Recently we got a call from a customer about his RUPES sander, letting us know that it had stopped working and, they needed it repaired.

The customer told us that it was fairly old, way out of warranty, and they suspected an issue with the power lead, since it showed signs of wear and was loose.

It was one of the customer’s favourite tools though, and they really wanted it back to life.

So far, not so unusual, but the best was yet to come.

On its return and unboxing by our service department, we were presented with RUPES glory; a Super Stork 7000 orbital sander, one of RUPES’ and the world’s first commercially available orbital sanders.

RUPES commenced operation in 1947, and Super Stork 7000 orbital sanders were made from 1957 through 1959, so this beauty that we’d been asked to work on is among RUPES’ first electric tools.

And a beauty it is, with a gleaming, satin aluminium body, bakelite grip and handle, for a retro two-tone finish, and overall spell-binding design from the mid-century atomic age (not surprising, since it was designed and manufactured circa 1957).

If it was a car, the Super Stork 7000 would be a Cadillac.

To have this particular example on our operating table was a privilege.

A quick diagnostic traced the problem to the suspected power lead, which we replaced, along with the pad boot, because it was a little perished.

The rest of the job followed our Fixed Price Service routine, which meant cleaning and relubricating internal parts, reassembling, and run testing.

Despite being well into its 60s, this Super Stork 7000 was in great nick and had obviously been cared for and loved.

The final step was to carefully repack and reunite the customer with their repaired tool, ready for another 60 plus years of craft work, but not before a few pictures and atomic age treatment.

Moments like this are one of the great things about working with heritage brands, that put design, engineering and manufacturing quality before all else.

Having the opportunity to restore and keep them alive, and meeting the customers that rely on this, is another.

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