why all the hastle? get an espresso cooker / cafetierra http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moka_pot
low tech and not a perfect espresso, but cheap, durable, no moving parts, no lubricant
low tech and not a perfect espresso, but cheap, durable, no moving parts, no lubricant
The one use case where the Moka pot fails is when you don't have access to a hot-plate/stove/fire. But in urban environments (my office) I do have access to a hot water dispenser though. So something like this would be an interesting choice for me.
Not fun.
Disclaimer: I am Italian, and even though I generally don't drink coffee, I've seen/heard enough moka vs espresso arguments (up to the fanboy level ;))