Category: Levers
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FAEMA Urania: Boiler Disassembly and Cleaning
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in LeversThe boiler is usually where one runs into the most challenging parts of a rebuild. Depending on the age, how well the espresso machine was maintained, the quality of the water used, storage, and lots of other factors opening up the boiler is one of the most nerve wracking steps of a rebuild. In many…
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FAEMA Urania: Thermosiphon Group
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in LeversAfter stripping the machine down to the frame in the previous post the next order of business was to start to disassemble the group to get it cleaned up and replace all the worn parts. FAEMA First Generation Thermosiphon Group This Urania came with a first generation thermosiphon group. The thermosiphon group regulated its temperature…
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FAEMA: Planetary Series Espresso Machines
When researching machines to restore, I learned a lot about the various FAEMA models that showed up on the market. Before the iconic E61 model came into the picture, the early FAEMA model series from the 1950s were named after planets. In cosmic order they were: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune. There are lots…
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La Cosmo: A Small Workshop, Incredible Espresso Machines
The allure of rare vintage espresso machines from small brands
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Vintage Espresso Machines: Which First Project is Best?
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in LeversI hear about these old vintage espresso machines and want to try working on one myself, where and how do I begin? Starting out from nothing, it can be a little difficult to break into the collection space with a good mindset and expectations of what will happen during the restoration process just due to…
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FAEMA Urania: Teardown
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in LeversIn the first post on this 1957 FAEMA Urania restore, we went over the machine, its main features, and getting it stateside. Once it was in hand, the next order of business was to tear it down to the frame. This is an essential step that sheds light on potential restore issues, and so you…
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FAEMA Urania: Classic lever espresso machine overview
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in LeversThis series of posts will cover my first restoration project of a vintage lever espresso machine. This Faema Urania was a fun project that required techniques in restoring, plumbing, electrical, machining, chemistry, physics, and general MacGuyver-ing. It also required tools and patience, tons of patience. The machine: This is a 2nd generation, commercial, single group,…