Nice collection! My initial reaction seeing a Faemina was the same, I just had to own one...
The one on your picture seems a first series, but is it lacking a type shield with serial nr on the front or is it in a different location?
The reason for asking is because yours seems to have the white (bakelite?) switches and to me it looks like a first series model like mine (serial nr 1908) yet mine has round black switches and I am wondering if they are original. Having found a source for parts, need to replace a wooden portafilter grip with an original one I would like to make the beast as original as I possibly can.

Back to trouble shooting now as having returned from my vacation to the homeland Espresso my Faemina is causing the earth leak circuit to trip, seems that the seals on the heater elements have leaked some (probably should not have left water in the boiler).

Hello Marceini, no mine has no serial plate on the front, nor is there any indication there ever was. All switches are original as is every part on the machine.
Interesting you should mention your element seals may be leaking and setting of the earth leakage circuit as my machine has done the exact same thing twice in the last week and I also suspect it to be the seals around the elements, will need to look into shortly. Would like to see a photo when you can post one.

cheers

Attached the pictures, yours should also have stamped serial numbers under the cover of the heating element connection (you can vagely see them in my picture, the nr on the boiler on mine is 1908h so matching the serial nr on the front), I'm not sure if those numbers can be traced as they may well be production codes of the parts rather than of the complete machine (I think Francesco would know that and may be able to trace them to a year or series)

The leak -if itbwas a leak and no humidity condensing on those spots ( which I doubt) was very small, I only noticed some dew drops and rust on the connector pins as can be seen.

Edit: just checked the heater elements resistances and those are just fine (approx 60 ohm for low and 260 ish for the high) think the wiring loom or the rocker switches may cause the problem.

Hello, fellow lever enthusiasts! I am here to join the ranks.
My dear wife purchased a used La Pavoni Professional (pre-mil) for me on eBay about one week ago. I had been lusting after the Europiccolas for quite some time now. While I enjoyed using my father's Rancilio Silvia was nice, it felt too "backseat" to me. I wanted more control for my first real espresso machine.

Here she is cleaned up a bit:


Also, I got rather used to running the bottomless portafilter on my dad's Silvia. Also, I wanted to try out the MCAL basket I just purchased from Stefano's. In typical fashion, I can't leave anything alone. So I took the drill press (1 7/8" hole saw) to my portafilter.


I am running a Gaggia MDF grinder right now. I would like to upgrade at some point. I might try the stepless mod in the meantime. For the shots that I've pulled #4 on the MDF seems to produce some nice crema. Most of my shots have been tasting great when I don't accidentally overheat. There is much more character to the shots than the ones out of the Silvia.
I aspire to start a collection of levers. Unfortunately money and counter space are limiting factors, but one day, maybe the story will change.
Thanks for all of the information you guys have contributed. I've been a lurker here for a while, but now it is time to join.
Lever machines... for the control espresso freak in all of us!

I guess I finally joined the Lever Machine WDP. Picked up an 89 Cremina about a week ago. Have been learning and experimenting with my Strega for a little more than a year. Cut my teeth on a V1 Silvia and Rocky doser beginning around 2006. That pair has been passed on to a good friend that is beginning his espresso journey.

After many months of lurking, reading, learning, I couldn't resist the desire to try the most basic espresso method, the full manual lever. The Cremina seemed to be the quintessential machine with tons of info and support here. I want to thank everyone on this forum for all the great info, and especially Orphan Espresso for all those videos and tech tips. As I begin my rebuild/restoration and manual lever espresso adventure I look forward to all the great expertise and assistance from the Home Barista community.

Now I do have a few questions, so I will take those to the Lever Machine discussion forum in the very near future.

Marcelnl wrote:The reason for asking is because yours seems to have the white (bakelite?) switches and to me it looks like a first series model like mine (serial nr 1908) yet mine has round black switches and I am wondering if they are original.

Hi,
on Francesos site is a fine overview on the history of Faeminas
The first model has the black switches, with coloured dots on the side (green & red), see here:
http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/Macch ... 52_eng.htm

Cheers,
Holger

knockbox wrote:A few more from my collection, the rest are packed away in boxes

Beautiful Faema collection. Well done!

Hi Holger, thanks for pointing me to Francesco's website (I have bought mine from him through his website though ). The point of my question was not about my Faemina, I am aware it is a first series but I was wondering about the series of Marks Faemina as it has no front badge and his photos do not show the big label on the back

I am wondering if the switches in my first series were ever replaced, as they seem a bit wobbly and I suspect them of perhaps causing the home earth circuit to switch off the juice rendering it useless at this point, something Marks Faemina appears to have in common with mine.

La Pavoni -Stradivari Gran Romantica SGR


I purchased this a few months back. Not my first espresso machine, although it is my first lever.
I wanted the best tasting shot I could get without breaking the bank too much.
Roasting my own beans has been a learning experience itself. Never realized how poorly most of the cafe' try to pull off as exceptional, until mine keep getting better.

insatiableOne wrote:La Pavoni -Stradivari Gran Romantica SGR
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I purchased this a few months back. Not my first espresso machine, although it is my first lever.
I wanted the best tasting shot I could get without breaking the bank too much.
Roasting my own beans has been a learning experience itself. Never realized how poorly most of the cafe' try to pull off as exceptional, until mine keep getting better.

What grinder is that?