Elmasolvex SE Cleaning Machine

[thor447]

A few weeks ago I purchased an L&R Special cleaning machine from a member of this forum.  Well wouldn't you know it, a few days ago I was asked by a local hobbyist watchmaker whom I've gotten to know if I'd be interested in purchasing his Elmasolvex SE machine he recently acquired.  I'm not sure if he just needed money quickly (I didn't ask), but I was offered it at a very steep discount over it's normal selling price.  Even though I now had a freshly rebuilt L&R Special, I decided to move forward with this purchase.  I knew I wouldn't come across this opportunity again, and I can sell it on eBay for a decent profit if I choose to.

I made the purchase this morning.  I was told this unit was only used a couple of times.  If I didn't know any better I'd think that this was brand new.  There isn't a mark or scratch to be found on the unit.  The jars are perfectly clean, the seals look perfect, etc.  I even got the original shipping box and packing materials.

I'm pretty happy I was able to pick this up.  I'm going to give it a try in the next few days.  It is honestly overkill for my needs, but it was too nice of a machine to pass up for the price I was offered.

[dadistic]

I think the watchmaker gods are smiling on you

Cheers!

[thor447]

3 hours ago, dadistic said:

I think the watchmaker gods are smiling on you

Cheers!

Thanks.  Let's hope so.  I'm going to give it a test run this evening.

[GuyMontag]

I saw one of these for sale a month or two ago for around $1,000 with free shipping from, I think, South or Central America. I wonder if this was that one? I would have bought it at that price but I had already paid the sticker price for a new one shortly before that.

Let us know how you like it. I almost called their tech support when I first started using it as I could not get the basket to insert into the holder no matter how much force I used. I had to stop trying to mount the basket as it was hurting my hands. It took a good 4 or 5 watches before it "settled in" and now the basket just goes in easy peasy.

Edited December 29, 2022 by GuyMontag

[thor447]

2 hours ago, GuyMontag said:

I saw one of these for sale a month or two ago for around $1,000 with free shipping from, I think, South or Central America. I wonder if this was that one? I would have bought it at that price but I had already paid the sticker price for a new one shortly before that.

Let us know how you like it. I almost called their tech support when I first started using it as I could not get the basket to insert into the holder no matter how much force I used. I had to stop trying to mount the basket as it was hurting my hands. It took a good 4 or 5 watches before it "settled in" and now the basket just goes in easy peasy.

That's good to know, because I tried it tonight and found that it took a good amount of force to get the basket in and out.  New springs on the basket holder I suppose.  Had really good results with the machine though.  It's going to make it difficult to get rid of.  Maybe I'll just keep the old L&R as a back up, or try and sell it locally.  The prospect of shipping it is not something I look forward to.  I know all of the time and effort put in by the member of this group who shipped it to me.  He told me he nearly spent 4 hours packaging everything to ensure safe shipping.  While he was successful, I doubt I could do as good of a job as he did!