Lever project - Urania 1 group

borat123

I only have a couple of days before having to go interstate again for work for another week, so spent this afternoon putting the piston and lever body back together. Just to refresh where we are in the resto,  the machine originally came with the small group, which was damaged.  It turns out that a later revision with a medium size group fixed a pre-infusion problem that was a design stuff up with the small one. So I ordered a replacement which luckily turned out to be the medium size one anyway.  I also bought a longer piston rod and matching spring.  The lever fork and bearings are also new. Here's some pics: These are viton piston seals - hopefully they'll last many times longer than standard ones...  Those of you with a keen eye will notice I had the top seal in the wrong way around.  I turned it back the way it's supposed to be, which you can see here:

Koffee_Kosmo

Its a thing of beauty mate  ;D KK

Brett H

Wow... Just wow!

borat123

Anyone know of a local (Australia) source for led tube lighting.  I'm looking for one of these: Here's a close up of some smaller versions: This one is in France.  It looks like a 'made in china' job.  I've looked but can't seem to find any here.. http://www.ampoule-leds.fr/tube-ambiledtm-12-led-blanches-12v-v2-p-2586.html Here's a quick translation: Ambiled Tube

Koffee_Kosmo

I always look outside the square - But having aquariums myself- Try your local aquarium - they have lighting like that Also look for " Reef LED lights" http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au/lighting/led-lights-moon-lights/moon-led-aquarium-light/blue-moon-led-aquarium-light-38cm-water-proof-marine/prod_232.html KK

Ronin

There are plenty of places that sell LED strip lights, prob your best bet. Or Google it  http://spectrumlighting.com.au/led_tube_lights.php http://www.ledcentral.com.au/online-store/t8-led-tubes http://www.ledlightingaustralia.net.au/LED-Tube-Lights-C6/ Might find something in one of those links.

borat123

Thanks guys.  I've been looking at a few different options.  Around 20cm length and 20mm diameter. 1.  Led tube light (aquarium lighting).  12V and fits nicely into the existing bracket.  Requires a transformer which would have to be mounted somewhere and may not cope with heat. 2.  Standard fluoro tube in a small size.  More fragile as the brackets would clamp on the glass tube.  Ballast and starter required to be mounted somewhere which is a pain. 3.  Neon flex.  Available in 240V, so no transformer.  Can cut to size.  May or may not need aluminium rail to hold it straight.  A small length might fit straight into the old brackets. 4. Incandescant tube style bulb, 240V, so no transformer.  No good because it produces heat.

farmroast

:thumb: absolutely beautiful rebuild. One can only imagine what that machine has been through over all those years before you saved it. Levers rule

borat123

And the quest for a lighting solution continues.... I was thinking Neon flex 240V was the answer but unfortunately it has minimum cutting length of approx 900mm which is way longer than what I want. So, back to looking at low voltage led strip lighting.  I've found a place that will make up a 24V strip light, any length you want, with an extruded aluminium backing, and a diffusing cover over the front.  For my size approx 200mm, about $25.    They only have a 55W transformer though (overspec'd and expensive), so I'm trying to power it with one from somewhere else.  I think the short 200mm length will be under 10W.  The transformer would likely be mounted somewhere on the frame, or stuck to the inside of the cover - it would need to cope with the ambient internal temp of the machine... Here's the strip light: http://www.superlight.com.au/FWS/modules/estore/public/fes_catalog.php?id=164 Their matching power supply: http://www.superlight.com.au/FWS/modules/estore/public/fes_catalog.php?id=217 And here's what I'm considering as an alternative to their power supply: http://www.ledaustralia.com.au/led-power-supplies/197-la1908-ot2024.html  (a pdf spec sheet is here) What do you think?  The alternative power supply will do the job and cope with some heat?

borat123

I finally....  got all the parts back from the platers today. Here's a sneak peek at the boiler.  (this was just polishing) Now we'll see if I still remember how it all goes back together...  What do you think, worth the wait?

Koffee_Kosmo

To good & to shiny to put back together  :thumb: Seriously nice job KK

borat123

Yes, I feel like hanging it in the kitchen and cooking pasta in it...  :D

Muscles

With the internals looking that good I cannot imagine what the outside will look like  ???

