vax – Fix It Workshop

Inside The Real Repair Shop 12

Matt shares his opinions on what he deems to be ‘pointless products’.

Pointless Products?

Hello once again from the workshop, and hasn’t it been a busy time? Lots of interesting customer repair jobs to be getting on with; from cherished toys, kitchen appliances to printed circuit boards, all needing a little help. Dividing my time between family, my main job and the workshop is always a careful balancing act, but somehow, I manage to keep on going. See the greying hair.

Since offering my repair skills to the charming people of Worthing and beyond, I’ve had to develop a quick-fire set of triage questions when trying to ascertain what the fault is and whether something is truly worth repairing. Yes, not everything is worth saving, there, I’ve said it. You weren’t expecting that, were you!

Sometimes, my repair skills are only worth investing in something, if the item has spare parts available. It happens all the time. And, when dealing with repair enquiries, I usually have to sensitively tread a careful line between diagnosing a fault on, say, an abused Shark vacuum cleaner which has been used to suck up paint, with the reality that not all spare parts are available for certain models. Yes, some new spares are available and yes, there’s always good-old eBay, but I hate to break it to anyone who loves their Shark vacuum cleaner (and I know that’s a few of you) that they are only really intended to last as long as the warranty. Built with longevity and a sound back up network, they are not. If you want a quality vacuum cleaner that can be repaired, buy the vacuum with the smiley face!

This all got me thinking about some of the other things that you might have been persuaded to buy for your home, but now probably regret. This might be because the thing was too much of a faff to use, or, it didn’t last long or maybe that the cost didn’t justify the performance. So, I thought it might be fun to compile a list of rubbish items, that should have stayed on the drawing board, because quite frankly, life’s too short.

Maybe you have one of these five useless items, languishing in your home, gathering dust.

5. Popcorn makers

Honestly, what’s the point in an electric popcorn maker? Popcorn machines on the pier or at the cinema I get, but these diy-home-install pieces of junk shouldn’t be a thing. “Relive that authentic cinematic experience with a freshly made bag of popcorn, all yours for around £20”. Christmas Secret Santa present, check. Last minute, hastily-purchased gift for the wedding of a couple that don’t really like anyway, who only invited you to the evening do, check. The reality is that they take ages to work, are very small and are very difficult to repair. And let’s face it, a ready-made bag of the stuff from Asda, tastes better. If you must have the cook at home experience, use a lidded saucepan, a little oil and some kernels from the health food aisle.

4. Ice cream makers

My personal favourite for “what’s the point”!? All you ‘kitchen show-offs’ can spend serious money on these things, and I’ve seen some models that can make ice cream in as little as 40 minutes. Yes, 40 minutes -really. Imagine the joy. Kids party, going well. They’ve all eaten their sandwiches, all had their crisps, and all they now need is jelly. And ice cream. Well, the good news is that the jelly is all done, waiting in the fridge, but the ice cream maker, is still whirring away to its heart’s content for another forty bloody minutes, to produce a thimble full of substandard slop. Sorry kids, you’ll just have to go without raspberry ripple today, but the good news is that there’s more carrot and celery sticks. Yay!

3. Bread makers

I actually bought one of these useless items back in the day, no doubt trying to impress a would-be lover with my fine artisan baking skills, using only the finest flours and grains from Lidl. I even grew a beard to go with my new-found skills, but I quickly realised that the way to a girl’s heart, isn’t as a baker. Indeed, making baked treats this way, every day, isn’t that good for one’s love life. 4am starts in the kitchen to make biscuit-sized loafs is just plain annoying and ruins any notion of a romantic breakfast in bed.

2. George Foreman Grille (other slab meat counter-top grilles available)

Now, I know that this will divide opinion. For some, George’s famous meat grille has changed lives. One can cook burgers, steaks and, well, anything meaty without an oven or hob. They’re also cheap to run and great if you have a small kitchen. The downside is that all that grease leaks out, they’re virtually impossible to clean thoroughly. See the mould and scuzz, the next time you use it. Yuk.

1. Upright home carpet washers

Number one was a tough call, but if there’s one repair enquiry I receive too often, it’s for these hideous contraptions. I don’t fix them now as they’re just too troublesome, and the manufacturers don’t really support any spares provision. We all know the brand that I’m talking about. (The one that rhymes with ‘axe’). Maybe you’ve bought one? Maybe you’re thinking of buying one, maybe someone loves theirs ‘so much’ and has recommended that you can’t live without one too. Just get a hold of yourself. Stop. You don’t need one. You’ll pay around £300 for a machine that will spend most of its time in the downstairs cupboard, leaking, until you get it out after a year to mop up Fido’s latest accident, only to find that the over-complicated mechanism is seized and to add insult to injury, you’re just out of warranty, Sir.

Do the sensible thing. If you must wash your carpets, hire a decent machine when you need it, or get a professional in to do the work. It’ll be cheaper and you’ll get a better result.

Well, I feel much better now. I’ve been meaning to get that lot off my chest for ages. Time for a cuppa don’t you think?

