Great web site

A friend of the french forums dedicated to the coffee world, has posted some time ago a very nice website to introduce its small lever machines. I had flown rapidly at first and had put the link in my bookmarks to return to it later.

A few days ago I decided to take 5 minutes to go and I let myself led. I spent over an hour to read everything and there was a great time. It made me want to get out my Arrarex … and talk to you about it 🙂

A click on the image to visit “Machines à café à levier(lever coffee machines)” good reading

Pascal

Faema Mercurio 1st generation

Hello

Today I resumed work on the Mercurio. The discharge tube was desoldered, I resoldered and repainted.

Faema mercurio Faema mercurio Faema mercurio Faema mercurio evacuation bassinelle

 

I’ve often noticed that nobody said anything about “radiator” connections which connect the water inlet and hot water taps. I suspect many do not care about their condition. I wanted to know how it was done so I dismounted and do not regret, they were very rusted. Can not find this type of connection in brass or stainless steel 3/4 female 3/8male so it will be home made. A 1/2m 3/4f fittings and joints to weld 3/8, sawing drilling soldering and voila 😉

Faema mercurio rebuild hot water connector on a faema mercurio Faema mercurio raccord entré eau bas Faema mercurio raccord eau chaude bas

 

Some cleaning also

Faema mercurio Faema mercurio

Pascal

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 🙂