Fragramatic factory overhaul

[raisetheprice]

Got a quote to have Fragramatics completely overhaul a combo machine. $2600 + freight per machine. Has anyone done this?

 

[MEP001]

I wouldn't ever do it because I can do it myself. You could do it in a day and at once save a ton of money and learn a lot about the machine.

$2600 is about half the cost of a new one.

 

[raisetheprice]

I could do it. I've kept them running myself over their 8 year hard life. They are uncovered and just look tired as they've lived outside in the sun and rain. I'm thinking of adding a covered area for them and moving them because I'm adding another venture where they currently sit. I wonder if they have a dyi kit or something. I'll call them back.

 

[mac]

It's easier than most people think to make one look nice again. The outer shell needs a good cleaning. This sometimes takes a little experimenting to get it right. I've tried paint remover, oven cleaner, acid, heat guns, even soda blasting. A lot depends on if the decals are baked on by the sun. Once the old decals are off, use a metal cleaner to restore the shine. New decals are next, and do not try to put one on unless you know the secret of wetting the surface first. Also never put them on outside on a windy day. New motors and filter bags are next, and usually a new motor starter. The whole shebang will cost you under $500, plus labor. Use the $2,000 savings to take your wife on a cruise !

 

[Fabman]

Red scotchbrite does the trick. Just make sure you go in the same direction as the grain on the stainless. That is what they use to touch them up at the factory.

 

[mac]

If you are close to someone that does soda blasting, that is a good way to remove all the old crud/crap from the shell. They use baking soda in a sand blaster. Even cleans glass without scratching it.

 

[pgrzes]

Scotch brite pad with $4.25 per gallon heating fuel works great on the crud and the decal glue. A new razor blade once you soak the glue to get the heavy spots off.

 

[cebo]

I almost bought new combos but after paying over 5K to replace an older round vac I rehabbed the old ones myself. My fragramatics are 10 years old and exposed to sun & heat in the southeast. I put new visual collums in (the new ones seem way better than the old ones - just hope they don't $hit visual collum fluid everywhere this summer), changed the lexan fronts, front decals, and domes. We keep motors and bags changed regularly. Look almost brand new even without doing all the polish work on the SS. The SS on my 6 month old JC combo looks about the same at the 10 year old fragramatics so I did not bother trying to polish it out. Cost was about 700 bucks per vac even though my dist stuck it to me (I know this for a fact because they sent me his invoice by mistake).

 

[raisetheprice]

I took that silly fluid display out, cleaned it up (and everything else that it dripped all over), filled each column with different colored shiny marbles and reinstalled. They glow at night with the light behind them. Now I don't have to maintain that POS anymore, just the parts that are needed to make the vac make money. My side and dome stickers are next, but I've already done the door and that made it look a ton better. Only a couple machines left to tackle. I've seen another guy use that display space for advertising. He has a sticker made that covers the entire lexan with a companies ad and phone #.

 

[mmc]

Raisetheprice - did there factory overhaul quote include replacement of any of the criticals inside the machine? Pumps motors, that kind of stuff? or was it just to clean it up and make it look good?

 

[raisetheprice]

Raisetheprice - did there factory overhaul quote include replacement of any of the criticals inside the machine? Pumps motors, that kind of stuff? or was it just to clean it up and make it look good?

They replace everything even the electronics. It's basically a new machine.