Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

[Crema_Crem_Crem]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Update to my steam timing:

I tried the method of waiting ten seconds after the steam light goes out to begin frothing. It definitely produced more and stronger steam. This is the method I will stick to, for sure.

[ben_wren]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

The Coffee has the same wand and location as the Classic, so your mod would use the same part and procedure as I used.  Its well worth it.

Thanks very much.. I have ordered one now! I anticipate drowning in a kitchen full of dense milky joy after my first post-mod latte. If I dont report back, you can assume that is what has happened.

[NewToEspresso]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

NTE, Just to reiterate, bleed with steam switch OFF, about 1-2 teaspoons water only comes out.
DO NOT switch steam on until you have jug and milk etc ready under the wand. Put wand in milk, press  steam switch on.
I then count 1000, 1001 etc etc to 1010, then turn on valve and raise tip for stretching. OK, maybe a little less steam at first but you will be amazed at how quickly the steam builds up and gives a good stretch and swirl, maybe I am easily amazed!!. :-[The steam light should NOT come on during this process.

Ive just tried this yesterday because I dont usually have to make 2 lattes at work and wouldnt you know it... IT WORKS!!! I never had that low pitch growl towards the end that I had before (indicating loss of steam) but it sounded like it was seriously struggling at the start. Better that than losing steam at the end I reckon. Thanks for the tip!

[cremakid]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Yes, as strange as it seems, it DOES work. Youre about the third one to prove that I am not a complete nutter. Maybe a nutter but not a complete one!

Just pass it on. Happy microfoaming.

[silvia_saviour]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Im happy to say I made the same mod on my Gaggia Classic yesterday with great success! Thanks for all the tips. I also replaced the o-ring and put on the washer that came with the silvia wand. no leaks or anything!

Im just trying to perfect microfoam now. A few more attempts should do it hopefully. Im going to try the 10 second trick tomorrow and ill report back.

[cremakid]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

SS

Im going to try the 10 second trick tomorrow and ill report back.

The 10 seconds is only a figure I decided to use just so it gives the steam a bit of time to kick in before the light comes on. Maybe 12-15 secs may work as well as long as the light does not come on. I guess if you waited 0 secs it would work but some get concerned if they turn the steam on and nothing much happens.

Also after steaming, even for two cups, when you wipe the wand over purge the wand, turn it on full and take notice of the amount of steam that issues forth. Just for those who say the Classics boiler is too small and doesnt produce enough steam. It doesnt actually take much steam to microfoam otherwise we would end up with a heap of water in the milk!

[Crema_Crem_Crem]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

The 10 seconds is only a figure I decided to use just so it gives the steam a bit of time to kick in before the light comes on. Maybe 12-15 secs may work as well as long as the light does not come on. I guess if you waited 0 secs it would work but some get concerned if they turn the steam on and nothing much happens.

Im finding it to be more like 15-20 seconds if starting with the boiler at brew temp.  At 10 seconds I was either getting nothing or just a little gurgle.  However, if I hit the steam switch, let the boiler reach full steam temp, and then let it cycle again, the 10 seconds is sufficient.  I assume this is because the boiler is already heated up to steam range.  So with this method, you would hit the steam switch, wait for the light to come on, then wait for the light to go OFF to start the 10 second count.  You get strong steam right from the start.  (it is during the second heat-up period, while the light is off, that I do the short purge to clear the wand.)

The reason I even  tried this method is because Ive been using my second-cycle steam method since I got my Classic over two years ago.  I found it improved the steam pressure and longevity, which helped me to get the most out of the panarello wand.  So when I recently did the Sylvia wand mod and read of the 10-second trick,  I adapted it from my second-cycle method.

[flynnaus]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Well my setup is almost complete: I have a new Gaggia Baby Class, I have bought all the home barista accessories including a good  tamper. Yesterday I sacrificed the money I was putting aside for a new guitar and invested in a Mazzer Mini (manual doser) from Di Bartoli - a very worthwhile investment with instant results - a good crema on my second attempt.

The only thing missing from the equation is a decent steam wand. Ive tried it with the panarello - good if you like a coffee meringue. I took the plastic tube of the panarello and just tried it with the plastic section that the tube fits on. I couldnt get the milk to stretch. I admit I didnt persevere with this very long and removed the complete panarello assembly and tried it with the naked tube with much better results.

However after watching a couple of youtube vids on milk stretching I think a proper wand is the way to go. Im already sweet talking the treasurer (my wife) about the benefits of one of the nice machines I saw at Di Bartolis (next year perhaps), but:

1)Is there a special technique using the naked Gaggia Baby wand? OR

2) Will the Silvia wand fit a Gaggia Baby? Renzo from Di Bartoli suggested as the Gaggia Baby wand has a swivel joint (rather than just a rotating one), a Silvia wand mightnt fit but I saw another site that suggests the mod can be done

http://www.espressotec.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=641

Any one tried this mod?

