Author Topic: Vax 121 - Stripdown and Refurb (Read 27398 times)

beko1987 · « **on:** July 12, 2015, 11:41:08 PM »

I got this little gem a few weeks ago. A very, very mint Vax 121

The exception is the dusting brush, which was truly battered...

It had the bag holder. I found a Hoover 375 belt to go on as it was missing its one

The wet tools have never been used!

There is 1 watermark on the solution tube, which is very annoying as it's mint otherwise!

The machine itself

One of the motor bolts had vibrated out, all the others were loose too...

Filter was quite dusty

Genuine Vax bag fitted

Sadly, it didnt come with any extension poles, so I grabbed 2 of those from the shed, and a boxed automop I happened to have! And some bags

My helper helped me check that it worked

and I got started on the stripdown!

Hose first

Hose trim pulls off revealing 2 locating tabs

which pop out and seperate the hose

The hose went through the washing machine very nicely indeed!

Filter next

Cartridge seperates

A big seal sits between the parts

I attempted to revive the dusting brush

but after 20 minutes of pulling and teasing got nowhere, it is ruined.

so onto the main machine

bag had split...

Recovery bucket was quite dusty, these single walled bags dont hold the dust in the best!

The wheel housing slides off the bucket

The wheels pull off the pegs

and the pegs stay in, this part is obscenely brittle when it wants to be...

cable off

The 4 bolts come off the bottom

This is the secondary filter for the motor housing

This screw comes out of the switch cover

The cover has the LED attached to it

which is fixed by one of those horrible spring clamp things, so I left it on there

Orange switch cover falls out

There's a retaining ring that holds the switch in

which again, was loose

Bolts out (loose...)

The springs fall off

Next, get your long extension bar and socket set

and remove the handle bolts. Again, finger tight on this...

2 bolts removed, the top half comes off

These wires are all in the back of the switch.

Split the rest of the plastics

A bit carboney, nothing too bad though

This is the supressor

held on with a bolt

7mm

and once removed, I snipped the black wires off

Feb 1990

The blue wires got the snip too

Wires to the switch

Made in England! I dont think there's a single part on a modern vax that's made in england now!

The cable clamp assembly comes apart now

All removed

Motor now

The main chamber lifts off the motor

NOT an ordinary vacuum cleaner...

This metal spring was present too. Must earth it somehow

The motor was mint, I dont think this machine has EVER seen water tbh

it was so clean I left it alone, just blew the dust off and wiped it down.

Next, the old seals were removed

Onto the next batch of parts now!

I bought this Automop a while ago for my old Vax, so it has been used, hence it went through the motions

The sponge pulls off, held in with friction only

This plate directs the solution to over the sponge

The squeeges pop out

and the rubber slides out of the carriers

This revealed some screws

This peice of I presume steel sits at one end of the automop, presumably to provide some weight to help it flip

The neck has a seal and diverting cap on it

Wash tool now

Which splits out nicely

Crevice tool didnt need any stripping down!

Upholstry tool looks pretty mint

Bit of dust lurking though

The bag adapter even needed some stripping

Small head

Only the black insert comes out of it though

I left the solution tube be, I;d onlyu make it worse with watermarks I couldnt get out!

Orange joining peice looks good, not perished at all!

The float valve pulls apart

Removed the seal from the solution tank too

Never been used possibly at all, certainly not in anger

Naked

These next

Poles got a wire wooling as they are a bit more used than the vax, cleaned up nicely though

Floor tool came apart as it was a bit dusty

I then noticed a sticker on the solution tank. Odd. Removed that anyway

Sorry, back to the floor tool. Baseplate off

Lint strips out

Tiny bit of fluff under the brush cartridge

Minty

Locking module removed

Pedals out

and off

And she is stripped!

Everything was washed and dried, and then the plastics were polished!

Not bad for 3 hours with the rotary!

beko1987 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 12, 2015, 11:41:17 PM »

Assemblage time!

Randomly, there is a bit of damage to the recovery tank, looks like something hot or solventy got sucked up once...

Motor nestled back onto the lower mount

Metal clip refitted

Time for electrics now

The wires that used to go to the supressor were crimped and heatshrunk together

Hat on

I then realised it was MUCH easier to put the black handle on first, so top cap as well, then feed the wires through that, as the handle wont slip over the housing with the wires poking out

Once everythings plugged in (IIRC, the switch has the 2 blue motor wires one side, and the first set of spades from the wiring block. The second set of spades then connect to the LED)

Float valve back together

and I got out a new seal

Floor tool next

Tiny bit of damage sadly

Onto the filter now, and the first thing I did was get the iron out...

