Mini Gaggia Lever on the way - Page 2
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
Trying to get the Pivot pin back into the lever - so that the lever engages with the rod on the piston - is turning out to be no easy task.
The top of the machine has two metal ridges that sit either side of the lever itself making for very little space to put a clamp to compress the spring. Im starting to wonder if i am going about this the right way? Also the lever itself seems to be right in the way.
I was thinking I would put a piece of PVC pipe as a spacer on the head of the piston then clamp between the piston the the top of the boiler across the metal ridges (I might need to put a piece of steel across the ridges to give me somewhere for the clamp to engage). Compress the spring by tightening the clamp and hopefully put the pin back through the live and the top of the piston shaft.
Does that seem logical???
Or do I need to open the boiler and then compress the spring? the boiler is sealed shut with silicon.
The top of the machine has two metal ridges that sit either side of the lever itself making for very little space to put a clamp to compress the spring. Im starting to wonder if i am going about this the right way? Also the lever itself seems to be right in the way.
I was thinking I would put a piece of PVC pipe as a spacer on the head of the piston then clamp between the piston the the top of the boiler across the metal ridges (I might need to put a piece of steel across the ridges to give me somewhere for the clamp to engage). Compress the spring by tightening the clamp and hopefully put the pin back through the live and the top of the piston shaft.
Does that seem logical???
Or do I need to open the boiler and then compress the spring? the boiler is sealed shut with silicon.
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
OK.... im an idiot.
I was making everything too complicated for myself. The Pivot pin just slides right in. Theres no need to compress the spring or anything.
So now I need to get the seals from Francesco, a new shower screen which the guys from coffeeparts will hopefully be able to source, and I will be in business. I guess while i wait for the seals I should open the boiler and give it a clean.
Given that it is suggested to open the boiler every few months to clean it has anyone come up with a reusable gasket to seal the boiler?
I was making everything too complicated for myself. The Pivot pin just slides right in. Theres no need to compress the spring or anything.
So now I need to get the seals from Francesco, a new shower screen which the guys from coffeeparts will hopefully be able to source, and I will be in business. I guess while i wait for the seals I should open the boiler and give it a clean.
Given that it is suggested to open the boiler every few months to clean it has anyone come up with a reusable gasket to seal the boiler?
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
I thought id show a sequential couple of photos showing how the Minigaggia comes apart.
Firstly you remove the two screws on either side of the group
Then Remove the stainless steel face
Remove the wires from the switch and the place the stainless piece to one side
Remove the four threaded plastic feet from the base along with the two screws at the top of the lower stainless piece and slide it out of the plastic shell. The feet may be difficult as they often are rusted in place. Mine broke into a number of small pieces and the feet had to be forcibly pulled off.
Now slide the plastic shell off the back of the boiler.
Now you can remove the boiler lid to access the piston, spring and boiler internals
Mine had a heavy bead of silver silicon around the join in the boiler / boiler lid. I can't believe there is no seal built into this join. especially as the joint is sitting at the water level.
Firstly you remove the two screws on either side of the group
Then Remove the stainless steel face
Remove the wires from the switch and the place the stainless piece to one side
Remove the four threaded plastic feet from the base along with the two screws at the top of the lower stainless piece and slide it out of the plastic shell. The feet may be difficult as they often are rusted in place. Mine broke into a number of small pieces and the feet had to be forcibly pulled off.
Now slide the plastic shell off the back of the boiler.
Now you can remove the boiler lid to access the piston, spring and boiler internals
Mine had a heavy bead of silver silicon around the join in the boiler / boiler lid. I can't believe there is no seal built into this join. especially as the joint is sitting at the water level.
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
My boiler was pretty filthy inside, and its hard to clean as it has a big hole for the piston in the middle of it.
Fortunately i found that the plug for the sink fit perfectly in the hole from the top (not from underneath though. I was able to plug the hole and fill the boiler with espresso clean detergent.
There was a small amount of lime scale in the boiler so i gave it a quick wash out with citric acid
Now its pretty clean though there is a film of blackish stuff over the boiler interior. I can't shift it with any of my coffee cleaning chemicals but it doesn't seem to mix with the water so i think i will leave it for the moment.
Fortunately i found that the plug for the sink fit perfectly in the hole from the top (not from underneath though. I was able to plug the hole and fill the boiler with espresso clean detergent.
