Orbot production/when? & Orbot parts

encapman

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Mikey asked about what's going on with Orbot.

Unfortunately, at this point we're not getting any word of a firm date when Orbot's production will go back online. So we don't have a clear picture when/if they'll resume.

Early on, Jeff assured us that he hoped to restart their production quickly. But there have been multiple delays. I hope he can get things together, because the Orbot is a terrific machine, and Jeff Hruby has been a fixture in our industry.

In the meantime, in order to take care of our customers, we've gone ahead and engineered a couple of the most common replacement parts for Orbots.

Pad Driver:
We worked with our machinist to design a new pad driver. This new driver will replace the standard Orbot pad driver / on all Orbot machines. We've had it tested now with a lot of hours of run-time in the field. And the new driver looks to be even better than the original OEM driver.

Bearing Assembly & Counterweight Assembly:
We've also replicated the bearing assembly for the Orbot machines. And we've also successfully replicated the counterweight assembly.

These new Excellent Supply engineered parts should be ready to bring to market within about 4 weeks. So the Orbot-specific parts will be covered. And we can source most of the more general types of parts. Our goal at this point is to support the people who purchased machines.

If and when Orbot reemerges – it will be music to everyone's ears.
 
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Mikey P

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Mikey asked about what's going on with Orbot.

Unfortunately, at this point we're not getting any word of a firm date when Orbot's production will go back online. So we don't have a clear picture when/if they'll resume.

Early on, Jeff assured us that he hoped to restart their production quickly. But there have been multiple delays. I hope he can get things together, because the Orbot is a terrific machine, and Jeff Hruby has been a fixture in our industry.

In the meantime, in order to take care of our customers, we've gone ahead and engineered a couple of the most common replacement parts for Orbots.

Pad Driver:
We worked with our machinist to design a new pad driver. This new driver will replace the standard Orbot pad driver / on all Orbot machines. We've had it tested now with a lot of hours of run-time in the field. And the new driver looks to be even better than the original OEM driver.

Bearing Assembly & Counterweight Assembly:
We've also replicated the bearing assembly for the Orbot machines. And we've also successfully replicated the counterweight assembly.

These new Excellent Supply engineered parts should be ready to bring to market within about 4 weeks. So the Orbot-specific parts will be covered. And we can source most of the more general types of parts. Our goal at this point is to support the people who purchased machines.

If and when Orbot reemerges – it will be music to everyone's ears.

So as far as you know Jeff is still the owner of the company, which I certainly hope so .
 

encapman

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Presumably. But I can’t confirm that. It may have been sold. I know he had some investment people involved. I do believe that Jeff is still involved with the company. He told me that Orbot will reemerge. It’s wait and see at this point / regarding how it all plays out. Hoping for a good outcome.
 
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Mikey P

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Low sales has to play a part in this, as there's so many of these OP machines already out there, and the entry level cleaners can't or won't pay $5,000 for a machine that they so easily confused with a $1100 175 unit..
 
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Mikey P

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If I owned either company I would come out with a $2,300 machine that was wheels down, with a 2 gallon tank and forward spray system, a budget Chinese motor with the normal 9/16 travel so the frame doesn't have to be over built such as they do with the Trinity machines, along with a 6-month manufacturer's warranty and a 12 and 24 month trade in program to a more aggressive heavier built american-made machine



Well a 175 and a shower feed do as good a job as a wheels down op?

Yes, with the proper technique and probably 25 to 30% more time to complete the task and far more time to train employees on how to run the machine with far more to go wrong with accidental getaways. Chemical usage will be much higher as well.

The real money is getting them hooked to your specific juice but unfortunately as I'm sure Rick will atest to, carpet cleaners are not very perceptive and when one job doesn't go right they go on the search for an even better silverbullet do-it-all encap rather than utilize dwel time and a multi-pad system.

