# Pimp a Bruni Brunella



## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Tis the season to pimp red vintage levers, welcome to the world of the svelte looking Bruni Brunella

A quick read on these is available here on Fransesco's great site, http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/m_bruni_eng.htm

Based on the info this is a third generation and in theory has a thermostat and is somewhere between 1965 and 1973

as it only came yesterday I haven't had a chance to open it up yet but first look shows it to be an open boiler type with the piston sitting directly in the middle of the water heater.

Its missing the power light and the drip tray and looks like it will need a tool making to get it apart, but wheres the fun in an easy life.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

and it needs a name &#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.Carla I think as in Carla the Bruni


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

A spring lever to boot .. Make the Pavoni look complicated ..

Interested to see it in bits .


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Nicknak said:


> A spring lever to boot .. Make the Pavoni look complicated ..
> 
> Interested to see it in bits .


Anything without a pressurised basket boiler & steam wand would make a La Pav look complicated! 

Looking forward to seeing the restoration.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

"The *Brunella* is aesthetically very attractive and has an expression reminiscent of the monolithic statues of *Easter Island.*" (http://www.francescoceccarelli.eu/m_bruni_eng.htm)

...not only do they share a fair bit of expression, but also their fate it seems.

Haha, apparently the base heats up along with everything else... in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTTafjxf0gE, Doug of Orphan Espresso suggests the Bruni doubles as a hand warmer


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Orphan espresso - that will be me in the not to distant future , but with a fake beard and American accent

moving on swiftly - I took the base plate off earlier quickly to reveal -









no thermostat and 9 / 67 as the year of manufacture, so it looks as though its a Mk 2.5 then

still 1967 it gives the opportunity for some good pimping music...


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)




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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

>


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Is red the original colour Jim?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

dfk41 said:


> Is red the original colour Jim?


it is, im not going to repaint this one, but I might touch it up here and there,


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Further Brunella strip down with a surprise

First - shower screen off with a simple internal circlip









Second the clue to disassembly are the two holes in the piston - put there in order that you can rotate and unscrew the piston from the piston rod

In this case I used an adjustable pin spanner (designed for use with angle grinder nuts)









To start of with its quite solid as the spring tension is pressing against it but as it progresses it gets easier and in the end I used my fingers









What I wasn't expecting was to find that it has a clear plastic piston !


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Next unbolt the element mounting plate after disconnecting the wiring.

Unique element designed for the purpose and shape of the casting


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

You'll be happy when those seals arrive jim


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Further Brunella strip down with a surprise
> 
> First - shower screen off with a simple internal circlip
> 
> ...


Looks like Polyurethane, very nice material isn't it @joey24dirt ?


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Hasi said:


> Looks like Polyurethane, very nice material isn't it @joey24dirt ?


Kingpin rubbers if I ever did see them!!


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

joey24dirt said:


> Kingpin rubbers if I ever did see them!!


or skate wheels 

Historically the fact that led to the revival of skateboarding in the late 70s: someone put PU wheels on a deck. Sean Penn tells the story in 'Dogtown and Z-Boys' - way off topic but deffo worth watching, folks!


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Me and a mate had the brilliant idea of putting roller boot wheels on our decks once just for fun. Mainly cos they looked a lot like the Kryptonics I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford in the 70s on 5p a week pocket money! We hadn't bargained on how fast they were, we had to check ourselves before we wrecked ourselves!

___

Eat, drink and be merry


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

^ it is, but surprised to find in a 1967 espresso machine.

On with the citric and clean up

First the element









then the spring, which turned out to be nickel plated if a little rusty under the scale









still needs the plating topped up as its liable to get wet


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

hotmetal said:


> Me and a mate had the brilliant idea of putting roller boot wheels on our decks once just for fun. Mainly cos they looked a lot like the Kryptonics I wanted as a kid but couldn't afford in the 70s on 5p a week pocket money! We hadn't bargained on how fast they were, we had to check ourselves before we wrecked ourselves!
> 
> ___
> 
> Eat, drink and be merry


...cos roller boot wheels are bad for your health


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> ^ it is, but surprised to find in a 1967 espresso machine.
> 
> On with the citric and clean up
> 
> ...


