I was looking at the Rancilio 1200W 110V element for its 1 group Epoca potentially if I did not go the custom element route but I think I can do better. Ideally I want 1500W. I have also sourced a 180mm spring as well so that is one thing checked off.

This is also my 1000th post so that is pretty exciting

Some various updates:

The Rancilio element will not fit the Mercurio as it is too short for the boiler, discussed with Pascal/Chromes D'Antan. I will have the 110V element made instead.

The bakelite is actually brown, and was not shown well on the seller's photos. However he does have a photo of it being picked up showing the brown colour, along with the nicotine splattered machine that has since been cleaned off mostly. The one exception is the lever handle, which is black. It must have been replaced at some point but I already sourced a replacement original brown bakelite handle for a very reasonable price (~$70 + shipping).

The machine gets shipped off today and hopefully arrives here quickly. I have the Harmonized Tax Schedule figured out and will hopefully be able to get it through customs easily.

Looks like it might be one of the rare Faema Pre-infusion valve groups with the extra valve behind the group similar to La San Marco, which only allows water into the group once the lever is lowered? Also curious what the other lever in the top cover behind the group is

It is. I expect to find only one seal on the piston as well.

kitt wrote:Also curious what the other lever in the top cover behind the group is

Could you highlight this lever you are referring to?

kitt wrote:Looks like it might be one of the rare Faema Pre-infusion valve groups with the extra valve behind the group similar to La San Marco, which only allows water into the group once the lever is lowered? Also curious what the other lever in the top cover behind the group is

that may well be a little lever to open and close a sliding grate underneath the cup heater, My Urania has such a slide

After a mechanical delay from FedEx the Mercurio popped up on my doorstep today! The box looked pretty knackered but the machine and all the bits were undamaged (at least from transit). Even from looking at the photos from prior I am blown away at how pretty the Mercurio looks. The exterior is in fantastic condition considering it is original and unrestored. I threw it on my dining room table and it took me a few minutes to look away as I admired it.











I am really curious to see the preinfusion valve once I start diassembly. I am reluctant to even start doing that but it will begin eventually. There is also not shutoff valve on the bottom like on other related groups.



Some stuff I already notice: How on earth do I get the hot water wand out if the panels trap it? It looks like they inserted the piping and soldered the compression nipple afterwards! The preinfusion/hot water valve rod has some cracks so this might be the excuse to try out some soldering practice. It still functions nontheless. There is still water in the boiler as well which is pretty funny. I would hate to imagine what would have happened if this shipped below freezing...




Finally here is the Pavoni for Scale photo.

Hello:

IamOiman wrote: ... box looked pretty knackered but the machine and all the bits were undamaged ...

Well ...
I have to say you're one lucky fellow. 8^°
Congratulations!

The box has clearly been badly handled by the shipping service and the seller does not seem to have paid much attention to packing it properly.
And no 'FRAGILE', 'THIS SIDE UP' or 'DO NOT STACK' labels anywhere to be seen, at least in the photos you posted.

Yes, very lucky. 8^D

Cheers,

CIV

Oh they had the warnings on the box, you can see how that ended...
This will never top the shoddy packaging my Faemina came in. I just realized it's a Lelit box too that was used.

Big day today. Most of the machine is disassembled at this point. I will go in order to take stuff off.

The first thing I needed to do was remove the steam wand. I saw that the tube was compressed at a portion of its tubing but it needed a little more squeeze with some pliers to get it out of the narrow panel slot.


I took off the water sight glass cover after. It clips onto two metal fittings at the top and bottom.


Next I proceeded to take off the back panels and Faema Emblem. The panels are held in place by two screws each on the front backsplash, and two additional screws each in the back where the emblem rests in front of. The emblem itself is held by one large screw on top and the lower brass screw. There is a second brass screw towards the top that just holds the FAEMA MILANO plastic piece to the brass decoration. Note this decoration is very beefy, weighing in at almost a kg!



The upper group came off next. It is held by three screws like most Faema Zodiac groups. I had to take out a screw for the pre-infusion assembly on the side as it blocked me from taking the group out. The cap came off via two chromed bolts on the front. I could pull out the upper group by hand with some tugging and confirmed my thoughts that this is only a one seal piston.







Here is the boiler with the panels off. You can see the thermosyphon loop running from the side of the boiler to the group via two elbow fittings. There is a water inlet on the bottom and the steam valve connects at a multi-use fitting at the top where the wobbler weight resides. The other side of the boiler just has the water sight pipes. There are two capped off fittings that I could use in the future.





The boiler has the machine number stamped on it that matches the front ID tag.


I then moved the machine outside to empty it of the remaining water via the gas tube. I can definitely see myself adding a drain valve in the future there or the lower fitting. I worked on the water inlet/hot water valve, but I was only able to take off the chrome portion that is also part of the 1-way valve. Unfortunately I cannot take out the valve even when loosening the hex bolt securing it to the frame due to odd sizing. I know that people sometimes experience issues with it due to scale build up so I still need to address it.



The sight glass came off pretty easily. It's similar to my President's sight glass where two fittings screw and secure the sight gaskets but without the little springs.



At this point I started working on the boiler screws. I finally went out and bought a flame torch from Ace Hardware and it appears very effective. I was able to get off all 8 boiler bolts with no snapped or damaged threads! I kept the one bolt that attaches to the frame tightened so I would get the other fittings off securly. The bottom boiler bolt is missing from action so I will need to get a replacement M8 or M6 bolt. I had issues taking out the boiler because the thermosyphon pipes were blocking the way. I had to loosen them and tilt the boiler so I could fit the 26mm wrench properly.



I got the group bolts loosened but the elbow fittings were blocking the escape route. What I ended up doing was having a second person (Dad) hold the group out so I could fit my 22mm wrench to the elbow head. After taking my torch to everything first!


The lower panels were next now that the frame was getting pretty light. I put it on its side to take off the two blind bolts in the back, and the two screws per lower panel. One of them had a stripped thread but that is the first 'big' issue I have run across so far. I left the lower front panel on as I did not take off the rivets holding the tag and also the panel. I will probably take a flathead and tap off the rivets from the back.





The sight glass fittings are secured by a square hole, which allowed me to whack my wrench on the two nuts securing them easily. At this point I could take off the front backsplash and gas flap. The gas burner and the boiler fittings were the last thing I took off before calling it a night. I still have to take apart the steam valve and inlet/hot water valve but I am making pretty good progress.








Current things to address are the stripped skirt screw, some cracked joints on the boiler probably due to the missing lower boiler bolt, and the bottom fitting on the group that is part of the inlet mechanism.