# Gaggia TS restoration



## bronc

As some of you know, I recently won a Gaggia TS on eBay and got it shipped to Bulgaria. The couriers managed to do some damage and although it was nothing too major, I decided to do a full strip down to treat a few internal rust spots, replace the seals and descale. First I thought I'd wait until my CFA exam passes but today I got fed up with my consecutive 6-7 hour study day and decided to start playing with the Gaggia. Right now I've managed to disassemble everything. I've labeled the connectors, made photos, and started collecting all the bits and pieces that need cleaning. I'll share some photos later but now I need help with removing the boiler element. It appears that due to scale and the seal being 10 years old, it won't come off.

This is how the boiler on the side of the element looks (not my photos):



















The round piece with the connectors is the base of the element and it is bolted to the triangular piece which is part of the actual boiler. I've removed all bolts but it won't come off. I tried using a flat tip screwdriver to separate the element from the boiler but that tip can't get in the space between the two. Any ideas?


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## GCGlasgow

Pics aren't showing, no tips on the problem but do like to watch a restoration project on here.


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## bronc

Ah, that's probably because the photos are from home-barista and you need to have an account. I'll remove them as I managed to solve this by running a knife between the element and the boiler. What I found inside is quite shocking, though. It appears that although the heat exchanger was descaled frequently (no scale in the pipes) nobody took care of the boiler. I managed to collect almost 2 handfuls of brown scale. I need to clean up and I'll upload the photos so you can see what I'm talking about..


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## bronc

Here are the few photos I made today:


http://imgur.com/U7G8c


So far I'm struggling with a few things. The first one is removing the shower screen.. I hope that soaking the group head in Puly Caff for a few hours and/or citric acid will help loosen it but so far I've had zero success with unscrewing the bolt that holds it together. You can see all the gunk that came out from the grouphead and that's from just 15 minutes in Puly Caff.

The second issue is that I'm not sure how to proceed with the boiler/element. I've taken most of the scale out but I want to descale it completely. Would you recommend sealing all the holes in the boiler and filing it up with a citric acid solution? What about the element? I remember reading somewhere that you have to be really careful not to wet the base because if water gets inside it can ruin it.

My last problem is that I broke the resettable thermostat while fiddling with the wires. It turned out that it costs about 30gbp.. I would've been more careful if I knew! Oh well, I guess I'll be replacing it.

Oh, and by the way, any tips for dealing with the surface rust?


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## bronc

Not a lot of people are taking interest in my project but I thought I'd let you know on my progress.

I filed the boiler with a strong citric acid solution and let it sit for 5-6 hours which cleaned up about 95% of the scale. I'm considering soaking the whole thing in a bucket full of the solution to make sure that all the nooks and crannies are completely clean. I used a tall glass to descale the element which worked very well as the water didn't get to the terminals.










The other major part that needed cleaning is the group head; the shower plate/screen to be more precise. After a whole day of soaking in puly caff, the bolt still didn't budge so I decided to rip apart the mesh of the screen. What I found underneath was disgusting. A layer of dried/caked coffee residue. Yuck!! I removed the screen with my trusty pliers but I still can't unscrew the bolt.. Unfortunately I can't reach the allen bolts that attach the screen plate to the grouphead so I have no options but to soak it more..


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## 4085

I am interested Bronc. You have a labour of love there mate. If you soak that screw long enough it will give. Try heating it up next time before you try and remove it. I used to have a tool, no idea what it was called but you put the bit into the screw had then hit it with a hammer.....used to work most things!

Did you have any idea what you were taking on before you bought it? I have one as well, but I am lucky that I know the boiler was taken off, however there was no scale anyway as it has had next to no use and comes from a soft water area!


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## bronc

I have a love of labour as well haha







At least when it comes to fiddling with espresso machines. That's part of the reason why I wanted to buy a machine that needs some work.

Back on topic - your suggestion worked! I soaked it in puly caff after I had removed the shower screen and with the help of some boiling water the screw finally gave in. Thanks! The allen bolts on the shower plate need some soaking as they won't come off. I need to buy new allen keys because the ones I have are made of some pretty soft alloy and they get deformed easily.

