I worked for a Espresso/Coffee repair company in the USA for 12 yrs. I have repaired a lot of La Pavoni machines and at approx. $2000.00 usd all the customers wanted the work done right the first time. Your work was the best that I have ever seen, something to be proud of.
I have always loved getting items that people thought were trash because they didn’t work quite right. I would fix them and either give them away or keep them. It’s so great that this quality item gets a second life. Great job.
Thirty years ago whilst living in Nottingham, my house was broken into. The thieves stole my massive (bulk not screen size) 32 inch Sony Trinitron (cathode ray) TV and my La Pavoni espresso coffee machine. I was pissed off about being burgled but mostly about my coffee machine. Thirty years later, that TV would be long gone, my La Pavoni however would still be as great as the day I bought it. Timeless legend. Your finished restoration is beautiful, it made me sad and happy at the same time. Let me know if you want to sell it. 😉
What an awesome restoration video. As a espresso aficionado and a lever espresso machine owner, this was of particular interest - and enjoyment - to me 😊 Regarding your test, I have to say though - (quoting another espresso freak) «Using a spice grinder for grinding coffee beans, is in violation of the Geneva convention 🤣 I cannot reccomend highly enough using a burr grinder for this purpose, as spice grinders makes for extremely unevenly sized coffee grounds, which in turn makes for very poor coffee extraction. Apart from that - Hats off to you, Sir!
@@morfeyrun Turkish/cezve coffee tends to require even finer and more even grinding than espresso in my opinion. There might be some other takes out there on that, but I'd definitely recommend a dedicated espresso grinder for Turkish coffee! Also having a nice burr grinder will let you dial in your coffee to your flavors, so should greatly improve your cups and consistency
Cool machine. Great restoration. PRO TIPS: Use only filtered water to keep evaporative mineral buildup minimal. At least once a year, de-scale the boiler with a water solution of food grade citric acid. Clean the brewhead/basket often with Puro tablets. For a better coffee, get a burr style grinder instead of a bladed chopper...and practice, practice, practice. Every machine is a little different.
If you have brass and copper it's better to use an less aggressive acid as aminosulfuric acid. Moreover citric acid builds up hard omplexes over 60 degrees celcius which dissolve only with other appropiate acids. Is the complex on the surface of the metal underneath the hiding acid residue is oxidating the metal and pitting occurs. Therfor special coffee machine descaler make sense. For grease you can use any kind of foodgrade silikon grease e. g. the one for your faucet. Doesn't need to be explicite for coffee machines (caution: sometimes grease for faucets are not based on silikon)
addirton: don't use any kind of acid - the best and also cold working is a solution of Amidosulfon-pwoder in water, originally "invented" by the Swiss company "durgol", which offers it as ready to use fluids - way too expensive, because the powder is elongated with water and costs 10 times as necessary.
That was a great restoration. I love how you bring items from the "near past" into usable condition. Although the Bird's Eye Maple handles were nice, I thought the original black ones might have been a bit more authentic, but each to their own. It's such a "simple" machine to create such a perfect beverage.
There's a reason this is titled a restomod instead of a restoration. They are two different things. I'm also a little perplexed by the complete change of the colorway.
@@dandare1001 I'm another that appreciated the wonderful restoration but preferred the original appearance especially the black Bakelite which seemed to be in remarkably good conditions. Trends come and go, while original is timeless.
Just finding this and wow!! Also, as someone who used to use that exacy machine a few tips. 1) your missing the spring that holds rhe portafilter basket in place 2) definitely need to do a flush of water before you start brewing 3) definitely go by weight, 14ish grams for that size basket is perfect 4) do a search for the fellini method where you pre-infuse by lifting the lever up a little to start then sort of pump it down (a puck screen could help and would eliminate backflow of coffee into the shower screen) But what a beautiful restoration, making me want to start doing this kind of thing
The stock portafilters don't come with a retaining spring! Its Super annoying so baskets will just fly out when you try to knock the coffee out or turn it upside down. One extra reason get a naked portafilter although this guy could probably just make his own.
Same! Very into the vintage handles, even though the crafmanship of the wooden ones was great. (I also would have chosen a black electrical cord, but hey: can't argue about taste)
Absolutely wonderful restoration. You did a first rate job, with really masterful woodworking, metal working, and electrical skills. A true labor of love. Your girlfriend will be thrilled.
I admire how you manage to disassemble the device into the smallest individual parts. And even greater is my admiration for how you put all the parts together properly again. Not to mention how shiny all metal parts are afterwards and how wonderful and ingenious the new wooden parts are made. This machine wasn't even as beautiful as it is when it left the factory brand new. I'm completely out of my socks! Fantastic!
I use everyday to make coffee a Pavoni ESPERTO EDOTTO and came new with wooden handle . What you made there , is called justice for that poor pavoni machine ! Nice job Lucas ! 👍👍
@@NTRprojects yeah, I’m using a pavoni from 2 years ago now. They are made with incredible quality and with little maintenance, you can keep it for life . Regarding to your question, I already have a lot of work on my current project 😬 maybe at the end of this week or next one 🤷♂️
I expected your usual high standard of restoration. What did amaze me was how your film making and video production has become premier league quality. Superb!
The new color on the base is an improvement. The original brown was authentic--it exactly matches the desk lamp I bought in '74. You really wouldn't want avocado green or harvest yellow, either. The wooden handles are also an improvement. You've uncovered a piece of art.
This is not a restoration. This is a piece of art. When Italian design and German care are combined, success is guaranteed. Your girlfriend will surely be honored. But if she didn't show interest in it, she must have something with her eyes. I would definitely take that beautiful machine.
