fredgab wrote:Two different ones W (or X) for bottom and V for top (not sure about up or down now but could check)
I don't think you need 3 gaskets, I have two and a space in between as well.

Fred, sorry for all the questions...
I never saw a W / X gasket before. Are you sure this would work? In my Ponte Vecchio Lusso I only use 3 V shape gaskets, please see my small illustration attached. And although you don't use a middle one, what would you put in there?

Please search for Faema-lever group info.
You'll find a suitable setup there: middle grove in resting position of the piston is located, where the holes in the cylinder wall let steam and water enter. If you check the piston, there should be three tiny holes going from the lower surface all the way through the 3 groves, so the water/steam pressure in resting position presses the gaskets to the cylinder wall. Therefore you need a V-gasket on top and a X-gasket in the lower position: the V seals towards the spring in resting position, the X seals towards the lower opening in resting position - and also upwards, when making a shot (the 5-8ish bar of the spring is pressing the coffee from below through the 3 tiny holes into the lower part of the X, making a seal).

A Brugnetti group, btw has a slightly different piston design, e.g. 6 tiny holes.

Anyway,
I think I can solve the riddle on the machines brand: It is a La Favorita.

Some years ago, there was a thread here, on hb, on another, small domestic lever machine from Israel, the Pleezon.
The Pleezon Lever...Help Mr. Wizard! here they discussed other Israelian espresso machines, unfortunately the links don't work anymore.
Fortunatey, I saved the pictures:







I happen to know all this, because I own the grinder shown in the pictures and did some research years ago.

Some really great posts, above. I love Holger's photos!

maor wrote:The gaskets seems perfectly stright.

There's nothing written on the cylinder itself, I think the company that built the machines bought the group heads from some other company abroad, but all I have is rumors...

Usually the gaskets will flare one or two ways. Since you're going to remove them anyway, you may want to remember the orientation in which it was in place and show a cross section to see if it flared up or down or both. A gasket can look flat because it's sitting in the cylinder and has hardened.

Here's what I mean by flaring. The bottom one may flare outward as it's being pushed down, keeping the brewing chamber pressurized on the downward pull. Moving it upward afterward, it would pack in and look flat. The top one may be installed in the other direction, so it flares out when the cylinder is being raised.

You would need calipers to provide measurements. That could tell you what else is likely to fit.

Something else. I see holes facing toward the cylinder wall on the piston. This looks like you can gently unscrew the piston from the piston rod to service the whole assembly, including the spring. The tool for that would be a wrench that catches those holes. I'm thinking of a spanner wrench like this. Holger and others who do more of these restorations may have a good recommendation.

Sansibar99 wrote: I happen to know all this, because I own the grinder shown in the pictures and did some research years ago.

OMG these pictures are amazing! What a piece of history.
I know it's La Favorit, it's an identical design (only with one lever), but no one at La Favorite knows anything about the old machines anymore (which is somewhat embarrassing that a company doesn't know its own roots).

I ordered V and X gaskets today after discussing with a friend that restored one already, hope everything will fit and I'll get this beast to her glory days.

drgary wrote:
Something else. I see holes facing toward the cylinder wall on the piston. This looks like you can gently unscrew the piston from the piston rod to service the whole assembly, including the spring. The tool for that would be a wrench that catches those holes. I'm thinking of a spanner wrench like this. Holger and others who do more of these restorations may have a good recommendation.

image

This could be so awesome, I hate fighting with the gaskets every single time on my ponte vecchio
Hope this would work...

If I remember correctly, there is an Israeli company building coffee roasters. And the owner has a passion for old lever machines ... maybe he can help you with info?
Edit: https://www.coffee-tech.com/company/ It is the guy on the hood of the red Alfa

I've been down the road with the LaFavorita-company before... sad, to have lost the own roots

Sansibar99 wrote: the 3 tiny holes into the lower part of the X, making a seal).

The holes in the piston face should not be necessary with the seals used. There should be enough pressure to energise the seal, if not, the seal design isn't good.
Perhaps in the 50s, rubber technology required the extra energising holes, but today it shouldn't be necessary, assuming good gland design and seal selection. No seal manufacturer gland design literature for lip seals even mentions such little holes.

Sansibar99 wrote:If I remember correctly, there is an Israeli company building coffee roasters. And the owner has a passion for old lever machines ... maybe he can help you with info?
Edit: https://www.coffee-tech.com/company/ It is the guy on the hood of the red Alfa

Yes this is Ram Ivgi alright
He actually wanted to buy it when I first got her.. anyway I ordered the gaskets already, if I will still have issues I'll drop by there, thanks!