Again, it's just such a pleasure watching the resurrection of a piece that's seen so much, had a life, has been put aside, and now is looking forward to a second summer 

It must be full of 'holy' moments, kind of. Hopefully I can follow your path one day, Jim. Enjoy requickening your Carla mate


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

jimbojohn55 said:


> ^ it is, but surprised to find in a 1967 espresso machine.
> 
> On with the citric and clean up
> 
> ...


It almost looks like you went for the easy option of making yourself a new element!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Hasi said:


> Again, it's just such a pleasure watching the resurrection of a piece that's seen so much, had a life, has been put aside, and now is looking forward to a second summer
> 
> It must be full of 'holy' moments, kind of. Hopefully I can follow your path one day, Jim. Enjoy requickening your Carla mate


Its also full of less holy moments, anyway whats stopping you, apart from the self levelling compound? - I think you should be lining up a machine or two as part of the wider roastery decoration,


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

chrome cap given a once over inside and out, just for the shiggles









it always looks clean to start off with but the improvement is clear, particularly the depth of reflection in the surface


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Its also full of less holy moments, anyway whats stopping you, apart from the self levelling compound? - I think you should be lining up a machine or two as part of the wider roastery decoration,


I hear you... maybe it's working two jobs as of soon, all the preparations going into that and the three more or much less healthy kids (the elder having had his 8th birthday today, you might have seen him in the photography corner thread lately), the tree house (or maybe at least a bird house to begin with) I should finally build with/for them, my car crash of late, two modern classic cars (1983 Rover 3500 V-forking-8 and 1985 VW Golf) waiting in garage for their share of screwdriving madness... erm, apart from that nothing is stopping me


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Fair point ^ - don't worry once you hit 50 you get the last few years to devote to your own interests as you slowly crumble away









Also good luck with the Rover V8, particularly the electrics, they used to call Joe Lucas the 'Prince of darkness' !

Now the 85 Golf now that should be straight forward


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Fair point ^ - don't worry once you hit 50 you get the last few years to devote to your own interests as you slowly crumble away
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Haha yea don't you remind me of all the above 

As for the Golf, that's what you think... but it's got a Pierburg 2E2 carb which is the last and most sophisticated (aka. complicated aka. forked up) type the Golden carb age would produce. I've already been fighting it for weeks with no improvement in idling stability... but I don't mean to hijack your thread


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Jim, how do these restorations rank in order of ease for you? They all look very different machines, but are some harder perhaps from a design point of view?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

dfk41 said:


> Jim, how do these restorations rank in order of ease for you? They all look very different machines, but are some harder perhaps from a design point of view?


Good question each has its own challenges and it also depends on condition, if I scored out of 5 - with 1 being easy and 5 being hardest

Pavoni Europiccola 1962-64 (5) the built in screen and liner is unique and requires its own tool, Element rare, Paint finish tricky, sight glass v tricky,

Pavoni Europiccola 1973 (4) Close second -unique tools

Pedretti Kim (3) Spring will be corroded and require re-plate, some gaskets handmade

Bruni Brunella (3) as above

Microcimbali (3) Cylinder will require re-plate - also issue likely with boiler corrosion, all spares available at a price

Gaggia Mini (2-3) haven't started it yet









Pavoni Europiccola 1980's (2) Straight forward twin element

Pavoni Europiccola 1997 (2) Straight forward single element

Gaggia Classic >2015 (1) No special tools required

Edit -some of the limitations can be the parts supply of the need to manufacturer a tool from scratch, everything is achievable given the time and resources, the rarer the machine the less info there is and research is needed.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

After trying out a few different shades of reds to fill in dings and scratches on the paintwork I drew a blank, nothing quite matched so I nipped into halfords to study their limited and overpriced paint selection - at which point a bit like playing packman with the assistants as they patrol the isles, I managed to avoid a conversation about matching a shade of red to a 1960,s espresso machine and pawed through the Vauxhall, ford, Nissan reds, to no avail then lurking on the bottom row was a Honda Milano Red ! It looked very close, and so it has proved to be an exact match - weird that Honda use a shade of Red that matches a colour used in 1960's Milan, but they do.