I bought the machine on eBay in a used but working condition. The seller had clearly stated that the machine was not tested as he didn't know how to operate it (yeah, really..). I adjusted my bid accordingly so I managed to get it for about 280 quid which I think is a pretty good price. After all it's mostly scale and dirt.. I hope! So far my biggest expense is the thermostat but that's on me..


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## Brewer in training

Hi Bronc.

Looking good.

I won a TD in need of some TLC.

(Actually won 2in need of repair.... Might get round to fixing the other one someday!)

I cleaned the boiler in standard descaler....... Came up lovely...

Then decided to have the panels repainted.......... Taking a LOT longer than estimated cos they know I am very fussy! Didn't help I decided to have my grinder done at the same time......

Keep up the good work and keep us posted......


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## El carajillo

dfk41 said:


> I am interested Bronc. You have a labour of love there mate. If you soak that screw long enough it will give. Try heating it up next time before you try and remove it. I used to have a tool, no idea what it was called but you put the bit into the screw had then hit it with a hammer.....used to work most things!
> 
> Did you have any idea what you were taking on before you bought it? I have one as well, but I am lucky that I know the boiler was taken off, however there was no scale anyway as it has had next to no use and comes from a soft water area!


The tool you are thinking of is an "IMPACT DRIVER" they will accept sockets or screwdriver bits, very effective for seized /stuck fittings:good:


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## timmyjj21

Top post Bronc, its been a great read for me so far!

I agree that heat will help with removing your bolts. Also a second soak after some of the scum is removed allows better penetration. The baked on coffee dirt becomes almost impermeable to water due to the oily residues. I have no concerns about using WD40 to get penetration into bolt threads, then a good soak in pully caff to remove the WD40 followed by a good wash just in case there is any left.

Keep us posted, Im interested!


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## jeebsy

I'm interested as will be doing my own restoration soon but don't have much to add at this point...


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## TomBurtonArt

timmyjj21 said:


> Top post Bronc, its been a great read for me so far!
> 
> I agree that heat will help with removing your bolts. Also a second soak after some of the scum is removed allows better penetration. The baked on coffee dirt becomes almost impermeable to water due to the oily residues. I have no concerns about using WD40 to get penetration into bolt threads, then a good soak in pully caff to remove the WD40 followed by a good wash just in case there is any left.
> 
> Keep us posted, Im interested!


I'm not sure I'd use WD-40 as it is a water displacement spray to aid penetration, but it might help to lubricate the threads.

I'll be watching this thread closely, the pipework looks really fresh inside your machine, i'm pretty jealous, my renovation was much crustier.

Have you tried eevad for parts? They seem to be much cheaper than other espresso parts stores.


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## Pompeyexile

Bloomin heck! I thought I was brave stripping down my Gaggia Classic, but it's like pulling apart something made of Lego in comparison.

I have to admit though, never having attempted anything like it before it's been very satisfying so far and I'll be as excited as a dog with two willies if (when...be positive!) I get it back together and it actually works.

Good luck and keep us posted with plenty more photos.


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## melaniesusanblakeman

I am taking keen interest in the project Bronc. It is well worth the trouble it took to post it.


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## bronc

Wow, that blew up overnight. It appears I was wrong about not a lot of people being interested







Thank you for all the recommendations. I need to buy more citric acid and I'll dump all of the pipes and the boiler in a bucket to make sure everything is scale free.

@Tom - I discovered eevad from your post on the Wega restoration. They seem to stock a lot of parts but I also found a local supplier that does them even cheaper. They don't have all the parts on hand but can get almost anything from their supplier.


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## El carajillo

You have a much greater following than you thought bronc. I would think thee are many members who follow your posts quite avidly and who are quite envious of what you are doing.

There will also be members who do not have the time , space ,facilities, tools or confidence to tackle a similar project but have much satisfaction following your ups, downs and achievements. They are willing you on and awaiting your next post like the next episode in a serial/film etc.


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## coffeechap

A lot of people will look on and not comment bronc, it is frustrating sometims when people do not comment, but take that as people are not looking or willing you on, everyone loves to see a machine brought back to all its glory, keep up the good work and keep the photos coming


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## TomBurtonArt

For the rust on the frame, i'd file then sand off the rust before protecting with some hammerite, or get the frame powdercoated.