PS, don’t forget to tune into Retro Electro Workshop, on Yesterday Channel (27) and UKTV Play, from Tuesday 18^th July at 9pm. I’m on it (correct as of July 2023 onwards).

Inside The Real Repair Shop 2

Practical vacuum cleaner maintenance advice from the workshop!

I have 5 vacuum cleaners, each kept for specific tasks, as you can imagine. No, seriously I love vacuum cleaners. From friendly faced Henrys and Hettys to ‘frickin’ Sharks, I love ‘em all. Why you ask? Well I guess that using a hoover is sheer joy to me. You take your machine to a grubby area, run it around the floor, and you are rewarded with instant gratification! The carpet is returned to near pristine condition. Better still, with many machines, you can see all the muck that was once on the carpet, swirling around in mesmerizing dust-storms, in the see-through debris collection bin! Cosmic stuff.

Decent vacuum cleaners cost a few quid and far too many repairable machines end up at tips across the country, prematurely.

I suspect that many machines could be saved with basic skills. Most people could manage light servicing with basic tools and a small dusting of knowledge so here are some top tips to help you keep your hoover running well for longer.

Models vary, but you are likely to need the following:

Big flat-head screwdriver
a cross-head screwdriver
damp cloth bowl of hot soapy suds

Before you start work on any appliance, always unplug from the mains.

Brush heads: Upright vacuum cleaners probably have a rotating brush head. Remove any dog, cat, child hair, Lego etc from the brushes, especially the stuff stuck at the sides, where it can cause damage to things like bearings. Use a knife or some old scissors to cut-away trapped hair etc. This will improve performance and prevent damage.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, January’21, Dyson DC07 brush head- looking clean.

Filters: Many vacuum cleaners have at least one, sometimes three filters to prevent dust entering back into the environment it was sucked-up from, preventing sneezes. Usually all you need to do is see where the filters are located and to remove any retaining clips/covers. Some machines use screws to hold the filters in-situ, so you’ll need to familiarise yourself with your instructions.

If you’ve held on to your instructions, well done. If you’re like most people and have chucked the instructions away, you might need to Google your model and download them. These filters need to be cleaned every three months in warm soapy water and left to dry for at least 24 hours or until bone dry. Clean filters not only prevent dust build-up in the air, but are essential for the free flow of air into your machine and out again.

A blocked motor filter could cause overheating and damage to the motor bearings and brushes. Suction can be reduced by a blocked cylinder filter. HEPA filters need to be replaced and can’t be cleaned, however eBay is awash with good quality, cheap alternative filters, so there’s no excuse for not lavishing your machine with some filter-love to let your machine breathe easy.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, January’21, old and new filters.

Seals: All vacuum cleaners rely on good seals between joints to ensure perfect performance. Rubber and foam seals need to be cleaned regularly to prevent the build-up of dirt. Get a bowl of hot soapy water and an old cloth to clean up joints and seal-like surfaces, no special skills required. Don’t scrub too hard as you might damage the smooth surfaces, just a gentle clean is all that’s needed. Remember, dirty seals equal vacuum loss.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, January’21, keep seals clean with a damp sponge or cloth.

Just a small tune-up in the way of basic servicing will mean that your trusty vacuum runs sweeter for longer, saving you time, money and valuable resources. You’ll also bond with your machine, which is a good thing.

After all that cleaning, you’ve earned yourself a cup of tea. Time to put the kettle on, make a brew and grab a custard cream.

A much-needed lift for a… Vax Airlift

A Vax gets airlifted to safety

Back in the 1980s, VAX were famous for making bright orange, usually very robust, carpet washers. The products were premium priced at the time, and the sort of thing that ‘someone else had’. It was the sort of thing you borrowed when someone had spilled wine or worse on the floor in a last ditch attempt before condemning the carpet. I’ve only used one a few times, but I can remember that very distinct carpet shampoo smell.

Fast-forward to now and it seems that the VAX badge is owned by someone else and the name is applied to many vacuum cleaner designs. In my own recent experience, the products are a bit flimsy and parts are not easy to obtain. Indeed, on a recent repair, I tried and failed to get hold of a replacement motor for an 18-month-old machine only to be told by VAX that they don’t supply it, but that’s another story. Such a shame.

Anyway, on with a more positive story I think. The owner of this vacuum cleaner (not carpet washer) got in touch to tell me that they would like me to repair their VAX Airlift. As the name suggests, the machine is lightweight and slim, which makes lifting and manoeuvrability easier. However, lightweight in this case meant limited lifespan.

Make and model: VAX Airlift

Fault reported: Split hose

Cost of replacement machine: £200

Manufacturer support: 0/10

Cost of parts (for this repair): £1.00

My time spent on the repair: 1 hour

Tools needed: Screw drivers, pliers, cutters

Sundry items: None

Cleaning materials: Silicone spray, damp cloth

Repair difficulty: 3/10

Beverages: 1 X tea

Biscuits consumed: None, 1 slice of cheese on toast instead, must have been lunchtime

This model carries all dust sucking tools, brushes and other ‘extendibles’ onboard, for convenience. It’s neat and tidy and considering the amount of stuff onboard, it’s still amazingly light, hence the name. To be frank, I wish that I’d weighed it, but that might be going a bit far…

The problem with this machine was that the flexible hose from the brush head to the main machine had split. This caused air to rush into the hose’s hole when the vacuum was in use, which in turn meant that the vacuum simply wouldn’t suck up. The owner had attempted several previous repairs with electrical tape. These repairs had worked for a while, but after several hoovering sessions, the tape repair had failed and the machine was back to square one.

