This is not the normal type of project here, but copious amounts of coffee is absolutely critical to my thought process!
I have had this late 1950’s Gaggia Monte Carlo two group lever coffee machine sitting around begging to be restored for just too long. I recently I found the seals and parts that I have prevented me from using the machine, so I thought I would spend a little bit of time to give it a new life.
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- The original heads in a sorry state after years of neglect!
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- The frame was blasted and powdercoated. The boiler had previously been blasted and new elements installed.
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- It was easier to machine new nuts than try and find original ones.
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- The finished nuts next to the originals.
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- TIG brazing the dints and pinholes in the heads.
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- The first polish, almost ready for a copper coating before repolishing
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- The parts as they came back from Pacific Plating. They look amazing!
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- The pistons were hard chromed but one needed a thread repair which was achieved by welding a new base onto the rack.
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- Dummy assembled (in more ways than one!) to test the fit with new seals and boiler control.
It is a sensational looking machine! It is almost done now, with a bit of tuning and a pair of original steam wands and a bakalite knob and an original indicator bezel – the coffee will flow once more!
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