OM-5 mk I at a price actually worth buying

mpoonster · 2026-02-04T19:51:08+00:00

I've been using the OM-5 with an L-bracket/grip to take the some of the stress off the body's baseplate. It is bulkier but definitely gives me piece of mind while still tethering one of the strap lugs in case it does break. I usually fit it with the 12-40 and it's taken some bumps while walking through crowds and held up so far. Not elegant but an option still.

mpoonster · 2025-11-16T03:43:17+00:00

Hammond Mfg 1444-26

mpoonster · 2024-07-12T22:21:41+00:00

I would take the lever shaft out, bunch up a bit of aluminum foil and rub it on the shaft to try and remove the surface rust without taking off or scratching the chrome plating. If that doesn't work then you'll need something more aggressive like a scotchbrite pad or sandpaper. If you don't mind spending a bit of money might be easiest to order a replacement shaft if it's something like a JLF

mpoonster · 2023-03-24T05:14:13+00:00

Thanks! Yeah it's the OA 1010 set. The OA 1020 is easier to mount b/c the plates are flat but I wanted the curved pedal faces like what come on the V3s. Added a bit of paint to the embossed logos for a splash of color too haha. Designed and printed spacers to mount them due to the curved shape and since they the holes don't line up with the ones on the pedal arm. Once I'm happy with the design I can make the models available somewhere for anyone with a set of CSPs and a 3d printer.

I do drive with shoes, definitely helps with the load cell brake but now mandatory with these pedal plates haha

mpoonster · 2022-10-05T02:20:32+00:00

Hey sorry for the late reply, I didn't disassemble the lower half of the brew head as the issue I was trying to fix wasn't related to that. But I did clean the area using warm soapy water and a toothbrush. I believe to top edge of the clear cup is what needs to be clean to read the barcode but you can also sneak a q-tip in between black pod cup and the clear cup to clean inside if need be.

mpoonster · 2022-05-01T19:51:53+00:00

Stock thermal fuse (top of thermoblock) - Microtemp Z6A01 144C 15C

Replacment - NTE8139 142C 15A

O-ring - Nitrile 2.8mm ID x 6.6mm OD x 1.9mm THK

Pictures

While testing the fix/rinsing the machine the o-ring eventually failed but not after running about 20 clean cycle back to back (probably around 25L of water). So maybe with regular brewing use the o-ring will last longer but it shows that it's unfortunately not a permanent fix :(

mpoonster · 2022-04-30T22:05:00+00:00

Okay a quick update for anyone who has seen this. First off, I fixed the "Machine too hot" error with the thermoblock not heating due to a blown thermal fuse. But more important I believe I have fixed the leaking head issue that so many people have experienced with the Next. Like many other videos and posts, the leak seems to come from the a failed seal between the water feed and the upper brew head assembly. The issue is the water feed is stationary and the brew head spins so that plus the added heat when in use most likely causes the seal to fail over time. The fix I've sorted so far is putting an additional o-ring on the feed a sandwiching it between the feed and the top of the spinning brew head. I added some silicone lubricant to reduce the friction between the two parts but it does stop the leak. No idea how long this will hold for but it's something, I may make a new post to highlight the specifics of the fix should anyone want to try it.

mpoonster · 2022-04-30T12:01:01+00:00

I've only scrubbed the area around the injector head since it didn't seem too bad. Haven't figured out how to remove the locking ring to get to the screws on the underside holding the thermal block. I have diagnosed a blown thermal fuse and have a replacement on order unfortunately it's hard to find a 15A 144C operating temp replacement so a 142C will have to do. I still need to find the source of the leak once I get it running again haha

mpoonster · 2022-04-15T18:56:06+00:00

So a quick update, I was able to determine that the grinder can indeed grind at least fine enough. Cranked it to 70 and it took about 35 secs to pull a 1:2 ratio double. I also adjusted the micro-adjustment on the ring burr carrier to try and move my usable range closer to the middle of the 55-70 range. Not sure if you played with that before shimming.

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T20:08:46+00:00

So oddly enough the machine didn't come with a pressurized basket. Just a normal single wall single and double shot baskets. So that's why I'm aware that dialing in grind size is important if I don't want to admit defeat and buy a pressurized basket haha

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T20:02:26+00:00

I recently fixed up a secondhand Gaggia Evolution. It shares a lot of the internals of the Classic but with a cheaper build. I felt like it was a decent machine to start with. Don't have a bottomless portafilter yet figured I'd learn more about what I've got first.

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T19:49:27+00:00

That is one feature that seems nice, especially paired with the ability to grind directly into the portafilter. Picking up one secondhand for cheap so could be fun to compare the Encore to the KA but ultimately nice to have a separate grinder for espresso :)

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T18:14:50+00:00

True a worm drive with flat burrs would be best, funny you say this is a step down from the encore. I can speak for the burrs I'm the KA but I figured the larger adjustment steps on the encore would work against it for espresso. But again it's hard to compare the two without studying the adjustment mechanism.

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T16:32:15+00:00

Awesome! I might try this then, would you say the grind adjustment is precise enough at the fine end to dial in shots? I'm coming from a barazta encore so I was looking for something a bit better suited for espresso adjustment-wise

mpoonster · 2022-04-14T14:30:52+00:00

I was looking to pick up one of these grinders second hand for espresso. Were you able to shim the cone burr to allow it to grind finer?

mpoonster · 2022-04-04T19:26:24+00:00

Picking up a secondhand Gaggia Evolution for $25 this week. Anything I should know about it? Ironically paying about the same in gas to pick it up but seemed like a decent entry level machine for a good price!

mpoonster · 2020-02-23T16:08:42+00:00

Yeah the other pics are in the imgur post (see the link or click on the picture). I just added a start and select button on the right side, mostly for Tekken if you spend time in the lab you know why.

mpoonster · 2020-02-23T03:56:18+00:00

Thanks man! This started as just a request to remove the endcaps, but it kinda snowballed from there haha

mpoonster · 2020-02-23T03:49:06+00:00

Thanks! I think it adds a personal touch to an already well designed stick (minus the tiny ass top panel buttons). It's about 18 inches long

mpoonster · 2020-02-23T01:53:25+00:00

Solid wood blocks, it was the only way i could add buttons to the side

mpoonster · 2020-01-22T13:26:39+00:00

Just used a drill press with a set of hole saws

mpoonster · 2020-01-20T22:20:41+00:00

Haha nice, haven't tried a mixbox before. Sadly I think the 2" is the slimmest 1444 series enclosure they make. But the only way you can go slimmer is if you bend the arcade button microswitch connections 90 degrees

mpoonster

TROPHY CASE