Does anyone have a suggestion for how to proceed if I've tried the "homemade" tool with two pieces of wood clamped together around drill bits? The drill bits break and other metals I have bend.

What do I try next?

Could somebody confirm that the sleeve actually screws out in the natural direction, i.e., CCW when looking at the shower screen?

Yes, it screws out counterclockwise. Here's a link to a photo where you can see the threads:

http://www.orphanespresso.com/Vintage-B ... c_439.html

You need a better tool. These can be hard to turn out without stripping the holes in the cylinder. See Francesco's site here:

http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/La_Pa ... ve_eng.htm

and the Orphan Espresso tool here:

http://www.orphanespresso.com/Steel-Fla ... _4585.html

Francesco's method includes the option of making the shower screen removable, but since your machine is so collectible I recommend leaving it intact.

Thanks, Gary!

I had actually looked at that picture to make sure I was turning in the right direction, but since pictures can be mirrored, I figured I'd ask.

I also showed Francesco's pictures in the local hardware store, but they were less than willing to help. Don't know where else to turn.

It seems like the last way out is OE then. Had hoped there would be another way since I'm neither excited about additional expenses (+high fixed costs for commercial packages at the customs ), nor about waiting. At least this would solve the problem for the next time since I'm not interested in converting the shower screen, for precisely the reasons you point out.

So it seems like the boiler smell doesn't go away. I would say it smells like mold/mildew, which wouldn't surprise me since it was stored with water for decades... coupled with horrible steam wand cleaning. Since I happened to have a Puly Cleaner and Descaler I tried that. It certainly made the inside pink, but the smell remains (perhaps a little fainter). I have also dried it as well as rinsed it over and over.

Does anyone have an idea for how to tackle this without having to dismantle the machine? Googling mostly left me with questions...

My last hope would be to just let it standing with some water and replace it once or twice per day, hoping that the bad compounds would gradually dissolve. Or is this process unreasonably slow?
Would it be better to just leave it dry and open?


On the good side: While searching, at least I got a good laugh when I stumbled on the Cremina boilers with a ballpoint pen and coffee beans



For those in need of a brass sleeve tool:
I eventually ordered the OE tool and it seems like my sleeve is bigger than most. If you're making your own sleeve (or find your OE sleeve too small), an inner diameter of 48.5 mm was large enough for me.
Thanks to the guys at the chemistry department workshop for their assistance!

I have found everclear helps, soaked it for an hour. My brother has one that smelled, I have a new element on its way from Hungary , I think the smell was in the pin holes, that's my theory, I'll let you know when I replace it if it goes away. I have a brass one as well that has it, I think it's milk sucked into the boiler from the steam wand.

The problem seems mostly/partially solved, but please update on the new heating element.

Rectified spirits seem less than straight forward to find here, but I did two things which I believe both had at least a small impact each:
- As mentioned above, I replaced the water at least once daily. Brought it to temperature once daily. Did this over the course of a week.
- The only place where the inner walls of the boiler weren't squeaky clean from descaling was the only place I didn't descale: the very top part around the hole. I put some salt and a few drops of lemon juice on my finger and rub it where I could reach. After a few rounds the surface was much smoother.

Previously, there was a distinct, moldy smell in the steam exiting the pressure valve, whereas now the steam seems neutral and the boiler doesn't smell more like mold than it does of metal. However, sporadically the smell reappears, but I'm hopeful that a few more steps of the above will solve the issue entirely.

You can mix a little water, vinegar, salt and flour and form a dough. Apply on the surface and let it stay there till dry.

Thank you for the suggestion. I was hesitant to add anything to it which is not water soluble so I opted for my less convenient method again.

After a longer session the smell is practically gone. Every now and then I feel it when I stick my nose into the boiler, but the espresso is no longer tainted, nor does the puck smell of mold like it did before.

So in the end it seems like the source of the smell left after descaling was located on the very top of the boiler where no descaling solution reached.

forbeskm wrote:I have found everclear helps, soaked it for an hour. My brother has one that smelled, I have a new element on its way from Hungary , I think the smell was in the pin holes, that's my theory, I'll let you know when I replace it if it goes away. I have a brass one as well that has it, I think it's milk sucked into the boiler from the steam wand.

In case yours is not fixed with the new heating element, it could be located at the top like in mine.

Thanks, I will try that on another machine giving issues. I haven't got to it yet.