Hi Everyone,

I recently purchased a 1968 Gaggia Orione single group on Italian eBay, from an Italian dealer. The machine was being sold as needing a complete restoration. This brought the price down to where I couldn't resist buying it! Its condition is better "in person," than the photos showed. I have all of the pieces for the machine, including the original portafilter with both baskets. Photos will come later, with a new camera.

The portafilter and one cup/two cup baskets were cleaned with wenol metal cleaner and polish. It took four hours to remove 53 years of espresso stains!

Does anyone make connectors that go on the two terminals for each mercury pressure switch? I'm imagining a rubber coated metal sleeve that pushes on with the wire coming out on one side, similar to how a lawn mower connects its spark plug. I'm looking for four connectors, for two switches.

Thanks, Steve

I forgot to ask about this, before. Are group rebuilding and gasket/seal kits still available for this machine? I believe the newer rebuilding kits use four V gaskets and four brass rings. I think that I saw these newer parts mentioned in an earlier HB post about Gaggia groups.

Thanks, Steve

I have not attempted to make new connections for the wires that go from the mercury ampule to the ceramic blocks (those which you can buy new, I'd get mine from McMaster-Carr). It may be possible to redo them but that is beyond my expertise.

The gasket stack can be purchased from a few vendors, my personal preference is Brooks but TSE also sells them (TSE also sells Viton ones which are very pricey due to low order amounts). https://brooks-espressomachines.com/en/ ... d-shim-set

If you already have the v-brass rings you can also ask Thijs to just sell you the gaskets and he'll likely do that. He is a very flexible guy and if you have the exact measurements for certain gaskets he can custom order them too (I needed to this for my Mercurio's preinfusion gasket, which is 7x4x4mm).

Hi Ryan,

I have the same Orione single group as Paul Pratt. His restoration thread has been read several times, and I learned more about my own Orione.

Perhaps I can find some small diameter metal tubing that will fit over the terminals. I can solder the wires to them and cover with heat-shrink tubing.

Thank You very much for the group rebuild sources. i will check all of these out, including the viton parts. I'd like to have a complete replacement set of parts and order them now, while available. The group will be rebuilt last, after the machine is finished.

I have only dusted the interior out, and cleaned the portafilter/baskets. I've had it only a week and haven't really started on it, in detail, yet.

Thank You for the sources and answers,
Steve

IamOiman wrote: The gasket stack can be purchased from a few vendors, my personal preference is Brooks but TSE also sells them (TSE also sells Viton ones which are very pricey due to low order amounts). https://brooks-espressomachines.com/en/ ... d-shim-set

Hello Ryan,
Do you have a vendor/source for the TSE viton seals? i was looking for years for the v-lip seals in other materials such as silicon, etc.
I asked Paul Pratt about it. If i remember correctly he once commissioned silicon seals but they turned out to be too fragile.
The regular seals have to be replaced every 9-12 months due to hardening of the material.

No, the only ones I know of that are viton are the ones that are 25-30 euro a pop at TSE.

where do you get them? do you have a website address?