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## JayMac

While I've certainly never tried and am no expert on espresso machine DIY repairs, I would not use an impact driver on any part of such a machine. I think you solved that issue with soaking and elbow grease anyway. And as someone else mentioned I wouldn't use WD40 either as it is quite toxic on the scale of food prep. Nice work btw.


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## Pompeyexile

Just a quick question.........Where the chuff can I buy Citric Acid?

I tried the chemist the DIY store but to no avail. I know the stuff you clean your kettle or iron with is formic acid but that doesn't come in big bottles, is that just as good?


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## TomBurtonArt

Pompeyexile said:


> Just a quick question.........Where the chuff can I buy Citric Acid?
> 
> I tried the chemist the DIY store but to no avail. I know the stuff you clean your kettle or iron with is formic acid but that doesn't come in big bottles, is that just as good?


You can get food quality citric as a powder online, i ordered mine from amazon, got next day delivery and 1kg was the perfect amount to descale my Wega.

I've never looked into formic acid but I know some folks have used 'Phos' phosphoric acid to remove really stubborn scale.


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## bronc

I buy mine from the local supermarket.


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## 7493

You can get it from home wine making stores or online e.g. Amazon. I just bought a kilo for a fiver.


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## Cana

Love seeing you work on your TS, after all my hard work figuring out all the problems and fixing and restoring mine.

Lately however mine has been dripping from the hot water spout at a constant rate. It slows down if you turn on hot water for a few seconds and turn it off. However the drip is still constant.


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## bronc

It's probably one of the gaskets/seals inside the tap. I still haven't got to that part as I need to buy a new wrench for the taps.


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## 4085

You need to either replace the valve, or take it out and buy a service kit. There are 3 I think, washers inside and the middle one under heat, warps. Sometimes you can just turn it round and that wilder it for a while. It is a doddle to do. A new part from this chap is £36. About 2/3 rds the way down is an article on how to do it

http://www.stevenheaton.co.uk/blog_coffee/


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## bronc

A few photos of the bits and pieces:

No luck with disassembling the hot water/steam taps. I need to get a second wrench to work on them:










Scale is everywhere..










Soaked them in citric acid for a few hours. Forgot to take the 'after' picture but will do when I get back home from work


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## bronc

Should the end of the safety valve which is connected to the hose be completely screwed in or not? I remember that when I was removing the cap, it was quite loose but I'm not sure whether it is intended to be like that. I'm talking about the right end of this:


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## bronc

All the bits and pieces have been descaled. I'm picking up most of the spares on Saturday and the remaining ones will arrive in a week or so. I need to work on the chassis but for now I'm focusing on my CFA exam which is next Saturday.


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## 4515

Making good progress there. Would love to see more before and after photos as the project progresses


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## El carajillo

Looking good bronc, a good clean up makes a world of difference and reassembly more pleasurable. It never ceases to amaze me how much scale water deposits.

Looking forward to seeing the rebuild/ completed project.


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## jeebsy

Great work, looking much better - i'm getting mine tomorrow so going to saying goodbye to my kitchen table for a while.


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## bronc

I got most of the spares I need yesterday. I still need to buy a few more gaskets and the thermostat but the supplier doesn't have them on hand.


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## Cana

Nice steamwand from Steven Heaton?


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## bronc

No, got it from a local parts supplier. They sell them for around 15 quid. Much cheaper than the ones on eBay and they are 100% authentic and new. A pretty good deal I think.

Finally managed to remove the grouphead plate.

Yuck:




























A long soak and some elbow grease and it looks like new:



















Still waiting for a few bits and pieces to arrive and I'll be ready for assembly.


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## El carajillo

It is moving along, when does the rebuild start ?


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## bronc

It all depends on when my parts arrived. I hope it should be this week so I can start after my exam on Saturday. I need to sand down the rust spots and paint them but that shouldn't take too much time (they're on the inside so looks aren't important).


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## Dallah

I'm really glad for you that your machine restoration is coming along so well.