UNM

don't like it. Never like something that sets the bar too high. How could I ever come up with something to match, let alone beat that? Not fair!

Brett H

on 1323256806:

don't like it. Never like something that sets the bar too high. How could I ever come up with something to match, let alone beat that? Not fair!

Me too!  That is an eye-wateringly great job. I've had to make up words to describe it.  If the internals look this good is there nota way to incprpoate perspex and lights internally so that beautiful work can be marveled at?  If it were me I'd trade authentic for aesthetic such is the heathen swine I've become!  ;D

shape_shifter

Gorgeous job they've done. I'm thinking of building a whole different lever design so getting ideas

borat123

Boiler back in, but still sorting out the pipework.  The T-piece will now go on the steam line and branch off to the Pstat from there. Still a way to go yet, but at least I can see some progress now.... 

Koffee_Kosmo

The back end is so beautiful  ::) I know I know - But its a mechanical engineers dream, to see all the bits coming together That Bezzera two in one pressure valve looks like it fits right in perfectly How did you go sourcing the special thread seal KK

borat123

Yes, she looks pretty good with the skirt up, but won't show her face just yet.... :D Thanks KK for the tip re the permabond - I went to Reece who were out of stock, but they gave me a couple of sample bottles which is all I need to get the job done. The Bezzera combo valve was actually too big; that's why I had to move the T-Piece down to where the steam line runs from.  Without the T-piece there, it does fit though; just.... The textured aluminium arrived today so I'll visit the sheetmetal shop tomorrow to get them to make a copy of the trim, then it goes back to the platers.  The gold trim in the pic was just to see how it looked (it's the old corroded one)

Brett H

Seriously... Ya killin me!  :thumb:

borat123

Sweating outside in the shed today; i only have a couple days off to play with the Urania before heading off for work again.... Here's some new pics of the wiring which I finished off this afternoon.  I've re-used the old ceramic insulators to try and keep it looking a bit more original. Still trying to catch the refrigeration guy to braze the T-piece so I can plumb in the p-stat. You can also see in one of the pics, I've found almost an exact copy of the rubber inserts for the feet.  They were from a rubber place right here in Adelaide.

borat123

Thanks AM, I'll check it out.  I did originally buy special high temp cable, but for the same core diameter the overall size was bigger and wouldn't fit inside the stainless sheath or the end fitting.

borat123

Managed to catch up with the refrig guy who brazed in the t-piece for me.  One bag of Glorias las Brisas later, and after I cleaned up the joint work with the dremel, then polished with wet & dry, here's the result.....  (the pipe bending was my handywork I reckon it looks like it came out of the factory that way...  Thought for the day - a 6mm compression fitting does not fit onto a 1/4" pipe...  :D

Koffee_Kosmo

So will we see a first shot from this spunky machine - upon your return from work in Melbourne ?  :thumb: KK

borat123

sometime around the 18th KK - that's when the polishing shop opens up after Xmas holidays.... They still have the lever rod from the 3 way valve (it was re-made), and the pre-infusion valve body (repaired) which are the last few bits I need to be able to pull a shot.

borat123

Just thought I'd share a couple of pics of my new tamper...  Had to buy a new one as the old one is going with the two group. This one is aluminium bronze, was bought for the Urania and the annodised handle has a bit more of a gold tint to it in real life, as compared to the pics here:

Muscles

Very, very nice Stuart!  :thumb: I cannot wait to get my Barista back from AM, they feel great in the hand and are beautiful piece of eye candy on the kitchen bench. You got the flat base? Congrats!!

borat123

on 1326444908:

Very, very nice Stuart!  :thumb: I cannot wait to get my Barista back from AM, they feel great in the hand and are beautiful piece of eye candy on the kitchen bench. You got the flat base? Congrats!!

Thanks.  It started out life with a convex base but Greg kindly converted it to flat, as the VST's I'm told work better with a flat base.

borat123

A few more pics.  Nearly there, but still haven't pulled a shot from it yet...... Will have a go soon at wiring in the LCD strip light that arrived the other day. Look closely and you can just make out AM's little wooden booger sitting neatly on top. 

Ronin

Beautiful restoration there Borat. My next one might just be a lever