Hi All

Just started rebuilding Cremina from 1979 which I bought today to find broken dipper tube loose in boiler.
Part of the tube with thread is still stuck in brew head. Tried everything but cant remove/unscrew it.

If anyone knows or can measure the thread dimension on that tube?
I plan to drill and rethread and put new fitting in old thread.

Any suggestion?

Ouch! You look forward getting a Cremina and they sell it to you with a hidden "gift."

If no one answers, you will need a new dipper tube anyway. When you buy one you can measure the thread.

But first I suggest trying to get the broken piece out. I would get an EZout stripped screwhead tip for that size of hole, heat the area and gently and firmly turn it counterclockwise. Or if you have anything else you could put in there that might catch the inner walls of the broken pipe, you could use that. This may help you avoid retapping the threads.

Also at a hardware store or Home Depot there is a tool called an "internal pipe wrench" for situations like this that should not damage the threading provided you can find one small enough.

That looks like a great thing to try. The trick is breaking the hold of mineral scale or thread galling that has the broken piece cemented in there.

Thanks for help, sorted, drilled, tapped same thread, 1/8, new tube welded, just 6mm instead of 8 as 8 was not available.
As hole in grouphead is 5mm and 6mm pipe is 3.5mm inner diameter, what you think if it could be a problem?

Please advice

That looks like a good repair to me. The proof will be when you try it. It looks like you have the skills to fit a larger size pipe if needed.

All done, first few coffee made, lot to learn with first lever mashine.
I have painted the asbestos insulation on boiler with heat resistant paint to prevent dusting.
Cleaned SS panels, brushed face plate, polished rods and linkage....

I have to change piston seals as old piston just poped in grouphead with no resistance and it leaks slowly as pressure rises.

Hi there - I too have a dipper tube issue. My machine's dipper tube is seriously stripped, and I'd like to replace it. What connector did you purchase/install between the tube and the female threading on the grouphead? I've tried a compression fitting, but the compression fitting keeps hitting the bottom of the opening of the boiler. I have tried shaving down the compression fitting, but it's really really not working.