So on with the touch ups and the project continues


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

so a few weeks later the paint has cured and with a slight sand down with 1200g wet and dry over the touch ups its ready for a tcut to put the shine back

Its not a perfect finish but its now chip free and ready for reassembly


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Looks very bonny....wish I had one just like it!


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

dfk41 said:


> Looks very bonny....wish I had one just like it!


Am sure you do!


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

dfk41 said:


> Looks very bonny....wish I had one just like it!


I wish I'd written my letter to Santa now!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

So the observant may have noticed that there is a large hole in the base of the Bruni, it came with a flowery odd shaped soap dish in it (which is now being recycled probably in china) - to fill this void my first thoughts were cut a base off some metal pot or container thats the right size...&#8230;&#8230;..but then I put on my workshop tie and thought this is an opportunity to buy some tallow.

First turn a wooden former on the lathe









add a back disc and a disc of annealed aluminium


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

wedge disc in the middle of the wood with the tailstock, brush with tallow for lube and spin at 1300rpm

Apply a polished tool you made earlier









and damn 1st go - I stretched the metal too thin at the corner









cut a new disc and try again but not doing the things you did wrong last time - then cut finger on sharp spinning disc and shout BREXIT a lot









finally second try and Bingo, just needs an insert


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## Nicknak (Aug 10, 2018)

Clever Dick ... I mean Jim ..

Should have polished it though


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## jj-x-ray (Dec 31, 2017)

Lovely bit of metal spinning..... Was always amazed at the things they could form doing that


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

This is brilliant, but unfortunately without a picture of the tie, there's no proof that this was your own work 

Excellent as always Jim. Serious question, have you ever thought about teaching these skills?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Total respect for those who do it professionally, It is seriously tricky


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

joey24dirt said:


> This is brilliant, but unfortunately without a picture of the tie, there's no proof that this was your own work
> 
> Excellent as always Jim. Serious question, have you ever thought about teaching these skills?


Im afraid that for metal spinning and lathe work I prefer a cravat or if one really must a bow tie









You may want to study this excellent safety film by a very sensible clean cut man wearing a tie (so you know you can trust him)


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Just fab work jim


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

As for teaching these skills I would have to learn how to do it properly myself or just watch a load of you tube and get lucky like I did


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

So you kept it red so that no one would spot the blood stains from your various accidents...

Adding the classic waistcoat to your attire may reduce the risk of getting your tie dragged into machinery, just sayin... oh and could you please share a photo when dressed up for work?

Other than that, holy moly you go the whole nine yards mate! Love the metal work!!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Hasi said:


> So you kept it red so that no one would spot the blood stains from your various accidents...
> 
> Adding the classic waistcoat to your attire may reduce the risk of getting your tie dragged into machinery, just sayin... oh and could you please share a photo when dressed up for work?
> 
> Other than that, holy moly you go the whole nine yards mate! Love the metal work!!


Im on the left with an experimental extra long 3ltr Pav boiler, Coffeechaps on the right and Mildred is in disguise centre - the guinea pig hiding up the sleeve gives it away


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

started a new sideline jim?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

dfk41 said:


> started a new sideline jim?
> 
> View attachment 38417


No but I wonder if I can claim any royalties


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Im on the left with an experimental extra long 3ltr Pav boiler, Coffeechaps on the right and Mildred is in disguise centre - the guinea pig hiding up the sleeve gives it away
> 
> View attachment 38416


I knew @MildredM would act as your middle man... eyeing grind size through her monocle, cutting a slice of the (pork) pie... err cylinder and walking away with a steaming cup of the finest Lever espresso. Life is good!


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

I think you'll find Isambard was considered to be one of the most ingenious and prolific guinea pig wranglers of his era. Clearly we have a lot in common.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

MildredM said:


> I think you'll find Isambard was considered to be one of the most ingenious and prolific guinea pig wranglers of his era. Clearly we have a lot in common.


It's well documented that he used trained Guinea pigs to clean out the sooty firebox tubes on his early engines, very effective as well


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> It's well documented that he used trained Guinea pigs to clean out the sooty firebox tubes on his early engines, very effective as well


errr... Armageddon?!


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Hasi said:


> I knew @MildredM would act as your middle man... eyeing grind size through her monocle, cutting a slice of the (pork) pie... err cylinder and walking away with a steaming cup of the finest Lever espresso. Life is good!


I reckon I can just spy my vernier poking out of my inside pocket, can you?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

To get things back on track a quick glimpse of the gold first coat


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

@jimbojohn55 you have so many threads that you lose track of what you are posting in! Am sure the lovely lever has not morphed into a golden dragon


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

coffeechap said:


> @jimbojohn55 you have so many threads that you lose track of what you are posting in! Am sure the lovely lever has not morphed into a golden dragon


Haha I was still half asleep


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

I reckon you're making your own Oscar!! You deserve an award - better start writing your speech now!!


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Haha I was still half asleep


same here when I clicked the Like button 

still a lovely golden dragon, though!


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

coffeechap said:


> @jimbojohn55 you have so many threads that you lose track of what you are posting in! Am sure the lovely lever has not morphed into a golden dragon


Maybe he's decided to turn thwm into an all in one system!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

after a busy week with work I managed to get back in the bunker, working on the drip tray

First cut a blank for the new tray to create a drain insert









Then sandwich a template to it to mark the holes out









Quick spray with a water based acrylic to mark the holes out


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Centre punch each hole, then create an adjustable jig to hold the disk on the pillar drill table. I can just rotate the disc to keep each hole equidistant around its circumference.









and after 92 holes a long long long time later and its Holy as (insert name of the religious leader of your choice)









then flatten and rub off the rough burs on its back with 240G


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Awesome work Jim I am sure this will be the most beautiful lever so far


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

coffeechap said:


> Awesome work Jim I am sure this will be the most beautiful lever so far


if not the most complete and original.....!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Well to take my mind off members in Austria suffering with snowdrifts locked in their Roastery with nothing but 90KG of green beans and a vintage Pav, and as my dog is going on 15yrs and ignoring my ideas about pulling a rescue sledge across the Tirol I decided to make some rubber feet as a distraction

The Bruni like most vintage levers is held off the worktop by 4 rubber feet, two of these are serviceable but the front two have almost worn away, so the answer make some new ones









First make a wooden mould out of two bits of scrap wood

stage 1 pilot holes









Stage 2 - drill out the stem size









Stage 3 Drill out the foot size with a centre point drill bit to give it squareish shoulders and not sloped like a normal drill


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Next seal the wood with some varnish then when dry apply a coat of wax then pour in the black moulding rubber









Wait a few hours, trim off the top









then separate the mould, he rubber feet will harden fully over night


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Next seal the wood with some varnish then when dry apply a coat of wax then pour in the black moulding rubber
> 
> View attachment 38543
> 
> ...


Hmm 8 feet. Oh gawds, you're fixing up 2 at the same time again! 

Oh & pics of the pooch refusing to get hooked up to a sled or it didn't happen


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

ashcroc said:


> Hmm 8 feet. Oh gawds, you're fixing up 2 at the same time again!
> 
> Oh & pics of the pooch refusing to get hooked up to a sled or it didn't happen


Ha, I have got another to do a MK1 and yes well spotted it needs feet as well, as for the dog it won't even go out in the rain ....


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Well to take my mind off members in Austria suffering with snowdrifts locked in their Roastery with nothing but 90KG of green beans and a vintage Pav, and as my dog is going on 15yrs and ignoring my ideas about pulling a rescue sledge across the Tirol I decided to make some rubber feet as a distraction
> 
> The Bruni like most vintage levers is held off the worktop by 4 rubber feet, two of these are serviceable but the front two have almost worn away, so the answer make some new ones
> 
> ...


Aaahh yes  ... but it's 500kgs of greens.

And a fridge full of... erm... beer.