I did one on my own love once. It was from "Golden Era" - if you LaPavoni fan, you should know the year of manufacturing. My surprise was that then was no pieces of plastic at all. SOLID BRASS !!! LOVE THIS. Used it for a while & then sold it to trade for ECM SYNCHRONIKA 🎉😂
Wow. I absolutely loved watching this. I'm in awe both of the amount of kit you possess and your skill. I spent several years trying in vain to convince a former friend to send his Pavoni off for repair so, it was lovely to see this one brought back to life.
Mate… This is hands down your best video to date in my opinion! I love the powder coating, the lime removal, the polishing of the chrome and brass, the wooden knobs and handles, and of course the end result turned out amazing! I keep wondering when watching videos like this if the crap that’s sold today can be restored to look better than new in 50 years😂 Keep up the awesomeness! Cheers from Sweden!🇸🇪
Much of what is sold today cannot be restored after 50 days never mind years. Old school, good quality and with a bit of TLC and imagination brought back to life as good as if not better than new.
@@PaoloBanke I came here to say exactly this. I know of several people whose coffee machines the original manufacturer has told them "sorry, not repairable". Not one was more than 5 years old. Throw away something that cost a small fortune, 🤷♂ sorry Bud.
Amazing, there are 3d printed inserts for the drip tray of these old machines that don't have the plastic drip tray yet but since these old ones don't have a screw hole there it might be fine without the insert since there's not a big risk of rusting. I always leave a cup there to catch any drips anyway. Regarding the coffee, you will need a good burr grinder to get the most out of this machine, a good grinder is the most important part for every espresso but even more so on the la Pavoni which is notoriously picky when it comes to grind size. I'm using an old Mazzer Super Jolly that I converted to single dosing, meaning I only put in the coffee I'm going to use for the one drink I'm making, weighing them out beforehand, if you want a little more convenience the grinders with a big hopper and a programmable timer will not be as consistent in reproducing the exact same dose every time but they are a lot more convenient for daily use. Another quirk of the la pavoni is the brew temperature is not very easily controlled, if left on for like 30-45 minutes it will get way too hot not only making terrible coffee but also giving you a giant mess when the leftover water in the brew chamber instantly and violently evaporates when you remove the portafilter, covering the whole machine and kitchen in hot and wet coffee grounds. The best way to prevent this is measuring the group head temperature, there are little stickers that change color based on temperature and coffee sensor has some that have the perfect temp range for this machine, for the old group head I recommend around 70C and up to 90C for very light roasts, never go above that. Three more cheap gadgets that will improve your experience are a WDT tool, used for de clumping the grounds once in the basket. A 49mm funnel used to fill the portafilter without making a mess which is also necessary when you want to WDT. Lastly a "puck screen" which is a metal mesh that sits between your tamped coffee and the shower screen, giving you much better water dispersion and keeping your group clean. Have fun with your machine :)
Ein wirklich guter Bericht über die Restaurierung der Pfauen-Dame. Was mir nicht gefiel waren die starren Drähte für die Elektrik. Hier gehören flexible Litzen rein!
Essendo italiano, apprezzo il restauro di una macchina da caffè di fabbricazione italiana. Se vuoi un consiglio per un buon caffè (ho fatto il barista per un certo tempo), cerca di restaurare un macina-caffè da bar poiché la macinatura cambia in base alla stagione. E' questo il motivo per cui è possibile macinare il caffè in almeno 10 gradi diversi. Ottimo lavoro
Amazing as always. I've always seen mymechanics made jigs and tools with steel. It's refreahing that you made yours with wood and 3D printer! Anyway, happy birthday to your girlfriend! While the item itself is a great gift, having it restored made it like it's a DIY gift. Nothing beats that.
lovely video - nice work! Beautiful results. regarding the Coffee: Check out fresh espresso from a local dealer somewhere near you. Second get a good grinder with pretty fine adjustments. Dialing in the pavoni is not easy for beginners. Electric grinders: Get something that has flat burrs. Avoid conical burrs as the cheap grindes with that will make it hard for you making good espresso. If the budget is small go for the 1Zpresso hand grinders. The J series is nice bang for buck. JX is the low budget allrounder. I bought the js plus and I am surprised how evenly this thing grinds the beans. Have fun with this beauty.
What a lovely restoration and a beautiful gift. That you were able to get it back to full functioning is wonderful (and yeah the colors took me back to then). A difficult disassembly complicated by having a camera in the way. You did an awesome job filming and story telling. Thanks for sharing this. I hope she has a very happy birthday.
Your videos are like a master class in ASMR restoration videography. Quality lighting and sound, excellent framing and focus, so much texture, short-cuts in the right places and with interesting and varied shots. So enjoyable.
Meanwhile I'm over here desperately looking up if the Europiccolo's plastic parts were Bakelite or not, because if they were BOY HOWDY someone's gonna be mad he threw them out.
Grind the beans much finer, with a good handgrinder e.g. You need real resistsance 15-20kg on the lever so it takes up to 25-30s to extract the espresso! Good luck!
Sehr schön geworden. Da steckt mal richtig Mühe drin denn du hast DInge getan wie die Holzgriffe z.B die wären gar nicht nötig gewesen. Auf jeden Fall eine Maschine die du gerne herzeigen kannst. Sehr hübsch.
La Pavoni is still around and producing those machines, the design didn't change much in the past 100 years. They're also quite simple, which makes it easier to repair them.
