The Elektra T1 was picked up used from an employee of a Hookah bar who was given permission to sell it. They offered no guarantees but said it was working up until they stopped using it (but would not explain why they stopped!)

Here is the initial unit at purchase


not bad but not great.

when I tried to remove the heating element, it needed to be sort of chiseled out with a hammer and screwdriver! I found about 1/2 inch of scale inside it.


I took it all apart and did a ground up restoration. I figured that once it was clean it would be easier to determine what else would be needed to get it going. All the tubes cleaned up with one treatment. the tank took 4! The frame itself had no rust, just needed a good cleaning.



I reassembled everything and gave it a test. The pump came on, filled up the tank, the tank heated up and surprisingly everything worked!!! Water came out the group head, steam out the wand and burning hot water out the faucet. I also checked for leaks. No leaks at all but I should add, I used a LOT of Teflon tape, I wrapped every thread on every part, probably to an excess!


OK, on to the next step. I installed it in home, hooking it up to my 1/4" reverse osmossis de-ionization system, no pressure regulator as of yet and yes, only 1/4". Time will tell if I need either a regulator or to up the size of all the fittings to 3/8".

Here are the completed shots of the installed, cleaned and polished machine. Its definitely all scratched up but all in all it looks pretty nice.








All in, with descaling agent, new stainless water feed line, plumbing modifications, Teflon tape and lots and lots of time, I am in it less than $600.00. What do you think?

Now I have a lot of reading and A LOT of practice in my future. I need to learn how to make a good shot!

I tried making a few shots, wow, do I have a LOT to learn!

First one, light tamp, med/fine grind. Result - a cup and a half in 25 seconds. eeek.
Second one, went to the other extreme with an extra fine grind, hard tamp. Result - nothing came out!
Third, fine grind, med strength tamp, 30 seconds and result was maybe 1.2 ounce shots (by the way, I am making doubles)

btw - running at 8 and 1 bar.

Will keep trying an experimentation of grind/tamp to get to the 1.5 ounce shots in 25 -27 second range and then dial it in more based on personal taste.

This is of course from an extremely uneducated, highly in need of experience and knowledge (not to mention a good grinder), rookie, novice espresso puller.

Any advice? I'll continue to keep reading and hope the masters would be willing to shed me some light! thanks in advance.

The machine looks fantastic! That's a great project; one I just recently took with a Lelit pl41qe.

Have you cleaned the dispersion screen at all? More importantly, what type of grinder do you have? If it's stepped, then perhaps a stepless modification would help you hone your grinding craft. I have an MDF and the stepless mod helped me a great deal when dialing in my grind. Best of luck!

This is all I have. I know, I need much better.
Dispersion screen was completely cleaned along with all the holes in the group head.

Stepped grinder? I have no idea!

@$600 this belongs in the great coffee gear scores thread, but I think you need a new grinder

Yes I do! And thanks

Sadly, unless you get as lucky with a grinder as you did with the machine a grinder will likely cost as much or more than the machine. Sette and Pharos will both do it justice for less than that if you like either one of those.

Ira

Like? Like a particular grinder? I have no ideas about any grinders whatsoever! If I was to be on the lookout for another super find but this time in a grinder, what should I be looking for? (I know, read up, which I will!)

If you'll be making a few drinks a day, then the Pharos (V2) or HG-1 are good choices. You'll need to get your RDT, WDT and tamping techniques worked out to get reproducible shots. A naked portafilter tells a lot about how well you have prepared the puck for extraction.