The Orphan Espresso people are the best! I'm considering sending this machine to Doug to re-work but may need to get the parts from him and do the sweat equity myself. Tearing it down to do the powder coating must be labor intensive, so that adds expense. Regarding steam assembly, he's got a nice online video about steam valve seal replacement on the Cremina http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogtfRcytK5I, which may be similar to a Maximatic.

In this regard a couple of months ago I talked with Robert Spicer of Swiss Coffee Products http://www.swisscoffeeproducts.com/, the Olympia Express U.S. importer. He's a really nice guy and was willing to have me send him the steam wand for re-plating. That leads me to think the nut may be separable from the wand, and mine is showing much more wear than yours.

The steaming power on my Coffex is very intense, too, but I've gotten used to it and find it easier to steam that way than with my other two machines, which are capable but not as intense (Pavoni, Amica). With the Coffex, the stretched (soy) milk comes out noticeably sweeter. There's an excellent section in Dan Kehn's review of the Elektra A3 that talks about adjusting to higher power steaming, FWIW: /elektra-a3 ... mance.html

On the Caffarex, brown is beautiful! Pristine original paint on a machine like that may be more collectible in 2050, when it's still going strong!

Very nice restoration indeed....nice and tight. Don't you really enjoy how good it all looks under the case when it is all clean and in perfect alignment? Out of curiosity, what poetry did you put on the side?

Doug,

Is steam assembly maintenance for the Maximatic the same as for the Cremina?

Gary

Doug & Barb, coming from the two of you (who have restored so many machines), that is truly a compliment. Thank you. As far as poetry, I like Barb's off hand comment about "For pasta macaroni..." No, there is no poem on the side anymore. I was just glad that the state of the case, when I bought the machine meant I had no choice (unlike my Caffarex) - it had to be painted.

Gary, as far as I can tell, there is no difference between the steam valve on the Cremina and Maximatic. Both are quite simple in parts and assembly.

The valve part is the same but the swivel wand complicates things just a bit.

I was thinking about that poetry for the side, since you are in SoCal...."For burgers In and Out....for tacos find a truck, for like new Oly single gruppi....call Bob Shupe". but you have to practice the calligraphy.

Anyway, nice job...and we ordered a few of the Flo-jets to have just in case...we do have a few Maximatics awaiting the beauty treatment.

"Flo-jets," is that something like afterburners?

orphanespresso wrote:I was thinking about that poetry for the side, since you are in SoCal...."For burgers In and Out....for tacos find a truck, for like new Oly single gruppi....call Bob Shupe". but you have to practice the calligraphy.

I like it! In & Out for sure (makes me hungry just thinking about them), but I also would now say something about "For beer - The Bruery"... Just had an opportunity to try this Orange County brewery's "Black Tuesday" limited release stout. Oh man, if there still some bottles of this available to buy, even at $30 for a 750ml bottle, I'd jump at it. Crazy good beer. Toughest thing would be the recommended aging for a few years.

After a hectic year, my resolution was to finally rebuild the Coffex, and with the arrival of some bits from OE, I started tonight.

Completed:
- replaced sight glass seals
- replaced (petrified) grouphead gasket
- replaced (petrified) grouphead-to-boiler seal
- replaced hx-to-boiler seal and internal hx seals (2 little ones!)
- rebuilt steam wand
- replaced water reservoir seals

To do:
- replace pressure valve and steam faucet assembly seals (a little lost here, where do I start on this?)
-replace boiler gasket
This is proving quite difficult, as the gasket seems petrified. I've got to swing by the hardware store and pick up a wood chisel or chemical gasket remover.

-s.

Sherman,

Sounds like you've got a great project on your hands. Just be patient, and don't "force" anything. As far as the boiler gasket on my Livietta, it was a pain! Mine was so baked on that it took some time to get it off without doing any damage. Mine came off in chunks, and I (very carefully) used a combination of a utility/box knife and a wood chisel. Doug has some great instructions on doing this on the OE site. I'll see if I can find them.

For the steam valve, those come apart very simply once you remove the knob. The knob cap comes off my pushing (hard) on one side until it pops out the other side. Once that's off, the entire valve assembly can be removed after one screw is removed.

By "pressure valve", do you mean the pstat, the 3-way or what?

Since the pump was working, I saw no reason to disassemble it. That, and I was kinda scared I'll add some pictures to this site for documentation and posterity. Until then, here's the link to my Picasa Web Album that contains all the pics so far.

In case anyone else is foolhardy enough to try this, please remember to have the following tools on hand - they will aid you greatly:

small adjustable wrench (6")
open ended 15mm wrench
open ended 17mm wrench
3mm allen key (for removing HX bolts)
5mm allen key (for removing grouphead, boiler, water reservoir and steam faucet bolts)
picking tool/awl (for removal of sight glass, hx, reservoir, and other seals/gaskets)
snap ring pliers (for removing snap ring that holds water reservoir receiver)
0 size flathead screwdriver (for removing faceplate, bottom plate and thermostat screws)
00 size flathead screwdriver (for removing steam wand valve - bib washer screw)
vise-grip pliers (for anything in-between)
tweezers/needlenose pliers (for holding the nuts mated to faceplate screws)
computer with internet access (to visit Olympia's shopping site and get at the clickable spare parts diagram)