Fracino Retro lever machine

Ratrodzcafe

The order finally went in for the machine friday just before 5,not too many options over here but in the end I went for a 2 group Fracino lever machine.Its a dual fuel so should be good for my mobile setup but just wondering if anybodies got any reviews, pros/cons or hands on experience(only got to play with one for a few minutes) maybe some ideas on adding a little more style to it.Its going into a '74 vw bus so think it might need a little something,its a bit shiney🙂

Lacehim

So, one of these then? http://www.fracino.com/machines/traditional-machines/retro.html Did you buy it direct or from an Australian supplier. If you don't mind me asking, what sorta $$$ where you talking? Fracino is the company that are making the Londinium I, II & III for Reiss. I haven't seen one of their machines, but from reviews of the L1 the build quality is good. It's going to be big. How big is this VW bus of yours? Can we have a piccy?

Brett_H

I think Rad is in Ireland so the Aussie distributor might not be the best choice. :thumb: Lacheim has asked all the questions I'd love answers for also! :coffee2:

Ratrodzcafe

Thats the one Lacehim 🙂 Its actually a lot smaller than it looks, there was an astoria 2 group lever machine there too and it was a good 6-8 inches thinner but similar height though. The bus is an old vw baywindow,soon as its all back together i will put up a few picz. Oh and im in ireland but the machine is comming from the uk,all in with grinder and other few bits about

UNM

360 cups per hour!! 6 cups per minute. One every ten secs. That would be quite a work out over an 8 hour day. I know it would never happen over a sustained period, but still. I am not sure how anyone could dose, tamp, load, pull the shot, hand it over, knock out spent puck and clean portafilter for next in forty seconds. I thought levers were slightly slower than pump machines, obviously not.

Lacehim

UNM wrote:

I thought levers were slightly slower than pump machines, obviously not.

The only difference is that you pull a lever rather than press a switch, so no slower or quicker in my opinion. Your certainly going to get a few muscles in your arms Ratrodzcafe. We would all like to know more about the Fracino when you get it. They look like a quality machine, and it'll be great to get a review of them. There are suppliers here in Australia for the Fracino, but sadly there seems to be a rather steep markup on them at the Australian end. In the UK they are a very well priced machine.

Ratrodzcafe

Should be here Monday so will get to have a good look over it and get some pics taken.

Brett_H

Cant wait to see the pics mate! I've never seen one in the wild but I know we have an Aussie distributor.

conikal

Lacehim wrote:

If you don't mind me asking, what sorta $$$ where you talking?

?? .. 1750 UK pounds ? http://www.thecoffeemansouthwest.co.uk/fracino-lpg-machines.php Campared to Au$4600 ? ??? 😢 http://www.coffeemachinesqueensland.com.au/list.cfm?sector_id=1 would you consider that a fair margin ? I wonder what a regular electric powered version would cost ?

Ratrodzcafe

That's a pretty steep jump in price from uk

Lacehim

The RRP here is a bit over the top, BUT who knows what you can negotiate. I did tackle them over price when I was looking for a new machine, and they said come in and see the machine and we'll talk about it. 😉

conikal

Hmm? ... negotiate ?.. CMQ have given themselves a LOT of negotiating room in that price ! If i were going to "negotiate" with them, my opening bid would be the landed cost of an L1 ( $2500 ? ) .. ...... and give them 5 mins to accept before i walk ! I can understand why Fracino m/c are not more numerous in Oz

conikal

Ratrodzcafe wrote:

...maybe some ideas on adding a little more style to it.Its going into a '74 vw bus so think it might need a little something,its a bit shiney🙂

I dont know if you noticed but.. Fracino have a "Bespoke Design" option on their m/c's that offers all kinds of finish options from gold plate to clear glass panels with polished interiors, I guess its too late for you now, but it may be worth a phone call to them.. http://www.fracino.com/finishing-touches/bespoke-designs.html

Ratrodzcafe

I have no problem taking a saw to the back panel,a few l.e.ds lighting up the boiler looks pretty nice, maybe leopard print instead of the snakeskin,lol. Definatly needs a little colour though i think and maybe something a little different with the handles too.

Brett_H

Those people who were outraged by the red leather Silvia clearly did not see the above Fracino designs!!!

Lacehim

Brett H wrote:

Those people who were outraged by the red leather Silvia clearly did not see the above Fracino designs!!!

The red leather silvia was pretty rubbish though. They could have upgraded the poor wee machine, but na, slap on some leather and charge a few $100 dollars more. $$$. Idiots. I would actually 2 years down the track like to see how the leather is fairing. I like to see the machines above being made more individual though where required. I like the ones above, nice and out there! 🙂

conikal

...maybe some ideas on adding a little more style to it.Its going into a '74 vw bus so think it might need a little something,its a bit shiney🙂

More thoughts.. those large flat panels lend themselves to either custom paint ( airbrush artist ?) ..or even stick on vinyl images ( im pretty sure thats how Fracino do some of their designs) Get a suitable "Ratrod / Steampunk) image ,and have it transferred onto a adhesive vinyl sheet for DIY application ? ..OR.. Depending on how extreme you want to go, i could imagine a "Faux" liquor still exterior cover, made from old boiler parts, pipes, valves etc etc ?

Ratrodzcafe

You read my mind with that pic conikal,steampunk moonshine coffee still🙂 Think you are right abt them wrapping in vinyl, can't really see it lasting long though with constantly heating/cooling the machine. Was thinking airbrush alright, something like an old weathered car, colour coat sanded through to primer kinda effect but it still a little one dimensional,the machine itself is pretty much a big chrome box,needs some sticky outy bits I think🙂

Koffee_Kosmo

Metalized vinyl is the answer http://www.topvinylfilms.com/catalog/Metallized_Vinyl-9-1.html

conikal

Ratrodzcafe wrote:

You read my mind with that pic conikal,steampunk moonshine coffee still🙂 Think you are right abt them wrapping in vinyl, can't really see it lasting long though with constantly heating/cooling the machine.

I have had some clear adhesive vinyl on the top of my Isomac ( to protect the SS from cup scratches).. for nearly a year . No sign of it even trying to lift or shrink or discolor. ( and it got "steamed" when the pressurestat failed last month !)