Hi,

First post here. I've actually been out of the espresso scene for a while, had a Gaggia Espresso which unfortunately didn't catch the ride for a move a while back and as I'm Swedish I've kept to brewing drip coffee since then.

I've been thinking a bit of getting back into it as I miss both the artistery of making a good espresso and / or cappuccino and of course the wonderful taste and aroma.

Then I found this La Cimbali Junior S / 1 on facebook marketplace, locally. For $55. I don't really know the brand to be honest but it looked like a good machine. I wrote that I was interested, asking if it worked and started googling the name (which is how I got here) and it really seems like a good machine so I was hoping the guy would come back to me. He did, and said there were many others interested, therefore he lowered the price to about $40 if I could fetch it quickly. I didn't really understand the logic, but he said it was working and I'm not one to shrink from fixing a broken machine even if it wasn't so now I've got myself a tank of a machine. Not fun carrying three stories up!

I haven't plugged it in yet as, well... From what I gathered about the La Cimbali Junior S/1 it was supposed to have a reservoir for the water. This one doesn't. It's got a metal weave clad hose for connecting water directly. Or does it have a reservoir? I saw now that there's a min/max indicator where I can see a bobbing ball... Where would I fill the water? Neither does it say S/1 anywhere, but it doesn't say anything else either.

Anyways, I would like to service the machine before I use it. Any tips for what needs to be done on it, and does anyone know which machine I've actually gotten a hold on?




Best Regards //Jimmy

Took out the tray now, and it's a D/1

Hello:

JimmyJohansson wrote: First post here.

Welcome to HB. 8^D
Along with HB's FAQ (highly recommended reading), one of the many useful features we have here at HB is the search function.

You'll be surprised just how much info it can gather for you in just a little while as here at HB there is a treasure lode of data and information related to most anything espresso and available to all members.

Chances are that you will see that the question you want to post about has been asked and answered a few times already.
Especially useful and contained within the FAQ is the new members - Recommended reading page.

JimmyJohansson wrote: ... found this La Cimbali Junior S / 1 on facebook marketplace, locally. For $55.

Only $55?
You have landed one of the best deals I have ever seen here at HB.
Congratulations: just the portafilter is probably worth twice that.

The Cimbali D/1 is built like a Panzer IV and from your photos, it looks to be in excellent condition.
A great many HB members have one of have had one at some point and if you do a search for Cimbali D/1 you'll get a huge number of hits:

search.php?keywords=cimbali+d%2F1&terms ... t=0&ch=300

Granted, not all are Cimbali D/1 specific, but you can search within those results or search HB by using Google.
eg: a search on HB with Google option for "cimbali d/1" gets you a more specific set of 46:

/search-res ... 5093352j18

JimmyJohansson wrote: ... haven't plugged it in yet ...

Please don't plug it in until you have thoroughly read the manual and know how to use it.

Here's a couple of links to manuals here at HB:
/downloads/ ... agrams.pdf
/downloads/ ... vicing.pdf

That said, this machine does not have a reservoir and needs water pressure to work properly.
ie: a minimum of 1.5 bar if I remember correctly.

Here are two links to the Swedish Cimbali representative:

https://www.hermelinhandels.se/en/lacimbali
https://www.hermelinhandels.se/en/contact#

Check the manuals and let us know if you have further questions.

Best,

CIV

civ wrote:Hello:

Welcome to HB. 8^D
Along with HB's FAQ (highly recommended reading), one of the many useful features we have here at HB is the search function.

You'll be surprised just how much info it can gather for you in just a little while as here at HB there is a treasure lode of data and information related to most anything espresso and available to all members.

Chances are that you will see that the question you want to post about has been asked and answered a few times already.
Especially useful and contained within the FAQ is the new members - Recommended reading page.


Only $55?
You have landed one of the best deals I have ever seen here at HB.
Congratulations: just the portafilter is probably worth twice that.

