Brian Fantana Posted July 23, 2015 Posted July 23, 2015 Did you make the portafilter?Yes, I purchased two La Peppina baskets when I was in Italy last month, but the standard caravel portafilter is too small to accommodate the extra 1,5mm diameter of the baskets so I decided to make one that will work and test it. I am quite happy with the performance, I am going to drop drawings off at local machine shop tomorrow, so they can make two of those for me out of brass. SimpleDom 1
the nerd Posted July 23, 2015 Posted July 23, 2015 Yes, I purchased two La Peppina baskets when I was in Italy last month, but the standard caravel portafilter is too small to accommodate the extra 1,5mm diameter of the baskets so I decided to make one that will work and test it. I am quite happy with the performance, I am going to drop drawings off at local machine shop tomorrow, so they can make two of those for me out of brass. Hmmmm... How did you make one? I need second one for my Cremina...
Greg29 Posted July 23, 2015 Posted July 23, 2015 My Oscar is in for a service. Wouldn't heat up. The seal has been leaking for a while and I have had the machine for two years so in it went for a total service. R3750 with labour. Ouch. Anyway I am supposed to get it back tomorrow. I have been using the aero press. It's OK but it's not the same. That's a bit of a worry! I have my eye on an Oscar but a R3.7k service on an (approx) R12k machine after only two years does not sound good!!
Brian Fantana Posted July 23, 2015 Posted July 23, 2015 Hmmmm... How did you make one? I need second one for my Cremina...I took a 50mm >> 40mm Schedule 40 stainless steel conical reducer and cut it at a point where the basket fits snugly. I then used one of the scrap pieces and cut ears out of it at a section with the same ID as the OD of the portafilter body. I tapped two M3 holes in the sides of the body and bolted the ears to the portafilter body with M3 countersunk bolts. I am really glad it works, because the new baskets allow me grind a lot finer and still get the same flow as with the standard basket. I cannot wait to have two of these machined out of solid brass. I prefer brass as I would rather have the ears of the portafilter wear out than the bayonet fitting on the machine.
V12man Posted July 23, 2015 Posted July 23, 2015 My Oscar is in for a service. Wouldn't heat up. The seal has been leaking for a while and I have had the machine for two years so in it went for a total service. R3750 with labour. Ouch. Anyway I am supposed to get it back tomorrow. I have been using the aero press. It's OK but it's not the same. That's a bit of a worry! I have my eye on an Oscar but a R3.7k service on an (approx) R12k machine after only two years does not sound good!! Provided nothing is broken, they are very easy to service - check for leaks, descale and change grouphead seal if needed covers 90 percent of it - at most 1 hours work. Easy to learn to do that diy - leaks are not to hard to sort - electrical issues aee harder to diagnose than resolve - given you can find spares.
stewie911 Posted July 24, 2015 Posted July 24, 2015 How do you guys maintain your Oscars? I have the simonelli, currently on for 24h/day, and do the following.Weekly - Backflush with Cafiza espresso cleaner and soak portafilter in cafiza mixture.Monthly - Soak the screen in cafiza mizture6 monthly - Heat exchanger descale In the 2.5 years I had the machine I have replaced the brewhead gasket last month and have also done a boiler descale beginning of this year. To descale heat exchanger I did the following:I remove power to the two-way solenoid valve so no water can enter the boiler. Then I run a citric acid solution through the heat exchanger by operating the pump and let it sit there for a while.Operate the pump again to rinse the whole system. After the water runs clear (I do a taste test for the citric acid) from the brewhead I reconnect the solenoid and that's it.To descale the boiler I did the following: Disconnect heater element.Disconnect level fill switchFill reservoir with citric acid solutionOpen steamwand and let the boiler fill until water runs from steamwandLet sit for 30minOpen drain valve and drain boiler Repeat above steps with citric acid solution until clear water free of debris runs from boilerRepeat obove steps with clean water until water free of acid drains from boiler.Reconnect everything V12man 1
cadenceblur Posted July 24, 2015 Posted July 24, 2015 Had mine for close on two years, only cost has been seal replacement and general look over I guess. Cost was R500 all inclusive. Machine is used twice a day in the week and more over weekends. I just back flush with that cleaning stuff. Haven't had any other issues. I'm in Cape Town though, so maybe water quality is less of an issue?
Frosty Posted July 24, 2015 Posted July 24, 2015 Most of the Pro team buses have a semi-auto machine... but not Team Sky:
Werner van Aardt Posted July 25, 2015 Posted July 25, 2015 I took a 50mm >> 40mm Schedule 40 stainless steel conical reducer and cut it at a point where the basket fits snugly. I then used one of the scrap pieces and cut ears out of it at a section with the same ID as the OD of the portafilter body. I tapped two M3 holes in the sides of the body and bolted the ears to the portafilter body with M3 countersunk bolts. I am really glad it works, because the new baskets allow me grind a lot finer and still get the same flow as with the standard basket. I cannot wait to have two of these machined out of solid brass. I prefer brass as I would rather have the ears of the portafilter wear out than the bayonet fitting on the machine. Can you post some close up pictures of that makeshift portafilter?
HappyMartin Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 I'm not fond of complaining but I had really awful service from that Simonelli dealership in Parkhurst. I practically begged them to phone me back. Asked on at least three occasions for them to call and tell me what was going on. They just never did. The last time they said they would call when the machine was ready. I eventually phoned on Monday and they were like yes it has been running fine on our test bench since last Tuesday. They did at least finally sort it out but it took three goes. Cost almost 4k and took about a month. As I say. I'm not so satisfied with the service. I am currently still looking for my next machine. No it won't be a Slayer. Perhaps one day though.....
cadenceblur Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 Raise it with the agent/importer. That's unacceptable service. I bought mine directly from him. Let me know if you need his details. HappyMartin 1
HappyMartin Posted July 29, 2015 Posted July 29, 2015 Raise it with the agent/importer. That's unacceptable service. I bought mine directly from him. Let me know if you need his details.Thanks but I'm not in a fighting mood over it. The machine is working well now and when I upgrade at the end of the year I will just go elsewhere. But thanks for the offer.
the nerd Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 Unfortunately as well they are the importers of simonelli.
Brian Fantana Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 Can you post some close up pictures of that makeshift portafilter?Yes, I will take a few photos as soon as I am back home.
HappyMartin Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 I thought they were. Well I won't buy another one. I'm sure my little bit of business won't bother them.
V12man Posted July 30, 2015 Posted July 30, 2015 Raise it with the agent/importer. That's unacceptable service. I bought mine directly from him. Let me know if you need his details.Alessandro in Parkhurst IS the importer.... the nerd 1
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