zeb wrote:I wait for you

They don't get much more beautiful than that one.

Merckx wrote:Here is my rather modest current set-up. A 1976 europiccola ebay find paired with my trusty #174 OE LIDO grinder.

Nothing wrong with that setup.

spressomon wrote:Had to dust off the PV Export to be the pitch hitter for my ailing Londinium LI (Gigar controller went out this morning). Nice to have a couple other espresso machines in the stable for those 'just in case' situations.

Yes! I called my Gaggia Factory up while I find the time and work up the courage to rebuild my Faema Faemina. It's nice to have a backup espresso machine and grinder, just in case.

yakster wrote:Nothing wrong with that setup.

I was thinking the same thing, too. It's pretty much what I have.

Here is my Elektra Microcasa a Leva with brass handles.



There is a trick to putting brass handles on brass portafilters! Titanium alloys are very very poor heat conductors. Stainless steel is known for having low thermal conductivity, but titanium alloys like "grade V" are typically only about a third as conductive as stainless. It is difficult to find Ti threaded rods, but Ti bolts are fairly easy to find. The MCAL here uses M8 bolts to attach the portafilter to the handle. I decapitated a Ti 20mm long M8 Ti bolt to get a piece of Ti threaded rod. I am going to get a Ti washer to put between the handle and the portafilter body to further reduce heat conductivity. I left the portafilter on the fully warmed up machine for ten minutes and the handle was about body temperature at that point.

One can generally put brass handles on stainless steel portafilters without heat problem too.

yakster wrote:Yes! I called my Gaggia Factory up while I find the time and work up the courage to rebuild my Faema Faemina. It's nice to have a backup espresso machine and grinder, just in case.

Other than dealing with the spring, the Faemeina is easy to service. I found the small scissor jack is the easiest way to remove the piston assembly. Francesco has a good guide here - http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/Faida ... po_eng.htm. He also sells seal kits.

Here is the first espresso machine I bought myself.

Since Francesco had never seen it, it is actually pretty intriguing to me. The machine is branded SAMA, but it is identical to machines made by DeCarli.
Three similar machines are found here:
LUSSOCLUB Chimera
Lever Espresso Machine Gallery
Alfred Meyer mystery machine is it Ponte Vecchio Lusso?

I have also been in contact with a guy in Germany with one of the DeCarlis and his seems identical to mine apart from the power switch (and pressure release valve).

My theory, finding some support in what Francesco wrote me, is that SAMA either bought the machines, the patent, or DeCarli itself before they decided to sell the similar, yet different machines Lusso and Club (which look more like the ATER here: Project Ater Family)

What do I call it? SAMA De Carli or SAMA La Romana







PS. I'm in love with the manometer

Beautiful find Max!

Love the color and that the water refill is outside the cover. Got it working yet??

Thank you!

And that's the best part; I received it in working condition. It has what looks like a layer of asbestos cloth (?) on the boiler, but to me it looks to be in perfect condition so for now I'll leave it as it is. My only gripe is a horribly dirty sight glass.

The overall build quality seems very robust.

Now I'm just waiting waiting for a suitable tamper. So far I only tamped two shots with a very soft plastic disk because I was eager to try.

That looks sweet, I like the color a lot. Here's my zacconi, got it on HB and have made extensive modifications that I will post in a thread at some point. Wanna make a youtube on it, but just been too lazy. Keen eye can prolly see a couple things I've done.