Vassal Paris 1932/1977
ciao

merci andréa

This has been a good Craigslist week...with lots of driving.

First,
On Sunday I drove to Canada from Seattle and picked up this Sama Lusso...the price was good but the boiler needs some brazing work and the cover is spray painted black.



I'll start another thread when I begin work on the boiler.

Second,



I found this beauty online Monday night, so Tuesday I drove to Tacoma and bought it from the original owner. He purchased it from the factory while stationed in Italy in the 60's. The heating element says 1964, one year older than me .

EMI Emina
Francesco shows this as a Faemina replica on his Faema page. Seems to be exactly like the second generation blue label.

The machine works great and is in excellent cosmetic condition but needs new seals and the yellow cord has to go.

Nice score, that EMI looks just like my blue label Faemina, except for the steam wand position. Looks like you have the same brown Bakelite handles too.

Yes, brown bakelite. I haven't decided where the steam wand position should be...it seems infinitely variable. I wish it was a little bit longer.

I haven't tried steaming anything with my Faemina yet, just pulling straight shots and a couple of americanos for the Wife. I find that the heavy portafilter acts as a good heat sink to control the temperature of the group. Doug at Orphan Espresso sent it to me with the pressure release valve dialed down so it's easier to pull a good shot, but I'll run it on low and put the portafilter in a cool water bath between shots and then lock it into the group to draw out some of the heat between shots.

I find that the spacing of the portafilter holes (not really spouts in this case) are a bit wide for some of my demitasses and I'm still working on a good double pull technique to get a good shot with reasonable volume, but I'm really enjoying the Faemina.

There's no need to adjust the valve to open at lower pressures because the low element should hold the pressure steady at 0.3-0.4 BAR. You don't really want to go lower than that. I have mine adjusted to open at 0.8 BAR for locomotive power, lol (more to scare guests than anything else).

Dual valves going at it!!

That EMI Faemina is very interesting to see. Here's what Enrico Maltoni says about EMI in his book on Faema.

"In the same year [1955] Valente [Faema founder] founded controlled company EMI Espresso Machines Incorporated SpA, with headquarters in via Buschi, 9. The new company started the production of coffee machines characterized by simple body and special convenient cost, at the via Ventura plant. Valente also established a new commercial network including the bar furniture and accessories production, which was operational until the end of 1967. The controlled company was later closed down for business reasons." (Page 26, Faema Espresso 1945 - 2010.)

Looking elsewhere in his book, there's coverage of EMI on pages 136 - 167 and there seems to be a photo of your machine in the middle of an EMI sales booth, in the center toward the back on page 136.

In other words your machine may be a Faemina that's rebadged.

perfectwheels wrote:This has been a good Craigslist week...with lots of driving.

First,
On Sunday I drove to Canada from Seattle and picked up this Sama Lusso...the price was good but the boiler needs some brazing work and the cover is spray painted black.

Good to see this went to an HB'er.
I was circling the Lusso in Vancouver but I am so not handy when it comes to fixing these things so didn't commit. How was customs when you crossed with it?

drgary wrote:In other words your machine may be a Faemina that's rebadged.

Going by the embossed Faema logo on the boiler cap, I'm pretty sure you are right.

doubleOsoul wrote:Good to see this went to an HB'er.
I was circling the Lusso in Vancouver but I am so not handy when it comes to fixing these things so didn't commit. How was customs when you crossed with it?

It was an hour wait but they just scanned my passport and welcomed me home.