My machines have never been anywhere near Ashby's since they rolled off the production line!
Most common thing that will need replacing (depending on how you use/abuse the machine) will be the QD on the front. Just flip the lid up (I have a custom designed beer crate to rest it on
), get a spanner on the inside to hold it steady, then simply unscrew the fitting and stick the new one on (don't forget a few turns of PTFE tape on the male thread).
Next most common thing will probably be a vac motor. It's like a Lego set, very obvious. Just make sure that you re-seal the exhaust hose to the rear motor if you change it. I like to drill a couple of holes in the motor's outlet port (making sure no swarf gets inside) and fix the hose to it with pop rivets. I stick a nice big dollop of silicone sealant in there to make it airtight and leave it over the weekend if possible.
Buy yourself a crimping set and some bullet connectors.
The pump is a bit of a cow to change, mainly because of the hose spigots, but it's still do-able without a trip to Kent
I've only ever had one cooling fan give up the ghost, you could give that job to a 3 yr old child it's so simple.
Never had an element go, never had a thermocouple wire go but these are all just remove/clean away gunky old sealant/replace with new sealant type of jobs.
Don't be afraid, just have a play with it, you can't really screw anything up worse if it's already broken can you