Wonderfull Restoration especially with the wooden handles. Since you asked for good/better coffee: Try to find a local specialty coffee roaster! Since you enjoy tasting new beer i reckon you will find enjoyment in tasting new coffee. I encourage you to also try the lighter, funkier roasts, not just the classic italian dark espresso roasts. I personally love coffee from "suedhang" a third wave coffee roaster based in Tübingen, but that's just because i life close by, try and find a roaster located close to you. As for technique: James Hoffmanns RUclips Channel is a wonderful ressource on coffee. He is not only a good place to learn about coffee but also a very entertaining and fun character.
Nice restauration! Honestly this machine was in pretty good condition for its age, I've seen a lot in worse condition. No rust, a little dust and minor leakages. You should have taken care with the asbestos gaskets. You were lucky that the heating element was working after the bath in citric acid. Never ever submerge a heating element! The coffee made with the blade grinder was horrific, I hope you'll get a good burr grinder otherwise this machine is just for show.
I was so impressed with the engineering of the coffee maker in the first place. It's designed to be taken apart unlike many modern tools that are simply thrown away. Great video and thanks. I enjoyed it a lot. I hope you don't mind but I suspect viewers of your channel would also like the Wristwatch Revival channel. Very similar to what you do but on a much smaller scale.
nice job! I had the exact same model before my pre-Mill Professional. BTW @7:08, a square drive socket cap adapter, a 5/16 or 16mm socket, and a bow end of a wrench allow you exactly the angle and required leverage to get at the steam pressure release valve nut from the group head opening
Wow. I was dubious at first as I was just thinking that the coffee machine didn't look all that bad to start with but this was a great video. When you remade those handles I was so impressed. Been watching your channel for a while now and this was one of my faves. Just so nice to see a restoration channel that isn't intentionally rusting things up or covering them in dirt for a good thumbnail. Mad skills.
Awesome video. In 2010 someone gave me a La Pavoni circa early 80s. In 2015 I gave it a go and restored it to almost new but in no way as cool as this restore. Thank you!
Amazing job, well done! Definitely helps to have the right tools and know how to use them of course! I have two La Pavoni machines from the 2000 era and absolutely love them.
Beautiful and outstanding restorations! Only point is the choice of colour. Like the blue instead of green with the festo saw. But hey, it is like the tasting of beer.
Firstly, very good job. I've restored a more recent (1988) Rancilio Miss coffee machine that was way better the state your La Pavoni was, and I got worst results... Secondly, but not less important, a little suggestion. That kind of espresso coffee machine needs very finely ground coffee. And the drier the air, the finer the grinding... Happy espresso!
That is one hell of a machine. I used to own that same (Europiccola) that my parent originally bought in 1977. Unfortunately the heater element broke because someone (not me!) left the machine on without water in it. By that time, La Pavoni changed the design of the boiler and the new heater did not fit the old boiler. This was all in the time when internet just started to become widely available so no webshops that would sell any non-original components for those machines. I still would love to own one of these machines. The ritual of using a hand press to make a great espresso adds so much 😁
IIRC his girlfriend was beyond delighted by the last kitchen restoration, so I'm sure she'll be delighted by this. I’d crawl through a flaming wall of rabid rattlesnakes for this thing.
Lovely restoration. For your coffee game, you need a more consistent grinder. The restored one is pretty, but they produce uneven particle sizes. Try to find a nice conical burr or flat burr grinder that spins slowly. The other thing that will be important is temperature. See if there is a way to optimise the temperature of the water at the brew head. Aim for 93-95°C.
Very nice job, there are a couple of things I would have done differently but also some clever solutions I could learn from you, thanks for sharing and taking the time to film everything in such detail! P.s.: I would suggest you to get a plastic drip tray to put under the grid so it doesn't scratch the paint and won't rust again.
What a fantastic restoration job on that coffee machine! Your craftsmanship is really something to behold. You've taken a piece of history and brought it back to life in such an authentic and respectful way. The coffee you brewed looked incredibly inviting, and I can almost smell the rich, aromatic brew through the screen! The only minor hiccup was the crema. However, don't worry, that's a common issue and it's easy to address. Your grind size could be a factor. A fine grind is needed for a good crema, but be careful not to go too fine as it could result in a bitter taste. The pressure during extraction plays a big role. Most machines should be set to a pressure of 9 to 15 bars for optimal crema production. Remember, making great coffee is an art, so don't be disheartened. Keep up the excellent work! I'm excited to see more of your adventures. Sending love and support from Las Vegas! ☕🎰
I second this! Though I would also add that using a mill grinder like in the video may make it difficult to get a consistent grind size because of the way that it grinds. But grinders specifically for espresso (or even coffee in general) can be potentially expensive and faffy 😅 So try with what you've got first to see what you can accomplish. Also, there are lots of ways to make coffee and not having crema could be fine, depending on what you want. Some people even use espresso machines to make a filter-like coffee (see the "spro-over": ruclips.net/video/R5oYzEVQKpA/видео.html ). But to do something like a spro-over on this machine I think you'd need more water, so you might need to pull multiple times.
This is a very nice restoration as I love coffee. I also love beer !!! One of my favorites is Celebrator Doppelbock from the Ayinger Brewery in Aying,Germany.
