Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Solamente Espresso on January 23, 2010 at 4:28pm

I wouldn't cut into the body work - it is very difficult to replace, more if the machine goes out of production. Instead, maybe have a deeper drainpan made, though you'll probably have to lower or relocate the drain cup, water inlet manifold, etcetera...

Permalink Reply by Brady on January 23, 2010 at 6:45pm

I doubt this has been done... it'll basically destroy the machine.

The big problem that I see is that it probably won't drain. You need the drain tube to slope downward from where it starts (at the machine) to where it drops through the hole in the counter. If the tube runs horizontal it will not drain properly. To preserve proper drain function, you'd have to leave the plastic base in place and jack up the rest of the machine.

Hacking up the plastic base sounds like a bad idea. Check the price for the replacement part and be prepared to pay that plus lots of labor, or scrap the machine, if it doesn't work.

You might try what PP suggested and fabricate a different steel pan. Might work, and much lower risk.

This idea sounds similar to an Epoca DE that I saw a couple of weeks ago that had been rewired (poorly) by the guy he bought it from to turn it into an S. Not a very good idea, for lots of reasons. The owner's shop had gone under and he was trying to have it "fixed" to sell it. It had no vacuum breaker and a problem in the "modded" fill circuit. I took a look and gave it right back. He was pissed and found it difficult to understand that, since it had been completely modified, it was no longer able to be fixed using OEM parts... making the necessary repairs a real crapshoot. I didn't want to have anything to do with this machine, and I doubt he'll find a tech willing to touch it. It was sad, because he had no idea that it had been so badly hacked when he bought it.

Think about what you'll do with this machine when you're finished with it, and let that factor in to your decision. Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Patrick A. Payne on January 23, 2010 at 10:12pm

Thanks for the responses. Some good points have been made so I will see if I can come up with another solution. I don't think a deeper drain pan will work though because it doesn't look like it could be made deep enough. I'll do some measuring though just in case.

Permalink Reply by Patrick A. Payne on January 25, 2010 at 1:01pm

Looks like I am going to have to settle with removing the drip pan cover. That gives me just enough room. Getting a bottomless portafilter should help out too (when they come off backorder!).

Thanks again for the advice.