Other than that - hooray all these techniques, smart and simple, love it!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Ha, I have got another to do a MK1 and yes well spotted it needs feet as well, as for the dog it won't even go out in the rain ....


To a non engineer type, your skill sets amaze me sometimes!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Just a few final Bruni shots and to say it all went back together ok with new seals, The bit I'm most happy about is how the drip tray turned out, its not 100% original but pretty close.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

are the two you have the same variant Jim.....if not, any real differences?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

dfk41 said:


> are the two you have the same variant Jim.....if not, any real differences?


Hi the other is a MK1 and you can fill it through the stopper behind the lid, I think it's got a different element as well and possible a brass piston , will find out soon


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Hi the other is a MK1 and you can fill it through the stopper behind the lid, I think it's got a different element as well and possible a brass piston , will find out soon


I believe Dave meant the other two of the three you did simultaneously...

Superb job, this looks so fresh!!

And wowed by the final looks of the drip tray. Apart from not being the original piece, is there any visible difference?

Have you tinkered with it at all? Like, how does it compare with a LaPav - handling, taste, cleaning?


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Hasi said:


> I believe Dave meant the other two of the three you did simultaneously...
> 
> Superb job, this looks so fresh!!
> 
> ...


I will be tinkering with it this week


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Hasi said:


> I believe Dave meant the other two of the three you did simultaneously...
> 
> Superb job, this looks so fresh!!
> 
> ...




The design of the drip tray is slightly bespoke allowing for non automated production techniques. that's about it

for me my design is slightly more attractive but then that's the makers bias








​


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

Looking stunningly gorgeous as do all your works of art, what's coming next?


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

********** said:


> Looking stunningly gorgeous as do all your works of art, what's coming next?


Bruni 2 and a Mini Gaggia


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

jimbojohn55 said:


> Bruni 2 and a Mini Gaggia
> 
> View attachment 38740
> View attachment 38741
> View attachment 38742


Can't wait...


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

It's only a matter of time before you start from scratch!

Laissez les bons temps rouler


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Love a Mini G! Such an appealing machiney


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## Jason1wood (Jun 1, 2012)

Wow....only word that works here


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Hasi said:


> Love a Mini G! Such an appealing machiney


Totally agree. If it had a steam wand it'd be near perfect for me. Can't wait to see the resto thread.

Laissez les bons temps rouler


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## Nopapercup (Nov 6, 2016)

I've just caught up on this after being away for 3 weeks. Another amazing job Jim!

What are the shots like from it?


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Nopapercup said:


> I've just caught up on this after being away for 3 weeks. Another amazing job Jim!
> 
> What are the shots like from it?


Gotta ask @coffeechap once he's all over it


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

ashcroc said:


> Totally agree. If it had a steam wand it'd be near perfect for me. Can't wait to see the resto thread.
> 
> Laissez les bons temps rouler


they did do a steam wand version but it is pretty rare


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

jimbojohn55 said:


> they did do a steam wand version but it is pretty rare


sounds like a challenge


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

jimbojohn55 said:


> they did do a steam wand version but it is pretty rare
> 
> View attachment 38745


That looks perfect! I can see a long & fruitless search ahead. Any xhance the standard ones have the possibility of being converted?

Laissez les bons temps rouler


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

jimbojohn55 said:


> they did do a steam wand version but it is pretty rare
> 
> View attachment 38745


Right that's it, I will find one of those


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

coffeechap said:


> Right that's it, I will find one of those


2 would be better! 

Laissez les bons temps rouler


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Boom - there is nothing like revisiting an old friend especially when they have been ill - those on the forum day will remember the lights and power going off early on, basically the Bruni Brunella had heated up without any water in it (it doesn't have a switch) so when plugged in its on! anyhow Bruni,s had two different elements fitted to them over the years this being and early one had a droopy banana that is made from unobtanium


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

The task was to find something of the same wattage that would fit - we did find an equivalent but it need to be mounted centrally to have clearance. The only way to do this was make and fit a new mounting plate, as well as a quick rewire as the original was a bit crispy.


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

Love it Jim, those hot tub elements are spot on aren't they.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

Absolute "hot tub time machine"


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