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## bronc

What would you recommend for fixing up the rust spots on the inside? I'm thinking sandpaper, some kind of rust treatment chemical (any suggestions?) and then some spray paint.


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## 7493

Suggest Bilt-Hamber Hydrate 80 http://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-and-rust-treatments/hydrate-80

I have used this on severely corroded cast iron drain pipes to good effect. It's meant for cars but don't let that put you off. (Needless to say I have no connection with the company!)


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## bronc

I sanded the rust, stripped away part of the paint from the piece that holds the water tank, and covered the ex-rust spots with rust converter just in case. This morning I repeated the procedure to make sure I've removed as much of the rust as possible and then sprayed the pieces with primer. I'll wait a couple of hours until the primer dries out and will probably spray them one more time.

Before:



















After:


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## ChilledMatt

I have enjoyed following your progress. I hope to gain the skills to attempt something like this myself. Look forward to seeing the finished pictures. Good luck.

Matt


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## bronc

Got a phone call today that my parts have arrived. Will pick them up after work and will start assembling,


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## Dallah

Great work. Really interesting to those of us that like to get into a machine and have a tinker. My only regret with my SDB is that there is no real opportunity to tinker with the workings of the machine.

Once the TS is completed you will know that it is really YOUR machine and you have earned every last drop of espresso it produces.


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## jeebsy

Oooh, this could be a bit of a race.


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## MartinB

Can't beat a rebuild/refresh









I have a Gaggia TE on the way - do you have any info about this model at all? It looks fairly similar but relies on being plumbed in...


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## bronc

All the bits and pieces are in their places. Now the wiring..


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## bronc

The screws that held together the old safety thermostat to the chassis don't fit the new one. I have no idea where to find such small screws.. Other than I'm about 80% done. Will upload a few photos tomorrow.


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## jeebsy

bronc said:


> All the bits and pieces are in their places. Now the wiring..


Slow down, there's no rush...


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## carper2k

Model shops often have small screws. What size are they?. I could have a look in my Model spares


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## bronc

@carper2k i'm not sure.. but i'll see if i can find a local model shop, thanks for the idea. This is how the thermostat looks. The holes for the screws are the ones just below and above the red point:










@MartinB it does look similar to the TS. I guess it's an older version of some sort?

Had to bent the water tap pipe (the one on the right) a bit to fit. I've probably bent it out of its original shape while removing it for descaling. Also the connection of the said pipe to the boiler is in a very tight spot and can barely be reached with the boiler mounted to the chassis. I hope I was able to tighten it enough because I don't feel like disassembling everything just to get better access to it







The machine is so freaking huge you can fit a second boiler inside..


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## El carajillo

Looking excellent bronc, Cannot tell size from photo but would electrical switch fixing pins be too big ? 3.2 mm metric thread,


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## bronc

Turns out there is no thread inside the holes. They have tweaked the design and according to the parts diagram the thermostat is attached to the chassis with a clamp/brace which I can't find. I guess I'll have to resort to a cable tie..


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## Milanski

Just caught up with this thread also. Great stuff bronc. Almost there!

I love a good restoration thread...


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## froggystyle

That does look mint inside!!

Well done.


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## El carajillo

bronc said:


> Turns out there is no thread inside the holes. They have tweaked the design and according to the parts diagram the thermostat is attached to the chassis with a clamp/brace which I can't find. I guess I'll have to resort to a cable tie..


Self tappers ?


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## bronc

I already broke one, not sure I want to experiment. By the way, the screws from the old unit don't look like ordinary screws. Not sure if they are self tappers or something similar - I'll take a photo when I get back from work.


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## bronc

OK, I've got some pretty good news. After switching the machine on, the auto-fill filled up the boiler. I can now feel the boiler getting pretty warm to the touch. Stay tuned!


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## Milanski

You've had an hour bronc, what you saying?


