First Espresso

#1: Post by **EddyQ** » October 7th, 2016, 10:26 pm

So, I have been considering getting a real espresso machine for years. But there are lots of choices and the cost is rather high. So a few years ago I bought a Bialletti Brika instead. The Brika is a higher pressure moka pot. With help from folks on this forum and coffee geeks, I quickly started making some rather tasty brews. It tried lots of coffees and learned quite a bit. My grinder was a very old cast iron burr grinder. I never stopped thinking about the real espresso machine. . .
I am attracted to simple things and lever machines seemed like it would fit my liking, but have been turned off with all the issues folks have with them. Three weeks ago I found in my area a 2003 La Pavoni for sale. It took me about a week to research all about the machine (mostly here BTW) and found it will make great espresso with some practice. Many said it was not for beginners. I ended up getting the machine. It had a leak in the froth valve, but otherwise looked pretty good. But when I got home and got the anti-tamper screw off, I found the classical rust issue. SO, off to this site again to find all I should do to this machine. The rust cleanup required complete disassembly, phosphoric acid treatment and rustoleum paint. I ended up buying a oring rebuild kit, level pins, heater element orings, descaler and puly cleaner. I got a better tamper, knock box, cheap scale and a new OE Lido E grinder. Lastly, I annealed some aluminum flashing and made tiny holders for a meat thermometer on the group head and boiler. They seem to be holding on pretty good with 3M high temperature double sided tape. In the last week, I dialed in the grinder and pulled some very nice espressos! I couldn't be happier and thank a lot of you on this site for your help.
Let the fun begin!

October 7th, 2016, 10:34 pm

My latte art needs some work.

This is what the machine looked like after a week of ownership. Now, this beginner is pulling tasty to me shots! I couldn't have been this successful without the education I got here. Thanks again.

#3: Post by **TomC** » October 7th, 2016, 11:09 pm

Welcome Ed!

Euripicolla's pull shots probably 99% as good (indistinguishable) as the great classic Cremina, which is often spoken as one of the best home lever machines on the market, so you started out just fine. Your machines capabilities will exceed your skills for quite a while (no insult, but they're very capable machines). So enjoy it and enjoy HB!

We'll have you sold on a Slayer and a Monolith grinder next week.

#4: Post by **CoffeeBar** » October 8th, 2016, 12:20 am

Congartulations ED. She is very beautiful machine and hope you enjoy your espresso every morning

Cheers

October 10th, 2016, 9:23 pm

Thanks all.
I'll tell you, I am getting quite nice espresso with every pull. Recently I got some espresso blend coffee from my local roaster. Very fresh and flavorful. I'm just about at 25sec pulls with it now after a few. Good crema and rich chocolaty flavor. I have some medium roast on the way. Good stuff!!

#6: Post by **FotonDrv** » October 11th, 2016, 8:55 am

Ed, you are well on your way to a fun, informative and a healthy hobby!

I too started out with a Bialetti Moka Pot back in 1972, and as Tom said, Slayer and Monolith are looming in your future

January 23rd, 2017, 10:28 am

This morning I experienced complete failure of the plastic piston. Many of you warn folks like me to replace the piston with a brass one. Well, I am now one of those suggesting to all with the plastic piston to replace it. The pull was a bit harder than I usually do because I failed to loosen my grind after switching to a new coffee. I was half way though a pull with maybe 1oz in the cup when there was a crunch and the lever dropped. The shot actually was a decent Ristretto

Order placed for a new brass piston and new sleeve.

#8: Post by **redbone** » January 23rd, 2017, 11:51 am

Once you "upgrade" to the older style brass piston I'm sure you'll have many trouble free years of making great espresso and espresso based drinks.

I'm a fan of the older heavier built La Pavoni Lever prior to the introduction of plastic piston, sleeves, bases, boiler cap threads, site glass protector and cup grill. Essentially pre 83. My all time favourites would be the 1st gen 70-74 hot water fed group with removable shower screen.
I do prefer the heavier steel base of my 2nd gen 76 (once powder coated) while most prefer the pre 75 aluminum versions.

Enjoy the caffè.

#9: Post by **rpavlis** » January 23rd, 2017, 1:08 pm

There are serious problems with inappropriate use of polymers in espresso equipment. Crystalline polymers like polyphenylene sulphide tend to becoming increasingly crystalline in time, causing them to shrink. This can cause things made of these materials to split. Nylon gears often have a severe problem with this. Polymers in general also "creep" under load, causing them to deform permanently. This problem begins to increase rapidly at the glass temperature of a polymer. (For polyphenylene sulphide, if I recall correctly, it is about 83C). Larger crystals (in the polymer matrix) that form as time goes on also result in a tendency to fracture along crystallite boundaries.

I suspect failure of plastic pistons in La Pavoni machines is more apt to occur in generation II machines than generation III, because the piston tends to get hotter in a generation II with the live steam on top of it which has a temperature of (typicall) 116C.

My real brass and copper 1999 Europiccola has been the subject of a campaign against plastic parts since I got it! The insulation on the wires is still polymer, as are the O rings and seals! The plastic sub base is still there, as is the plastic ring that holds the boiler in place. The plastic boiler cap is gone. The plastic steam knob is gone. The plastic grill is gone. The plastic handles on the portafilters are all gone. The plastic piston is gone.

I really should get rid of the plastic ring holding the boiler to the base. The 1978 and 1964 models did not have much plastic in the first place!

One positive use of polymers in the La Pavoni machines is in the pressure relief valve. I had problem with the steel one leaking, so it produced erratic final pressures. For some reason this plagued the 1978 one, but never gives problems with the 1964.