It's SO much easier to refit the filter when it's flat!

and another new seal was fitted

I'd put the machine together with the solution tank after fitting the new seal overnight to secure the seal adhesive

So had that off, and fitted a paper bag

Back together with the hose, which was washed along with the filter and some other hoses and filters in the washing machine

Cleaned the hose to machine seal

and gave her a test run!

and she sat in the corner for a day or two

I bought something for it, which came a few days later. In that time, I got 2 layers of wax on it, and on sunny friday afternoon, took some after shots in the garden

I bought a new dusting brush for it, happened to be one on ebay. Sadly, the logo is a different style, so have left the old one with the machine to keep the originality. The bristles will swap over, but I'll leave that to the next owner to see.

She's on ebay now, it was always going to be a restore and sell project, but you dont see many this clean or complete nowadays. I have a used twice, in the box with all packaging 121, and this isnt far off the same condition tbh, very very few dinks to mention! Still, the 121 always holds a special place in my heart as Mum had one, and Granny too when I were a lad, so I'll never turn one down. Hopefully this one will give someone years of enjoyment to come!

Parwaz7862 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2015, 01:47:40 AM »

That Vax looks well good, you did a fantastic job as usual!

Also, the bags look a bit unusual, I thought they used the ones like the 6131 or something, IIRC my cousin's 121 they had used a cloth bag but it was the same design as the 6131 where the collar slides into the grooves with the hose off

beko1987 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2015, 03:44:34 PM »

It uses both types. I think their originally came with the cloth bag, my Gran still has hers. This fitted to the bag adapter, but you can also get open ended bags (basically massive hoover junior style) that fit onto the adapter.

The other type has the collar built in, and I think fit the recovery tank better.

Wish there were hepaflo type bags available though, would sort the filtration out a treat, maybe coupled with a cut up henry hepaflo bag to replace the cheesecloth filter...

Madrat · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2015, 07:56:00 PM »

We have the later, upmarket version of that in dark green and orange, it is fitted with a pump for the cleaning solution. Always had great suction.

beko1987 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2015, 08:41:55 PM »

Ah yes, they had higher wattage motors and the later pleated filter!

Madrat · « **Reply #6 on:** July 13, 2015, 10:47:51 PM »

That's it, variable power as well.

beko1987 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 13, 2015, 11:34:48 PM »

This one?

Tech12 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2015, 08:09:34 AM »

Nice write up, but why did you remove the suppressor ?.

beko1987 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2015, 10:16:35 AM »

I've had them blow on me before, as have other collectors. Same with Electrolux 500 series cleaners with the supressor in the handle, they always go!

I had a dirty jobs vax from the car boot sale years ago (about the time I got my NIB machine) and the supressor went on it whilst I was vaxing the front room. Killed the power to the cleaner, then filled the flat with a burning plastic smell, which I got told off for on her return...

The supressor had blown, then melted. I've helped save a few other 121's as well by talking the owner through how to remove it and reconnect the wires. I just didnt think it would make a great impression when the new owner of this one opens the box, plugs it in and it chooses that precise moment to go CUL8R and pop...

I tend to remove them as habit now. Their not needed unless you happen to collect old radio's and TV's as well, and it's one less thing to go wrong. I've seen the big Hoover Senior ones go, they make a bang, and coat everything around them with black, which means you need to strip the machine down again to clean it up! The E lectrolux 500 series, some of the models have the supressor in the handle, where you hold it to use, I've heard that causes great* hilarity when that goes pop and your holding it!

Tech12 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2015, 12:59:54 PM »

They're not needed ?. I think you'll find they are, Manufacturer's don't go to the expense of fitting them for the fun of it. The interference caused by an unsuppressed motor can affect a lot more than Vintage radio, yes they do occasionally go pop but not that often. As for Vintage appliances I'd be Replacing the filter as a matter of course, before turning it on. Trust me, filtering & suppression is there for a reason.

Madrat · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2015, 02:08:00 PM »

That's the one, it's a bit battered now I sad to say

beko1987 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2015, 02:17:43 PM »

As much as you probably know more of the technical side than me, in practise I've removed tens of them from machines, in many cases bringing the machine back to life because of it, with no ill effects. Same with many other collectors who have a vintage machine go pop on them!

Would c ertainly never advocate removal to hide another problem though, and of course the new wiring connection must be sound, especially in a machine such as this which may see water around the motor at some point in its life...

Tech12 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2015, 04:15:35 PM »

Sorry, but whether you or other collectors have removed them to repair a machine is immaterial. They are there for a specific purpose & should be replaced not removed or bypassed. I've known a lot of collectors over my years in the trade & other interests & they'll go out of they're way to put an item back in an As Original condition.

Tech20 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 22, 2015, 03:18:27 PM »

Tech 12. I'm more than with you on the replacement. Its there to prevent electrical motor noise being conducted back onto the mains and although there may be no noticeable effects to the user their neighbour may be thinking otherwise. Mine has just failed after a few decades and my problem is for the vax 121 sourcing a replacement. I may have to find a chassis mount filter an bolt that in but they tend to be larger.