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## bronc

I'm quite excited! Everything works and there is just one leak that I somewhat expected. The first time I turned it on it went up to pressure but then dropped down to 0. I had read that sometimes one of the capacitors in the controller can cause this if it's damaged. However, after I fiddled a bit with the pressure stat and started the machine again it got up to pressure and stayed with 0.2-0.3 bars. My guess is that the pstat was stuck due to scale and also having not been used for a long time.. I need to fiddle a bit with the ball joint on the steam wand as it's very loose. The last thing is that I have some rust cleaning on the back panel left. I'm thinking about having the panels spray painted but maybe some time in the future (I enjoy this look a bit more than the regular one http://www.gaggia.ie/site/images/machines/big/gaggia-ts.jpg)..






Oh, and here is the screw I was talking about earlier. Any clue?


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## Milanski

No clues on the screw but congrats on getting the machine (almost) working again!


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## El carajillo

That looks like the "self drilling" type self tapper. Makes its own hole when inserted with an electric screwdriver.

Ref the pressure stat, measure down to screw head and note measurement. Remove adjuster and gently work the fitting below up and down to full extent.

Replace the adjuster screw to original position, this should put pressure back as before and having moved it through its full movement should help to keep stable.


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## carper2k

yes they are self drilling self tapping screws, loads available on the bay.


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## bronc

Well, all the leaks have been fixed. Unfortunately what I thought was a stuck pressure stat turned out to be a controller fault. Thankfully there is an article on Steven Heaton's website about what is causing this. I will need to replace one of the capacitors and maybe one relay. Both parts are cheap (a few euro) but it means yet another delay..







Oh well, if I get lucky and the controller works tomorrow I'll have an espresso!


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## bronc

I need some help guys. I got the replacement relay but it seems that the pins on the old and new one don't match completely. This is the original relay: https://www.gavazzionline.com/pdf/Mz1p16ae.pdf and this is the replacement http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/1318173.pdf The two middle pins of my original one are not present and there isn't any sign of previous 'repairs' that might have caused this.

Here is how my original relay looks:










and this is Steven Heaton's (the guy with the helpful blog on the Gaggia TS)










and the replacement part:










Photos of the PCB:



















Photos of the relays:



















The guide I'm using: http://www.stevenheaton.co.uk/blog_coffee/?p=121

I'm not sure whether I should solder all 8 pins on the new relay or just the 6 that the original one has. Help?


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## El carajillo

From the data sheets it seems there are multiple pins to spread the load over the PCB, looking at your PCB there appears to be resistors adjacent to all of the three sets of pins.

Looking at" wiring drawing 001" it appears to show contacts linking together. Is it uprated =more connections for DC switching ? OR has the relay been uprated by Gaggia to overcome a recognised problem ie burning out relay.

On the reverse of the S/ Heaton board the contacts although soldered do not appear to have a connection in the layer /ribbon of the board.

I am sure one of the "elctronic boys" will clarify


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## bronc

Thanks to Steven Heaton and @dsc the controller is now working perfectly. I can finally close the machine and start enjoying my coffee!


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## bronc

Has anyone with a TS been able to remove the steam tip? It's completely round but it looks like it can be removed:


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## Dylan

A cloth and some mole grips if it's removeable.


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## 4085

I took mine off with ease and I am a mechanical numpty! There is an article on his blog specifically on wand removal


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## bronc

You took off the wand or the steam tip?


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## 4085

http://www.stevenheaton.co.uk/blog_coffee/?p=389

scroll down to December 26, 2013


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## bronc

I'm trying to remove the tip, not the whole wand. I want to put a 2-hole one.


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## 4085

Ah! Get a jug of cold water and open the steam arm till it boils. Then wrap tip in towel and use grips


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## bronc

Thanks. I'll try. Oh, and by the way what was that blue mat that you had on your Gaggia's cup warmer tray?


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## tobimax

Did you manage to get the tip off? Mine is set solid too.

I love the TS, I'm really glad I bought mine!


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## bronc

I think it's not removable.. or at least not user removable. Let me know if you succeed though.


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## Cana

bronc said:


> Has anyone with a TS been able to remove the steam tip? It's completely round but it looks like it can be removed:


Its not removable I tried... Permanent plier etches into my steamwand. I even asked Steven. He said unfortunately its not removable. However, have a look in his shop, he has beautiful new white PF in stock


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## Greg2041

Looks really good. I would like to have a "play" at one but I think it will be too deep for our kitchen surface. Out of interest why is the unit so deep as the pump is actually not that big. Btw this is my first ever post having just registered.


