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(I'm posting this here although I guess the G3 is kind of "on the cusp" of being vintage.)
There was a grotty old Kirby G3 at my church sitting in a corner of the print/production room. I never saw it moved, never saw anyone using it in all the years I've been playing the organ there. It really was a mess and I hardly ever gave it more than a glance because I had no interest in it.
Well, a few weeks ago the Pastor sent me an email after I rebuilt the little old lady's 561 (the secretary ran some photos of it in the church newsletter!), asking me if I could "take a look" at the G3.
So I dragged it home -- DAMN, those beasts are heavy!!
Fortunately, it didn't need any major repairs, just about an hour of cutting and pulling carpet ravelings off of the brush roll. There was also a lot fine thread and stuff that looked like dog hair trapped around the ends of the brush roll, preventing it from spinning freely.
When I returned the machine, I suggested that the pastor please tell whoever uses it to be mindful of carpet strands, ravelings, string, thread, long hair, etc. I said it's pointless to try to sweep these kinds of materials into an upright vacuum: All that happens is that it wraps around the brush roll, clogging it up and preventing it from spinning freely, thus not cleaning efficiently. It also puts a strain the motor and can cause belts to break more quickly.
Also, when I took the bag jacket off, it looked like someone had at some point been using it without a disposable bag inside, or they didn't install the disposable bag correctly, or they tried to reuse a disposable bag by dumping it out and then putting it back in. The entire interior surface of the jacket was coated with a heavy coat of dust and dirt. There was a disposable bag inside which I threw out and replaced with a new one.
I also told the pastor that it's not good to EVER use the Kirby without a disposable bag, as doing so traps air flow, reducing suction and putting a strain on the motor. It should always be used with a paper bag -- and never try to reuse one, as the pores of a dirty bag are clogged with fine dirt which will impede air flow.
I also put in a new belt and gave the housing a quick going over, and wash and disinfected the bag jacket. The G3 didn't get the "spa treatment" that Miss Earlean's machine did ... it may not look brand new but runs like new!
I forgot to take any "before" photos but wish I had. This was one of the most tarnished Kirbys I've ever seen. The housing was so dull it looked like dark gray paint from a distance!
.
(I'm posting this here although I guess the G3 is kind of "on the cusp" of being vintage.)
There was a grotty old Kirby G3 at my church sitting in a corner of the print/production room. I never saw it moved, never saw anyone using it in all the years I've been playing the organ there. It really was a mess and I hardly ever gave it more than a glance because I had no interest in it.
Well, a few weeks ago the Pastor sent me an email after I rebuilt the little old lady's 561 (the secretary ran some photos of it in the church newsletter!), asking me if I could "take a look" at the G3.
So I dragged it home -- DAMN, those beasts are heavy!!
Fortunately, it didn't need any major repairs, just about an hour of cutting and pulling carpet ravelings off of the brush roll. There was also a lot fine thread and stuff that looked like dog hair trapped around the ends of the brush roll, preventing it from spinning freely.
When I returned the machine, I suggested that the pastor please tell whoever uses it to be mindful of carpet strands, ravelings, string, thread, long hair, etc. I said it's pointless to try to sweep these kinds of materials into an upright vacuum: All that happens is that it wraps around the brush roll, clogging it up and preventing it from spinning freely, thus not cleaning efficiently. It also puts a strain the motor and can cause belts to break more quickly.
Also, when I took the bag jacket off, it looked like someone had at some point been using it without a disposable bag inside, or they didn't install the disposable bag correctly, or they tried to reuse a disposable bag by dumping it out and then putting it back in. The entire interior surface of the jacket was coated with a heavy coat of dust and dirt. There was a disposable bag inside which I threw out and replaced with a new one.
I also told the pastor that it's not good to EVER use the Kirby without a disposable bag, as doing so traps air flow, reducing suction and putting a strain on the motor. It should always be used with a paper bag -- and never try to reuse one, as the pores of a dirty bag are clogged with fine dirt which will impede air flow.
I also put in a new belt and gave the housing a quick going over, and wash and disinfected the bag jacket. The G3 didn't get the "spa treatment" that Miss Earlean's machine did ... it may not look brand new but runs like new!
I forgot to take any "before" photos but wish I had. This was one of the most tarnished Kirbys I've ever seen. The housing was so dull it looked like dark gray paint from a distance!
