# A little adventure



## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

I'm taking the mini-Missy on a bit of an epic road trip tomorrow... we are taking the potty in the boot and everything!

I think I know how Mildred must feel on weekly basis... I'm rather excited... but it's not a grinder...


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Ooooof! I want to come too. Are we nearly there yet?!


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

See yer int mornin


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

MildredM said:


> Ooooof! I want to come too. Are we nearly there yet?!


No you don't... I've got to bring a potty in the boot - travelling with toddlers is not fun, but should be worth it! A nice tour of the North East coast! Hopefully I'll have a little angel...


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

There's a bit of a gap.... Think I might put the bread machine and Kenwood chef in it... but at least I've found the fireblanket.

Pharmacie el Salvador in the aeropress this morning.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Well that was a little less fun than expected. By the time we got our first stop it became apparent that "mummy I'm sticky" was my mistranslation of 2yo speak for "mummy I've been sick across the whole of the rear of the car"!!!

Huge thanks to @joey24dirt for the clean up kit and assistance in trying circumstances.

Fortunately we have a second car seat so we carried on our way, and had too short a visit with @dfk41 who managed to make one of my dreams come true... Not and upgrade, but certainly a solid sideways move into the realms of shiny HXness...

And it's purple...

But it's also still in the boot... We didn't manage chips on the beach for fear of further incident, but had a delightful drive through the Tyne Tunnel (very exciting if you are 2!!) And our local chippy serves all day, so once we've demolished these, and hosed the car out, many shiny pictures will appear!


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Happy to help, and nice to meet you both. Your little girl is a cutie  thanks again for bringing the machine up. Really appreciate it.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

So for anyone who hasn't guessed, I've passed the Oscar to Joey, and picked up a cherub from DFK to replace it.

Ready for shiny?!

It's British made, and has SPARKLY PURPLE sides... It's as though Fracino were thinking of me when they made it... (A sacreligious suggestion was made that they are easy to remove and respray... But why mess with perfection?)

It definitely needs new knobs though, they are a total disappointment. And I was slightly bemused by a water tank that looks like a sweetshop jar and isn't removable?

Over all though I'm thrilled. Can't comment on coffee yet as I'm about to descale it!


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## salty (Mar 7, 2017)

Looks amazing! Congratulations


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Cherub looks in decent condition. If you feel the need to play about with it, the londinium steam arm fits and I found it a little more forgiving when steaming compared to the original steam arm

I think that my trip up to dfk's a couple of years ago was a bit less stressful


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Very nice indeed


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

Amazing! Never seen a coffee machine that colour....wonder why dfk decided purple was his colour??!!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

rob177palmer said:


> Amazing! Never seen a coffee machine that colour....wonder why dfk decided purple was his colour??!!


Purple and sparkly... Not *just* purple...

I think the point is he didn't... That's why it's come to live with me, after his friend renounced the glitter club...


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

Love it. I think my wife would have been more approving of my recent acquisition if it had been a little more sparkly!


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## rob177palmer (Feb 14, 2017)

46 minutes since you shared the photos....is it ready for the first espresso yet??!!


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Looks great - sounds like a trying trip but hopefully it'll pay off in tasty coffee!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

rob177palmer said:


> 46 minutes since you shared the photos....is it ready for the first espresso yet??!!


Not quite... Still cleaning... Gotta get it right!


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## KTD (Dec 28, 2017)

Missy said:


> Not quite... Still cleaning... Gotta get it right!


Looking good, Watch those cups don't vibrate off!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

KTD said:


> Looking good, Watch those cups don't vibrate off!


I don't actually keep anything on top of my machine... Washing machine is underneath.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Slightly disastrous distribution, but if you can't laugh at yourself!!! I've missed having a naked PF. And the steam is very gentle in comparison with the oscar.


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## Batian (Oct 23, 2017)

Amusing thread.

I hope the results give you as much enjoyment!