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## sashak

bronc said:


> I got most of the spares I need yesterday. I still need to buy a few more gaskets and the thermostat but the supplier doesn't have them on hand.


Recently I bought Gaggia TS in fine working condition. I also want to upgrade steam wand but Steven Heaton has it with a bit higher price. Problem is that it comes without teflon gasket and o-rings and these costs about $15 more, so it turns to be a $45 upgrade. Do you know part number of that steam wand? I wonder will this one fit https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/en/Gaggia-Deco-Steam-Tube-Length-275mm/m-3188.aspx it looks same and is much affordable.

Can you give me a contact of the local supplier where you got yours?


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## bronc

sashak said:


> Recently I bought Gaggia TS in fine working condition. I also want to upgrade steam wand but Steven Heaton has it with a bit higher price. Problem is that it comes without teflon gasket and o-rings and these costs about $15 more, so it turns to be a $45 upgrade. Do you know part number of that steam wand? I wonder will this one fit https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk/en/Gaggia-Deco-Steam-Tube-Length-275mm/m-3188.aspx it looks same and is much affordable.
> 
> Can you give me a contact of the local supplier where you got yours?


The part no I have is 310408. I think it is actually the same part as the one you have linked. This is the listing on the website of my local supplier (I live in Bulgaria so probably not of much use to you): http://combinabar.bg/en-us/category/product/4849330166687599056/?currency=EUR Based on the description it's indeed the same wand.


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## sashak

Thanks bronc! It looks exactly same, it's for Gaggia Deco machine. Unfortunately, Kombina Bar doesn't send to Serbia. Did you got this part http://combinabar.bg/en-us/category/product/4849330166687599059/ when you purchased your steam wand? I have it on my machine but it's in very bad shape and I would like to replace once I got new steam pipe.

I asked Kombina Bar if they are willing to send to Serbia. If they refuse I will order from https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk

Thanks for quick response and help!


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## bronc

sashak said:


> Thanks bronc! It looks exactly same, it's for Gaggia Deco machine. Unfortunately, Kombina Bar doesn't send to Serbia. Did you got this part http://combinabar.bg/en-us/category/product/4849330166687599059/ when you purchased your steam wand? I have it on my machine but it's in very bad shape and I would like to replace once I got new steam pipe.
> 
> I asked Kombina Bar if they are willing to send to Serbia. If they refuse I will order from https://www.theespressoshop.co.uk
> 
> Thanks for quick response and help!


I just checked my order and can't find this part. Maybe it was in good condition on my TS so I didn't need to replace it. If Kombina don't ship to Serbia I can order them for you and send them to you. If you have a PayPal you can send me the money there.


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## sashak

Thanks for your kind help. They agreed to send to Serbia and I sent them list of spare parts. Will see how much they will ask for shipping.


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## sashak

bronc said:


> I think it's not removable.. or at least not user removable. Let me know if you succeed though.


Hi, just received steam wand from http://www.combinabar.bg and I managed to unscrew steam tip. First I couldn't but after a lot of steaming sessions I managed to unscrew it only with two fingers! I guess it's 8mm, pipe diameter is 10mm.

I wish it was 2 hole tip. 4 holes are overkill for 300ml pitcher, you can't control it. Anyone has idea where to look for 2 holes tip with 8mm diameter thread?


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## Mattius2

Jam up 2 holes with sharp end of wooden toothpick and cut off flush with stanley knife etc. Can experiment with which holes. Then just leave, been more than 10yrs my elektra has been that way works great


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## sashak

I learned to use four holes tip with 300ml pitcher. There is no need to plug holes. You just have to introduce air for a 2 seconds (you have to hear ksh..ksh.. sound) and then whirlpool it for another 3 seconds, before milk starts to make roaring sound.

Take a look at this video






Dip a steam wand tip 3/4 under milk surface just under the line where it's connected to a pipe. Crank steam to full. Just look what guy on video does. You will have micro foam literally in 5 seconds!

Gaggia TS steams like crazy!


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## sheitan

The guys at CombinaBar just rocks !


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