# Repairing cracks in a Gaggia Classic drip tray and water container?



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Hi, I'm just getting into proper coffee at home with a re-conditioned pre-2015 Gaggia Classic from eBay and a Hario hand grinder.

All is going well and the coffee is great! Only problem is I've noticed cracking in the drip tray and water tank. No leaks so far but looking to repair it if possible or stop it getting worse as replacement parts are quite pricey.

I was tempted to put a blob of milliput epoxy putty in both areas to build it up after cleaning/roughing the surface as a temporary fix. What have people done in the past in similar situations?


----------



## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Hi, I'm just getting into proper coffee at home with a re-conditioned pre-2015 Gaggia Classic from eBay and a Hario hand grinder.
> 
> All is going well and the coffee is great! Only problem is I've noticed cracking in the drip tray and water tank. No leaks so far but looking to repair it if possible or stop it getting worse as replacement parts are quite pricey.
> 
> I was tempted to put a blob of milliput epoxy putty in both areas to build it up after cleaning/roughing the surface as a temporary fix. What have people done in the past in similar situations?


A couple of options springs to mind from fairing repair.

Drill a small hole at the end of the crack to stop it spreading any further, then glue/patch it with epoxy.

Or if you have a soldering iron you could plastic weld it. I believe the dodgy tamper that comes with the classic is the same type of plastic so should be good for doner material if you're missing a bit.


----------



## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Just looked up the cost of parts on the Gaggia website...shockingly expensive. not those parts especially but all parts, £8 for a group gasket and £13 for a portafilter basket!


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

The drip tray is probably ABS, in which case you can use nail varnish remover (acetone) to fuse the plastic back together. - You need to keep the plastic wet with the acetone for a couple of minutes and it will 'melt' the ABS - it will discolour the plastic so go carefully if you do it this way.

The water tank wont be ABS, but a bead of food safe silicone sealant should do the trick to keep the water in.


----------



## L&R (Mar 8, 2018)

Water tank is poly carbonate so silicone sealant works on it. Drip tray can be glued with epoxy glue, polished with grit paper and even sprayed in black afterwards.

BR


----------



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Thanks everyone! Looks like I have some repairing to do in the near future, think I will go for epoxy on the drip tray and food safe silicone in the water container as I can always scrape it off and start again with another option if needed.


----------



## Dylan (Dec 5, 2011)

if L&R is right about it being a poly plastic then he is right to say Silicone wont work, just about nothing sticks to poly plastics.

edit: actually, saying that I think I did once use silicone on a poly plastic and get it to work as a basic water seal - make sure you rough up the surface well... work a crack (heh) I guess.


----------



## lake_m (Feb 4, 2017)

Someone on here was making a shallow drip tray from 3D print. (Allows taller cups and a scale under the spout). Might be worth putting a 'wanted' ad out there and see if he responds. They weren't expensive.


----------



## Inspector (Feb 23, 2017)

Or just buy this. And use the parts you need, sell the rest if you can

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F312232415912


----------



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Hi Inspector, that could be a good option. How similar are the Gaggia Deluxe and old Classiscs, are a lot of the parts compatible between the two?


----------



## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Hi Inspector, that could be a good option. How similar are the Gaggia Deluxe and old Classiscs, are a lot of the parts compatible between the two?


the trays are identical I believe - its only inside the machine that is different - you could sell on some of the other parts to make your money back


----------



## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Northern_Monkey said:


> Hi Inspector, that could be a good option. How similar are the Gaggia Deluxe and old Classiscs, are a lot of the parts compatible between the two?


Quite a few of the parts are identical between the 2 models. If you look at the drip teay of the delux it'll even have the hole for the drainpipe despite not having one.


----------



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

Well I did go for the parts only older deluxe eBay, looked like a pretty good way of getting spare parts for my classic


----------



## ValeTudoGuy (Aug 20, 2018)

Just one thing, Epoxy is terrible for ABS... It can actually peel off.

ABS isnt normally glued as such, it is chemically fused with a solvent such as Ethyl Keytone (MEK) and Acetone.

Get some ABS pipe glue from your plumbers merchant for a few quid.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-sc250-solvent-cement-250ml/14295?tc=NT1&ds_kid=92700020953273727&ds_rl=1249799&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249481&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_vfcBRDJARIsAJafEnH8W9V-MP6gyHrSGh56b_0sfcX9Ipmlnt1OJdXp_WAl3sFguc6p3nYaAv6QEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CMSghdOqwN0CFU4WGwodhqsK8w


----------



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@ValeTudoGuy - Ah, I have a tub of something similar already from when I replaced some of my guttering last year. I will give it a try but might need to be careful with the amount I use as it seemed to dissolve plastic very quickly if you weren't paying attention!


----------



## ValeTudoGuy (Aug 20, 2018)

Northern_Monkey said:


> @ValeTudoGuy - Ah, I have a tub of something similar already from when I replaced some of my guttering last year. I will give it a try but might need to be careful with the amount I use as it seemed to dissolve plastic very quickly if you weren't paying attention!


Oh yes, you will need to be very careful. Less is more in this scenario certainly.


----------



## Inspector (Feb 23, 2017)

Have you received the Gaggia?


----------



## Northern_Monkey (Sep 11, 2018)

@Inspector - Yes I did, the drip tray and water container are a perfect fit. From the outside it looks to be in pretty good nick and not really used very much in terms of wear and tear.

I think it has a leak from the boiler seal as I can see drip marks on the outside of the grouphead. Quite tempted to buy a new set of seals and descaler to get it up and running for my dad, as it seemed a shame to just split it unless it needed major repairs.


----------

