Reo 2 and the Elbow Grease

[fargazer]

Well, I've succumbed. I picked up my second Reo the other day from a young couple who never had had one before - black wrinkle SP with blue metallic door, Cyclone 2014, and a Fusion tip. I'm guessing whoever put on the sub-ohm kit was inexperienced, because there was a lot of spilled juice inside, the button was sticky, and there was noalox thickly gooped between the button and the top battery contact. So, once I got home:

• Replaced the door magnets
• Stripped down the unit and swabbed it clean
• Ran new hose through the black plastic cover before attaching to 510, and properly notched it
• New bottle

After reassembly:

1. Button still was sticky, so I cleaned button and battery contact with alcohol, and worked the button thoroughly.
2. Only a small improvement, so I put an order in for a repair kit, disassembled the unit again, and ran soap and hot water over it.
3. Only minor improvement, so to the ultrasonic cleaner! Three 20 minute sessions later, no improvement.

OK, enough obsessing with the button; time to inspect the body. It turns out one of this poor Reo's previous owners forgot steel is harder than aluminum, and had gouged the edges of the slot with the firing button's alignment / locking pin, leaving pockets and a couple tiny burrs. A bit of filing and smoothing, and my abused little waif is now running like a top!

So yet another wayward abused Reo finds an appreciative owner, I have more spare parts, and now I have a reason to buy more tools (small needle files) . A very happy ending, thanks to the nicely robust design of the Reo. Thank you most kindly Rob for a well designed device.

 

[MotherNatural]

Ummmm….pics?

 

[fargazer]

Here we go; I have no "before" pictures, but here's an "after":



The Cyclone is a 2014 model; I think I prefer the older design better, but not enough to replace this one.

 

[redeyedancer]

Congrats fargazer nice work

 

[ed101z]

Here we go; I have no "before" pictures, but here's an "after":

View attachment 389132

The Cyclone is a 2014 model; I think I prefer the older design better, but not enough to replace this one.

Looks like a great Reo. Nice to know a good work over will get a Reo looking AND working like a new one. Take care of a Reo Grand, and it will last many, many, many years.

 

[Papa_Lazarou]

Nicely done

It's like you saved a seal from an oil spill. +4 karma points.

 

[Mrs C]

It's amazing what a bath and a little TLC will do for a neglected Reo

 

[2buildawall]

That reminds me. I must order Noalox. Good work on fixing her up.

 

[Rat2chat2]

fargazer, nice find and you did a great job.

 

[built4feel]

Nice reo and good job fixing her up!

 

[Matthee]

Awesome work, enjoy.

 

[Tygerlovesdeb]

What is the differences in the first generation and second generation REO's?

 

[fargazer]

The first Reos had issues with heat when people used them with low sub-ohm builds. Reos now come with different contact plating, a better conducting spring, and a more heat resistant button. Older Reos can be easily upgraded.

If the spring is gold, you have a current Reo; if it is silver, you don't.