There was a small amount of lime scale in the boiler so i gave it a quick wash out with citric acid
Now its pretty clean though there is a film of blackish stuff over the boiler interior. I can't shift it with any of my coffee cleaning chemicals but it doesn't seem to mix with the water so i think i will leave it for the moment.
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
I still find it very strange that this machine needs to have the boiler glued shut with silicon every time you open it. Especially as the boiler needs to be cleaned regularly. There is not much more than a 2-3mm edge around the top of the boiler as a mating surface to seal against, but the boiler has stepped lugs on the corners to locate the lid (visible in the photos) and the lid is a very tight fit against these.
In various threads I have heard people say that they intended to investigate other options for a reusable seal but no one ever comes back and says they were successful. I have just ordered some thin high temperature silicon sheet and will try (like countless others before me) to cut a reusable seal for the boiler.
In various threads I have heard people say that they intended to investigate other options for a reusable seal but no one ever comes back and says they were successful. I have just ordered some thin high temperature silicon sheet and will try (like countless others before me) to cut a reusable seal for the boiler.
- drgary
- Team HB
- Posts: 14372
- Joined: 14 years ago
Putting filter paper on top of the basket is one way people prevent coffee from going back into the boiler on lever machines. I wonder if that would prevent the backflow on these?
Gary
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
Interesting Idea Drgary,
I solved the problem of the deteriorated plastic feet by putting M5 Rivnut inserts into the holes in the frame. Rivets are like pop rivets with a threaded interior that come in a variety of sizes. Then i clipped the plastic thread off the top of the feet leaving just the flared base. There is a metal insert in the foot that is 5mm diameter so i just swapped that out for a M5 machine screw that screws into the Rivnut. If someone decides to remanufacture the plastic feet the rivet can be clipped out easily with no permanent alteration to the frame.
I am still waiting on the seals to arrive from Italy so i haven't had a chance to use this yet but its getting close.
I also tracked down a shower screen that should work. Its a clip on screen for a FAEMA lever group but the supplier couldn't give me any more information than that.
more photos to come
I solved the problem of the deteriorated plastic feet by putting M5 Rivnut inserts into the holes in the frame. Rivets are like pop rivets with a threaded interior that come in a variety of sizes. Then i clipped the plastic thread off the top of the feet leaving just the flared base. There is a metal insert in the foot that is 5mm diameter so i just swapped that out for a M5 machine screw that screws into the Rivnut. If someone decides to remanufacture the plastic feet the rivet can be clipped out easily with no permanent alteration to the frame.
I am still waiting on the seals to arrive from Italy so i haven't had a chance to use this yet but its getting close.
I also tracked down a shower screen that should work. Its a clip on screen for a FAEMA lever group but the supplier couldn't give me any more information than that.
more photos to come
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- Posts: 240
- Joined: 17 years ago
I have a new shower screen, according to the supplier that sent it to me its a type that is used on Faema Zodiac groups. It has vertical slits all around the edge and the rim is crimped over like a series of claws - Like the original screen i posted a photo of a few posts back. The original one was brass and quite loose, the new one is stainless and very very hard.
I cannot work out how to clip this thing on the bottom of the group. i have checked all the dimensions with clippers and it should fit, but how do you mange to flex the claws over the rim on the bottom of the group????? Im guessing there might be some sort of trick to this
I cannot work out how to clip this thing on the bottom of the group. i have checked all the dimensions with clippers and it should fit, but how do you mange to flex the claws over the rim on the bottom of the group????? Im guessing there might be some sort of trick to this
- sorrentinacoffee
- Posts: 747
- Joined: 16 years ago
It's unfortunate- the machine has a nice design and appearance- and works very well when in good order: but it is put together crappily. Once you open one up and remove that boiler cover you start thinking: WTF? It was clearly produced with low cost, low serviceability in mind. It was nearly 10 years ago- and my memory fails me- but I think I made a gasket out some type of silicon glue. Once restored with a cleaned boiler- and new piston seals- my machine produced very good shots though. I sold it to a guy in Taiwan years ago.aaronmaestri wrote:I still find it very strange that this machine needs to have the boiler glued shut with silicon every time you open it. Especially as the boiler needs to be cleaned regularly.
Definitely on this machine: NO FELLINI MANEUVERS! It will draw the coffee water back into the boiler ever time. Just raise the lever- hold for 10 seconds of pre-infusion and slowly release. No double pulls either. From memory the shot volume was quite good.