La San Marco single group lever

Posted on January 7th, 2016

converted La San Marco single group lever

Dual boiler, dual PID commercial lever beast!

This beast started out life as a La San Marco 85 series, single group volumetric heat exchanger. I bought it last year as a fixer upper, the boiler was over filling and it needed a general going over. 9 months or so later and it’s a very different machine to the one that came in!

Turns out the over filling problem was a fractured heat exchanger, so that ruled out keeping the machine conventional – the heat exchanger would have to be decommissioned, capped off and become part of the steam boiler volume – I didn’t like the chances of a successful repair.

At that point it became a total strip down, and while I had the bare chassis on the bench, I started playing around with the possibility of fitting a lever group that I had spare. With an extra cross member in the chassis, it would totally work! So, off to see my mate Gonz who worked his magic and welded in a cross piece to take half the group flange. The group was already fitted with cartridge heaters, from back in the days of the Quick Mill Achille testing with Talk Coffee, so why not take advantage of that? Then, why not add some extra precision with a dedicated brew boiler as well? Yep, it would fit with a bit of wrangling. I also adapted a small volume heat exchanger into the existing steam boiler to provide pre-heated water to the brew boiler. Serious overkill at this point but why the heck not?!

So, this ended up being the most advanced lever machine I’ve built to date, with a PID controlling the group and a PID controlling a dedicated brew boiler just behind it, temperature control is phenomenal. By tweaking the two set points, you can even control the shape of the traditional lever temperature profile.

The original boiler is slightly under-specced at 1700W, but it allows the total machine wattage to stay at approx. 10 amp draw, with 600W in the brew boiler and 200 in the group. It takes a while to reach 1.5 bar, the group is hot well before then – but is ready to go after 25 min approx. and steam pressure is never an issue due to the huge volume for a single group, and added insulation.

It’s plumbed in only, as the line pressure primes the brewing circuit and is used for pre-infusion. The spring installed in the group (new of course) generates 10 bar peak pressure. It’s a delight to use and pulls wonderful shots. I’m mad to sell it, but that’s the reality of running a business, I can’t hang on to everything!

Summary of work done:

solved issue with heat exchanger crack
entirely new brewing system – group, boiler, pre-heater, PID control X2.
new autofill controller, SSRs, wiring as required.
rebuilt all existing valves, plumbing.
powdercoat exterior panels in electric blue hammertone (bold, I know, but it looks stunning!)

It’s probably the most advanced lever machine in the world, in terms of temperature control (at the time of writing – 2016). Offers will be considered. I am in the process of finalising fitment of the front panel, as it was never intended to cover a lever group. Once that’s done she’s ready to go, will not take me long!

Restoration projects

Posted on September 21st, 2012

Restoration projects

creating functional classics

It could be argued that espresso machine design reached it’s peak in the workshops and foundries of northern Italy in the mid 20th century, and everything since then has been a bit boring! There’s a certain character about machines of that era that just exude flair, passion and artistry. And while not many of us are lucky enough to own a Gaggia Esportazione, Cimbali GranLuce, La Pavoni Concorso, La San Marco Lollobrigida or Faema Urania, it’s certainly true that any vintage coffee machine is eminently restorable to perfect working condition given enough love and attention.
Whether you’ve got an older second hand machine that you want to bring up to scratch for domestic or cafe use, or you’ve uncovered a gem in a forgotten corner of the garage, I can help you with either a complete restoration from start to finish, or a particular aspect if you’re doing most of the work yourself. My aim with restorations is always function before aesthetics – what’s the point having a shiny beautiful machine if it makes rubbish coffee or no coffee at all. After that, anything is possible including installing modern electrical systems, re-plating or re-manufacturing worn parts, re-spraying paintwork and reproducing original factory artwork. My preference and advice is always to preserve original finishes where possible, as this preserves character and adds value to the machine in the long term.

Naturally these hands-on processes can be very time consuming, and I assess and quote each restoration project as a flat labour fee plus expenses, according to the result you want to achieve.

Repairs and servicing

Posted on September 21st, 2012

Repairs and servicing

Keeping you extracting – commercial or domestic

Repairs and servicing are what I spend most of my waking hours on. When things aren’t working as they should, you need the problem rectified quickly so you can keep enjoying your equipment. With many years of experience working on all brands of commercial and domestic espresso equipment, I’ll ensure that you’re back up and running with the minimum of fuss – whether it’s as simple as changing a filter or adjusting pump pressure, right through to a major breakdown.

You’ll also get the kind of personal service and attention to detail that you can only expect from a dedicated individual. I want you to be happy with my work, and I’ll take the time to make sure that you are. Crucial to that is that I don’t just know machines, I know coffee and I can have a conversation with you about how different parameters in the machine affect the results, and look at your whole system including the machine, grinder, coffee and water source to identify issues that may not have been readily apparent.

For domestic equipment, if you are dropping off at my Northcote workshop location I aim for a 48 hr turnaround. Otherwise, an on-site call may be required if the equipment is hard to move, or in commercial use. See the FAQ page for more details.

For commercial clients, if it’s not a breakdown I’ll work with you to attend at a time that suits your business. The last thing you want is to be turning customers away because your machine’s out of action.