Dear Sir,

I would like to submit my application/photos for a membership in the LMWDP club.

My first lever machine is a 1970 Conti Prestina I had purchased from a former colleague's parents in 1995 (Dad just got tired of making espresso for everyone but himself.......). They had purchased the Prestina, brand new, during their honeymoon at SF back in 1970 (probably from Thomas Cara himself).

Prestina was my daily machine until I got a 1991 Pasquini Livietta. The quick warm up time and exceptional espresso the Livietta produces made it my new daily machine. By this time the Prestina had become the conversation piece on my kitchen counter and only sees action when I have friends over.

In 2004, after 22 years in San Diego, a new job brought me up north to San Jose. While I took both machines with me, Prestina never got unpacked due to the layout of my new kitchen. This has not been an issue as Livietta was more than a capable machine. Then the unthinkable happened: the Livietta's pump gave out after 15 years.

It was during the search of a replacement pump that I realized the Livietta is actually an Olympia Express' Maximatic (or its predecessor). This is also the first time I became aware of the existence of the Cremina and HB website (this is how I figured out my Conti is a Prestina). Needless to say, I read everything I can possibly find on Olympia Express, Maximatic and Cremina. As a result, I even bided on a Cremina on eBay (it turned into a bidding war...... I gave up after it passed my $400 limit).

Back to the point, a new pump was located in SF. The shop that has the pump (Made in Italy) also does espresso machine restoration. I decided to rebuild the Prestina, which is actually in a pretty good shape for a 36 years old machine, to make sure it will be good for the next 36 years. I must say Alex from Made in Italy did an outstanding job on the Prestina rebuild (see photo). I could not have been more pleased with the result.

While I was at the shop I spotted a Cremina 67 collecting dust on the shelf. It turned out the Cremina used to be a road show unit and had been sitting on the shelf for ~10 years. It was missing a rubber footing and the piston was frozen.

Alex was gracious enough to agree to take a look of the Cremina to determine its condition before I commit to purchase it. To my great delight, it was only in need of piston gaskets, seals and other minor repairs to bring it back to a full working condition.

I am now a very delighted and lucky owner of a fully restored 1970 Conti Prestina and a fully functional (could use some cosmetic work) 1977 Cremina 67 in addition to a 1991 Livietta.






I will gladly take any membership number you assign. Thank you.

Chiate

gcronje wrote:Hi!

I've been lurking for a week or so, and have now decided to claim my LMWDP# and do my bit to take over the world. I'll start the revolution in South Africa!

...

The coffee I use is locally grown. I get it from an agricultural research farm about 500km from where I live at a price that will make most coffee lovers cry themselves to sleep at night ($1.50/kg). It is a bit acidic for espresso, but I guess I've grown used to it by now. Only this week I've discovered a local company that sells green coffee, so I am awaiting my first selection of "exotic" coffees with bated breath! At last I will be able to sample the weird and wonderful coffees that everyone is discussing on these forums.

If there is no objection, I'll lay claim to LMWDP# 74.

Thanks for a wonderful forum.

Gert,

It's great how our sometimes solitary pursuits can suddenly be put into a wider context by the discovery of a like-minded community out there. Welcome.

Tell us more about your coffee source. Arabica? High grown? Or what? You've probably read about the practice of drawing out the time of a roast between 1st and second to cut acidity and produce a mellower roast at the expense of brightness.

Another Welcome to Chiate and Gert!! The Bay Area can always use more troops and Gert thanks for the representation in South Africa- I am sure you will help us spread the word there.
Chiate, I am sure you have run across Dr. Jim in the forums here- he is the other Prestina owner in Seattle. Congrats on a nice line up. I have a Livietta myself and what a nice little HX machine she is. My Cremina is an 81 model- so very close to yours in age. We look forward to your contributions.

Hi Mo,

Thank you for the welcome message. Actually Dr. Jim's photos of his Prestina were what tipped me off that I had one, too! I saw Bill in Texas also has one but I have never seen its photo.

I wanted to wait until I get both lever machines home (July 7) before I join the club but I have been "lurking" around in the forum for about 3 weeks...... A belated hello to Dr. Jim, Bill and everyone. Thank to you, this forum has been a tremendous resource and education for me.

A quick impression of using Prestina and Cremina side by side for a couple of days:

Prestina: Effortless- Pull and forget.
Cremina: Precise- I have control of the extraction process.

Prestina was a no-brainer to use. After I set up the grinder, all I have to do is to stumble down the stair every morning to flip on the switch (due to the long warm up time). After my morning shower and shave, Prestina is ready to make me a perfect espresso shot every time without fail.

The hardest part of using Prestina is the turning on the switch in the morning.

Why not just get a timer switch, you asked? Well, the desire of a good shot of espresso every morning is a much more powerful way of getting me out of bed than the alarm clock.