The amount of coffee content I've consumed because of your channel is astronomical. Happy to see you out here in the wild supporting other people's coffee adventures
Bravo. Beautiful work. I have a couple of these, though newer. Frankly, there is always some little thing going wrong but they are easily fixed in most instances. This one is in terrific condition for one so old - they often get little steam leaks in the base that cause rust that is accelerated because of the slight charge imparted on the parts. I powdercoated both of my bases making them much more resistant than with the factory paint. You really take these down much more than a typical user would (e.g., I've never seen a portafilter disassembled or boiler fixtures removed). I can assure you that the pistons and steam tubes are not polished at the factory! Hell, they aren't even brass any more. I sometimes wonder why more of the parts aren't stainless steel given the rust problems. For instance, the threaded rods that hold the portafilter handles on I switch to SS immediately as once they rust, you break the bakelite handles with the swelling. Having the pressure release valve shooting steam is not great. Perhaps you need to adjust the pressurestat. Also, you might not get great results with that grinder. Most people think that the espresso machine is the most important factor, but the grinder is 2/3 of the game. The one "upgrade" that I recommend is to replace the bolts securing the head to the boiler with threaded rod and acorn nuts. It is just easier to reassemble, etc.
Those manual machines are supposed to be pretty good, but reportedly take a lot of practice to get a perfect shot. Both the modern and vintage ones can be really pretty expensive, so I've never had the chance to mess around with one. Still, it is absolutely somewhere on my list. And it goes without saying this is a fantastic topic for a restoration video.
Awsome restauration. I always wanted to buy a Pavoni, but you have to earn it, to get decent result with. I liked your worksteps and also the description of materials you used. So I learned a lot. Thanks for the wonderful video.
I worked for a Espresso/Coffee repair company in the USA for 12 yrs. I have repaired a lot of La Pavoni machines and at approx. $2000.00 usd all the customers wanted the work done right the first time. Your work was the best that I have ever seen, something to be proud of.
thats an amazing statement 🤩
Wow just noticed this feedback. Thank you very much!
I have always loved getting items that people thought were trash because they didn’t work quite right. I would fix them and either give them away or keep them.
It’s so great that this quality item gets a second life. Great job.
I do the same, congrats, for a better world @@patriciaschiro2659
Beautiful machine and brilliant repair. Must be very satisfying. If I may correct you, the current pricetag for this machine is exactly 1000 usd
Thirty years ago whilst living in Nottingham, my house was broken into.
The thieves stole my massive (bulk not screen size) 32 inch Sony Trinitron (cathode ray) TV and my La Pavoni espresso coffee machine.
I was pissed off about being burgled but mostly about my coffee machine.
Thirty years later, that TV would be long gone, my La Pavoni however would still be as great as the day I bought it. Timeless legend.
Your finished restoration is beautiful, it made me sad and happy at the same time. Let me know if you want to sell it. 😉
What an awesome restoration video. As a espresso aficionado and a lever espresso machine owner, this was of particular interest - and enjoyment - to me 😊
Regarding your test, I have to say though - (quoting another espresso freak) «Using a spice grinder for grinding coffee beans, is in violation of the Geneva convention 🤣
I cannot reccomend highly enough using a burr grinder for this purpose, as spice grinders makes for extremely unevenly sized coffee grounds, which in turn makes for very poor coffee extraction.
Apart from that -
Hats off to you, Sir!
Yep ! Great restoration! Lovely Machine!
But bad grinder resulting in a wrong grind size and not doing justice to this great coffee maker!
@@guerriosPGyes, what a beautiful machine but the shots looked awful
what about cezve coffee ? I'm using a high power blender to grind coffee and and it doesn't grind evenly but do I need it to for a cezve coffee?
Burr, ceramic if you want to just try, titanium for a lifetime. And only a hand grinder.
@@morfeyrun
@@morfeyrun Turkish/cezve coffee tends to require even finer and more even grinding than espresso in my opinion. There might be some other takes out there on that, but I'd definitely recommend a dedicated espresso grinder for Turkish coffee! Also having a nice burr grinder will let you dial in your coffee to your flavors, so should greatly improve your cups and consistency
I'm loving your workshop with just the right tools. Turns out a beautiful example of history . German workmanship..😎
Cool machine. Great restoration.
PRO TIPS: Use only filtered water to keep evaporative mineral buildup minimal. At least once a year, de-scale the boiler with a water solution of food grade citric acid. Clean the brewhead/basket often with Puro tablets. For a better coffee, get a burr style grinder instead of a bladed chopper...and practice, practice, practice. Every machine is a little different.
If you have brass and copper it's better to use an less aggressive acid as aminosulfuric acid. Moreover citric acid builds up hard omplexes over 60 degrees celcius which dissolve only with other appropiate acids. Is the complex on the surface of the metal underneath the hiding acid residue is oxidating the metal and pitting occurs. Therfor special coffee machine descaler make sense.
For grease you can use any kind of foodgrade silikon grease e. g. the one for your faucet. Doesn't need to be explicite for coffee machines (caution: sometimes grease for faucets are not based on silikon)
Yes indeed. A burr style grinder is a must.
@@manuelweiss3904 Indeed. Molykote 111 is my go-to for lever espresso machines.
Awesome restoration and a very satisfying video ! You should be proud of yourself.
addirton: don't use any kind of acid - the best and also cold working is a solution of Amidosulfon-pwoder in water, originally "invented" by the Swiss company "durgol", which offers it as ready to use fluids - way too expensive, because the powder is elongated with water and costs 10 times as necessary.
That was a great restoration. I love how you bring items from the "near past" into usable condition. Although the Bird's Eye Maple handles were nice, I thought the original black ones might have been a bit more authentic, but each to their own. It's such a "simple" machine to create such a perfect beverage.
Yes, I would have kept the original handles. A great restoration, though.
There's a reason this is titled a restomod instead of a restoration. They are two different things. I'm also a little perplexed by the complete change of the colorway.
