Since the Microcasa & the Riviera/Zacconi are so similar I'm curious which came first?

michaelbenis wrote:Thanks, Doug. But the new Zacconi Workshop is not the old Zacconi, right?

i contacted the Zacconi Workshop for this machine 80s and they have spare parts to supply me



from zacconi website:
The "Zacconi workshop" is the result of the constant challenge of the market evolution. It started in July 2005 and is the natural consequence of the scrupulous and qualified work developed over thirty years activity of the former "Zacconi Gaudenzio".
The same persons that were the base of the success of the old company are the base of this new project. They want to use their long-term experience for the production of espresso coffee machines for family use, and for other products of a more vast industrial interest.

As far as I am aware the Zacconis have always been ...let us say .... adaptations of other's machines, whether Pavoni's or Elektra's....

Thanks for the update, Francesco.

They are cetainly very nice looking machines and it's great to know that they are willing and able to support older models

Best wishes with the restoration project.

michaelbenis wrote:As far as I am aware the Zacconis have always been ...let us say .... adaptations of other's machines, whether Pavoni's or Elektra's....

Reminds me of the old Tom Lehrer lyric: "Plagiarize! Let no one else's work evade your eyes! Remember why the good Lord made your eyes! So don't shade your eyes But plagiarize, plagiarize, plagiarize!"

Wow, there's plenty of very BEAUTIFUL machines!

Here's a picture of a Rancilio Classe 6 LE in addition.

Looping wrote: Here's a picture of a Rancilio Classe 6 LE in addition

Wow!

Beautiful!

What did you have before? How does it compare?

Thank you, Mike, I'm going to pass your compliment on
Before the lever machine we used to have a Vibiemme Domobar Super PID double boiler (with levetta E61). It was really good and very comfortable as regards different brewing temperatures of diverging blends.
However, when I got to know lever shots and machines we decided to go exactly the other way, back to the roots. I like the taste and using a lever machine is so much fun (I bet you know what I mean! ). The steaming capability is vast and the Rancilio almost does it on its own. Thus, we're really happy with it.

@ looseantz
Nice to meet you here! Have fun!

Here's a couple of shots of a La Pavoni Eurobar (120V, plumb-in option) I recently sold on eBay:

That Pub lever is a beaut! I wish I had one.

Yes it is. Very close to what Jack is after in my opinion.

May I join the club ?

Here is mine as I've got it this summer :


Then for some obvious reason I have to take all apart :



to clean and descale it :



And also replace most of the gaskets. All of them except the resistor to boiler one's are available everywhere (Pavoni parts or generic ones for the taps).
For this one I have to make cute it a custom in PTFE and lock hard the boiler to avoid leaks (previous gasket was reinforced rubber) :



But soon after the first pressure & temperature tests & adjustments,



something weird happened :



Actually I am waiting for a professional to make the fix (copper-phosphorus hard soldering).

Some thoughts about this machine : it is pressure regulated, the grouphead cylinder on top of the piston is saturated with infusion water thanks to a thermosyphon :



Actually the grouphead is strictly identical to the other La Pavoni lever machines (Europiccola & cie), the only one difference is this thermosyphon. I guess it will help to maintain temperature stability and avoid the well know overeating of its little sister after several shots.

More to come & comments are welcome !

Bummer about the crack. Did you find the cause?
-C

Was your element ok? I tried finding a replacement and had no luck, so I had to fab something. I used a piece of silicone sheet to make the gasket. I'd bet that the boiler can be repaired without too much difficulty. Can you tig weld brass?

Oh, wow! I feel your pain!

Good luck for a speedy repair....

I have no ability nor tools for fixing myself the crack.

The cause may be a deficient gauge telling me it was 1 bar instead of 2 or more inside, and probably more a too much hard tightened nut you can see on the picture - and not to say the La Pavoni's poor material & construction quality

Actually appart from that problem the machine is fully functionnal.

Eurobar wrote:
Actually I am waiting for a professional to make the fix (copper-phosphorus hard soldering).

Not sure soldering would be a good fix for a pressure vessel boiler. With the crack you're showing does it leak/hiss through the crack and hold pressure? Does your "pro" repair boilers?

The pavoni set up is kind of what I was after- but not the Pavoni group. I much prefer the spring groups these days. The Pavoni group seems to extremely exacting- and tricky. The Ponte Vecchio spring group seems virtually fool proof by comparison.

However I would be interested to know how these Pavoni club machines (with thermosyphon) compare to the standard classic Pavoni peacock?

I have to ask a question.
From the photo it appears that the boiler has been sand blasted. The pebbly surface seems to be a sign of it.
If so, the surface grain structure has been compromised and hardened. I learned the hard way that sand blasting and non-ferrous metals are a bad combination. The grains of sand act as tiny hammers and harden small spots of the copper surface with each hit like a bazillion little hammers. Even annealing ( removing hardening from the metal by bringing it to a red heat and quenching it in water) may not undo the damage.
So flexing by cycles of heating and cooling may cause the metal to crack or break due to uneven expansion.
-Richard