# Torquing a Europiccola 2003 plastic base ring



## Blaven (Mar 24, 2019)

I've just finished my refurb project, 2003 Europiccola. Succumbed to EBay temptation and probably parted with too much money but 'no pockets in a shroud' as they say. Previous owner brought it back from America so had to strip it down and new element 220v. Closer inspection revealed pretty much everything needed replacing so spent as much again for spares.

Mine has the knurled plastic/nylon base tightening ring, which came as a bit of a shock as I had only heard of the brass ones. Mercifully the gasket between it and the base was stuck to the base and the ring turned easily finger tight. Alarm bells rang as I realised I would at some point need to retighten on a new gasket (which for the nylon ring is the wider gasket from the 16cup Professional). Thinking cap on and I made a tool for this using the ring as a template. Screws are M5 25mm mounted with spring washers and not fully tightened so that they can be eased into their respective holes in the nylon ring. Square section tubing crappily welded (it was stainless steel I now realise) and a big adjustable spanner to snug it down in the correct orientation. I lubricated the surface of the gasket and the threads of the boiler with liquid PTFE prior to screwing it up. Worked a treat!


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