A hoser's hose bonanza...

[aeoliandave]

Rod - VacMom - is the fellow who had that old DOTY vacuum on ebay a week back. Interesting story about that and why it was pulled with only hours to go. Another time for the tale, perhaps.

After all was said and done Rod has decided to keep it to decorate his pool room along with a lot of other unsalable hand pump vacuums acummulated over the years.
It really in in excellent condition for its age. I ran it and it does suck feebly. But what a workout to get up the speed to be useful. LOL

 

[aeoliandave]

Rod gave me free rein to skim the piles and corners and I did find a few treasures. Some high & dry in the corners and a few in the central pond I deemed worthy of emergency rescue. Had I had more room in the car I would have rescued more.

So yes, Fred, I have given a Sani-Magic Priscilla a new lease on life. And a blue Royal Pony with blue 'Filter Queen' pn. Both of these were soaked and rust just taking hold but no too seruiously. Immediately the sodden cloth bags with heavy dirt filled paper bags came out, the machines were thoroughly blown dry & wiped down for the trip home and you'll see the results later...

 

[aeoliandave]

It was difficult to leave so many vintage and contemporary vacuums to their fates but I know most will live on in spirit as parts donors. And I did put a few markers on some to be rescued in a few months when I return.

Well, it was 3 PM and time to skiddaddle back to Canada. No time was wasted on a Sunday checking out Thrift Stores; I wanted to be back in Sarnia by dinnertime.

 

[aeoliandave]

Oh wait, that's an Insurance billboard.

This is better - Michigan's official 2010 Tourism slogan.

 

[aeoliandave]

This way to the ferry

 

[aeoliandave]

Many Canadian's on foot use the ferry to get in the Party supplies of cheaper American beer...by the crateload.

 

[aeoliandave]

Enough long drawn out suspense.

I arrived at Pete's at 6PM and we immediately set to mini-meeting antics while the Pizza was ordered.
You will note Pete's new decor.

First up, checking out the Hoover Portable. Heavy to pull around and a very short cord for a cordwinder. So heavy there is no way you would want to trundle it around by the short-ish hose doing a large carpet or floor. All original though and perfect for going over new furniture and drapes once lightly.

 

[aeoliandave]

another view.

You will take note of spectacular pec-ular pulchritudinousity also on display...

 

[aeoliandave]

Do the casual devil-may-care Lewyt Dance!!!

The main purpose of my trip - retrieving the Lewyt 88.

 

[aeoliandave]

We were testing the vacuums and their various gleaner bar contraptions on a carpet covered in Ben & Pip fur.

Although the Lewyt pulls 65" through its flawless hose and the Portable pulls a decent 60", they were virtually useless at picking up the furballs.

Time to fire up Pete's trusty Royal Commercial. Fur gone in a flash.

 

[aeoliandave]

Hey Crevie, don't ya just love it when your pecs & biceps are so pumped yer shirt hangs free of your washboard six-pack over tree stump pullin' calves?

I wouldn't know about that, my scrawny self...

 

[aeoliandave]

The first garage shot.

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Hey Crevie, don't ya just love it when your pecs & biceps are so pumped yer shirt hangs free of your washboard six-pack over tree stump pullin' calves?

I also like this. LOL

Fabulous Lewyt! Love the pose!

Pete!! I adore your new furniture! Looks fabulous with those floors! Well done!

 

[aeoliandave]

Happy as a clammy ham - it was humid.

Second garage shot.

Lewyt 88 Pete found curbside.
Lewyt 88 from vacMom
Hoover Portable
Blue Royal Power Tank Pony
Sani-Magic Priscilla
non-electric Electrolux hose and floor tool
gold sparkleflake vinyl Compact dusting brush
unknown old composition bodied black floor nozzle
and a smooth running Hoover Model 300 with wrong but lovely condition bag. This one has the height adjusting rear wheels

 

[aeoliandave]

But wait...there's more...

The 88 that Pete found was a might scuffed with a crumbling cord and missing everything except the hose ends, thank goodness, jammed into an old leaky cloth woven hose - to be identified later.

But it did have the tool holder rack intact and I knew it was a simple matter to undo three metal tapped screws and perfom a transplant that makes the other Lewyt 88 perfect in every way.

In the meantime I have begun to repair the broken one with a shaped hidden angle bracket epoxied in place over some subtle metal stitching. Doug Smith has sent me a green dusting brush so all I need now is the green crevicetool and upholstery nozzle...and a green wall brush. The cord is supple as new, the hose is flawless and Woner of Wonders, even the exhaust plug on the bottom is as rubbery and soft as new. You just never find these plugs intact due to them drying out and dropping out from exhaust blast and eventually getting torn off by pulling the vacuum across the floor. I immediately put a Lewyt Deodorizer pellet in the plug recess.

 

[aeoliandave]

As for Priscilla, steel wool took care of the rust specks gaining a purchase on the chrome, I was able to remove, restore and re-glue the Mylar label and the dang thing pulls almost 80" !!! Amazing little brute, that Priss...and ohhh the Turquoiseness!

 

[aeoliandave]

Priscilla's hose was a challenge. But the admirable repair under the duct tape was a clever bit of thinking.

A section of sawed off aluminum wand jammed into the broken ends, secured with copper wire and duct taped over. Since the torn edge patterns actually mesh this must be the original 6.5' length. Struggling in vain to get the short piece out of the handgrip, I gave up and used the same idea, flush-trimmed 2" off each end, sawed the wand pipe down to 2", butted the trimmed ends edge to edge and taped it back together with clear packing tape for a temporary but acceptably cosmetic and usable fix. Other than this break the hose is airtight.

I cannot imagine the force or situation that could literally tear a vinyl woven wire reinforced rubber cloth hose so neatly and cleanly. ???

 

[aeoliandave]

The filthy Power tank got totally spa-ed and fumigated, bag washed, rust specks steel wooled and polished, and the tools and hose given the Mr Clean Magic Eraser treatment. Rust on the PN bottom plate mostly came away on the wire wheel, added a few drops of Euicalyptus to the cloth bag, popped in a Royal Tank Liner and it's good as new.

Royal Pony tanks are renowned for their strong suction and this blue beast is no slouch, pulling an honest to gawd 92" !

 

[aeoliandave]

The Royal pn plate half wirebrush polished. Well worth the elbow grease and sore joints.

 

[aeoliandave]

Now, about this 1935 Hoover Model 300.

All I knew for sure is that all the parts appeared to be there, I don't have one and the green paint on the trims is gorgeous.

Nicely spinning motor brushroll but lots of rust on the plate...

Pete, the noise from the motor was simply a piece of barbed wire caught up in the fan.