(More info added a couple of hours after first posting via iPhone.)

Albert,

I want to confirm what Doug is saying. That's exactly how mine works, including water sputtering out the chimney if you let too much pressure build. I find the 1000 watt element adds lots of power, so I use both elements on for quick warmup that I watch carefully, then I turn the high element off. This heating takes about 10 minutes or so. To preheat without watching the machine, just turn on the 300W element and give it more time, say 1/2 hour. When the machine is up to running temperature, to steam I turn the high element on for about 30 seconds. When steam velocity picks up through the chimney, this is just before it's ready to start sputtering hot water. That's when I open the steam valve for abundant steaming power. I immediately shut off the high element once I've foamed the milk (in my case non-fat moo juice or low fat soy milk).

But keep at it because these old monsters make great coffee; syrupy, abundant shots where when it's dialed in, you can't tell there isn't actual chocolate in the cup. I'm still hoping for more crema, but this may be because I'm awaiting new gaskets from Doug and Barb for the lever cap -- gaskets are on the way. Right now, steam is coming out around the piston shaft because the gasket isn't creating a complete seal. With that seal I'm hoping it will hold pressure better to add crema to the thick espressos I'm pulling. Another thing I've noted is I can't push against the lever to increase pressure in the pull. It's designed so that just lifts the lever handle and doesn't place pressure on the piston. I think that's a safety feature to keep a careless home barista (who, me?) from tipping it over backwards.

A final wrinkle is to drain water from the machine between uses with the water tap provided for that purpose on the right side. This slows corrosion and scale deposits. To fully drain it, you'll need to allow air into the boiler. I've done this by loosening the boiler cap or raising the lever. This will probably also work by opening the steam valve. In any case, of course, make sure you've released pressure first through the steam valve before loosening the boiler cap.

Too bad we're continents away. If you could taste what my MC is putting out, you'd start to even love its aluminum crudeness. If OTOH you decide as a jeweler to make a casting out of a non-corrosive metal ... let me know! The idea brings to mind the alchemist's endeavor to turn sh*t into gold.

Albert, if you'd like, I can send you some pix of the water drain valve from more than one angle. Let me know if you'd like to see pictures of any other aspects of my MC. Probably later this weekend I'll be doing some minor disassembly to install the new gaskets at the lever cap. There are lots of good pictures of course at Orphan Espresso where Doug gives his rebuild tutorial (and I know your machine is older than his example).