SMC Discussion Areas

Okay Guys. Nothing against anyone, but is it just me or does everyone think compressor work, parts and labor...have gone DOWN in these times?  :veryangry: Has anyone bought a roll of copper tubing or a 30 lb jug of freon lately? How about shipping prices or new compressor prices?

PSA (public service announcement)  ...coke machine collecting IS NOT a cheap hobby. If you buy a machine, and someone tells you, "all it needs is a little freon"...don't expect me to give you a "break" or a "discount" because you believed it was going to be an easy "fix".

Thank you for your time.

(I've had 5 of these in the last 3 days)  :censored:

        I understand fully Eric. $900.00 for a jug of R-12.....yikes!

        It's amazing how many ads read "only needs a shot of freon"  :biggrin:
These machines are not like old tires that lose air after many years. If they are low on freon, it usually means there is a leak which has to be found and fixed before it can be charged. $$$

thanks Glen...I just needed to "vent". Monday...jeeze!  :wow:

Here here!  My hats off to you for being able to deal with the customer relations aspect on a regular basis!  Seems I don't have a lot of patience when it comes to dealing with stupidity.  I always swore when I finally got my executive desk job that I would have a sign put on the wall in big giant letters that read, "Stupidity never ceases to @$%#&$* amaze me!"

Ken...I've been in all aspects, from industrial compressor rebuilding, vending maching referb(ing), and now, the antique end of things. I've delt with either the "service company" or the general public, for the last 23 years. Today was just a rough day and after "5" calls since Thursday, I guess I "popped"!!! It's all good though, and tomorrow is a new day!  :upside:

Haha, I know exactly what you mean.  Thanks for doing what you do for all of us!!!  You ARE appreciated!   :happydrinkers:

Welcome to today's retail.  Wal-Mart mentality has driven the small family style profitable business down.  The internet has not helped either.  Someone always has something cheaper.  The idea of supporting someone who is "brick and mortar" has gone away.  Nevermind there is a store who you can keep in business, or a person to guide you if you have trouble.  

 

Another sad part of today is the things we buy tend to fall into the "throw-away" category.  Appliances, in particular, fall into this.  Our antique machines had cooling systems built to last, just like the old refrigerators.  Compare one of those cooling systems to the one in your new high-dollar frig and you'll just shake your head in sadness.

When it comes to getting things built, repaired, etc. you have to pay for quality work.  Naturally, we don't want to pay more than necessary, but we should never EXPECT to pay LESS than necessary.  I will admit I shop in Wal-Mart, but not for everything.  Some of the stuff just isn't up to the quality I want to have.

Eric, rest assured, your work is TOP NOTCH, and you are MORE than fair.  If some yahoo can't realize that, tell them to pee up the proverbial rope.

I love all the ads for machines for sale,, where they want BIG Money for any old coke cooler and say "Great old Coke COoler, WOrth 5-6000 on ebay, for sale for 2500, all there , Does not cool".

and then when you contact them , they say... "oh it only needs a little shot of freon"...

hahaha...that's it, "just needs a little freon" !  :tounge:

I agree Wayne - everything is "planned obsolescence" nowadays.

As my father used to say "Cheap things are not good and good things are not cheap!"
He passed away in 1986, so some things never change!

Exactly like how they stop reflling bottles so all you have is throw away plastic or over priced throw away glass, damn shame

I bet Rick Dale could do it for 35 bucks..... oh wait, he can cange water into FREON!

 :happydrinkers:

Better watch out Eric, you might get another ten calls from members here just to harass you!  Thanks for the CS-80 unit. I haven't had time yet to get it installed. By the way it looks it will probably be a Thanksgiving project.

Hey Eric,
   Just curious...what is a decent going rate these days for a reworked/rebuilt or new cooling system to put into a Vendo 216?  Saw a guy on Ebay selling them and he said he'd sell me one for $600.  Just wondering if that's a good rate or if is high.  Not sure I need one just yet, but shopping around just in case.  Thanks.

Ken

You could buy another working machine or two for that price...

Yep, I get it all the time from my restaurant owners who are convinced that just because their second cousins uncle told them an old refrigerator compressor will fit in their busted 3-door 3/4 H.P. F-body* compressor freezer I should be able to cram the little piece of crud into it & magically make it work, or my next favorite is " don't you any used compressors in the back?"  I say why Yes I do! they're in that dumpster, take your pick on your way out!  :tounge:

oh and don't forget ( in regards to a used compressor they haul in from god-knows-where.."if you install this in my machine does it come with a guaranty ?" why yes, of course it does, 5-feet or five seconds, which ever comes first...times up!

Oh & heads up Eric! I had a guy who wanted me to rebuild a 1/2 H.P hermetic compressor, quote, " just cut the top off & replace the valves, it can't cost that much to fix can it?" I referred him to you!  :blush:

* for those who don't know what an F-body rebuildable compressor looks like, it's an industrial type cast iron body that is rather expensive.  see picture below.   this one runs an affordable $750.00 not including installation...