@@howlingbeats2544 hard to say, both are pretty ugly, the original and the color of the new one. :P
@@dandare1001 I'm another that appreciated the wonderful restoration but preferred the original appearance especially the black Bakelite which seemed to be in remarkably good conditions. Trends come and go, while original is timeless.
Yeah, I would have kept the original handles, they were high quality.
Just finding this and wow!! Also, as someone who used to use that exacy machine a few tips.
1) your missing the spring that holds rhe portafilter basket in place
2) definitely need to do a flush of water before you start brewing
3) definitely go by weight, 14ish grams for that size basket is perfect
4) do a search for the fellini method where you pre-infuse by lifting the lever up a little to start then sort of pump it down (a puck screen could help and would eliminate backflow of coffee into the shower screen)
But what a beautiful restoration, making me want to start doing this kind of thing
Thanks for the pro tips
The stock portafilters don't come with a retaining spring! Its Super annoying so baskets will just fly out when you try to knock the coffee out or turn it upside down. One extra reason get a naked portafilter although this guy could probably just make his own.
Gorgeous restoration! I wouldn't change a thing
Yup, the crema wasn't very thick either.
...and the eternal pursuit of the perfect pull begins....
IKR? That was a pretty nasty looking shot. Oh well, resto skills=off the charts, espresso making skills=meh
There was more black hole than crema.@@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017
@@gblan stop ruining things ffs
Beautiful restoration. I would have liked the original black handles but your wood turning was impressive. Thanks for sharing with us.
Same! Very into the vintage handles, even though the crafmanship of the wooden ones was great. (I also would have chosen a black electrical cord, but hey: can't argue about taste)
Absolutely wonderful restoration. You did a first rate job, with really masterful woodworking, metal working, and electrical skills. A true labor of love. Your girlfriend will be thrilled.
I admire how you manage to disassemble the device into the smallest individual parts. And even greater is my admiration for how you put all the parts together properly again. Not to mention how shiny all metal parts are afterwards and how wonderful and ingenious the new wooden parts are made. This machine wasn't even as beautiful as it is when it left the factory brand new. I'm completely out of my socks! Fantastic!
I use everyday to make coffee a Pavoni ESPERTO EDOTTO and came new with wooden handle . What you made there , is called justice for that poor pavoni machine ! Nice job Lucas ! 👍👍
Hey cool again. Are you really also using a pavoni? Incredible I think. One more thing we have in common now 😁 when will we see your next video?
@@NTRprojects yeah, I’m using a pavoni from 2 years ago now. They are made with incredible quality and with little maintenance, you can keep it for life . Regarding to your question, I already have a lot of work on my current project 😬 maybe at the end of this week or next one 🤷♂️
@@CoolAgainRestoration cant wait to see it
I expected your usual high standard of restoration. What did amaze me was how your film making and video production has become premier league quality. Superb!
Thank you Bazza. The edit took me another week :D So I appreciate your comment
Well, considering that I came out in June of 74, seeing something newer restored always makes me feel nice and old, thanks. ;)
The new color on the base is an improvement. The original brown was authentic--it exactly matches the desk lamp I bought in '74. You really wouldn't want avocado green or harvest yellow, either. The wooden handles are also an improvement. You've uncovered a piece of art.
Spectacular restoration, I can smell the fresh coffee from here! 🤗🇦🇺
Honestly one of the better restorations I've seen. I also enjoy the beer pause. Well done, good sir, well done.
This is not a restoration. This is a piece of art. When Italian design and German care are combined, success is guaranteed. Your girlfriend will surely be honored. But if she didn't show interest in it, she must have something with her eyes. I would definitely take that beautiful machine.
Saved, because this is that good. If I ever restore a Gen 2, I'll refer to this. I did my Gen 3 ~5 years ago.
Thankyou
I did one on my own love once. It was from "Golden Era" - if you LaPavoni fan, you should know the year of manufacturing. My surprise was that then was no pieces of plastic at all. SOLID BRASS !!!
LOVE THIS. Used it for a while & then sold it to trade for
ECM SYNCHRONIKA 🎉😂
I will repeat what everyone has already mentioned: "This was an amazing restoration". Thanks for sharing!
Thank you
The bachelite star screws truly screamed 70s. Now it's a contemporary classic coffee machine. Great resto! :D
Wow. I absolutely loved watching this. I'm in awe both of the amount of kit you possess and your skill. I spent several years trying in vain to convince a former friend to send his Pavoni off for repair so, it was lovely to see this one brought back to life.
Amazing! Your girlfriend will be thrilled. That is a very thoughtful, and generous gift.
How incredible this must be to get this machine cheap because it's defective and then restore it to new condition! Incredible talent and ability!
Mate… This is hands down your best video to date in my opinion! I love the powder coating, the lime removal, the polishing of the chrome and brass, the wooden knobs and handles, and of course the end result turned out amazing! I keep wondering when watching videos like this if the crap that’s sold today can be restored to look better than new in 50 years😂 Keep up the awesomeness! Cheers from Sweden!🇸🇪
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting Dahlmasen 🇸🇪 nice feedback
I second that. Just awesome 👏
You took the words right from my mouth! ❤
Much of what is sold today cannot be restored after 50 days never mind years. Old school, good quality and with a bit of TLC and imagination brought back to life as good as if not better than new.
@@PaoloBanke I came here to say exactly this. I know of several people whose coffee machines the original manufacturer has told them "sorry, not repairable". Not one was more than 5 years old. Throw away something that cost a small fortune, 🤷♂ sorry Bud.
Wow! That project kept you busy for a while. Great job. Great production too. Very well put together, sir.
Oh yes indeed and it was a ton of footage
@@NTRprojects Sent or bought you a beer, sir. Thanks for the 30 or so minutes of contents.
@@BB_Chaptsick I received it Brett thank you very much. Unfortunatelly I cant answer within paypal.
Hello from Montreal Canada. Love your work. Especially replacing the plastic handles by wooden ones… just beautiful. Keep up the great content 😀
This was soo very therapeutic to watch, I also liked the close up shots you did. You Legend! Can’t wait for the next video 😁
Amazing, there are 3d printed inserts for the drip tray of these old machines that don't have the plastic drip tray yet but since these old ones don't have a screw hole there it might be fine without the insert since there's not a big risk of rusting. I always leave a cup there to catch any drips anyway. Regarding the coffee, you will need a good burr grinder to get the most out of this machine, a good grinder is the most important part for every espresso but even more so on the la Pavoni which is notoriously picky when it comes to grind size. I'm using an old Mazzer Super Jolly that I converted to single dosing, meaning I only put in the coffee I'm going to use for the one drink I'm making, weighing them out beforehand, if you want a little more convenience the grinders with a big hopper and a programmable timer will not be as consistent in reproducing the exact same dose every time but they are a lot more convenient for daily use. Another quirk of the la pavoni is the brew temperature is not very easily controlled, if left on for like 30-45 minutes it will get way too hot not only making terrible coffee but also giving you a giant mess when the leftover water in the brew chamber instantly and violently evaporates when you remove the portafilter, covering the whole machine and kitchen in hot and wet coffee grounds. The best way to prevent this is measuring the group head temperature, there are little stickers that change color based on temperature and coffee sensor has some that have the perfect temp range for this machine, for the old group head I recommend around 70C and up to 90C for very light roasts, never go above that. Three more cheap gadgets that will improve your experience are a WDT tool, used for de clumping the grounds once in the basket. A 49mm funnel used to fill the portafilter without making a mess which is also necessary when you want to WDT. Lastly a "puck screen" which is a metal mesh that sits between your tamped coffee and the shower screen, giving you much better water dispersion and keeping your group clean. Have fun with your machine :)
I love highly educated comments like yours. There good to come across on projects like these
Ein wirklich guter Bericht über die Restaurierung der Pfauen-Dame. Was mir nicht gefiel waren die starren Drähte für die Elektrik. Hier gehören flexible Litzen rein!
Essendo italiano, apprezzo il restauro di una macchina da caffè di fabbricazione italiana.
Se vuoi un consiglio per un buon caffè (ho fatto il barista per un certo tempo), cerca di restaurare un macina-caffè da bar poiché la macinatura cambia in base alla stagione. E' questo il motivo per cui è possibile macinare il caffè in almeno 10 gradi diversi. Ottimo lavoro
Perfect Sunday morning video, enjoyed with a coffee of course!
Loved the resto. 9/10 as a braided flex on the power cable would have finished it to the same level as everything else IMO
Amazing as always. I've always seen mymechanics made jigs and tools with steel. It's refreahing that you made yours with wood and 3D printer! Anyway, happy birthday to your girlfriend! While the item itself is a great gift, having it restored made it like it's a DIY gift. Nothing beats that.
I’m speechless….2 words…. World Champion!
WOW just amazing work you've done. I love those new wooden parts
lovely video - nice work! Beautiful results. regarding the Coffee: Check out fresh espresso from a local dealer somewhere near you. Second get a good grinder with pretty fine adjustments. Dialing in the pavoni is not easy for beginners. Electric grinders: Get something that has flat burrs. Avoid conical burrs as the cheap grindes with that will make it hard for you making good espresso. If the budget is small go for the 1Zpresso hand grinders. The J series is nice bang for buck. JX is the low budget allrounder. I bought the js plus and I am surprised how evenly this thing grinds the beans. Have fun with this beauty.
What a lovely restoration and a beautiful gift. That you were able to get it back to full functioning is wonderful (and yeah the colors took me back to then). A difficult disassembly complicated by having a camera in the way. You did an awesome job filming and story telling. Thanks for sharing this. I hope she has a very happy birthday.
Hey Vickie. Thank you very much
Best YT restoration so far and by no small margin. This is doing it right.
Thank you very much
Wie immer eine sehr ordentliche Arbeit mit einem super Ergebnis.👍👏
Seeing the quality of parts here, one can tell that this was an expensive machine. It was fun watching you bring it back to its glory
I didn't know until this video that Bakelite was not a safe material. Thank you.
Your videos are like a master class in ASMR restoration videography. Quality lighting and sound, excellent framing and focus, so much texture, short-cuts in the right places and with interesting and varied shots. So enjoyable.
Superb restoration! I really love the birdseye handles and the inventive solution you used in attaching them! Awesome job!
SO happy you replaced the plastic pieces with wood! It looks fantastic!!
Meanwhile I'm over here desperately looking up if the Europiccolo's plastic parts were Bakelite or not, because if they were BOY HOWDY someone's gonna be mad he threw them out.
Outstanding restoration. By the way, KitchenAid is now making a purple stand mixer. LOL
And did they just start to offer the colour or was it always available. Very interesting. Thank you
@@NTRprojects I believe it was last year. They call the color 'beetroot' - the 2022 color of the year.
@@yana1955 🤣🤣🤣 I would love it if they found the Inspiration in my Video (2years old)
Grind the beans much finer, with a good handgrinder e.g. You need real resistsance 15-20kg on the lever so it takes up to 25-30s to extract the espresso! Good luck!
Sehr schön geworden. Da steckt mal richtig Mühe drin denn du hast DInge getan wie die Holzgriffe z.B die wären gar nicht nötig gewesen. Auf jeden Fall eine Maschine die du gerne herzeigen kannst. Sehr hübsch.
