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Noticed the belt-lifter lettering as well! 'Tis not a Kirby at all, it's a Ydrik (well, with a backward "K") Anyway, I am still not sure why the image would be reversed, as I didn't think that a standard webcam, or even a built-in laptop cam would flip the image. I thought maybe it...

Another Thought I had another brainstorm. Maybe this is the Ultra-Rare Kirby made for left-handed individuals??! No more pesky bags bumping into your leg while engaging in left-handed vacuuming! Suitable for left-footed people too! Regards, Doug

Sorry to take this thread even further away from vacuums, but I notice a general sloppiness taking hold in informal written communications overall. People sometimes find my E-mails annoying since they are so verbose and tiresome to read, but I still have trouble using the abbreviations and...

I knew what you meant! Don't worry, I knew what you meant. It seems like that is true with any collecting hobby. Often things seem to find you, rather than the other way around. Before you know it, you are running out of places to put things! I just thought the mental image of a Kirby...

Kirby's will sneak up on you!?! Oh No!!! If you told me that when I was about 4 or 5 years old, It would cement my fears about Kirby's! An aunt had one that I was convinced was out to get me. Something about that huge inflating bag and menacing metal "face" was pure terror to a little...

I started out not really having a desire to collect Kirbys (or is it Kirbies?) as I liked the minimalist looks of the metal Royals rather more than the seeming bulk and complexity of any of the Kirby models. That said, somehow word has gotten out in the neighborhood that I like vintage...

Lots of interesting information and opinions have been presented on this thread, I didn't think it would go very far, but I have enjoyed the input. I too, sort of expected an Oreck to be made of flimsy, brittle plastic and just sort of fling the dirt around more than anything, but from...

Well Said! Thank you! I will say I was pleasantly surprised by this little old Oreck, and I think my initial negative view on the brand was based mainly on what others had said. Granted, as I said before, the Oreck commercials were one of my fondest and earliest memories of TV when I was...

I thought I would never say this, but if anyone decides they wish to part with the seemingly very hard to find early Oreck CVR 4000s or XL 4000s I would be interested. I posted over on the Contemporary vacuum board regarding my experience with an XL5300 that was given to me, and that got me a...

Thankfully, all my carpets, or I should say rugs, are very short pile commercial type, or old-fashioned braided rugs, on which the Oreck seems to do a great job at quick cleanups. I live in a historic site/inn building which is often used for special functions. A Royal commercial does...

What a relief I am glad to hear there are some other people who are somewhat partial to Oreck vacuums out there. I have to agree, I would not pay nearly full price for a modern Oreck, as I could easily get a new metal Royal for that kind of money. The XL5300 I picked up was honestly...

I know that Oreck machines are looked down upon by quite a few in the vacuum collecting (and using) community, and I must say I never gave them much consideration, aside from loving the Oreck TV commercials when I was a kid growing up (so I had trouble really having negative feelings toward...

Thanks for the feedback. I did some more searching around and it does seem that Hako now has more of a presence outside N America, and most of the vacs like the one I saw are under the Minuteman brand. Not sure if this one was really cleanroom approved, but I am fairly certain it came...

I partially answered my own question Sorry, with some more specific searching, now under Minuteman, I discovered what looks to be a somewhat newer version of the machine in question. the X1000 with indeed all kinds of output filters to keep even motor residue from escaping into the...

I visited a good friend today who loves industrial design, and has a few interesting vacuums, but is not a vac collector per se. He showed be a very large, gorgeous industrial machine he picked up some time ago, apparently used in a clean room at a former semiconductor plant in Allentown...

I am short on cash too at the moment, It had better go to a good home!

I assume somewhere in 1995 they phased out the motor housing with external brush access as they started using drop in motors. Did all motors up until 1995 allow for external bearing lubrication as well? Regards Doug

Really Fine Looking Kirby That is one fine looking machine. Kirbys of all ages are starting to grow on me the more I look at photos here. I know I said I was a Royal fan, but I might just have to consider a Kirby or two. Now that Royal is effectively a Chinese brand, (seeing as TTI is HK...

Thanks Ben, I'll keep my eyes open for one of those to keep the 1040 company. I bet the old motors, if well taken care of, are more durable overall, but the 1040Z seems to run cool and smoothly. Who knows about the current crop however...

So 1995 is when they changed over to drop in Motor? I agree, sadly no more external brush caps or oilable bearings. My 1040Z is a 1999, so I am stuck with a drop in motor, but it does the job, and still looks classy, so I can't complain too much. Like I said, despite the shortcomings of...