Haha, those are pretty good! Keep up the great work gents!!!

I like the 5ft or 5 seconds... :laugh:

Johnie...

That's exactly what I'm talking about. Oh, and $750 is a great price for that little compressor. When you get up into the K, E, 4R, and 6R Discuss compressors....watch out...lol The worst thing on rebuilding those types of compressors,
when you have $1200 tied up in a rewind and the "customer" calls you back in 2 hours and let's you know the compressor "just quit working"...GRRRRR  :censored: Made my partner retire, no fooling.

Ken, sure... the guy on ebay is less money than what I charge. I understand he'll even throw in the diamond plate for free...hahaha. I build "true" drop in replacement units, specific to your machine. To do it right, it cost more. Johnie and I talked about his units as well. If you'll look close, he uses the exact same coil for the upper evaporator as well as the lower condenser...both are Copeland condenser coils. The other "flag" is he doesn't use an accumulator but a copper spun drier, for expansion. In layman's terms...it's WRONG and it's simply a pile of parts, thrown together. In my shop, I also do ALL of my own sheet metal work. Not just tin snips but 60" shear and 72" pan break. I have a full sheet metal shop within a refrigeration shop.

This is the point...experience, equipment, brick and mortar shop, supplies, parts....it ALL cost money. Remember the old adage..."you get what you pay for".  Ask ANYONE who has used me, I stand behind every single unit I build...and you can take that to the bank!

Eric, 

You still take coupons don't you?  :smile:  How about green stamps?

On the serious side though, hows the chroming business been treating you? 

I love the lines "just need a little cleaning" "just needs freon"when describing why things like old Jukeboxes don't work.

It is never "just needs cleaning.  I buy lots of old stuff and I wish people would just say they don't know why it doesn't work.  I just got back from a 2 hour drive from some who swore the machine worked.  When I got to his house, I saw that the power cord had been severed years ago.  I told him that I drove 2 hours band I asked him 3 times (before I left) if it currently works on a dime band he said with a straight face, that at one time " it did".

Sometimes our hobby can get pretty frustrating.  Enjoy the deals that you get when the item is complete priced fairly, and actually "works on a dime".

Just my .02

BC

your 1st born... no problem  :glare:

On on the chrome, I've had to go to a "brush plate". Since the Summer was so hot,
my tanks evaporated and will cost me over a $grand to reconstitute. I'm not ready
to reinvest that much for a few small jobs. Too many "irons" in the fire at the moment.
Maybe down the road, and when I get moved into my new shop, etc...I can spend the
time (and money) to get it back up and running. Polishing on the other hand...no problems
at all. 8 different rouges, 2 double 10" wheel buffers, (3/4hp) ...shine like a diamond and take my
fingers down to the bone in 2 seconds flat!  :tounge:

Eric, I totally understand all your points.  I probably would have never picked up on the various parts you mentioned only due to my lack of experience with such things, so I definitely appreciate your expertise on that.  Obviously, anyone that wants to put a machine back to its "original" condition would want to have an "original" piece of equipment to put into it and not something that will "just work".  Unfortunately, a Vendo 216 really isn't worth putting thousands of dollars into without a known buyer beforehand.  I'm going to hope that the unit I have merely needs a recharge, which means probably a slow leak somewhere in the system that will have to be fixed.  Still cheaper than replacing the whole unit though. I've got a guy coming to check it out tomorrow, so we shall see!!!

Ken,

I wasn't speaking of you specific... just in general. No, your machine isn't worth the dollar value, but
if it were in your granddad's hardware store, and you wanted it repaired...well, then it might be worth it,
to you. That's the other side of what I do as well. I get that question all the time, "what's it worth?". My
answer is "what's it worth TO YOU?" Of all the people who call, I probably only sell about 10%. I get a lot
of "tire kickers" but I do get folks who want it done right, as well. Either way, I enjoy talking to them.

If you have any questions, about what your man finds, call me. Opinions cost nothing, and hell...I even
pay for the phone call!  8)

Haha, thanks Eric.  Turns out the compressor and cooling system is fine.  It was almost empty on freon, so he recharged, checked for leaks and all is good.  $75 for a housecall and recharge, so I figure that's a pretty darn good deal!!!

since they outlawed manufacturing freon in the U.S. I imagine as supply runs out price goes up. I was gonna ask are they still manufacturing r 12 in mexico?

I have bought several compressors from Eric and have found him honest and forthright.  I am confident that the price he quotes is a fair one.  Harrison Collins

It has been a few years back since I purchased from Eric.  At the time I had a local company quote me on a compressor replacement.  I was able to get the whole cooling unit from Eric for less than the local guy. 

He has my business from now on. 

Yes. In fact the Dow plant that still makes R12 exports the majority of it to China

Thanks Guys.

Johnie, wait til the patent runs out on 134a, then we'll see what happens... :jawdrop: