voltairesb Senior Member Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 31 Location: austin Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Wega Mininova; la Pavoni... Grinder: Mazzer Super-Jolly
Posted Wed May 7, 2008, 6:04pm Subject: Linea. Work in progress
So. As many of you who read constantly know, I was debating the purchase of a very "serious" coffee machine. GS3, linea or GB5. I think i wanted the GB5 more than anything, but i couldn't really justify the cost (though i think now i'm just waiting for that opportunity). I decided to buy a 2 group Linea. Its an 04 model. AV. Excellent shape in and out excepting some boiler scale. Descaled and cleaned the steam half of the machine, brew boiler was relatively clean. Doug Shannon and I have been working to improve the machine.
This weekend we installed the new pierro group caps and a brew boiler PID. For a PID kit i used the Espresso parts kit. PXR and really easy to use thermocouple (its a type j, for those of you who saw type t on the EPNW page) install was pretty easy on both.
Some notes:1) PID Wiring of the brew boiler is pretty easy. From what I can tell, brew boiler offset is much much smaller on the linea than on most other machines (gs3, linea) if my pid is accurate, and doug's scace 1 is accurate, then the machine is less than 1^ cooler at the group (at most).
2)piero caps. I guess since i have one more of these to do, i can do a photo essay if others would like to see it. Its really quite simple, but you pretty much have to guess how it goes together, because Franke gives you NOTHING. Not even a parts diagram. The tube blank used to replace the banjo tube is a flipping stupid solution, and a pain in the ass. Its got a little arm on it used to help insert it (ala a banjo tube) BUT its about 2 inches shorter than the banjo tube and has a square block that the bolt is machined out of. This tube CAN fall into the boiler. If it does, it is a real pain in the ass to get out.
So far this is just an introduction. I'm curious to see if anyone else has done this stuff, and maybe some dialogs can come of it. Any questions? Comments? Think i'm crazy?
voltairesb Senior Member Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 31 Location: austin Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: Wega Mininova; la Pavoni... Grinder: Mazzer Super-Jolly
Posted Fri May 9, 2008, 6:27am Subject: Re: Linea. Work in progress
I found the linea in a "jumpin juice and java" franchise that had gone under I bought the machine for $2500. The ssr is attatched to the frame on the power side of the machine, pid is in a Radio Shack project box that sits under the drip tray. The gs3 is an amazing machine. But there were some things about it that i wasn't super in love with. I HATED the drip tray, which i didn't feel was stable enough. I also disliked the delay between pressing a brew button and brewing actually happening. I also, more than anything, wanted a two group. So far i've been using both groups every morning.
JollyGreenBucket Senior Member Joined: 3 Feb 2008 Posts: 34 Location: Rogers, AR Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Gaggia Viva (220V) Grinder: Gaggia MDF Drip: Bodum French Press Roaster: Poppery II
Posted Fri May 9, 2008, 12:16pm Subject: Re: Linea. Work in progress
How often are you using it? I'm considering a two-group as well, not only because it is so much easier to find but also because my wife is now drinking coffee as well, which would make life easier for me. Did you just go to the franchise to find it? I feel much the same about the GS3 myself. Seems like an awful lot of money for something to not be absolutely perfect. Where did you place the machine in your home? What other mods are you planning to do to it?
LurkerJohnny Senior Member Joined: 10 Apr 2004 Posts: 59 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Isomac Zaffiro Grinder: Mazzer Super Jolly Drip: Mr. Coffee 4 Cup
Posted Sat May 17, 2008, 6:58pm Subject: Re: Linea. Work in progress
Hello Voltaire, I for one would love to hear about you're project. I have not done it before so cannot give any advice, but it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling to read about others tinkering with their Linea. I have an older 1 group Linea that I am rebuilding. I would love to slap in a Pierro group cap as well, but I have the older style boiler and group. I heard that it can be made to fit with some modifications.
Anyhow, my project is on hold as I am in the process of moving. The only fix I can get now is reading about other people's projects..... Don't forget, lots of pictures!! :)
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