I took on the job and realised quite quickly that VAX’s sporadic spares listings on various websites neglected our poor friend and only certain consumables like filters were still available. Terrible really as the machine was only a few years old. The part I needed certainly wasn’t anywhere and looked unique to this model. When a situation like this confronts me, I do what any other sensible person does. Put the kettle on.

It’s often situations like this that will condemn a machine to waste, even when the rest of it is in serviceable condition. I can see why some may simply throw in the towel.

It soon dawned on me that I’d saved various bits of hose from old Dyson and Numatic vacuum cleaner repairs and that maybe something I’d salvaged might do the trick. That’s the power of a strong cup of Yorkshire Tea.

FixItWorkshop, Worthing, December’20, VAX Airlift, damaged hose.

This was turning out to be my lucky day as some old grey Dyson vacuum hose that I’d salvaged from a knackered Dyson DC25 (if memory serves) looked like it would do the job.

The first task was to remove the bespoke Airlift connectors from the old hose and peel off the metres of horrible hairy electrical tape. Yuk. I needed the old hose, so that I could measure the correct length to allow a good fit in every position the machine would be used in. The hose end connectors were screwed on and bonded with impact adhesive, which just needed brute force to remove.

The Dyson hose was a gnats-whisker wider, but it still fitted the old hose connectors OK, with a little impact adhesive applied. The new-old hose with old connectors simply fitted back on the machine and I think you’ll agree, the new/old part looks like original equipment.

While I had the machine, I took the liberty to clean the seals, dust container and drive belts to the brush head as these were all clogged up. As filters were readily available, I also replaced these as they were only a few quid.

So, for small beans and using some old salvaged parts I already had, this VAX was ready to see another day. Most satisfactory.

Hybrid Hoover-VAX vacuum cleaner combination experiment…

Recycling vacuum cleaner parts.

A slightly unusual workshop repair this time.

My brother-in-law popped in to see us for a cuppa recently and mentioned he was off to the tip with an old VAX cylinder style bag-less vacuum cleaner, in pieces, not the carpet washer type. It was on its way to the great scrap yard in the sky. Luckily, I was on hand to divert the sick VAX via the workshop.

It was being disposed of due to the flex having gone faulty together with the opinion that it wasn’t working that well before the mains cable failed. Well, I hate to see good machinery go to waste.

On this VAX, the mains flex is stored within the vacuum cleaner housing and is wound up on a spring-loaded coil during storage. When in use, the user can pull the mains plug until the desired cable flex length is reached. When the user is finished cleaning their carpet, a foot operated button causes the flex to speedily disappear back in to the vacuum cleaner. My brother-in-law had already looked at the spring-loaded mains flex winding mechanism, which had resulted in the bi-metallic coil spring escaping from the enclosure, freeing itself in to an orbit. It’s quite a shock and sometimes dangerous when this happens!

What to do. I was very nearly tempted to dump this vacuum cleaner too as the build quality of the whole thing reminded me of the plastic toys one gets in Christmas crackers, but that’s not really in the spirit of The Workshop.

Then I remembered I had a defunct Hoover Telios that was minus a motor, perhaps this would be a suitable parts donor? I liked the idea of making one working vacuum cleaner from two unhappy ones.

The Telios had a working mains lead flex, but the automatic spring loaded mechanism on that was past its best, so I decided to use the working lead on the VAX. The VAX would be without its flex winding mechanism, but at least it would work. I adapted a cable tie to make a cable grip, to prevent a user from pulling the cable from the VAX, when in use. The cable would have to be stored, wrapped around the vacuum cleaner, after use, a small price for working machine.

FixItWorkshop, Feb’18, VAX cylinder vacuum cleaner.

The other job was to address the poor performance.

This product is clearly an inferior Dyson rip-off and therefore has a couple of filters; one for the intake and one for the exhaust, like a Dyson. As suspected, both of these were virtually blocked! The filters on this model were not as easy to get at nor as easy to clean. I’m not sure whether these filters are meant to be washed, but wash them I did and after 24 hours of drying on the radiator, they were as good as new. Once refitted, full performance was restored, for the price of a bowl of warm water and Fairy liquid.

Finally, the VAX was missing its cleaning head for the hose, so I decided to use the Hoover one (which was quite a nice design) with the VAX’s hose. After some jiggery pokery and some electrical tape, it fitted.

FixItWorkshop, Feb’18, VAX cylinder vacuum cleaner- with Hoover parts.

What we’ve now ended up with is a working VAX vacuum cleaner, using some parts from a beyond economical to repair Hoover. Whilst it’s not the most elegant repair I’ve ever completed, I now have something working from two nearly condemned items and surely, that’s good thing?