Coming Out Of The Vacuum Closet

[SeboU1]

Growing up, I was always told that this is an embarrassing hobby by my parents, so I never told anyone except family. I always hated being asked what my hobby was, because I knew I couldn’t say that it was vacuum cleaners. Have you ever told anyone such as friends, teachers, professors, or coworkers? Were your parents supportive of your hobby?

 

[royalfan103]

Growing up, I was always told that this is an embarrassing hobby by my parents, so I never told anyone except family. I always hated being asked what my hobby was, because I knew I couldn’t say that it was vacuum cleaners. Have you ever told anyone such as friends, teachers, professors, or coworkers? Were your parents supportive of your hobby?

I've been into vacuums since 2013. My parents are mostly supportive and I sometimes tell people. I'm kinda confused on the wording of the poll, though.

 

[SeboU1]

I've been into vacuums since 2013. My parents are mostly supportive and I sometimes tell people. I'm kinda confused on the wording of the poll, though.

So sorry about the wording, choose your highest academic level and then choose either you work in the vacuum industry or choose non vacuum industry. I have also confirmed that the answers to the poll are confidential.

 

[human]

I have long had an appreciation for premium, high-end vacuum cleaners, going back to childhood. I got my first Electrolux 1205 in 2004, not counting the one my dad rescued from a neighbor's trash pile in about 1981, which I used extensively and finally took ownership of some 25 years later. I rescued my first Kirby from beside a dumpster in 2013, getting a second one from my dad a few weeks later, some 40 years after seeing a Classic Omega demonstrated in our living room. But I didn't really start collecting in earnest until about 2016 or so. It's funny. People think it's kind of a weird hobby, but when they need a vacuum cleaner, or advice about them, who do they turn to?

 

[cheesewonton]

I got into vacuums late in life trying to refurbish two old Kenmore canister vacuums my parents left when they passed. Even before they were refurbished they felt like luxury goods compared to the loud, crude Hoover Caddy ( Crappy ) Vac I owned at the time. In the process of scouring the internet and vacuum shops for parts and knowledge to buff up those two old Kenny's, one of which was from 1969, I discovered this whole weird world of vacuum collecting. Getting everything sorted on the older of the two Kenny's forced me to stretch my brain in areas I had never before studied. My twin careers were flying helicopters and later working in a weapons lab O_O and my degrees are in Economics, so figuring out how to wire up a five wire two speed motor and make a two speed switch out of a dual throw, dual pole switch and having it work right ( only popped the garage breaker once turning it on ) was one of the bigger thrills of my life. Ok, so I'm easily amused, but that set the hook.