# Always split your boiler...



## carbonkid85 (Jan 19, 2011)

Made some progress with my restoration project today but it taught me a very valuable lesson. NEVER buy a second hand machine and try to cut corners with the restoration work.

Here is what I found inside...




























No wonder it won't bleeding work!


----------



## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

Mmmmmm......yummy


----------



## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

Wow - that definitely needed doing. Just hope you can get it back together afterwards!


----------



## JohnnieWalker (Aug 24, 2011)

WTF

---

I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?npcwbf

Coffee & Accessories available at http://TheCoffeeShop.Co


----------



## carbonkid85 (Jan 19, 2011)

Overnight citric bath and we're getting there


















Could be worse. I've heard horror stories of machines full of cockroaches which have infested a guy's house during a tear down!


----------



## lookseehear (Jul 16, 2010)

That looks much better. I'd have thought the water would taste pretty bad before the descale.


----------



## carbonkid85 (Jan 19, 2011)

I wasn't getting anything through the group before.

I'm still going to need to figure out the HX and descale that next. I just wish there was a little more information available online to help!


----------



## espressotechno (Apr 11, 2011)

Buy a plastic dustbin & 5 litres of phosphoric acid.

Fill dustbin with dilute acid (approx. 5:1 dilution)

Dismantle boiler, or group head, or valves, etc.

Soak all the parts - not electricals - overnight. Rinse in water. Allow to dry.

With some components, eg group heads, it may be necessary soak in hot acid (dilute with hot water) & poke the small bore passages with wire.


----------