Cremina requires that I be at least half awake. When I pull a good shot on the Cremina, nothing else I had before comes close. When I screw up, it still makes a good shot.

Life is good.

Chiate

Hi, everyone.

Thanks for the kind words of welcome.

Tell us more about your coffee source. Arabica? High grown? Or what?

The coffee (yes it is Arabica) I get is from a research farm of the S.A. Agricultural Research Council. ( 25 6'28.93"S 31 5'6.38"E if you would like to have a look at it with Google Earth). They do research on all tropical fruits, nuts and coffee. As such, their coffee crop is quite small. The altitude of the farm is between 700m and 800m. I'm not sure if it qualifies as high altitude or not. I had a look on their website, but I couldn't find any useful information about their coffee cultivation.

Coffee cultivation in S.A. has decreased quite a lot in the last decade or so. I suppose it has to do with the low international coffee price as well as the fact that a lot of coffee farms were given back to local communities as part of the government's land redistribution plan. These farms almost always go under because of lack of skills and money.

You've probably read about the practice of drawing out the time of a roast between 1st and second to cut acidity and produce a mellower roast at the expense of brightness.

I use a popcorn machine to roast, but I think it might be a bit too hot, so it is quite difficult for me to stretch the time to second crack. I plan to build myself a new roaster. I'll post pictures when I have something to show...

Gert

HI,
Started with gaggia Baby (all metal) 10 years ago. Graduated to San Marco Lever (built in 81, 1500watt) and bought a Bezzera Lever on ebay yesterday. The San Marco is really big and I may swap it with the Bezzera if it performs as expected. it need some help to ID the Bezzera! You guys know what model it is?

Thanks,
Herve

ps: Would love #80!

Hi Herve,
I think I recognize your name! Did you sell me a Conti Prestina a few months ago? If so, you should know I'm in the process of rebuilding it; should finish within the week. I'm very happy with it.

Bill,
Yes I am the one! I am still trying to downsize my San Marco....to something less bulky. Glad you like the Conti. It was just too big/too slow to warm up....Please send pics when you have it refurbished. Did UPS find the lever?

To sum up my experience in espresso.

I began my journey into espresso making 20 years ago with a krups steam unit. No pump, no lever, just steam and coffee coming out all over the place. I used it for many years and enjoyed the process but always knew it could be better.

Many years later after my second krups, I bought a Saeco Magic on ebay and the results where better. Yet with all the noise of the pump and the plastic encasement, I was still searching. I dreamed about getting a brass La Pavoni, the idea of no electric pump sounded wonderful. It took years before I finally felt I wanted to try out a lever.

I bought my first lever machine about one year ago. A two switch chrome peacock without a portafilter. When it arrived I realized a portafilter is pretty darn essential. I found a place to buy one, but between the gaskets, new switch,.... it was getting expensive and decided to just make a wax portafilter and cast it in bronze. The bronze portafilter worked well and it has been nice to use something handmade.

But the brass model was still missing and I needed to have a lever in my studio. After a little, while learning how to use the chrome peacock at home (with the help of this forum), I saw a La pavoni Ambassador on ebay. This brass beauty became a temptation too strong to resist or defer. And I reasoned, it was a 1.6 liter machine, great for my students. So the Brass beauty found its way into my studio, and the Saeco Magic found a new home through craigslist.

I also found another brass beauty on ebay, the Cappuccino amore. Still in disrepair as the piston head is shot as well as the thermostat. I will get around to it one day.

A La peppina was my next find. A wonderful machine for light evening espresso. No steaming. Also to be used carefully as we are all learning, hopefully not by experience. The kettle is filled with boiling water and can tip toward you if one is not careful.

And then the Caravel Little. A cute well thought out machine and though I have not used it too often, I find it performs well, and the espresso produced wonderful, though lighter than the la Pavoni. But with experience I think it could rival the La Pavoni without steam.

I was hooked on levers.

I was still searching for a caravel but not too seriously. Four espresso machine purchases in one year was beginning to concern me. But then this machine came up in a local bulletin board. A Faema two group Urania. It was expensive so I just put it out of my mind for a while. And after seeing it was still there after a few months my resolve weakened . Once again another lever machine entered my studio. After a seemingly long restoration it is finally up and running and all who visit are always happy to have a coffee and a chat. I enjoy this machine so much for its simplicity. The tank can be heated by gas and the the whole unit can be used without any electricity.

I see so many great lever machines on this forum. I have my eye out for a few and will keep all posted if anything new arrives. Its fun receiving a package from Italy with an old espresso machine wrapped in Italian newspaper.

So if there is room for me in this LMPD group I would be happy to get a number. Lowest prime number available if possible.

Here I was waiting to be assigned a LMPD number and I see at the beginning of the thread that we are to just take the next availailable number

So if it is alright with the Lever community, I will take number 77.