'82 Olympia Cremina Lever...

[BoldJava]

Life off the top plate

[BoldJava]

and finally, the framing shell lifts right off.  Very heavy gauge stainless <?> steel.  2 minutes, voila.

[BoldJava]

...
The thing that  will frustrate you at the start is all the  variability the Cremina offers. Later, the thing you will love about the Cremina is all the  variability it offers.

On the second pull, I immediately sensed exactly those two points.  Learn hard; love hard.

[BoldJava]

Last night was a brief try-out and self-intro to the Tin Man....

Let me know how easily that thermometer comes off the grouphead.  I snagged one from Orphan but hesitate to put it on my Cremina.  Don't want that permanently interfering with her outer radiance on a permanent basis.  I am going to use the steam wand manostat that Warrior rigged to learn the shot by pressure rather than temp for now.  The fabric'ed silicone tubing from our mechanic worked perfectly on the steam wand, just a dab of Dow 111 (food safe).  Wiped right off with cotton cloth.

B|Java

[BoldJava]

Been a rash of Creminas come up for sale on eBay recently.  The former owner of this '89 should be tarred and feathered for spray painting the front plate stainless steel a matte black finish.

That hurts.

[Warrior372]

Warrior didn't think we would show...traffic slowed us down.

How many espresso shots had he drunk while waiting for you?  He looks wired for sound!

Haha. I had actually just gotten out of class and arrived home. That reaction was to how hard Dave had tamped for the first shot. He asked me to pull the first one, so I agreed at which point I turned round and saw him leaning all of his weight into the basket. This picture caught my reaction as I thought he was either trying to kill me or blow up his new machine. Either way he saw how hard you have to pull to back yourself out of the grind to fine tamp to hard corner .

[Warrior372]

Last night was a brief try-out and self-intro to the Tin Man....

Let me know how easily that thermometer comes off the grouphead.  I snagged one from Orphan but hesitate to put it on my Cremina.  Don't want that permanently interfering with her outer radiance on a permanent basis.  I am going to use the steam wand manostat that Warrior rigged to learn the shot by pressure rather than temp for now.  The fabric'ed silicone tubing from our mechanic worked perfectly on the steam wand, just a dab of Dow 111 (food safe).  Wiped right off with cotton cloth.

B|Java

I don't think I'll be pulling off the themometer strip anytime soon.  I had bought one previously for a friend with a La Pavoni Romatica with one of my OE orders, I think they're supposed to come off clean, but can't say for sure.

I'm wondering if I need a steam wand gauge to check the built-in pressure gauge.  Do you have a parts list for the one you made?

Dow 111 is great.  I think we even stock this at work for RF connectors and O-rings.

It consisted of two brass plumbing fittings from your local hardware store, a pressure gauge and a few inch long piece of 1/4" braided silicone car hose (might be radiator hose. . . Dave got the hose he knows more about it than I. He can also tell you the optimal length for the hose, as it was a little long when he was at my hose. Maybe 3" range.). The two fittings needed are: 1) a 1/4" female to 1/4" female 90 degree coupler and 2) a 1/4" female to 1/4" barbed coupler. Screw those two pieces together as tightly as you can with a wrench, screw the pressure gauge into the open 1/4" female opening on the 90 degree coupler and tighten it with a wrench, then slide your 1/4" hose onto your 1/4" barb and you are all set!

All of the above should work if your steam wand / head of your steam wand are comparable in size to the cremina.

Cool looking setup! You and B|Java can trade manual profiling tips as you learn.

[BoldJava]

1st shot in Lake Cheddar.  14.3 grams, 22 seconds.  Don't know the glass yet -- guessing 1.5 oz. Used more arm torque than last night. Had more crema but forgot the camera -- I quickly ran, grabbed it, and managed to capture some of it.

I made a 2nd one for the Czarina, her standard capp-latt.  "It's gooooood.  It tastes like it has sugar in it."  Red Bird.

I
am
thrilled.

B|Java

[milowebailey]

Small footprint.  I forgot to add how small the unit is.  I like that it doesn't 'take over' a shelf or counter.  11.5x10.5x7.5. It weighs 18 lbs, empty (models from 2002 and more recent weigh 24 lbs - larger boiler and frame).

Pull it out to make a spro.  When finished, slides right back if you are a humble Midwesterner and don't want to over-do the bling for visitors.

B|Gadget

What's the next toy?  A Clover?

[BoldJava]

...Dow 111 is great.  I think we even stock this at work for RF connectors and O-rings.

I only need the lube to get the tubing over the steaming wand.  If you go the wand route and want it off the shelf, OE has it as about as cheaply as you will find:  http://www.orphanespresso.com/Steam-Wand-Pressure-Test-Gauge_p_2033.html

OE claims older manostats that are built in become inaccurate over time.

[milowebailey]

I only need the lube to get the tubing over the steaming wand. 

liquid dish soap will do that job.

[BoldJava]

>>>...dish soap...>>>

That saves a couple of bucks.  Thx.  Just have to remember to wipe it down well.

[milowebailey]

>>>...dish soap...>>>

That saves a couple of bucks.  Thx.  Just have to remember to wipe it down well.

Even try to put a few drops in some water.... dip in the tubing and slide it on.... then rinse...

[Warrior372]

The soap could be really entertaining too. Lather the steam wand up and then turn it on to see if / for how long it will blow bubbles .

[staylor]

Just coming back to the land of coffee after a long weekend in Spokane. Welcome to the Land of Levers, B|Cremina. Though I'm a relative lever noob myself I've pulled enough to know you are going to love leverdom.

Who's the next to fall for the lever's siren call?