ROTEX RM-1 Rebuild (kind of)

[aztoyman]

I recently bought an old ROTEX RM-1. It's really crusty but it's all there and it powered up. I thought I'd post my progress. Maybe it will help others with the same machine.

I'm no expert so feel free to offer advice. Especially if I'm doing something I shouldn't.

Here's a picture of it buried in the seller's shed and a pic of the base cabinet stripped of paint. I'm going to paint it with Rust-Oleum Smoke Gray enamel. The vertical head still has the textured brown paint. Everything else has been painted over gray. My pressure washer took it to the bare metal.

Sorry, pics are from my phone.

 

[Nogoingback]

Keep those pictures coming. Looks like a great project.

 

[aztoyman]

I tried to mask off the letters but that wasn't working out. So I used a punch and small hammer to tap out the rivets? I forgot what these are called.

I'm going to try to get the base primed tomorrow.

 

[aztoyman]

I ordered a couple new 12 gauge power cords today. I need to order new belts. If anybody has the belt numbers please let me know. Otherwise I guess I'll measure and see what I find.

 

[aztoyman]

Here's some more pictures.

 

[aztoyman]

Just a wipe down with WD-40.

 

[Shootymacshootface]

Very interesting and cool machine!

 

[aztoyman]

Extra spindle?? Some tooling that came with it.

 

[aztoyman]

I got the base cabinet in primer today and got most of the machine apart.

I used my pressure washer to strip the paint. Looks like one light gray paint job over the original brown speckled and textured paint.

The paint pretty much came right off with just the pressure washer. The light gray came off easily. The original brown took a little longer but relatively easy. Apparently the castings were originally dark gray.

 

[aztoyman]

I also managed to find the part numbers on all the belts.

4L520 on the large pulley.
5L320 on center pulleys
3L250 on vertical head
3L310 to the drive shaft

I found American made replacements online.