Beautiful restoration. Girlfriend would be proud to own such a classic and thoughtful gift.
Wonderfull restoration/restomod. I'm very impressed that replacement parts could still be found.
La Pavoni is still around and producing those machines, the design didn't change much in the past 100 years. They're also quite simple, which makes it easier to repair them.
Wonderfull Restoration especially with the wooden handles. Since you asked for good/better coffee: Try to find a local specialty coffee roaster! Since you enjoy tasting new beer i reckon you will find enjoyment in tasting new coffee. I encourage you to also try the lighter, funkier roasts, not just the classic italian dark espresso roasts. I personally love coffee from "suedhang" a third wave coffee roaster based in Tübingen, but that's just because i life close by, try and find a roaster located close to you. As for technique: James Hoffmanns RUclips Channel is a wonderful ressource on coffee. He is not only a good place to learn about coffee but also a very entertaining and fun character.
I think I understand why you remade the knobs, but I love the smell of Bakelite. Wish it would have been safe to keep them. 😔
Made in 1979. I doubt it was Bakelite, probably just plastic.
As someone who grew up in the 70's I love that you changed that 70's brown to the 50's robin's egg blue.
Es ist so schön altes nicht wegzuwerfen sondern wieder neues Leben einzuhauchen.
Ein tolles Ergebnis, ❤❤❤
Gratuliere 🎉🎉🎉
Ja, vollkommen richtig. Es geht hier m.M. nach aber auch um Qualität.
to up your coffee game, ground your beans finer. and let more steam build up to get higher pressure. hope this helps
Your skills as a restorer are top notch but your videography talent is beyond my imagination. Thanks for sharing all your hard work.
Klasse Arbeit, wie immer. Nur mit der Farbwahl und den Holzgriffen tue ich mich etwas schwer. Da passen die Originale irgendwie besser.
Really impressive how the star screw came out, great work.
Nice cups btw 😄
Beautiful work sir. I love you changed the handle and knobs to wood.
Nice restauration! Honestly this machine was in pretty good condition for its age, I've seen a lot in worse condition. No rust, a little dust and minor leakages. You should have taken care with the asbestos gaskets. You were lucky that the heating element was working after the bath in citric acid. Never ever submerge a heating element! The coffee made with the blade grinder was horrific, I hope you'll get a good burr grinder otherwise this machine is just for show.
I was in Italy for 16 days looking for this machine to do the same thing. Couldn’t find it. Thanks for the video.
I was so impressed with the engineering of the coffee maker in the first place. It's designed to be taken apart unlike many modern tools that are simply thrown away. Great video and thanks. I enjoyed it a lot. I hope you don't mind but I suspect viewers of your channel would also like the Wristwatch Revival channel. Very similar to what you do but on a much smaller scale.
Wristwatch Revival is an incredible channel. Everything about it is so flawlessly done.
the sanding and powder coating are always my favourite part. This is a great restoration.
Beautiful restoration
This is like ASMR for guys. Super cool video, you're very talented!
Awesome restoration. Your upgrade is better than the original version.
You give a second life for this coffee machine. I love it 👍
What a beautiful restoration - your girlfriend is certainly a lucky lady to have such a thoughtful and talented man in her life!
La Pavoni!!! I have it! Great coffee!
nice job! I had the exact same model before my pre-Mill Professional. BTW @7:08, a square drive socket cap adapter, a 5/16 or 16mm socket, and a bow end of a wrench allow you exactly the angle and required leverage to get at the steam pressure release valve nut from the group head opening
Wow. I was dubious at first as I was just thinking that the coffee machine didn't look all that bad to start with but this was a great video. When you remade those handles I was so impressed.
Been watching your channel for a while now and this was one of my faves. Just so nice to see a restoration channel that isn't intentionally rusting things up or covering them in dirt for a good thumbnail.
Mad skills.
Thank you for noticing the difference
Awesome video. In 2010 someone gave me
a La Pavoni circa early 80s. In 2015 I gave it a go and restored it to almost new but in no way as cool as this restore.
Thank you!
Amazing job, well done! Definitely helps to have the right tools and know how to use them of course!
I have two La Pavoni machines from the 2000 era and absolutely love them.
Beautiful and outstanding restorations! Only point is the choice of colour. Like the blue instead of green with the festo saw.
But hey, it is like the tasting of beer.
Firstly, very good job.
I've restored a more recent (1988) Rancilio Miss coffee machine that was way better the state your La Pavoni was, and I got worst results...
Secondly, but not less important, a little suggestion. That kind of espresso coffee machine needs very finely ground coffee.
And the drier the air, the finer the grinding...
Happy espresso!
That is one hell of a machine. I used to own that same (Europiccola) that my parent originally bought in 1977. Unfortunately the heater element broke because someone (not me!) left the machine on without water in it. By that time, La Pavoni changed the design of the boiler and the new heater did not fit the old boiler. This was all in the time when internet just started to become widely available so no webshops that would sell any non-original components for those machines. I still would love to own one of these machines. The ritual of using a hand press to make a great espresso adds so much 😁
If your girlfriend doesn't love this then you need a new girlfriend.
IIRC his girlfriend was beyond delighted by the last kitchen restoration, so I'm sure she'll be delighted by this. I’d crawl through a flaming wall of rabid rattlesnakes for this thing.
I can be you your new friend if your GF does not like the machine! 😂😂
My girlfriend loves it but my wife hates it. 😝
Just restore her
@@1ts3asy Wait what? A wife & GF?
