, ever take possession of this bad boy? What shape was it in? Would be interested in comparing notes.

Simon,
Sure did, and I think I got lucky - Boiler was in pretty decent condition, all the seals and gaskets were intact and in great condition - Only "problems" if you'd even call them problems were a missing basket from the portafilter and the steamwand was really clogged with old and very ripe milk - I've ordered the basket from Doug and Barb and the steamwand was cleared after a very long soak in hot water - Currently the inside of the boiler and heating elements are having a citric acid, but all in all very goodshape.
I have a whole bunch of pictures at http://sites.google.com/site/antsespressomachines/Home - Trying to document the rebuild process of the Riviera as well as my other 2 levers "La Faux-voni's", a La Cara and a La Graziella.
Let me know if there is anyway I can help out
Cheers
Anthony

Ciao Simon!

What a project you have there -- if there are still some parts you need, you may wish to contact this Riviera distributor in San Francisco:

Thomas Cara, Ltd.
517 Pacific St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 781-0383
(they have no website)

Christopher, who runs the shop & repairs all sorts of levers, knows the Riviera levers intimately and may be able to send parts you need. I also noticed how certain bits of hardware (i.e., group head/PF parts) appear to be shared with the Ponte Vecchio models. However I would not venture to say what is "identical" or close enough to substitute.

Buona Fortuna,
Wayne

Hi All,
I recently received an email reply from the folks at Zacconi Workshop (assistenza@zacconi.net) and they appear to be the current owners / makers of the Riviera machines.
They indicated that the seals / gaskets etc.. were available, you'd just need send them a email with the details of what you required, and they'd let you know the cost.
All, the sent me an English translation of the machines instructions - I hope I'm not breaking any copyright rules / forum rules by posting them here -If I am, please PM me and I'll remove the items
Anthony