Everyone's Thoughts On Repainting Old Vacuums

[lux1521]

I'm just wondering what everyone thinks of repainting vintage cleaners. I'm talking about rare/semi rare cleaners from the pre-WWII era with painted wood and metal parts. I have never done any repainting of cleaners of that age and I don't plan to any time soon, but I'm just wondering what all of your thoughts are on the subject. With newer cleaners like 1970s/80s Electrolux canisters I have no problems with repainting, but the old stuff worries me a bit.

 

[petek]

I think that if they can be refurbished to or as close to original then all the better. Well done restorations on something worn whether it's antique furniture or art increase an otherwise diminished value. Naturally a piece that is in all original perfect as new condition is always going to be worth more but a well done restoration is always going to be worth more than the same item in rough shape. With very few exceptions this is most always the case, those exceptions being truly historic items and vacuum cleaners aren't anywhere near that class of item. What I'm talking about is something like a 1700's Sheraton table with a leather inlay, it may be better to leave the tattered leather than restore it.

 

[danemodsandy]

Tricky:

petek has it right- it's a judgment call. Sometimes it's better to leave it original, sometimes it's okay to repaint. Generally, the older something is, the better it is to leave it alone. The best rules of thumb I know are:

1) If in doubt, don't.
2) Things are only original once.

 

[camelotshadow]

Id say as long as its acceptible condition for age
I'd leave the original paint

If its all rusty then you do it & then it wil be worth more & be usable.

 

[camelotshadow]

rust if unchecked will eventually eat a hole in the metal
so its far better to stabilize the metal & protect it.
Can't lose when something is that bad

 

[filterqueen83]

repaint

I am repainting the hood on this one

 

[crevicetool]

In my case-----

I have nothing but junk. Worthy only of throwing it away. I don't have to worry about a machine's value. What I do to these machines I consider returning them to a usable, show-able state.

 

[crevicetool]

.

.

 

[crevicetool]

.

.

 

[crevicetool]

Finished

And returned to service

 

[crevicetool]

Hammertone!

before

 

[crevicetool]

during

.

 

[crevicetool]

Done

.

 

[camelotshadow]

wow

that's a transformation!

 

[crevicetool]

I don't know why

these pics came out different sizes....Whoops!

 

[electroluxxxx]

ok crevicetool I got to know what that was you were using on the lux??? I could use some help restoring a couple of machines. would that be ok??
Mike

 

[filterqueen83]

wow

what kind of paint that is stunning!!

 

[camelotshadow]

they r both beauty's but that hammer tone is exceptional

make sure to take all the rust off first
every bit
then acid etch some more
I used a rust neaurtalizer on the transam when I did some body work
any molecule of rust will breed more rust

 

[camelotshadow]

they also have a metal bondo sort of like aluminum
I used that