My Take On Cremina - From Start To...

[snowytec]

Where did you get those final pics knurled pins ?
They look really practical and really nice, (my favourite combination).
probably stop me scratching the Cremina forks removing those circles eventually.
But then new forks are probably cheaper than 10 years of service costs.
Great Idea OCD !
Cheers.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

So.....today I finally decided to install the piston pressure kit that I purchased a few months back from Gabor. A few pressure points along the journey (largely circlips that were a touch smaller than my circlip pliers wanted to deal with), but the biggest PITA was replacing the group gasket (which eventually worked after a few threats of extreme violence). The combination of cleaning, re-lubeing, the new piston shaft and the new gasket has thrown my standard dose/tamp out a bit. I note that the portafilter locks in at about 30 degrees further anti-clockwise after today. Will see how things pan out tomorrow and post some photos when I'm happy with it.

[OCD]

Third time lucky.

[OCD]

Can't seem to be able download the picture I was referring to???

[OCD]

It now only takes me seconds to disassemble the lever pivot pins. No tools required.

Ps downside: one less excuse for slacking off on maintenance.

[OCD]

The following is my solution:

[OCD]

I know I should get a life, but those fiddly circlips from my 2011 Cremina had to go.

[OCD]

In 2002 Olympia replaced the circlip retainers on their Cremina's lever pins with, imho, more practical allen keyed bolts. Then they backflipped. Why?

[OCD]

Circlips aka snap rings, retaining rings and (irreverently) as Jesus clips. I always prefered magic clips - they had a propensity for dissappearing as if by magic which, it has to be said, was better than copping one in the eye.

[snowytec]

Hi OCD,
When I originally got my "New Model" Cremina and stripped it down to incorporate Gabor Laczco's pressure profiling mod I also found that cir-clip was not in place in it's indent and the washer was loose on the spindle.

Contacted Gabor about this and he contacted Christian Sagehorn at Olympia- Express, (both great and helpful guys who are genuinely passionate about coffee).

They sold me a new cir-clip and I put it and the washer in place, (the cir-clip did click in).

But I didn't notice any difference in operation.

After a couple of years trouble free operation I recently noticed that the lever is definitely stiffer, (during warming flushes) this winter, when the head is still relatively cold but the machine has reached full pressure - so mine may also be due for a service (which I know we both do ourselves).

I'll let you know if the clip is still in place after two + years when I finally take it apart.

The coffee extractions are still unbelievable - (these things really are superior musical instruments worth learning).
I'm now playing with different length and partial pressure puck pre soaks, (just by muscle memory on the lever and the second hand on a wall clock).
I achieve useful pressure profiles this way just by feel and taste alone.
The temperature of the head also effects the initial lever pressure on the puck by different amounts due to coffee variety and also coffee age, (their will be a correlation between this and adapting suitable profiles).

Journey continues.

Cheers,

Snowytec.

[OCD]

Hi Barry,
Mine: for sure. The one that Barb and Doug are working on: seems like it. The rest: who knows?
If Olympia did it deliberately, why did they leave the washer in there? The only purpose for the washer, that I can see, is to protect the seal from the snap ring.
Did just fine without the snap ring for two years. Doing just fine now. I'm guessing it will do just fine without the washer too.
There doesn't seem to be enough room for a seal, a washer and a snap ring in what is a relatively shallow hole, even though it was obviously designed for a snap ring - the machined groove is there. Perhaps the dimensions of the seal have changed from what was originally intended. The current seal is soft and pliable - not at all like the neoprene seals that the Cremina was, most likely, designed for way back in 1967.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Cheers. Are you suggesting that Olympia left the snap ring out of all of the machines, or just yours?

[OCD]

...I'd have thought that the group shouldn't get that dirty in a Cremina (relative to an E61). I certainly know from when I've pulled the group apart on the Achille that there is bugger all coffee above the shower screen.....but I guess I'll find out when I eventually pull the Cremina apart...

"If it ain't broke don't muck with it" or so I thought. After two trouble free years the piston seals on Cremina started to leak - most noticeable when warming up. When I pulled the piston out, the first thing I noticed was that I should've done it a lot sooner (yuk! see pic). The second thing I noticed, after a good clean, was that there was no snap ring holding the 4 holed washer and piston rod seal in place. Did Olympia leave it out deliberately? 3:35 into Orphan Espresso's YouTube video (https://youtu.be/2RHbsX75Zso) would suggest they did. After tracking down and fitting a snap ring (too tight for my comfort) I left it out. Probably could have left the 4 holed washer out as well. In any event, Cremina is back together again and working as well as ever - sans the snap ring.

Ps the piston rod seal itself needs to be squished into a hole half its diameter so it's not in any danger of just falling out.

Ps2 the flat side of the seal goes up. The flat side of the 4 holed washer goes down.

[SanderP]

Find the orphan espresso YouTube on cleaning the Cremina, do what Doug does and all will be well.

P. S. Pretty sure it doesn't include a blind filter because the Cremina doesn't have a OPV.

Cheers

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

After I've finished pulling my shots I:
* block the portafilter off with a rubber disk.
* lock the blocked portafilter into the group head.
* back it off a few degrees.
* lift the lever forcing the 1 BAR boiler water through the gap between the blocked portafilter and the group head.
This flushing technique has kept my group head clean - up until now.
I was under the impression that, although this technique opens up a direct path between the boiler and the brewing chamber, the pressure difference would prevent cross contamination. Maybe it doesn't.

Ps best laid plans of mice and men...

Ahh I see. I've used a blind filter on the Achille but never with the portafilter actually locked into the group.

I'd have thought that the group shouldn't get that dirty in a Cremina (relative to an E61). I certainly know from when I've pulled the group apart on the Achille that there is bugger all coffee above the shower screen.....but I guess I'll find out when I eventually pull the Cremina apart.

Ps probably in the Grapes of Wrath territory now.