Compact / TriStar Eye Candy

[danemodsandy]

For all of us who've been discussing Compact and TriStar machines lately, here's a little eye candy. It's a Compact C-2 vacuum, made between 1949 and 1954. I grew up with a Compact identical to this one, except for the floor tool shown. The machine belongs to Robert Seger, owner of Automaticwasher.org; this photo is his, too; he kindly gave me permission to reprint it here.

Those of us who own later Compacts and TriStar machines will notice some differences. For one, the exhaust port is in a different place, under the beltline at the front, instead of above it. The "character lines" seen on the flanks of later machines are not present; I think this looks sleeker and neater, myself.

The photo also shows a complete set of Compact / Interstate tools, including the demother and a Polish-Aire floor polisher. We had all of this with our Compact.

The only difference between this machine and ours is that floor tool, which appears to be earlier than the rest of the machine. I don't know if Interstate used the old-style floor tool early in the C-2's run, switching to the newer-style tool (still used today) later on.

The colour in the photo makes the machine look very grey. It was really a grey with some taupe in it. Anyway, it's a neat machine that I thought everyone should see, and I am grateful to Robert for permission to run his photo here.

 

[charles~richard]

That IS a beautiful machine. And speaking of early Compacts, you can see the very first model here:


http://137.com/compact/

 

[briankirbyclass]

Thanks Sandy, that is a really cool machine,,,i wish we could hear it run! Did the Compact's of that generation sound like the later ones, or quieter, noisier?

 

[aeoliandave]

Interesting how Compact changed to the two piece shell providing for a domestic use perimeter bumper with the C-2. Noticed that the C-1 looks to be one piece body with the motor pod bolted to the back. Plain simple and compact for Airline use.

A head of it's time and looking sleek & stylish right up till the Tristar 're-design' in 1999.

 

[danemodsandy]

Brian:

"Did the Compact's of that generation sound like the later ones, or quieter, noisier?"

I haven't made a side-by-side comparison, but my CXL sounds exactly like my memory of Mom's C-2. There really is very little basic difference between the two, though a lot of little details got changed, like Volkswagen did with the original Beetle.

The thing I find really amazing about my CXL is that the quality is still the same as the Compact C-2. The shell is still the same sturdy thickness, with the same wrinkle-finish paint, the metal floor and rug tools are virtually unchanged, the plastic tools are almost identical, allowing for the change to the slot for the wands' lock buttons. Considering that more than thirty years had passed, Interstate did a great job of keeping what was good about their design.

 

[briankirbyclass]

That is just so cool,,thanks for all the info! You know, the one thing that i do miss, comparing a TriStar/Compact to an Electrolux ( i mean an older Lux) is the ability to stand the cleaner on end for reaching up in high places, and for storage.
AAhh well, i'll get used to it,,,i guess a person could prop up the TriStar somehow, or up against a wall if you really wanted to.

 

[danemodsandy]

Brian:

" You know, the one thing that i do miss, comparing a TriStar/Compact to an Electrolux ( i mean an older Lux) is the ability to stand the cleaner on end for reaching up in high places, and for storage."

What I do is this:

Whenever I want to vacuum in a high place, I just reach down and pick the canister up by the handle, and hold it in my left hand whilst vacuuming with the right. The canister is fairly lightweight, and I'm a guy who's six-four, so it doesn't bother me.

I prefer to store vacs in a sitting position anyway, since I have a partner who is a dyed-in-the-wool klutz. If there's a way to knock something over, he'll find it.

 

[normvac]

My former Mother in law has the Revelation that matchs that
Compact. Except for the lid. It has a hole in the lid that
the hose connects to. Not the rasied piece ontop of the lid.
I actually painted it in the 80's and put a brand new motor
in it and new hose. She is 87 and still uses it on occassion.
Has had several Hoover and Eureka uprights in the same time.
The "pig" as they call it just did not do the work on the 501
nylon wall to wall. They used the floor brush before the uprights came along.
Here's hoping I'm remembered when the house gets cleaned out!
Would enjoy having it in my collection due to the org. history.
Norm

 

[briankirbyclass]

Remember the "Strap" that used to come with a Kirby that you could attach to the small handle,(that was attached to the Kirby in place of the large handle) and throw the whole Kirby over your shoulder? HAHA,,i wonder how many people actually did use a Kirby that way.

Altho im not a huge fanatic, I will have to admit one nice thing about Central Vac is to be able to reach any area of a room, top to bottom very easily.
Wrestling with 30 feet of hose, around corners and doorways isnt very handy however.

 

[danemodsandy]

The Reach:

One thing I'm enjoying about my CXL is that it has such a long cord and a longer hose than my Luxes. I pretty much don't have to run around moving the plug to different outlets any more. Lux was pretty chintzy with both those things. I always understood why the cords were none too long- only so much cord will fit into a cordwinder. But Lux hoses were always too short for my taste (the only vac hose I've ever been completely happy with was the ten-footer on my late, lamented 1977 Lady Kenmore), and when they were woven, oh brothah! They were very stiff as well as short, making certain jobs a little more difficult.

 

[kirbyboy1]

I Have a C-2 and Im loving it

I have a compact c2 i recently putchased. I got the owenres manual,the machine, the origional hose, all of the tools except the crevice tool. I also got a bright candy red hasok. I have enclosed so pictures of it

 

[kirbyboy1]

I think someone will ejoy these pix

 

[danemodsandy]

Evan

Nice, nice machine! I'm putting a photo of my TriStar CXL below, so that it will be a direct comparison between the newer machines and the classic Compact.

Do you have the step-on pedal for your machine?

 

[briankirbyclass]

I agree Sandy,,,the old lux cords and hoses were too short for my liking also, and i REALLY like the longer cord and hose of the Tristar. The older stiff woven hoses of the Lux's were hard to use,,i accidently knocked over a plant once with the stiff Lux hose, and had a MELL of a HESS to clean up!

 

[kirbyboy1]

Sandy Yes I do. this was taken the first day I got my machine. I have put on a new switch and well Im going to let you see what is missing. Its very noticable. Just most people wont reconize it;