Olympia Cremina 67 shower screen - update

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nirdvorai
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#1: Post by nirdvorai »

This is an update regarding the shower screen for Cremina 67 that was part of the discussion here:

Olympia Cremina 67- Naked portafilter, vacuum breaker cap and pressurestat microswitch

Since the attached post I contact Migg Frei in Swiss that hold Olympia Express parts and asked him if he got shower screen for Cremina. I was surprised to read that he got 10 original screens and about 30 screens that he called them "made by someone else". Meanwhile someone else started to sell screens for Cremina 67 at Ebay.

I ordered 2 screens from Migg, one original and one not. It took them only 1 week to arrive!
I then found something interesting, they have 2 big differences. The cuts around the edge and the holes stamping.





The left on is the original, and you can see that the cuts goes only half way. In the right screen you can see that the cuts goes almost all the way down. Also it seems the hole stamping is more centered in the original, leaving clean edges all around the screen.

The screen that came with my Cremina looks like the right screen. While flushing water to heat the grouphead I got water splashes all around including from the sides of the screen. It was a bit of a mess, and it also felt somehow not strong enough.

I then replaced it with the original screen. The replacement is not easy. Because the cuts make the screen less flexible, it's pretty hard to press it into the place. But now when I flush the grouphead the water goes down in a strong straight stream.

I don't know if it got any affect on the extraction. In both cases the water never goes outside the portafilter during the coffee extraction.

But if you like me, and would like to rebuild your Cremina as close as possible to the original one or maybe got a mess when flushing the machine, you might want to look at the shower screen cuts and holes pattern.

I don't know why there is differences in the screens. Maybe someone can elaborate on this.

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TomC
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#2: Post by TomC »

Thanks for sharing. That one on the right looks pretty rough and poor manufacturing tolerances. I bought a replacement several years back because even despite my attempts to "tune" the tension of the retaining clips cut into the sides, I couldn't keep the original worn screen from occasionally popping off.

I'm not sure if it maters much once the filled portafilter basket is in place, about the water pattern coming out. But if my Cremina was my daily driver, I wouldn't want a sputtering mess each time I flushed the group. I use a plastic tub to catch and flushed water, but still, wouldn't want a mess.
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nirdvorai (original poster)
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#3: Post by nirdvorai (original poster) »

I'm pretty new to Cremina. It's been a month since I finished the restoration and started to enjoy the machine. But this water sputtering, during flush only, drove me crazy.
The new screen is only 2 days on the machine. I hope it will not start to pop here and there, because now it's a pleasure to flush the machine and see and feel the strong water current.
Maybe this is why there is a difference in the retaining clips cut?
I'm also flushing to small container.

Dev
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#4: Post by Dev »

Thanks for posing this.
I just received my Ebay one to save for the day when my original gives up in the distant future. A good shower screen should be like rain drops when you lift the handle to the edge of where the water enters. This is not my first dabble with shower screens as I have actually bought the IMS versions for other machines like the La Pavoni. The IMS stuff would keep the group clean longer and would be resistant to clogging. I also felt that the extractions with a soft perfusion of evenly distributed water keeps the puck from getting damaged.

IMS makes them for so many machines and its sad that they don't make one for our aged Cremina.

Dev
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#5: Post by Dev »

I wish this was still available. I have heard its even better than the original.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/229999308/ ... t_detail=1

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nirdvorai (original poster)
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#6: Post by nirdvorai (original poster) »

Maybe someone here that have this screen and had the original will like to share his experience.
The holes stamping looks pretty good all around and the retaining clips cut is almost all the way down.

By the way, I wrote to Richard Penney here in the HB massages center, but never got any answer.

Maybe it's off topic, but it looks like the Cremina's restoration / projects happy days are behind the peak.

Dev
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#7: Post by Dev »

Yes it does seem like we are late to the party. It also seems like those that were once enthused are now making the Cremina to be the most hyped machine which I can understand if someone were to over pay but for just about $1K for a good one is worth every penny and has a lot of value behind it in my opinion. All I know is the consistency has been dead on which allows me to make changes to improve subsequent shots. I never got that with the LP as it was two lemons and a cherry or two cherries and a lemon.

oly_puller
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#8: Post by oly_puller »

Hey Dev-
I've purchased parts from Olympia in Switzerland before as well. It's pretty cool - I live in CA and remember having to make phone calls at 4am to connect with someone over there - but well worth it. That screen on the right looks *very* homemade. I've considered replacing my original but just continue to clean it pop it back on. If you find a "good" source - def post up here. Good luck!!
PT
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Dev
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#9: Post by Dev replying to oly_puller »

Thanks PT. Yeah I have EBay screen and it actually looks better in person. Its not great but I can see it working. Maybe I will pop off my original and put on the one I received to see if there is any difference in extraction. I remember reading a post that was made long ago where someone had a damaged screen that shot a jet of water from the side that disrupted the puck and made the extraction channel.
My original still snaps in tight and I assume it will be fine for many years before it gets weak but you never know.

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nirdvorai (original poster)
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#10: Post by nirdvorai (original poster) »

Dev wrote:Yes it does seem like we are late to the party. It also seems like those that were once enthused are now making the Cremina to be the most hyped machine which I can understand if someone were to over pay but for just about $1K for a good one is worth every penny and has a lot of value behind it in my opinion. All I know is the consistency has been dead on which allows me to make changes to improve subsequent shots. I never got that with the LP as it was two lemons and a cherry or two cherries and a lemon.
I also think that for around 1k$ it's a well worth machine and a pleasure to have and use.
On the other hand, I think most of the machines that sold at Ebay around 700-1000$ will be in the need of some sort of restoration. This lead to the biggest downside of the Cremina's- the price of the parts. They are pretty expansive. At least with the original parts from Switzerland you get what you paid for, a top quality parts that fits perfectly and with schedule maintenance can provides years of great mount full espressos.

Hey Dev-
I've purchased parts from Olympia in Switzerland before as well. It's pretty cool - I live in CA and remember having to make phone calls at 4am to connect with someone over there - but well worth it. That screen on the right looks *very* homemade. I've considered replacing my original but just continue to clean it pop it back on. If you find a "good" source - def post up here. Good luck!!
Currently beside Cerini in NY, the other source for NOS parts is Migg Frei from Switzerland. By the way, he currently has 120v heating elements for Caffarex. He claim that they are the only 120v left out there.

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