Category: Chromes d’antan

Faema Urania 1958

Hello

Hard to post right now, when you don’t know what to say it’s better telling nothing.

Rapid catch-up session, I hope it will please you, let’s go ?! 😉

One must place it on something this machine …

urania's feet Urania's feet

One thing bothered me about this machine was broken boiler flange, a 9 holes not to be found to my knowledge. I made remanufacture. For recall, too, this machine only worked at gas, so the flange was not drilled. There was an impression of the passage hole of the heating element, and two brass round welded inside at the location of two clamping screws.

original end plate original end plate

Drilling main hole. Drilling and threading of the two holes who maintain the heating element.

Creating a branch connection on the steam circuit for the installation of the p-stat.

faema urania pressostat detail faema urania pressostat detail

I replaced the group. The original was one designed for French market. Not interesting for espresso and too hard and expensive to find the gaskets.

faema urania velox group

The machine now is quite finished. I finish rincing the boiler tomorrow and will soon make an espresso. I just have to finish painting the front glass and install the red light.

A few pictures again.

Pascal

 

faema urania tap detail faema urania Low pressure valve faema urania heating element faema urania boiler detail faema urania faema urania drip tray faema urania manometer faema urania plexiglass faema urania plexiglass faema urania plexiglass faema urania

Is Re chrome Plating Always Better ?

How restore a 60 years old machine without removing its history ?

It is very easy to make completely re plate one machine a bit shabby, and it is less work. But the charm of restoration isn’t it ultimately a question of balance ?

When I look at my Faema Mercurio closely, I see very many dents, thousands of fine scratches, a bunch of small defects it should be tempting to completely remove.

And when I finally allow myself to watch it with one other eye than technique, I see a story, a past. Also an elegance i’m sure it didn’t have when was new. Because it was just a working tool as are all these machines we collect, whereas today it has its history over, its patina.

I long to start reassembling, I started to treat the dressing elements, I hope the result will be balanced because I spent a lot of time. 

 

Return To Work

Last post June of 2011… let’s go back,  no ?

The machine is now apart, the chassis will leave to be powder coated tomorrow.

The group-head is broken, to replace. Not sure it will be possible to keep the original chrome plated “helmet”. I will see with the new group-head if it fit or not.

Another thing is a problem, the boiler’s aluminium flange is broken. I didn’t find anything yet to replace it. If anyone have a solution 😉

Finally it will not prevent me from finishing this machine, nothing like a beautiful bouquet of brass to restore courage 🙂

Finished

Hello

With the warmer weather that we found I could finally put the machine on. A slight leak in the fill in tap, just add a little of Teflon, and tightening, all is well.

It’s been three days that the machine works for at least 4 hours, and I made many rinses. Water has assumed an aspect totally normal and have no bad smell, I could finally enjoy a coffee.

Very surprising result of this machine with its tiny boiler stuck like that on group, and the pre-infusion that is adjusted with the tap water intake, in addition to the fineness of grinding it complicates the equation, but it must be exciting to explore. I have not been able to get out the best I think, but I do not have time unfortunately to further my study.

Pascal

 

Finally thawing !

Hello everyone.

It’s been a while now that I have not written here, freezing cold has paralyzed France recently, this is the first time this has happened, the water has been frozen for two weeks in my studio. Could not work properly in these conditions, and even less take the risk of putting water in a boiler.

I got the last pieces that I missed to end the Velox, and finished the reassembly. I made a carrying timber to fix the machine while retaining some access to the rear for test there is no leak. I wait a bit to be sure that the temperature does not come down again, I will come back and tell you the first attempts to start.

Pascal