Thanks
Steve

[flynnaus]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

In addition to the above, I decided I would have to answer my own question and it appears that a Silvia steam wand mod wont work for my Gaggia Baby machine, or any Gaggia with a ball-jointed steam wand.
Unless someone has further suggestions I will have to get using the Gaggia steam wand. I checked Coffee Parts in the hope that I could replace the ball joint with  the steam valve attachment from a Gaggia Class or Silvia but it doesnt seem possible. The steam valve on my Gaggia sit son top of the boiler with a hose connected to the ball joint

Here is a picture:

[cremakid]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

b*gg*r! >

[Crema_Crem_Crem]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

The 10 seconds is only a figure I decided to use just so it gives the steam a bit of time to kick in before the light comes on. Maybe 12-15 secs may work as well as long as the light does not come on. I guess if you waited 0 secs it would work but some get concerned if they turn the steam on and nothing much happens.

Im finding it to be more like 15-20 seconds if starting with the boiler at brew temp.  At 10 seconds I was either getting nothing or just a little gurgle.  However, if I hit the steam switch, let the boiler reach full steam temp, and then let it cycle again, the 10 seconds is sufficient.  I assume this is because the boiler is already heated up to steam range.  So with this method, you would hit the steam switch, wait for the light to come on, then wait for the light to go OFF to start the 10 second count.  You get strong steam right from the start.  (it is during the second heat-up period, while the light is off, that I do the short purge to clear the wand.)

The reason I even  tried this method is because Ive been using my second-cycle steam method since I got my Classic over two years ago.  I found it improved the steam pressure and longevity, which helped me to get the most out of the panarello wand.  So when I recently did the Sylvia wand mod and read of the 10-second trick,  I adapted it from my second-cycle method.

After a bit more experimentation Ive found my best results as follows:
1. hit the steam switch
2. after 20 seconds, purge the wand (just a quick 2-second blast)
3. start steaming at 35 seconds

Im getting strong steam right off and all the way through the process with fantastic results in the pitcher. I keep the pitcher in the freezer and take it out just seconds before I start the process.

[jonathad]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

After much procrastination I finally ordered a wand from Renzo. No regrets whatsoever. The adapter supplied made it a breeze to fit. I highly recommend making this mod. My poor old Classic is about 7 years old now and I think Ive squeezed a couple more years out of her. Next step is seeing if I can hook into the mains so I never have to refill the tank.

Thank you Renzo!

[cantoccino]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Hi,

Im an Aussie living in Hong Kong (new to the forum) and bought a coffee machine out of desperation because the coffee here is pathetic. Most people go to Starbucks or the other major chains, Pacific Coffee and Cova for a good coffee. I found a couple of places that serve decent coffee, but it would take 30-40 mins to get there. So I ended up with a KitchenAid Artisan machine to cure the cravings.

I improved after taking a brief local barista course, but havent mastered microfoam yet. I took the advice of Shadow745 (thanks) from one of the KitchenAid discussions and removed the plastic frothing attachment which made a bit of a difference, but seems to only be effective in a small milk jug. So a longer arm, with a more professional frothing arm sounds great.

From my very limited understanding, KitchenAid machines is a Gaggia machine in disguise. So I was wondering if the conversion can be done on the KitchenAid Aritisan machine too.

And after looking through the espressoparts.com website, they have a Rancilio Silvia Articulating Steam Wand Conversion Kit. Does anyone out there know if this would suit my machine, and if it would be easy to change. Or would I completely stuff up my machine if I attempted any amateur engineering manoeuvers?

[cortado]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Thanks for the good idea and instructions. I came over this by total coincidence, and Im happy I did!

I fixed our Gaggia Classic yesterday, easy and fun to do. Great result!
I got the Silvia steam wand from temperato.no, 154 NOK (ca. 30 USD) here in Norway.

:exclamation Dont use sandpaper, use a file (carefully, by hand) on the connection end of the new wand.
    - You can use the wrench you already have at hand, to compare the diameter of the Gaggia and Silvia wand, dont stop filing until its even.
    - (More than you would think, has to be filed off).
    - At last, with the same wrench you can even out and "polish" the brass you now have at the connnection end.

The O-ring, I let the old one sit since this fits better. Keep the new Silvia O-rings for later, if replacement is needed.

[hobb3]

Re: Gaggia Steam Wand Replacement Mod

Has anyone with a new Gaggia Baby (Twin in my case) found a way to install a Silvia wand in the swivel joint or replace the swivel joint with an optional threaded joint? I would like to extend my wand a bit and Silvias capabilities sound really interesting.