Any cleaner who has a modest amount of common sense and troubleshooting ability will figure out how to make most any carpet look fantastic with an OP machine, unfortunately they/we are not the common denominator so the market is usually somewhat flooded with used machines, which is also hurting the sales of new $5,000 Post Covid units
 
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Jimmy L

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The magic comes from a 175/300 speed buffer.
Set on 300 it will buzz out large commercial in no time at all.
One time my battery sprayer (100 psi) went kaput so I hooked up my TM and a hydroforce filled with solution and BAM! Sprayed out larger areas and buzzed it all in record time.
 
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My money is on he was bought out and production moved overseas.. Orbot is too big to fail, Jeff built an awesome company that went worldwide.. CA most likely became not worth the headache to operate there..

I remember my first MF where I met Jeff and his pops..


And a 175/300rpm machine has it's place.. 300 rpm does make a job move faster..
 

Mikey P

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My money is on he was bought out and production moved overseas.. Orbot is too big to fail, Jeff built an awesome company that went worldwide.. CA most likely became not worth the headache to operate there..

I remember my first MF where I met Jeff and his pops..


And a 175/300rpm machine has it's place.. 300 rpm does make a job move faster..
Faster than a PHX?


no way...
 

Mikey P

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Mikey was shooting the messenger
Not the method

A 175/300 is best suited for scrubbing a couple hundred feet or stripping or polishing, but torturing your body by balancing all that weight up high and controlling the neuroticisms of those machines is something best left a part-timers who can't figure out how to get free equipment...
 
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hogjowl

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A 175/300 is best suited for scrubbing a couple hundred feet or stripping or polishing, but torturing your body by balancing all that weight up high and controlling the neuroticisms of those machines is something best left a part-timers who can't figure out how to get free equipment...
See whuttamean?
 
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Faster than a PHX?


no way...

Didn't Xerion need a 300rpm to make it magical?

Can you use Ultra-Dry system with a PHX?

Can your PHX remove carpet mastic residue off the carpet?

Each tool has it's place, knowing and using the correct tool is the key..

I'll tell you that a 300rpm machine won't give you elbow problems in your later years from vibration/tamping action..

I also just acquired another Orbot Vibe badged under Windsor with black frame and grey tank.. Long live Orbot!!
 
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Mikey P

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Didn't Xerion need a 300rpm to make it magical?

Can you use Ultra-Dry system with a PHX?

Can your PHX remove carpet mastic residue off the carpet?

Each tool has it's place, knowing and using the correct tool is the key..

I'll tell you that a 300rpm machine won't give you elbow problems in your later years from vibration/tamping action..

I also just acquired another Orbot Vibe badged under Windsor with black frame and grey tank.. Long live Orbot!!


You're reaching...


TOPSSPOT will remove mastic no problem.
 

Mikey P

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and wouldnt you think a new owner of a company would let its existing customer base know WHY the site and phone number is down?


Fishie as you you know what ....
 

Mikey P

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I don't hate Jeff at all, but I know him well enough to have always been shocked he made it so far at this level of the corporate world.


Well I know you don't give a hoot the fact that Nate is sticking up for a company that shuts off its phone and its website and doesn't tell it's customers or it's best distributors anything about what's going on is pretty humorous
 

encapman

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This tells a lot...
Orbot's website is now gone. Doesn't give much confidence for the future of Orbot.

As I mentioned above, we will do our best to help customers who need parts for their Orbot's by designing/manufacturing some "Orbot-specific" parts, and sourcing other more general parts – to the extent that we can. We're hopeful that we can keep the Orbots that are out there running.
 
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encapman

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Trying to be optimistic — it would be wonderful if somehow Orbot could rise again. Right from the start Jeff insisted that they would reemerge. He told us that they had an investor who was infusing money, they were moving to a less expensive location, and that within 90 days everything would be back on track.

In reality though, it looks like things are not working as Jeff outlined. Being realistic, the writing is on the wall. That is why we’ve taken the initiative to replicate the necessary items to service our customer’s machines.

If Orbot does somehow pull it off, that would be wonderful. Time will tell.
 
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