# Where to buy pressure gauge to retro fit a La pavoni?



## rich987 (Feb 5, 2018)

I found someone on ebay selling these for £20, £25 at the usual webshop.

The adaptor nut M12 to 1/8 BSP, (I think this is what I need for a pre 2000 machine?) seems to be harder to get.

The ebay seller of the gauge has them for £20, which seem bonkers. The webshop has them for £6.36.

Are there any other options?

Cheers!


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

have a look on ebay italia - will throw some more options, got mine from the US - but cheaper from Italy - its an M11 thread you need - the M12 is for the Professionals, M11 is designed by Pav to make it difficult to get hold of as it prompts people to buy the more expensive professional instead


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## rich987 (Feb 5, 2018)

jimbojohn55 said:


> have a look on ebay italia - will throw some more options, got mine from the US - but cheaper from Italy - its an M11 thread you need - the M12 is for the Professionals, M11 is designed by Pav to make it difficult to get hold of as it prompts people to buy the more expensive professional instead


Thanks jimbojohn,

I've just ordered some 'economic' gauges and 1/8bsp to 1/4 bsp adaptors to play with for now. Gauges were £6 each. Adaptors £2.30 in stainless. I think there will be enough meat on the adaptors to cut an M11 thread on the lathe.

I want to see about a group pressure gauge to monitor the lever pressure. Maybe via a drilled out piston rod...


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

rich987 said:


> Thanks jimbojohn,
> 
> I've just ordered some 'economic' gauges and 1/8bsp to 1/4 bsp adaptors to play with for now. Gauges were £6 each. Adaptors £2.30 in stainless. I think there will be enough meat on the adaptors to cut an M11 thread on the lathe.
> 
> I want to see about a group pressure gauge to monitor the lever pressure. Maybe via a drilled out piston rod...


I'm curious as to how they drill a hole past the lever pin - I suppose they drill through it and then line it with a tube to keep it lined up and air tight?

also the adapters tend to be quite tall to give the gauge clearance off the boiler shoulder - depends on the gauge size of course.

heres the picxs of the one I got from wiley cafe http://www.wilycafe.com/page6/index.html


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## rich987 (Feb 5, 2018)

jimbojohn55 said:


> I'm curious as to how they drill a hole past the lever pin - I suppose they drill through it and then line it with a tube to keep it lined up and air tight?
> 
> also the adapters tend to be quite tall to give the gauge clearance off the boiler shoulder - depends on the gauge size of course.
> 
> heres the picxs of the one I got from wiley cafe http://www.wilycafe.com/page6/index.html


I would guess that the pin is replaced with two stubs that engage into blind holes that are shallow enough to allow a hole to be drilled up the middle? Means a new rod though.

Interesting challenge to drill a small hole up a rod that's 10cm long?

Nice gauge on that site, $45 all up. So £32.


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## jimbojohn55 (Jan 15, 2016)

rich987 said:


> I would guess that the pin is replaced with two stubs that engage into blind holes that are shallow enough to allow a hole to be drilled up the middle? Means a new rod though.
> 
> Interesting challenge to drill a small hole up a rod that's 10cm long
> 
> Nice gauge on that site, $45 all up. So £32.


interesting boiler cap thread insert as well but bit pricey


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## rich987 (Feb 5, 2018)

I was thinking about the pull pressure gauge on the piston rod and how to get a hole all the way through it.

One way is to drill it, approx 110mm long, and then change the pin to 2 stubs that screw into the U bracket on the handle. (the bracket would be tapped)

Or, use a 1.5mm wall 304 stainless tube. I think it will be strong enough.

Where the pin goes through, I would press in a section of bar, with a groove machined down one or two sides.

The tube is 12mm diameter, the hole for the lever pin needs to be 6mm. Wall thickness is 1.5mm, so that leaves 1.5mm of material either side of the hole in the rod to get a groove down. Maybe machine several 0.5mm deep grooves radially around the outside of it.

That way the handle and pin stay stock.


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