Introduction - New Owner

Post by **Consty** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:13 pm

Hi everybody,

I'd like to introduce myself, I'm new to this forum and new to Vivaldi II ownership! That's right, yesterday she arrived with UPS straight from the factory to my place in Groningen, the north of the Netherlands.
I want to thank all the regulars on this forum for all the info they laid down here, it helped me a lot making decisions about what to buy.
I'm not all new to espresso though, I've owned a Francis X1 in combination with a Gaggia MM grinder but found it very hard to get consistent results

To pave a road for consistency I decided to go for a Spaz. Luckily enough I succeeded in buying a VII via the Dutch Vivaldi dealer, it's not a very polpular machine here yet.
I'm gonna marry her to a MC4 stepless :D Already have a Coffeelabs tamper from Downunder.
The thing is I going to move in november and have planned the water and elec in the new kitchen, so for now she just stand here in my room, useless.. :? That kinda hard to watch really...

Post by **Niko** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:14 pm

Hello Consty!!
Welcome :D

Consty wrote: The thing is I going to move in november and have planned the water and elec in the new kitchen, so for now she just stand here in my room, useless.. :? That kinda hard to watch really...

So... :? ...wait a minute, you're not using the Vivaldi until November?
THAT IS PAINFUL

Post by **Consty** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:58 pm

Thanks for the welcome.
Yes it is :(
But..since Macap is on holiday and the MC4 is sold out everywhere I have to wait until Macap ships again to the Netherlands. Going to be september I heard.
Buys me time to figure out a softener and filter system, we (the dutch) unfortunately don't have a Chrisscoffee around here..

What amazed me btw is the crappy fit on the dual manometer on this otherwise beautiful machine.
Wait, I forgot a broken leg...they'll ship me a replacement.

Post by **Weska** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:35 pm

Consty, welcome. You and I are in nearly the same situation here because I live in Moscow and also got a Chrisless Vivaldi S1, old style, via the Bologna and a local distributor.

I've just been to the Netherlands, and you have some good retailers there too. I'm thinking of Espresso Service West in the Hague and Ongebrand in Lieren. There may be many others for all I know.

Welcome aboard. You have chosen a really sweet machine.

Post by **Niko** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 4:30 pm

Consty wrote: What amazed me btw is the crappy fit on the dual manometer on this otherwise beautiful machine.
Wait, I forgot a broken leg...they'll ship me a replacement.

The fit is excellent, it's the crappy shippers that destroy the out-of-box experience.

What really sucks is that you have to stare at that machine until September.

Post by **Consty** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:22 pm

Niko, you're sure about that? I opened the cover and there is a screw that holds the manometer in place more or less, but it seems to me the two copper tubes that feed into the manometer really define its place, and I not yet dare to manipulate those tubes....

It is november btw (ohwww my ....

Weska, thanks for the welcome. There are some good retailers here indeed, but not really an all-in-store like Chriss'. The retailers here are pointed mostly to the professional market but can offer good advice to the (beginning) home barista too!

Another thing that puzzles me is the distribution of the holes in the baskets...(there is nothing I can do now except examine at every little detail of the exterior until ready to brew in november

)
The holes are assymmetrical distributed in the bottom of the basket..this seems to me in contradicion to an even extraction..or am I missing something?

Post by **Niko** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:49 pm

November?!
That would drive me nuts!

Yes, the manometer is basically held together by the copper piping, the screw seems to just lock it in the desired position. I grabbed hold of my off-centered manometer upon delivery and bent it into place. The copper bends, I wouldn't worry too much about it...just don't squeeze it or pinch it hard and jolt it into place. I also bent the 3 way valve outlet to drip into the tray better, I pretty much had to manhandle this one with some pretty good force. The machine is really easy to work on.
Can you find somewhere to plumb and plug it in to test it out?
November is a long ways away......

Post by **Consty** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:00 pm

Haha, I don't think so, but I am anticipating for this experience for so long now that a couple of months more won't matter....I think...as long as I keep her in the box, out of direct sight

. I'm also waiting for the grinder due somewhere in september. I want it all there before I start.

Post by **Niko** » Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:56 pm

If I had to stare at the machine for 2 months in a box....
I'd probably line up 20 car batteries, hook up a water bottle with pump to get it going in a phone booth!
You are a man of patience, I admire that.