I am home for fall break and I finally got the frame stripped of everything. Taking a look at it there is some light rust in portions but there is no pitting or serious damage to it, just soot covering portions of the frame. Would I still need to sandblast and powder coat it in this case, or can I just powerwash the grime off?



I also started the descale/derust process with the copper pipes, boiler face, and heating elements along with the boiler bolts in a bath of citric acid and evaporust respectively. I will need a bigger bucket for the boiler as it is just too tall to fully fit in the orange bucket.



The power knob came off with some convincing from a flat head screwdriver. It was just a little stuck so it came off pretty fast. The manometer is held onto the machine by a hex nut that comes off with a 17mm wrench.

I would get the frame glass bead blasted and then it can be properly prepped and coated. Acid cleaning is not a good idea and power washing usually does not get it all clean. You can recoat with a single coat automotive type paint or any of the 2 part catalyzed finishes but let a pro do it if you decide on something specialty such as 2 part coatings.

Sand blasting can warp the frame so is to be avoided if possible.

I have a recommended metal shop I will be going to tomorrow for the media blasting of the frame as you suggested Old Nuc. I considered doing the boiler but it is not dirty/scaled enough to warrant a media blasting as well. For the colour of the frame that will remain a secret for now...

I got the boiler flange bolts off without any trouble. I used the double nut technique and using a 13mm wrench and mallet I whacked them off one by one without requiring any heat or penetrator oil. People driving by were probably thinking what the heck I was doing but I did not scrape the boiler gasket off until after, and the wind outside helped me avoid asbestos inhalation (I wear a mask but I like to be paranoid). This is probably the best condition I have seen flange bolts in a Gaggia group restoration so far compared to some of the nightmares I have seen other people deal with...These only needed a quick evaporust bath and after a little clean up.

I will have the same people doing the media blasting also do the powder coating. It is a little pricey (more than what I paid for the machine) but it gives me peace of mind that it will be done correctly.

I am finishing up descaling the copper pipes and other accesories and I got a container big enough for the boiler, so that is also beginning its soak. It will probably take a few days to clean it well.

It will be worth it to start clean with slightly alkaline water to build the proper black copper oxide coating. Powder coating has advantages over several other choices out there.

It was definitely the brass bristles. I was figuring out how to polish the pipes with only a brass bristle toothbrush when I remembered the grinder given to me by my grandfather had a brass bristle disk already attached. I tried the grinder (an Omega) out with a pipe fitting and the difference is pretty visible. I did all the other pipes to similar satisfaction after the citric acid bath but not the heating elements. I also tried the grinder on the gas burner to pretty good results. Other parts of the machine will also undergo the brass bristle treatment if they are brass or copper. I am considering purchasing a brass bristle drill attachment for the boiler and face plate as I am pretty happy with how the pipes turned out and want a similar finish for the boiler.







I am still deciding if I want to put the gas system back on the machine or keep off but available if I ever sell the machine. I would use the extra hole for the vacuum breaker that would be put on the flange.

I intend to use a 2kW 110V element because even with my 20A circuit I cannot power 2.6kW with that (normally it is 2.5W but I measured a little higher with my ohmmeter). One of the original elements will go back in the machine but not be used to plug the heating element hole.

I trust the lead content of the brass brush is not a concern.

Once polished kep bare fingers oof and you will get a nice sooth patina built up over time. The soft brass low RPM wheels do a nice job on soft metals. That machine was made before anyone was excited about lead in brass and the normal oxide from alkaline brew water isolates it just fine.

I tried polishing the plastic knobs with the jeweler's rouge and polishing wheel. It was PBC from Dico for the buffing compound. I did not push too hard on the grinder as I did not want the plastic to melt away, but it is miles better than what they originally were.