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

It was a pleasure meeting Missy today, with poorly daughter! I hope the Cherub lasts for many a long day! If I remember properly, the original owner chose the colour but whether it was stock or special I cannot remember! Sounds like it is in good hands though!


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

What an exciting day - in more ways than one










Congrats on your new machine! You are going to have great fun with it!


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## joey24dirt (Jan 28, 2017)

Well another late night. I couldn't resist getting it out of the box and having a go with the steam. Just used water and fairy liquid and wow... what a difference. And so quick!


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

joey24dirt said:


> Well another late night. I couldn't resist getting it out of the box and having a go with the steam. Just used water and fairy liquid and wow... what a difference. And so quick!


Yep I'm finding the opposite with the cherub steam, it's much slower and easier to control while staying nicely dry and consistent... Having switched from a classic to the oscar I didn't quite appreciate just how much steam the oscar throws out!


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## destiny (Jun 4, 2015)

You can always change the tip, there are various combinations.

See how many holes and what diameter they are, maybe its already fitted with one that is non standard and 'gentler'


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## Rj_d2 (Feb 11, 2018)

Car seat and sick = total nightmare! Last time our little one threw up in his car seat, I jetwashed it, then stripped the cover off and put it through the wash. Jetwashed tye plastic car seat chassis. Put it all back together (an almost impossible feat!) and then.......yep could still get a mild whiff of baby puke! ?. Good luck with the cleanup operation!


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Rj_d2 said:


> Car seat and sick = total nightmare! Last time our little one threw up in his car seat, I jetwashed it, then stripped the cover off and put it through the wash. Jetwashed tye plastic car seat chassis. Put it all back together (an almost impossible feat!) and then.......yep could still get a mild whiff of baby puke! . Good luck with the cleanup operation!


LOLOL you don't get that with guinea pigs


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

I ended up with the carseat in the shower and used bathroom spray. It was a bit traumatic!!

Next question.

If I undo this screw... What will happen? I know it's some sort of e61 "style" group. the screw isn't in the parts diagram and I'm a bit concerned it will pop out like a snake in a box and I won't be able to stuff it all back in.

Picture of the parts diagram (from 2008... The machine is 6 years old, so possibly a newer version?)


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## ashcroc (Oct 28, 2016)

Missy said:


> I ended up with the carseat in the shower and used bathroom spray. It was a bit traumatic!!
> 
> Next question.
> 
> ...


Sure I've seen pics with a thermometer mounted in that hole before.


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Yeah afaik it's standard e61 brew path hole - so if a head doesn't have it then it's non standard rather than other way around.

If the screw is out and then one starts to brew hot water will spurt out of there!

It's often used to mount a group head thermometer such as the Eric or vidastec ones.

I'm assuming it's been used for brew path inspection tools eg temperature, pressure etc


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

So the hole is a red herring. There's no lever on the cherub, and having read up on e61 groupheads I'm none the wiser as to what a lever does!!

Onwards!

Took the smaller nut off and it's grubby.

Going to order a bigger spanner. And then tomorrow afternoon hopefully strip down the innards.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Missy said:


> I'm none the wiser as to what a lever does!!


The lever on an E61 grouphead starts and stops the water flow. It is usually on the right of the grouphead.

On the Cherub this is replaced with the switch


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

working dog said:


> The lever on an E61 grouphead starts and stops the water flow. It is usually on the right of the grouphead.
> 
> On the Cherub this is replaced with the switch


Ah I see. It has a nut where a lever would be... It's very odd.


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## 9719 (Mar 29, 2015)

The following may help you with your research for details of a e61, although looking at your parts diagram, yours is slightly different. These have been written by our very own DavecUK so come from a reliable source. Hope you find them useful:

1-http://coffeetimex.wikidot.com/e61-group-servicing

2-http://coffeetime.wikidot.com/e61-internal-diagram

3-http://coffeetimex.wdfiles.com/local--files/e61-group-servicing/e61full.JPG


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## SimonN (Feb 4, 2016)

Missy said:


> Ah I see. It has a nut where a lever would be... It's very odd.


