LaSpaz in the UK

Post by **ronsil** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:04 am

Hi, my first post :) - Received my S1 Mk2 last week & am delighted with the machine. Here it is in the corner of our breakfast room:

- I believe its 'par for the course' but out of the box the manometer was floating loose - I'd already read here that it was quite common. The only other disappointment were the 2 manuals. Both related to the Mk1. Also the electrics sections talked about 20 amp & 15 amp, neither of which have any bearing here in the UK.

Distributers do not seem to be taking the LaSpaz to their hearts or taking the time to learn fully about the machine.- Shame really - We have to buy it straight out of the box as it leaves the Factory in Italy. I tried five companies before purchase but no one offers a pre-delivery check.

We are 240 volts & with the 2400 watts shown on the machine plate that equates to a max of 10 amps, well within our standard 13 amp kitchen outlets.

Over the years I've owned a Saeco Profi, Saeco Superauto (bean to cup), Silvia, Izzo Vivi (HX) & now a LaSpaz, Numerous press pots & an Aeropress.
I made a roastery in a chalet in my garden & I use a Genecafe & hold a fairly balanced 'bean stash' including my favorite blend, Sweet Marias Liquid Amber.

Up to now the LaSpaz is doing everything I hoped it would & more. - Unbelievable steam power.

Post by **Weska** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:35 am

Welcome, ronsil, to our cafe!

Like you, I had to take what I could get--and not only among resellers. I had a limited choice of machines also.

It's our good luck that Vivaldis were available to us even if the terms were not ideal.

Enjoy your gear. It's about the same as mine except that I've got an MC4 MACAP instead of your Mazzer. Gene too.

Post by **Cafesp** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:25 am

Perfect matching like " Romeo and Juliet "
The SS chrome & black of VII blends wonderfully with Mazzer's sexy curve lines in black & chrome!
Congratulations!

Enjoy your corner

Cafesp

Post by **JohnB** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:53 pm

So the V2 is readily available in Europe? Is it only the U.S. where Chris has the exclusive?

Post by **Niko** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 11:59 pm

Yes, it's called the S1 Mk2.
Chris holds the exclusive in the States.

Post by **ronsil** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:10 am

- I find that interesting - are you saying you can only buy a Vivaldi S1 Mk2 in the USA from Chriscoffee.

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:05 am

Not really.
Chris is the master importer, he welcomes dealers to contact him to sell the units and I've seen them selling at other places.

Did your Mk2 arrive with the large feet attached?
Eric (in Liverpool) said he took delivery with those mammoth feet on the unit.

Post by **ronsil** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:51 am

- Yep, the large feet arrived already fitted on the machine. The machine came direct from Italy & fitted with a 3 pin + earth Europlug 230/240 v, which I cut off & replaced with a 3pin UK 13 amp standard plug.

Post by **JohnB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:12 am

They look like the same feet that are on mine; approx 1 3/8"/36mm across the bottom. What was used previously?

Chris may welcome dealers but I only found one other shop selling the V2 when I searched several weeks ago. Lots of sites are still selling the original S1 at $200-$300 under Chris's price on the V2.

Post by **coffeeowl** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:03 am

...and they look like the feet on mine... actually they look like the small ones :?
Here are some pics.

In Europe you can get Vivaldi II (the S1 Mk2 :) ) from Hasbean. I talked my local distributor into getting me one (after I contacted La Spaziale directly to point me out how I can buy Vivaldi II in Poland

)

Post by **JohnB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:20 am

So this is the standard footing? I do like those tall ones, I'll bug Chris with an email also.

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 11:49 am

I have a poll going for taller feet...

Keep in mind, those feet are HUGE - the machine won't fit under some cabinets after they're installed. They are over 3" high.

Post by **JohnB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:27 pm

I'd like to get the machine up higher so thats fine with me. My V2 is sitting on open counter space so no worries about cupboards. Looks like you have ten sets spoken for all ready. Have you spoken to Chris about this?

Post by **Niko** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:55 pm

Not yet, we're trying to get more people to generate enough attention so that a bunch may be ordered.

