TUS172 wrote:Okay... by my count that makes 7 so far ... any others with interest?

You can never have too many Cremina portafilters. Put me down for one.

BTW as critical as the fit of the portafilter in the grouphead is the fit of the baskets in the portafilter. With so many variations out there you may want to make sure you cover the original basket size as well as some of the newer Cremina baskets. Also, I believe some people are using Pavoni baskets (rims don't fit well) and Elektra baskets (deeper than even the original Cremina double).

Great... that makes 8...
I included a A Leva basket with the portafilter. I have found that the outside diameter of the A Leva baskets can be a bit too large for the grouphead of the Cremina but otherwise fit great. Also when one considers that you can even use a La Pavoni 49mm portafilter in the Cremina I have a feeling that Lino's productions will be great.

TUS172 wrote:... That way we could get a consensus as to fit. I own a '67 and a '86. If we could get perhaps a couple from the '70s and perhaps even the '90s I think we could put to rest any reservations about fit. ...

I forgot to mention (actually forgot all together) that I also have access to a late model Cremina, somewhere around 2005 or so... I'll try it out on that before anything else.


Also, I should mention, even though I modeled the PF as stock (that is, not bottomless), the one(s) I'll be making will be made from tubing, and so will be bottomless, much like Richard's design.

I modeled the original PF so that I would have "the whole picture" on file. If I make a bottomless model, now I'll have something to compare against.


ciao

lino

TUS172 wrote:Thanks Timo... You know an option would be to send this first prototype to more than one Cremina owner(who is interested in buying).... That way we could get a consensus as to fit. I own a '67 and a '86. If we could get perhaps a couple from the '70s and perhaps even the '90s I think we could put to rest any reservations about fit. I could try it out and if it fits to my satisfaction, send it on to someone and that person could send it to another invested party before Lino produces any others. The purpose is to get the dates of manufacture covered. If it works on that kind of spread than I think we are pretty well covered. Lino has stated that this could be a process that takes a while so we should take the time to see that he does not waste his time by producing 7 - 10 of these and then have 4 or 5 come back. I have a feeling that this first prototype will work for all if it works in my 2 Creminas... but why not make sure?
Thoughts?

I have a '75 with what I believe to be an original double basket if that helps.

TUS172 wrote:You know an option would be to send this first prototype to more than one Cremina owner(who is interested in buying).... That way we could get a consensus as to fit.

I would be willing to try a brass prototype on my Club and Cremina. But since price is an issue in addition to fit and finish, I would stay on standy-by, pending final price etc. ...

Regards
Timo

FYI
I intend this to fit an older 49mm Pasquini Livietta (rebadged Maximatic). I intended to eat the loss if it doesn't fit that and hope to score a cremina in the future. With that said, I would be happy to test this for the Livietta/Maximatic crew, even if it's only me.
paul

I've got a 1977 Olympia Cremina and if you're having made new portofilters and double baskets, you could count me in for a set.

A Leva double baskets work great. As a matter of fact they have a bit more room than the original Cremina baskets.

Hi folks,

sorry not to have got a picture up of the various portafilters - 1 digicam has given up and the other is away with my partner and kids for the next 3 weeks.

So, in lieue of pictures here are some observations.

5 different portafilters
New 2002 o/d 630mm ear/lug top length 19mm bottom length 14mm thickness 5mm lead slope 5mm
Max 84 620mm 19mm/19mm/4mm/no lead slope
Split suspected 80's 615mm 19mm/15mm/4mm/no lead slop
Thin suspected 80's 625mm 19mm/19mm/3mm/slight lead slope formed by wear
Club (60's) 625mm 19mm/19mm/4mm/ slight lead slope formed by wear

All the portafilters will take all of my baskets - I have no reason to think these baskets are anything other than OEMs but cannot prove this.

All the portafilters fit my 84 Maximatic - New is the tightest and turns the least, Thin goes furthest round by some way. No sneezing issues with any combination to date.

The NEW 2002 filter fits my 1977 Cremina 67, BUT NOT my 60's Club nor my spare Cremina grouphead - this spare head came with a bunch of bits including a black plastic drip tray and an early model triangle boiler cap which suggest to me that it is the same production batch age as Timo's White Cremina ie late 80s early 90s.

Max, Split, Thin and Club all fit the 60's Club, the Cremina67 and the "90's" Cremina grouphead.

The short of it - the machines seem to be able to accommodate quite some variation in total outside diameter, lug shape and thickness but the NEW 02 portafilter is touch and go on my oldest and (comparitively) newest groupheads.

Sorry to say, but in the present climate I'm keeping my grubby paws on the whole shooting match - I genuinely regret this as I had indicated earlier this year that I would sell off spares once I have my kit sorted. My apologies to those who may feel hard done by - this siege mentality is not something that sits comfortably.

Good luck with this - it's great to see this kind of self reliance and trust!
sneaky

I would be interested in either kind of portafilter and/or double basket for my 1977 model also, thanks.