Hello,

There are some weeks I have had great pleasure to meet François Oromato, restaurant owner of “La Stazione“. Renowned Italian restaurant of the equally famous French city Cassis. With a Faema e61 these past years he wanted to change back to a model of lever machine he already knew, a President from the same manufacturer.

Arrived around 9:00 am in full preparation of a sunny lunch of November 1 service, the installation will be a bit chaotic, a lot of people expected and as I do not usually install machines, more accustomed to my workshop, I had forgotten a few things. Fortunately André Luciani, who introduced me to François was there and gave me a helping hand. André I must speak to you one day, is the master roaster, and boss of the oldest coffee roasting company of Marseille.

Finally, funny thing, while the machine gently awaiting the return of Andre on the terrace of the restaurant I could once again check the irresistible attraction that these old objects could have on the public, a lot of people stopped to admire it.

 

Once installed and started, I could taste espresso crafted by the owner. And the least we can say is that he knows how. High quality espresso at the end of a great meal, it’s so rare that it must be said. Too often the coffee served is shabby, there, the blend “Planteur” from “Cafes Luciani” served by François close the meal with so much class that most people want more.

François Oromato with his new machine :

And there with André Luciani of coffee rosters “Cafés Luciani” :

Nice meeting, nice place,

La Stazione 39 Avenue Victor Hugo 13260 Cassis, one might meet around a good meal one day 😉

Pascal

 

Here is a great adventure comes to its end.

After getting the boiler, and given the quality of work has been done on it, I could get up the machine with confidence. No more leak to report anywhere.

The coffees of this machine are really a very good quality, I want to say, but this is only my opinion, that Faema has it all with this group. I’m used to more body, more flavor perhaps also with my usual machines, but also more blame, “but it’s hard …. bah!” By people accustomed to sad quality of the majors in home appliances. Here we get a coffee that has the body, many flavors, but also a lot of sweetness and roundness.

Pascal

 

 

 

Hello

I got the boiler this morning, I’ll just say, what a great job 😯

 

 

Something new under the sun

And not all good news …

At 11am this morning I had an appointment to solder the two small cracks in the boiler. At 15.30 I’ll get it back. The welder had two beautiful welds and the boiler was waiting in a corner of the workshop I came to retrieve it. I look at some work that was done and found that stainless steel has again cracked right next to the welds.

It was decided to take the bull by the horns, we conclude that we must weld a sheet of stainless steel across the weakened area to stop the progression of the disease, engagement took to 17.30.

At the appointed hour the professional get me back the tank at home, he really did a great job. But …. the disease is higher than expected, it still cracked side 🙁

It is still a new soldering iron next to the one already placed and I get the boiler tomorrow. I hope it’s going to blow it go because it’s the bottom of the boiler which has been mended.

I do not know exactly what to think about, a friend told me this morning the risks of poor grounding resistance and the risk of drilling tanks it is. I feel that there has been a long and bloody process of electrolysis, which attacked the metal gradually over the entire area below the item.

Nothing to worry too much though, the machine arrived there after almost 20 years of operation, with the thickness of sheet metal that is added with the welder, it should move at least 20 years again.

 

The LED kit arrived this morning, photo 🙂

 

 

 

Hello everyone

I disassembled again the boiler and all its fittings. All seals were made with Teflon, there is a significant risk that it melts.

I had a closer look at the problem is really two microscopic leaks.

A mouse against an elephant.

 

 

 

Hello everyone

It all started very well, a lot of work but no surprises.

In two days, I got my account … first, before yesterday, impounding of the machine, cold because I was still waiting last parts to finish the two groups.

I plumb the machine after checking that everything was tight and I gently open the water. I begin to fill the boiler and I have a leak to the flange of the machine, nothing serious, I tightened and it will be resolved.

Ditto for the HX  group left, down, it was not tight enough either.

I get to the water inlet valve and a leak on the arrival side, just after the valve which is connected to the hose. I must say that it lacks a bit of tightening and also is sending a bit of a key. It still leaks …. I tighten again but it still leaks, and rather more, I decided to take apart.

Final observation, the female fitting olive is split a bit of everywhere …

This is particularly annoying because this piece is no longer anywhere, it will therefore be necessary that I find a solution. I decided to change the connector fitting flat, which I add a joint. I cut the most damaged, then I grinded a dish. Solder to fill the last remaining micro cracks and re grinding to rebuild a correct range. Even the olive processing and assembly of the pipe. That is, I was a bit scared but finally it will not happen.

Yesterday I finally received the two piston pins that I missed to get all groups, then wound a little laborious, new pistons have been complicated to screw on the axes by compressing the springs, but it was finally done and groups are operational.

Last evening, the machine is hot, a small leak in the last connections thermosyphon groups and everything is ok. First coffee to rinse the machine then it is 22h so I decided to stop.

Today I put the machine on, I rinse a little more and decide to taste my first coffee, very happy to finally arrive at the end of this project. This afternoon, after dinner coffee will be taken on the machine and frankly, it’s really beautiful, the reputation of this group really is not stolen.

This afternoon, I put a little workshop, and at some point I fell not far from the machine, eye level with the bottom, I see a drop down, I go and there actually a small puddle under the boiler. Inspection, and it is a disaster …. there are two tiny pinholes in the bottom of the tank ….

I will have to take the boiler apart again and weld both holes by a specialist, I can not weld stainless steel and do not have the necessary equipment.

So … following the re re-assembly…

 

 

Hello

This morning I received the stainless steel screws, I finally got up the boiler, its flange and I replaced the original nuts that I used temporarily for the feet.

It’s long, I can not wait … I miss only the piston rods of the groups to be able to go back and start up the machine. Everything is ready, these parts are waiting on the grid bassinelle, I installed the system that will allow me to mount the new springs they do not jump me in the head, finally I’m on the starting block to finish 🙂

I mounted the heat element with a homemade Teflon seal.

The P-stat is in place, it is connected, while the beam is in place elsewhere, finally … there is only to …

 

 

Hello all

I’m late … I was able to clean the boiler, I had to sand the bottom which was attacked by a large enough surface rust. You have to understand the “operation” of stainless steel, this is not the material itself which is stainless but its reaction to the air. Contact with oxygen causes first-oxidation, called passivation, which will form an airproof and liability layer, a certain thickness becomes stable.

Rust on stainless steel occurs when the passive layer is attacked by an aggressive agent, it can be a grinding, welding, chemical attack, such as hydrochloric acid, completely prohibited. The use of tools that have been in contact with ferrous metal may even be causing a problem. I think the boiler had to be cleaned with steel wool, obviously there was a leak at the low pressure valve, and the protective layer has been weakened, the iron powder came into contact with bare metal and rust. This layer prevents good passivation of stainless steel and corrosion gradually takes over.

To facilitate the return to normal of the surface sanded, then assaulted, I had to polish the tank to find a smooth surface more conducive to “good” oxidation.

I also back up all the piping, hoping not to have to undo all later… normally it should be fine, at least… I hope 🙂

A small picture of the result:

 

 

[:] Continue reading “Faema President 2 groups”

Polishing and assembly groups:

The groups were very scratched, it took me over 2 hours each to give them a nice shine.

There are still some traces. It is a great debate but some make systematically replate their machines, I prefer when possible to let original, even with some traces, it may be stupid but I feel that with their bright recovered, only the original chromes can attest the history of the machine.

[:] Continue reading “Faema President 2 groups”