Hi Missy,

I'm not sure that your grouphead hasn't been changed - my old Cherub didn't have the plug in the front and nor did it have the bolt where the lever is on an E61. I was always under the impression that the Cherub was an E61 copy but with these two differences (the lack of the plug in the front and the lever on the right. It looks to me that someone has switched the original for an "actual" E61 group and simply removed the lever and cam mechanism. I could be wrong of course!

Cheers

Simon


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## BlackCatCoffee (Apr 11, 2017)

Not much to write home about behind that screw! See the link below. Not a fracino but pretty sure it is the same head.

https://www.coffeeparts.com.au/wega-home-spare-parts-2-group-head-e61-solenoid-operated


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## KTD (Dec 28, 2017)

SimonN said:


> Hi Missy,
> 
> I'm not sure that your grouphead hasn't been changed - my old Cherub didn't have the plug in the front and nor did it have the bolt where the lever is on an E61. I was always under the impression that the Cherub was an E61 copy but with these two differences (the lack of the plug in the front and the lever on the right. It looks to me that someone has switched the original for an "actual" E61 group and simply removed the lever and cam mechanism. I could be wrong of course!
> 
> ...


Yep that's the same head as my Classico so must have been replaced unless there's another story behind it


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

@destiny what about yours? How old was yours @SimonN ? This one is six years old

It would seem odd to switch it out and not keep in the lever. But those bits aren't on the parts diagram either, which is what bemused me a bit?!


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## SimonN (Feb 4, 2016)

Missy said:


> @destiny what about yours? How old was yours @SimonN ? This one is six years old
> 
> It would seem odd to switch it out and not keep in the lever. But those bits aren't on the parts diagram either, which is what bemused me a bit?!


 @Missy

I'm not sure how old mine was, but it was an earlier model with the old style water reservoir lid and drip tray (the same as yours). On an E61 the lever operates a cam and also the switch to activate the pump. So, if you left the lever in place on your Cherub you would need to lift it and then switch the pump on separately because your pump switch is mounted in a different place.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

SimonN said:


> @Missy
> 
> I'm not sure how old mine was, but it was an earlier model with the old style water reservoir lid and drip tray (the same as yours). On an E61 the lever operates a cam and also the switch to activate the pump. So, if you left the lever in place on your Cherub you would need to lift it and then switch the pump on separately because your pump switch is mounted in a different place.


Oh I'm not suggesting I should add a lever. I'm suggesting it's odd to put in a group that could be e61 but isn't. I've followed the history of the machine through the forum and it was bought new in 2012, which ties with what Fracino said about it being 6. It doesn't seem to have been with any tinkerers either. But yes it's not like the pictures of cherub groups I've seen it has two nuts on top and the screw at the front, plus a screw at the side. I wonder if @coffeebean knows what's going on with this weird group.

What a strange machine.


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## coffeebean (Jan 26, 2010)

Looks to me like a Classico group head on your Cherub with a blanking nut where the lever would be on a Classico


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## destiny (Jun 4, 2015)

@Missy, mine is a bit older, but actually dont know how old.

Yours has the 50years celebration badge so must be past 2013 build, mine think is 2012 or 2011 and I dont have this.

Only thought is thats the thermometer pick up point as mentioned previously. Beeds to be sealed and tightly closed or you will loose pressure.

You can get Cherub Classico with wooden handles that in Fracino brochure shows this little bolt.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

coffeebean said:


> Looks to me like a Classico group head on your Cherub with a blanking nut where the lever would be on a Classico


That's exactly what it looks to be... Is this a thing? I know it was bought originally in 2012 by @thomss and then sold to a friend of DFKs, and sat unused until I bought it. I can't imagine either owner changed the group head.


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