Post by **ronsil** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 2:47 pm

hey -looks like we stand corrected - from what you're saying it appears my feet are standard size 36 mm. Here I was thinking I'm standing tall

Post by **JohnB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 3:25 pm

Niko wrote:Not yet, we're trying to get more people to generate enough attention so that a bunch may be ordered.

Then I think the poll should be moved to the Accessories area & made a sticky like the Triple Baskets. Where it is now it's getting very little attention, I know I hadn't seen the poll until you mentioned it and I did a search.

Post by **coffeeowl** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:04 pm

ronsil wrote: hey -looks like we stand corrected - from what you're saying it appears my feet are standard size 36 mm. Here I was thinking I'm standing tall

:D don't worry, I like my baby original feet, the small ones, but - please - don't let anybody know! :D

Post by **JohnB** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:47 pm

It doesn't really matter as there are no large feet that fit the U.S. Vivaldis. I emailed a pic of the large feet to Chris today & he pointed out that the stud in the large foot is larger then the one in our stock feet. The large feet are made for the commercial units & evidently thats what the UK Vivaldis get. They will not screw into our machines.

Post by **EricC** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:38 am

ronsil wrote: hey -looks like we stand corrected - from what you're saying it appears my feet are standard size 36 mm. Here I was thinking I'm standing tall

Hi,
Welcome to the group. Steve at HasBean is the main distributor for the LaSpaz S1 VII and Mini in the UK.

http://www.hasbean.co.uk/

And these are the large feet :-)

Regards
Eric
(Liverpool UK)

Post by **EricC** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 8:41 am

Deleted

Post by **JohnB** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:57 am

EricC wrote:
Niko wrote:
Hey Niko,

And here was me thinking that everything in the USA was bigger.

Eric - Could you post a pic from the front showing the machine with feet installed? Something that clearly shows the space between the counter top & machine bottom. Also could you provide the height & width of the tall foot?

After speaking with CC this morning it turns out that the commercial feet they have are much wider(2.5") but only 1.5" tall. They have contacted the factory in Italy about taller feet for our V2s & are waiting to hear back.

Post by **ronsil** » Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:03 am

EricC wrote:Steve at HasBean is the main distributor for the LaSpaz S1 VII and Mini in the UK.

Hi Eric - I see you're not a million miles from me!

I think Hasbean is only one of 7-8 distributers in the UK - along with Pumphries, Xpress Coffee, Purebeans, CoffeemanUK, Farrari's Coffee & Coffeecreations & others.

Regretfully not any one of them including Hasbean, offers a pre-delivery check in the style of Chriscoffee.

I purchased my machine from Italy direct.

Most of the distributors will do an installation & checkout but only for a lot more money

Post by **EricC** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:09 am

JohnB wrote: Eric - Could you post a pic from the front showing the machine with feet installed? Something that clearly shows the space between the counter top & machine bottom. Also could you provide the height & width of the tall foot?

John,
Will do.

Post by **EricC** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 5:24 am

ronsil wrote:Hi Eric - I see you're not a million miles from me!

I think Hasbean is only one of 7-8 distributers in the UK - along with Pumphries, Xpress Coffee, Purebeans, CoffeemanUK, Farrari's Coffee & Coffeecreations & others.

Regretfully not any one of them including Hasbean, offers a pre-delivery check in the style of Chriscoffee.

I purchased my machine from Italy direct.

Most of the distributors will do an installation & checkout but only for a lot more money

Hi,

Yes, not too far away at all.

LaSpaz UK, so i have been told, are not really interested in the S1 as the majority of their business is with the commercial machines. I know that my machine was shipped directly from them, arranged through Steve @ Hasbean and neither my S1 VI or S1 VII had had a pre-delivery check.

In this LaSpaz UK and Chris's Coffee can be directly compared as both are the Importers for LaSpaz to their respective countries and therefore it can be seen that whilst Chris's Coffee deals with many machines, both commercial and home use, from many different manufacturers and povides excellent back-up for both commercial and home users, LaSpaz UK only deal with commercial users and do not wish to deal with the great unwashed IE Home Users.

When i bought my LaCimbali Junior D/T1 from LaCimbali UK one of their engineers not only delivered the machine but also installed it, and set it up in my kitchen, all included in the purchase price. This also included a full years warranty at home.

