I have one. I did the full shebang with the OE seal kit. Several times actually because I just wanted to see how it went together in different ways.

For the benefit of others I would warn against using a car jack as a compression tool as shown on another site as there is a real risk of badly damaging the machine. A well set up carpenters clamp like OE uses worked for me.

Looking forward to joining in the discussion when I get a new element.

I have 2 Faemina, it is the most difficult lever in my opinion, the first strange thing is, it got crema with high flow rate, but almost no crema with low flow rate, it get a narrow band for crema. I don't know why.
I didn't see any advantage for 2 stages piston.

Rolleiman,
Maybe you should use a pressure gauge like OE uses in their Faemina video to check the pressure that you are getting from your Faemina. Also a bottomless portafilter could help indicate where a problem might be...

I have read about bottomless portafilters and they can offer a beginner Barista some clue about mistakes that they are making, so I see value in having one as a learning tool. Would the bottomless portafilter that OE offers in his store, item #3943 Faema Bottomless Portafilter E-61, fit my Faema Faemina?

The Faemina uses a 51mm basket with a flat rim. The e61 takes a standard 58mm filter and commercial group size pf...so I guess the answer is 'nope'. Heat management is the biggest issue with the Faemina so I would not sweat the details until you get that one worked out.

Hello All,

Just registered, recently to this forum. My name is Gabor, from Hungary. I have two Faema Faeminas, one is the very first model (brown bumpy levelr, toggle switches, red badges, 270(!)V), the other one is the "Phase II" model from the sixties era (black boiler wrap, rocker switches). This latter one has just been overhauled (the other one will need new heating elements for 220V) and tried first, today.

I certainly need to learn how to use that, anyhow, I am not sure it operates OK, at all. When heated up, and a shot is pulled (waiting a few secs with the lever pulled down before letting it up), the lever just pulls up instantly and very quickly and the machine pours an espresso, rather than brews that (althogh the espresso still tastes better than that from the old coffee maker ).

I have seen videos of shots made with Faeminas on Youtube and it clearly takes like 8-10 seconds while the lever goes up and the espresso is made. The lever on My Faemina jumps like hell, instead.

Any hints?

Low steam pressure? Wrong assembly? (I would not opt for the latter, anyway. Everything was done properly and no leaks or whatsoever on idle.)

That is the way it works. A very small movement of the lever opens the two part piston and allows water at boiler pressure to enter for preinfusion. It seems you need to grind finer.

Doug, thanks for the reply, that is what I figured, too. Finer grind and a good tamper, which is already being made of stainless steel, will be done by Wednesday.

Will be back with an update then!