Cimbali steam tip replacement?
- Kristi
- Posts: 307
- Joined: 18 years ago
the tip on my old cimbali is pictured below. It looks about 10mm across but I will take it to the hardware store tomorrow to see if I can find a fit. It has a large hole part way down, and 2 side holes almost even with that. It cavitates fine but overheats my milk (I only use a small amount - enough for 1 latte).
Looking for a one or 2 hole tip. Ideas?
Thanks!
Looking for a one or 2 hole tip. Ideas?
Thanks!
Kris
- HB
- Admin
- Posts: 21981
- Joined: 19 years ago
A replacement steam arm?
From the Buyer's Guide to the Cimbali Junior
I preferred it to the stock steam tips.
HB wrote:If you look closely at the picture below, you'll notice I substituted Junior's stock four-hole steam wand with the one that is standard for the La Spaziale S1. This three-hole steam wand is slightly shorter and has sharper bends, thereby allowing more freedom of movement. Unlike the standard Cimbali wand, it can directly reach all the way to the back of the drip tray (the stock wand extends lower and can only go beyond the forward edge if rotated; on the other hand, the S1 arm doesn't quite reach the driptray, so plan to purge wand condensation into a pitcher rather than shooting for the driptray--or risk being sprayed). In addition to the added mobility, I think the smaller holes increase the velocity and make for better small-volume steaming.
From the Buyer's Guide to the Cimbali Junior
I preferred it to the stock steam tips.
Dan Kehn
- Kristi (original poster)
- Posts: 307
- Joined: 18 years ago
- HB
- Admin
- Posts: 21981
- Joined: 19 years ago
It apparently has changed over the years, that doesn't look the same as the model I evaluated. No matter, it was the tip I was suggesting would improve the frothing, not the bend of the steam arm. I believe Chris has sourced another tip for the S1 that is even easier. Ian (woodchuck) just bought the Vivaldi II, he would know for certain.
Dan Kehn
- HB
- Admin
- Posts: 21981
- Joined: 19 years ago
Chris' Coffee sells the steam arm and tips for the S1 / Vivaldi. Sorry, I don't having pricing information. The S1's steam tip is male and your stock Cimbali tip is female, hence why I mentioned the S1 steam arm fits your Cimbali. Sometimes Chris goes to the trouble of sourcing gender benders; you'll have to ask him if he did so for the S1.
I thought the S1 was already a good steamer, but Chris claims the new steam tip makes it even better. Ian lives nearby and he plans to invite the regular Friday Counter Culture group over soon. I'll check it out then.
I thought the S1 was already a good steamer, but Chris claims the new steam tip makes it even better. Ian lives nearby and he plans to invite the regular Friday Counter Culture group over soon. I'll check it out then.
Dan Kehn
- Kristi (original poster)
- Posts: 307
- Joined: 18 years ago
- Kristi (original poster)
- Posts: 307
- Joined: 18 years ago
Just replaced this with a stock 1st-line 2-hole gold tip. Fits fine. I think the 4-hole tip had originated from a Bric. Without having measured it I suspect it is "current normal" 10mm 1.0 pitch commercial.
For folks from Smithsonian looking in : I think the reality here is that the thread on this 12 yr old Cimbali steam wand is roughly 9mm and some pitch other than 1.0 as I was unable to find a match at the hardware store. However, these 2 tips that I say work successfully (and which do work just fine) simply bind at about the time the wand bottoms in the tip and the teflon tape makes up for any mismatch. This is FAR less expensive than paying $100 for a new wand!
For folks from Smithsonian looking in : I think the reality here is that the thread on this 12 yr old Cimbali steam wand is roughly 9mm and some pitch other than 1.0 as I was unable to find a match at the hardware store. However, these 2 tips that I say work successfully (and which do work just fine) simply bind at about the time the wand bottoms in the tip and the teflon tape makes up for any mismatch. This is FAR less expensive than paying $100 for a new wand!
Kris