The Cimbali D/1 is built like a Panzer IV and from your photos, it looks to be in excellent condition.
A great many HB members have one of have had one at some point and if you do a search for Cimbali D/1 you'll get a huge number of hits:

search.php?keywords=cimbali+d%2F1&terms ... t=0&ch=300

Granted, not all are Cimbali D/1 specific, but you can search within those results or search HB by using Google.
eg: a search on HB with Google option for "cimbali d/1" gets you a more specific set of 46:

/search-res ... 5093352j18


Please don't plug it in until you have thoroughly read the manual and know how to use it.

Here's a couple of links to manuals here at HB:
/downloads/ ... agrams.pdf
/downloads/ ... vicing.pdf

That said, this machine does not have a reservoir and needs water pressure to work properly.
ie: a minimum of 1.5 bar if I remember correctly.

Check the manuals and let us know if you have further questions.

Best,

CIV

Thank you for the great response! I had tried to search previously, but for S/1 as I had not found that it was a D/1 yet!

I have also read through the manuals since I posted my question and you have a great memory for the inlet pressure. I will have to go buy an adapter tomorrow though!

Hello:

JimmyJohansson wrote: Thank you ...

You're welcome.

JimmyJohansson wrote: ... the inlet pressure.

It is essential ...
Otherwise the boiler filling mechanism will open the valve and (without adecquate mains pressure) the boiler's pressure will send hot water into the mains.

I've added data on the Swedish Cimbali representative.
You may want to consider having a chat with them with respect to the setup or a general service/inspection of the machine to see how it is inside.

Best,

CIV

Yeah, that's a great find and it looks like it is in good condition!

Find the threads that talk about replacing seals and checking for scale in the boiler. That's kind of the place to start even before you hook it up to a water line.

As a commercial appliance some things aren't designed for home use. You have to make sure you have the right outlet. The water line thread types might not be exactly as you'd think, and it's really meant to be on all the time so warm-up can take a long time. So lots to figure but there is so much info on here to read about it. Really any commercial HX thread is good reading. Lots of terms to learn.

But as you read and look at yours, take pictures and post specific questions and you'll find a lot of help in here too! It will be fun to see how it turns out!

The "D/1" stands for "Dosatron/1-group." It's an Auto-Volume machine that has 5 buttons, 4 of which are programmable to brew different volumes of drinks, and the middle (5th) one a manual on/off - a panel with 5 buttons. You program the 'Doses' as you want (ie, ristretto, single, double, lungo would be one set, but anything you want). When you push a button, the amount of water you programmed in starts, and it stops when that volume of water has been dispensed to the puck. But I'm not seeing a button panel on your (very nice) machine.

The picture you are showing would seem to show an "S/1," where you push a single brew button to start the shot, and pushing it again to stop. I might be missing something because I'm not personally familiar with that vintage machine.

Still, it's a good machine and built like a tank. Also easy to work on.

Hello:

Al deHyde wrote: ... Auto-Volume machine that has 5 buttons, 4 of which are programmable ...
... not seeing a button panel ...
... would seem to show an "S/1," ...

Hmm ...
Maybe not all of them.

My ca. 2000 Cimbali Junior D/1 (see label below) seems to be identical to the OP's unit ...



... save for the modifications I have made to it since I purchased it.



Edit: I think you may have confused it with the later Cimbali Junior DT/1:



Cheers,

CIV

Thanks for the correction! My sincere apologies for introducing misinformation on the D/1. Not intended, I remembered wrong and thought the "D/1" function was just an outdated designation of the "DT/1's" function (I own one).

The "S" version is still current. The "S" stands for semiautomatic, whereas the "DT" stands for the auto volume Dosatron. I have no idea what the "D" means on that older unit. Again, my apologies for unintended confusion where it was definitely not needed.

Hello:

Al deHyde wrote: Thanks ...

You're welcome.

Al deHyde wrote: ... sincere apologies ...

No need to apologise. 8^D

The Cimbali model numbering schems can be quite confusing.

Al deHyde wrote: ... "S" version is still current.

Quite so.
Less buttons.
Easier to maintain.

Cheers,

CIV