Regards
Eric

Post by **ronsil** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:11 am

- Eric, you're bang 'on the button' with that analysis

Post by **EricC** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 2:19 pm

EricC wrote:
JohnB wrote: Eric - Could you post a pic from the front showing the machine with feet installed? Something that clearly shows the space between the counter top & machine bottom. Also could you provide the height & width of the tall foot?
John,
Will do.

Well, maybe not !!!!!!

See photo's below :

As you can see, as Chris of Chris's Coffee said the tall feet have a much larger thread. I have attempted to fit them to my LaSpaz and the threads are much too large. :(

The actual size is as follows : 3 1/8 " high, 2 3/8" diameter at top, 2 1/8" diameter at the bottom. Hope this is of some use to you.

Best Regards
Eric

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 4:05 pm

Damn.
I guess it's time to re-thread the Spaz.

Post by **JohnB** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:33 pm

EricC wrote:
EricC wrote:
JohnB wrote: Eric - Could you post a pic from the front showing the machine with feet installed? Something that clearly shows the space between the counter top & machine bottom. Also could you provide the height & width of the tall foot?
John,
Will do.
Well, maybe not !!!!!!
As you can see, as Chris of Chris's Coffee said the tall feet have a much larger thread. I have attempted to fit them to my LaSpaz and the threads are much too large. :(

The actual size is as follows : 3 1/8 " high, 2 3/8" diameter at top, 2 1/8" diameter at the bottom. Hope this is of some use to you.

Best Regards
Eric

I thought the story was that all UK S1 machines came with the large feet installed??

Post by **JohnB** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:38 pm

Niko wrote:Damn.
I guess it's time to re-thread the Spaz.

Rethreading isn't really an option if you look at the thread insert installed in the bottom pan. Maybe we could get Thor to turn out sets of taller legs that would match the wooden handles & tampers??

Post by **JohnB** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:45 pm

I'd still like to get my hands on a set of those stilts as I think I could modify them to fit.

Eric - Where did you get yours??

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:51 pm

Anything is an option in a machine shop.
I can get threads for a fuel injector added to the Spaz if I want

But...
that other idea of yours, I can talk to Les about making some feet. Now that would be cool!

Post by **JohnB** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:02 pm

Niko wrote:Anything is an option in a machine shop.
I can get threads for a fuel injector added to the Spaz if I want

But...
that other idea of yours, I can talk to Les about making some feet. Now that would be cool!

Same here but I'm not interested in tearing down the V2 to get at the rear thread inserts or molesting my new machine in any way, shape or form.

As for Les I've already asked! We'll see what he has to say tomorrow.

Post by **Niko** » Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:08 pm

JohnB wrote: Same here but I'm not interested in tearing down the V2 to get at the rear thread inserts or molesting my new machine in any way, shape or form.
As for Les I've already asked! We'll see what he has to say tomorrow.

We can certainly Frankenstein one of my Vivaldis

We'll see what Les has to say, this should be interesting.

Post by **EricC** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:44 am

JohnB wrote:I'd still like to get my hands on a set of those stilts as I think I could modify them to fit.

Eric - Where did you get yours??

John - They arrived in the box with the machine.

Post by **JohnB** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:41 am

EricC wrote:
JohnB wrote:I'd still like to get my hands on a set of those stilts as I think I could modify them to fit.

Eric - Where did you get yours??
John - They arrived in the box with the machine.

What a deal? Send me a PM if you would be interested in selling the set if you can't use them.

Post by **JohnB** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:20 pm

I should receive a set of adjustable tall commercial feet (not LaSpaziale) in the next day or two. These are narrower(1.5") then the big L/S feet & should look better on the V2. They have the larger stud but the legs are metal with a nice rubber bumper on the bottom & I believe they will be easier to modify then the L/S tall feet. If it all works out I'll post pics in a new thread.

Post by **Niko** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 4:53 pm

I should be getting a set of the taller Spaz feet in a few weeks.

Post by **cruelbeanz** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:39 pm

Niko wrote:I should be getting a set of the taller Spaz feet in a few weeks.

Where did u get the feet from Niko - I'm really desperate to get my hands on a set. Please help!