Lovely restoration. For your coffee game, you need a more consistent grinder. The restored one is pretty, but they produce uneven particle sizes. Try to find a nice conical burr or flat burr grinder that spins slowly.
The other thing that will be important is temperature. See if there is a way to optimise the temperature of the water at the brew head. Aim for 93-95°C.
Very nice job, there are a couple of things I would have done differently but also some clever solutions I could learn from you, thanks for sharing and taking the time to film everything in such detail!
P.s.: I would suggest you to get a plastic drip tray to put under the grid so it doesn't scratch the paint and won't rust again.
yeah and with the plastic drip tray just buy a Nespresso machine
Welch schön anzusehende, befriedigende Arbeit! Und das ganze ohne Musik. Einfach herrlich.
Ich habe die gleiche Maschine. Wollte sie schon wegwerfen.
Wow! That's an incredible gift for your girlfriend... Say, you don't happen to have a single brother who's into dating older women, do you...? 😉😜😉
Hey Donna, I do have two brothers, but both are already off the market. Should I put you on the waiting list :D
@@NTRprojects Oh, yes please!
I'm amazed at your skills and ingenuity. It's a pleasure to watch.
What a fantastic restoration job on that coffee machine! Your craftsmanship is really something to behold. You've taken a piece of history and brought it back to life in such an authentic and respectful way.
The coffee you brewed looked incredibly inviting, and I can almost smell the rich, aromatic brew through the screen! The only minor hiccup was the crema. However, don't worry, that's a common issue and it's easy to address.
Your grind size could be a factor. A fine grind is needed for a good crema, but be careful not to go too fine as it could result in a bitter taste.
The pressure during extraction plays a big role. Most machines should be set to a pressure of 9 to 15 bars for optimal crema production.
Remember, making great coffee is an art, so don't be disheartened.
Keep up the excellent work! I'm excited to see more of your adventures. Sending love and support from Las Vegas! ☕🎰
You see this is the exact kind of feedback I was hoping for. I will work on the crema. Thank you for the input
I second this! Though I would also add that using a mill grinder like in the video may make it difficult to get a consistent grind size because of the way that it grinds. But grinders specifically for espresso (or even coffee in general) can be potentially expensive and faffy 😅 So try with what you've got first to see what you can accomplish.
Also, there are lots of ways to make coffee and not having crema could be fine, depending on what you want. Some people even use espresso machines to make a filter-like coffee (see the "spro-over": ruclips.net/video/R5oYzEVQKpA/видео.html ). But to do something like a spro-over on this machine I think you'd need more water, so you might need to pull multiple times.
(oh, and I loved the video. Very relaxing and cool to see how this machine is assembled!)
This is a very nice restoration as I love coffee. I also love beer !!! One of my favorites is Celebrator Doppelbock from the Ayinger Brewery in Aying,Germany.
The best
Thank you very much Lance. Nice to find you on my channel
@@NTRprojects your work rocks. I have a 1963 la pav. Need to bring it out to you and do some sort of collab video lol
The amount of coffee content I've consumed because of your channel is astronomical. Happy to see you out here in the wild supporting other people's coffee adventures
@lancehedrick Contact me via mail or insta if you have a machine in bad state that I could restore for you
So few restorers prime and wet sand. Thank you for doing so. Nicely done. 👍
That was really interesting. What a beautiful machine! Danke Dir für das Video!
Dir danke für den Kommentar
Bravo. Beautiful work.
I have a couple of these, though newer. Frankly, there is always some little thing going wrong but they are easily fixed in most instances. This one is in terrific condition for one so old - they often get little steam leaks in the base that cause rust that is accelerated because of the slight charge imparted on the parts. I powdercoated both of my bases making them much more resistant than with the factory paint.
You really take these down much more than a typical user would (e.g., I've never seen a portafilter disassembled or boiler fixtures removed). I can assure you that the pistons and steam tubes are not polished at the factory! Hell, they aren't even brass any more. I sometimes wonder why more of the parts aren't stainless steel given the rust problems. For instance, the threaded rods that hold the portafilter handles on I switch to SS immediately as once they rust, you break the bakelite handles with the swelling.
Having the pressure release valve shooting steam is not great. Perhaps you need to adjust the pressurestat. Also, you might not get great results with that grinder. Most people think that the espresso machine is the most important factor, but the grinder is 2/3 of the game.
The one "upgrade" that I recommend is to replace the bolts securing the head to the boiler with threaded rod and acorn nuts. It is just easier to reassemble, etc.
Those manual machines are supposed to be pretty good, but reportedly take a lot of practice to get a perfect shot. Both the modern and vintage ones can be really pretty expensive, so I've never had the chance to mess around with one. Still, it is absolutely somewhere on my list. And it goes without saying this is a fantastic topic for a restoration video.
Awsome restauration. I always wanted to buy a Pavoni, but you have to earn it, to get decent result with. I liked your worksteps and also the description of materials you used. So I learned a lot.
Thanks for the wonderful video.
The base matches the Moulinex Coffee Grinder.
That was amazing. That thing just oozes style.
That was splendid. A great pleasure, as always!
Thank you Jozsef. I hope you are well!
@@NTRprojects Certainly!🙂
"Was it ever serviced?"
Looks like you are the first to ever service this machine.
Excellent job.
Amazing she's a beauty
Very enjoyable and satisfying to watch! Quality appliances are always worth restoring!
Excellent!
Awesome design of that Pavoni
Parabéns pelo trabalho 🎉🎉🎉
lookin' great, now i need another morning coffee...lol...keep safe and well
Sorry for that Bob :)
@@NTRprojects ....LOL..