Posted Fri Jun 15, 2012, 10:30pm Subject: **CLAIMED**: '96 Olympia Maximatic, 54mm group, black on black...
So, anyone here that has met me and maybe stopped by my house can confirm that I have a bit of a problem. People in my family like to "collect" things. I try to fight this. I'm not sure if my minimalist/brutalist aesthetic sensibilities help me fight this impulse or are the result of fighting this impulse. Anyway, I'm still trying to clear out my stuff, and I'm taking the leap of letting my Olympias go. I don't use this Maximatic. It sits in various places around my kitchen looking very nice, and occasionally I tinker with it. I have to get it out of my house before I justify adding a Cremina to compliment it and the Club that I'm restoring (a Cafferex, forget about it, I don't think I could resist). Also, my house is a lever espresso kind of house, and although this is the pump machine that I would want to own were I to own a pump machine, that is exactly the kind of thinking that gets me into trouble.
So here is its. This is not a restoration project. This is in excellent condition. I can't say pristine because there are some markings on the polish of the lid and a few wear marks on the edges of the case. Other than that, it is about a clean as you are going to find. It's complete, including the edging around the lip of the lid and the little ring that goes under the nut that holds the case in place (two things that are missing from most used fixer uppers on the bay). I just added an OPV, which vents the excess out of the solenoid valve drain. I replaced the group seal and the HX seal when I got it a few months ago, the extra seals for the 3-way and sight glass are included. The frame is pristine. There's a small bit of rust on the bottom door/plate, so if you like I can stripping it, removing the rust, and then give it in clear coat, although that seems a bit of a drastic step. I'm stripping, de-rusting, and clear coating the base plate myself, so no worries there.
I'm currently asking $1000 + shipping. It will ship double boxed via FedEx. I like packing things, hate sloppy packaging, and have had over $4000 of my gear damaged by UPS this year. It comes with a heavy 54mm stainless steel tamper and a stainless steal funnel. It has a double basket. I can't find the single basket, but I do have a tripple that will fit a bottomless PF should you decide to chop the original or find a way to get another one.
Note: If you like, I have a Turmix e32 (Seaco MC2002) 50mm flat burr grinder that I can add to the box just so that you can torture yourself, free of charge. It's "swiss made", just like the Olympia, and it's small and black too. That's where the similarities end.
Listing Details Asking / Suggested Price: 1000 Seller Name: Russel Philip Seller Location: Los Angeles Sale Type: For Sale
Posted Sun Jun 17, 2012, 8:53pm Subject: Re: FS: '96 Olympia Maximatic, 54mm group, black on black, excellent condition
I just wanted to chime in here with an endorsement for Mr. Russel Philip as a seller and shipper of fine machines. I recently purchased a '91 Livietta (designed nearly identically to the Maximatic, which I think grants me license also to assure potential buyers that they absolutely won't be sorry with this machine), and not only was the machine in exactly the condition he described, but it was packaged and shipped with impeccable care and security. Attached is a little pictorial of my unboxing.
Buying things online, especially used things that are ultimately still big-ticket items (relatively speaking), is almost always a roll of the dice. In this case, however, one really need not fear any such caveat emptor, as this seller really does his best to keep these items safe. The Maximatic is known to be an excellent machine and if Mr. Philip says this one is in remarkable condition, you can rest assured that it is. Bid with confidence!
Posted Tue Jun 19, 2012, 9:54pm Subject: Re: FS: '96 Olympia Maximatic, 54mm group, black on black, excellent condition
First, Thank you Howard for your very kind words.
It has come to my attention that a fair number of people are unfamiliar with this machine. I guess it's obvious coming from a lever background, but otherwise not so much. You can find more info at HB:
This is a full blown HX in a tiny home machine package. There is very little else like it (at least that isn't vintage gear, I think a Bezzera BZ07 is close). I think most of the active first-serious-machine-recommenders would agree that a good used Maximatic or Livietta is actually a better recommendation than the usual "pick up a used Oscar" were it not for the scarcity of these machines.
Also, I was unhappy selling something with rust on the base plate, so I decided to take care of it myself. The description has been updated accordingly.
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