Jake's Futurmat Rimini Espresso Machine Rebuild

[shakin_jake]

...My experience with powdercoated espresso machines has been positive but I can't answer any questions as to what makes up a powdercoating, if that's your question B/J

Thanks.  Had never heard the term.  Wiki says, "Powder coating is a type of coating that is applied as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin". The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint..."

I learn something new on this forum every day.

RE:  Steam valve.  Mine is turning hard on the Silvia.  I know how to pop the hood.  What do I look for and what kind of lubricant do I use?  That "111" gunk you are using?  Bet my auto mechanics could send me home with a glob of goop. Thanks.

B|Java

~~~Yes, the powdercoat makes for a real hard surface but like Tex mentioned, the only colour choice you have is what the powderoater has on hand.  The shop that did mine referred to the black I chose as 'Black Chrome'.  I suppose it is a bit shiny but it is more of a gloss black than chrome

About your Silvia valve feeling sticky, I've never owned a Silvia nor taken one apart, so I'm not familiar with it.  Perhaps Tex can help you as he has worked on Silvias in the past



Jake
Reddick Fla.
I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there.
-- Herb Caen   

[Tex]

I got a sprayer from Eastmond supply to apply my own powder coat, seems easy.  This sprayer is on sale for $65 right now and the powder is $8 for 8 oz.  The biggest problem is you need an oven that will get to $400 deg F.  Lots of people use an old home stove but you can not use it for food after.  After I use it I will post on the results.  New tools are always cool!

After watching my powder coater (Precision Powder Coating), it seems the real trick is to get an even coating of powder. Harbor Freight also sells basic PC supplies.

[milowebailey]

I got a sprayer from Eastmond supply to apply my own powder coat, seems easy.  This sprayer is on sale for $65 right now and the powder is $8 for 8 oz.  The biggest problem is you need an oven that will get to $400 deg F.  Lots of people use an old home stove but you can not use it for food after.  After I use it I will post on the results.  New tools are always cool!

After watching my powder coater (Precision Powder Coating), it seems the real trick is to get an even coating of powder. Harbor Freight also sells basic PC supplies.

How would Mrs. T take to you using your oven to "paint" parts.  Now if you have an oven in the garage... different story.  I've thought about it, but don't have the room for the extra oven.

[Ringo]

I have a sample oven at work, used to bake out moisture samples.  If I put powder coat in my wifes oven we would see who is boss, she only lets me be boss till she "really" wants to.

[Tex]

I got a sprayer from Eastmond supply to apply my own powder coat, seems easy.  This sprayer is on sale for $65 right now and the powder is $8 for 8 oz.  The biggest problem is you need an oven that will get to $400 deg F.  Lots of people use an old home stove but you can not use it for food after.  After I use it I will post on the results.  New tools are always cool!

After watching my powder coater (Precision Powder Coating), it seems the real trick is to get an even coating of powder. Harbor Freight also sells basic PC supplies.

How would Mrs. T take to you using your oven to "paint" parts.  Now if you have an oven in the garage... different story.  I've thought about it, but don't have the room for the extra oven.

She'd have me in the oven in a heart beat! I doubt she'd be too receptive to a request to put one in the garage either - she nixed my idea to put an exhaust through the garage wall for the Sono. 'fraid wives just can't see the BIG picture!

[shakin_jake]

I'm reposting a pic which shows the front view of my Rimini when I first got it

Reason being, I didn't care for the acres of stainless steel the front of this machine had.  The rear panel was stainless steel also but I had the rear panel painted black to match the side panels.  So what to do with these front panels...how could I spritz them up some?  I decided to go with a process known as hydro coating.  The choices are many.  Burled wood, camo, whatever you want.  I decided on one of their carbon fibre schemes.  What they do, they prep the surface they're going to hydro coat, then lay it on and finish it with clear lacquer.  It's not a cheap process.  I was looking for the bill the other day in my Rimini file and couldn't find it, but I remember I had at least $400 into this project.  Here's the first picture...and remember, I'm not a good photographer=:-)

I laid the three pieces (and the knobs) out on the floor of one of my trailers.  I think, the picture is over exposed (too much sun).  It doesn't do the work any justice
Here'a another pic 

Looking a little better.  And finally, a shot of one of the panels I took in the shade
 
I had all of the knobs hydro coated in a contrasting carbon fibre pattern.  I've yet to hang all of the panels on the machine, including the painted panels (jet black gloss).  I'm hoping for a good result when it's all together.  Most every appliance in my kitchen is black (stove, fridge, etc.)

I've never mentioned this here in this thread but reading the Rimini literature (somewhere), Quality Espresso in Barcelona Spain, makers of this machine, claim the Rimini line of commercial espresso machines were built with the intention of the machine being used in a 'back room' and not front and center nor on display like some espresso machines are the focal point in a cafe.  We've all heard the old saying "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" but I like to think once I finish this espresso machine and it sits in my kitchen for all to see, it'll look a lot snazzier than when I first laid eyes on it=:-)


Jake
Reddick Fla.
I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there.
-- Herb Caen

[Dante]

Nice finish for the front panels Jake!

[Tex]

Nice finish for the front panels Jake!

That finish goes beyond nice. I looked into having mine done that way, then decided to do an engine turned finish (homage to my hot rodding days). Jake's Rimini will be a one-of-a-kind, and will look fantastic when (if?) he ever gets it back together. I'm betting on him missing his espresso enough to find the time it takes to reassemble it.

[mp]

Nice finish for the front panels Jake!

+1

 

[milowebailey]

Nice finish for the front panels Jake!

+1

 

+2, I mean I really like that look!!

[shakin_jake]

Jake
  Got a BUNN es1a for $100 off of ebay, it was in good shape for 15-20 year old machine.  What a learning process, a LOT of fun and sense of accomplishment when I was done.  I did run into a few problems, the pump was bad, had to get it rebuild.  The pstat not functioning correctly or looking back maybe user error but put a PID on it and working great.  Looking for a new one to rebuild or play with.... good luck and enjoy the ride.


Steve

