It would be interesting to look up the patent status. Others on HB seem to know a little about this, because I've seen some comments on other machines. If you're really interested, I suggest posting the question as a new thread.

Also, if you're getting into machine building I highly recommend testing an open-kettle lever machine like the Caravel or Gaggia Mini. In my opinion a well-designed and built open boiler, with a small pressurized steam-boiler included, would be the best thing to happen to espresso since 1950. Temperature control is everything in espresso, and it doesn't get any easier that open-boiler.

PC

Thanks PC for your encouragement and suggestions, your posts on your time with the PVE were influencing factors on my decision to purchase the Lusso.
I think I will probably begin with cosmetic modifications on my own machine and in the mean time begin a check list of things that can be done to bring this home use lever machine up to date, which is probably relatively easy but the biggest challenge would be to source the group assemblies since these are well tested in the field throughout the years and therefore no need for a complete redesign.

Maybe you won't have to copy the design to get it for (almost) half the price. Check here. 640E including shipping! That's 200E cheaper!
Also, i did search for the patent status. I couldn't find anything of the Sama. Or a Bezzera Club. Or any other club style machine.

Missionhb posted this patent from 1963, probably has expired by now:

My Lusso arrived yesterday.

Everything seems pretty solid. I had to tighten down a ground screw, and the manometer was crooked - taken together, this is about a 15 minute fix.

One of the portafilter spouts wasn't drilled right (the hole was very oddly obstructed). 5 minute fix, provided you have a drill press and the appropriate size bits.

I'm just refurbing an Export (Sama) and I'm about to refurb a Club (Lusso). In fact, maybe refurbing two, one for my office, one for a friend. Pix to follow with mechanical notes on problems and fixes.

Before I saw this, I just posted an issue with the Export refurb, a different piston design than I expected. Link is here: Old Sama Export Piston Configuration -- Seals?.

Prior posts here: No heat from Sama/Ponte Vecchio Export

I fixed the electrical issues, but now face the group piston seal rebuild issue.

Hello again, everyone. I hope you're all doing well.

Not sure if this thread is still as active, but a few updates on my Lusso single group.

My earlier problem (the machine basically stopped working) were fixed by 1st-Line long ago and far away. I believe the fix was to replace the "brains."

The machine worked great for quite some time, but lately I'm having problems with, for lack of a better term, the piston slipping: I pull the lever down, get the pre-infusion, and then slowly release it, as I always did. Now, instead of pushing the water through the coffee right away, the lever goes up maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of the way (maybe a 60 degree arc) before the pressure starts (I'm probably not explaining that very well, but hopefully you know what I mean).

I'll go through this thread and the others, since I'm sure it's come up before, but I just thought I'd share the update.

On the plus side, after months and months of experimenting with mixed results, I've been getting a nice, consistent espresso with the Lusso. Very comparable, if not significantly better, than my Gaggia Classic, and it's safe to say I'm still hooked on the lever machines, despite the occasional mechanical setback.

Take care, everyone.

The way I see it there are mainly 3 things that can go wrong with this machine....the electronics, the element, or the gaskets. Sounds to me like its gasket replacement time. How long have you been using the machine?

Oops --did I lose a post, or did I reply to the last post via some kind of personal message? Or does it just take some time for the post to show up? I guess that's what happens when you stay away from the forums for too long . . . .

I won't repeat the whole post, in case it shows up, but basically I've used the machine consistently for 4-5 months out of the last year, after I got it back from having the relay replaced. When I wasn't using it consistently, I used it roughly once a week to make sure everything still worked, and I was reasonably good with maintenance this time around (used descaler and kept the reservoir drained when I wasn't using it).

Plan is to look through the old posts related to maintenance on the Lusso and then contact either 1st-Line Equipment (where I bought the Lusso) or Orphan Espresso (very helpful with my earlier problems) for the appropriate parts, assuming that the experience of others will help me troubleshoot the problem.

Any other suggestions/recommendations?

Bought a PV 2-gang in May 2010 to increase capacity over my La Pavoni Professional, in light commercial and rather-heavy personal use.

CONS:
-- A little cheesy on the manufacturing side, with the annoying quality of being difficult to get into, particularly for a breed of machine that needs regular fixing. Why don't they just put flip latches on these things, seeing as you've got to open them up every week?
-- Brain died after 3 months of use, lobotomy performed at the expense of thermal shutoff.
-- What's with the 49mm basket and the 56mm tamper??
-- Sight glass hard to read.

PROS:
-- Makes good coffee.
-- Stable on the table.
-- Tiny footprint.
-- Steams like a whale.
-- Good cup warmer.

Will my next machine be a PV? Probably not, as by then I'll have more money to spend, and won't have to play the "bang for the buck" game, which I admit PV excells at. But for now it does the job well, and has achieved the purpose of cranking out good coffees way faster then the La Pavoni Professional.

As a footnote, the La Pavoni, despite having developed a leak that only manifests itself when the machine has cooled down, now holds the valuable position of Backup Machine.