~~~Steve,  I wanted to mention...$100 for an ES-1A?  Shouldn't that be illegal?=:-)  I was looking for an  ES-1A before I bought the Rimini.  At the time, none (ES-1A's) were coming up for sale.  I got impatient and bought the Rimini.  No regrets but the Rimini is huge in comparason, what with it's 7 litre boiler.  The ES-1A is a better sized machine for the home kitchen, using a 2 litre boiler.  The overall footprint is smaller, more suited to the home kitchen/home barista (IMO)



Jake
Reddick FLa.
I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there.
-- Herb Caen

[shakin_jake]

Nice finish for the front panels Jake!

That finish goes beyond nice. I looked into having mine done that way, then decided to do an engine turned finish (homage to my hot rodding days). Jake's Rimini will be a one-of-a-kind, and will look fantastic when (if?) he ever gets it back together. I'm betting on him missing his espresso enough to find the time it takes to reassemble it. ;D

~~~It has been nearly two years since I bought the Rimini, so I don't blame you for your skepticism, in regards to wondering, if I'll ever finish this project=:-)  And I do miss the taste of an espresso shot pulled in my own kitchen. 

One of the reasons I decided to post this entire thread about the Rimini project over here on GCBC, I figure if I run out of ambition to finish putting it back together, then all my buddies here will chide me into getting it done=:-)

Thanks everyone for the compliments on the carbon fibre treatment I had applied to the front panels.  I thought the job turned out well.  All of your praising (Dante, Tex, MP, Milow) reaffirmed to me I made a good choice choosing to go the hydro coating route, and going with the carbon fibre pattern

And I'd like to thank everyone else that has had good things to say about my decision to post the progress of this rebuild here on GCBC.  I truly wanted to put this project up here on this forum to inspire others to tackle an espresso machine to rebuild/restore/refinish.  That's how I came about this project originally, getting encouragement from Tex to rebuild an HX machine, finding one that had been neglected, and choosing to put it back into a shot worthy state.  I have an idea the first pull of espresso from this machine after it is finished is going to taste very good no matter what=:-)



Jake
Reddick Fla.
I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there.
-- Herb Caen   
 

[shakin_jake]

Okay, now on to putting the machine back together.  First up, this pic-

The time date stamp on this flickr page is August 13 2009, so I started the reassembling proces just over a year ago, but not much has been done to it since.  You'll recall that I am an admitted procrastinator=:-)
All that was accomplished here was, I pop riveted the back splach panel on (two rivets) and I bolted the top trim panel on, the panel that houses the shot control panel and the hot water and steam valve.  This is the counter where I will use this machine when it's finished.  The Salvatore espresso machine sitting next to it was sold a few months ago

This picture was taken a week ago, the only change is the group has been bolted to the splash panel, yet the group was installed months ago

This was the next step, bolting the motor and pump back into the frame, done within the last week.  Looks probably like a 5 minute job yet I had to turn the water inlet and outlet fittings into the pump housing.  I used teflon tape on the threads, then the pump was attached to the motor with a single clamp, then the motor/pump component could be bolted back into the motor bracket.  Luckily I took plenty of pictures of this assembly when removing as I wasn't sure how the motor clamped back into the bracket.  It looks simple enough but it was close to 2 years ago when it came apart and the holder pieces were placed into a box then into a cabinet.  It's not rocket science but having other pics to refer to made it easier to put back together.  If I have one word of advice stripping an espresso machine, take plenty of pics of the disassembly, ...you're going to need them when reassembling

Now it's time for the boiler to go into the frame

You can see the boiler sits on two stanchions below the boiler, which are part of the frame
 
But it's the various copper tubing pieces that run into and out of the boiler that gives this component integrity with the frame.  The two copper pipes you see here move water from the heat exchanger within the boiler to the group.  This is where progress is currently halted and procrastination begins once again=:-)


Jake
Reddick Fla.
I tend to live in the past because most of my life is there.
-- Herb Caen   

[milowebailey]

Jake

I like a guy who can get away with espresso machine rebuild in the kitchen.... If I tried that I'd be expelled from future entry into the kitchen.... although I did get away with having my Sono in the kitchen for a few years

The machine is looking good!  Keep up the good work.

[BoldJava]

After following this thread, I feel like flying south and being there for the first pull.

Congrats -- just a bit further -- you can finish this.

B|Java