Hoover E I G H T H U N D R E D

[3rdgenvacguy]

I spelled out the model # because I think the Hoover 800 is one of the most elegant Hoover vacuums, next to the 925. I have had two of these unrestored for quite some time. This vacuum, I purchased about 10 years ago for $5. I sanded the base with a dual action sander with 120 grit to remove all scratches, then went to polishing with compounds on a giant mandrel buffer that has wheels around 16" in diameter. Finished on a smaller Baldor mandrel buffer with a finer wheel and compound. About 5 hours sanding and polishing. I have the retractable bag strap and correct bag slide, but only several styles of replacement bags. I am going to try my hand at sewing and airbrushing a bag, will post pictures. The wheels were shot. I still had some NOS replacement front wheels made by Buckeye vacuum supply. The rear wheels are 913 wheels turned down, narrowed and radiused on a lathe. The bakelite turns, sands, and buffs easily.

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[vac-o-matic]

That is a stunning restoration! Great job and talent!

 

[kirbylux77]

Kurt, your Hoover 800 looks B E A U T I F U L! Congratulations on such a great restoration! You are obviously very talented. Consider yourself lucky I don't know where you live though, if I did I might just have to snatch that for my own collection

Rob

 

[bikerray]

I've always loved the Sentinel Series, you've done a great job on bringing this one back to it's glory.

 

[human]

Gorgeous...simply gorgeous.

 

[suckolux]

Gorgeous!

 

[tinytyke]

What a lovely machine!

 

[hygiene903]

Great restoration job! Absolutely beautiful!
Jeff

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Arguably the most beautiful Hoover ever made. That's a vacuum to be very proud of! Beautiful restoration!

 

[centralvacs1928]

Absolutely incredible job. I am happy to have found an 800 of my own, which up until now I have polished by hand using Flitz and 0000 steel wool. Your pictures make me want to tear it down and buff it on the machine.

I agree also about the 800 and 925 being the most beautiful cleaners Hoover ever made. I'd kill for a 925.

Can you post pictures of your big buffer? The one I use is a 1/2 horsepower pedestal mounted unit made by Grizzly. Not very powerful, but not as much risk of things being ripped from your hands, either. Just takes a little more time.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Stunning!

Looke like it just came off the line.


 If I went to visit you,  could you make ME look that good?


 

 

[hooverboy81]

Beautiful! It looks brand new! Awesome restoration!

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

Here are some pics of the buffers I use. The first buffer has been around forever. It is a 208 volt 3 phase motor driving a 3 foot wide mandrel with double v belts. The second buffer is a Baldor with double wheels as well. The wheel on the Baldor buffer is pretty worn out, but it allows you to get into tighter spots. In the 50's, long before I was there, we use to buff vacuums as part of the service. I actually used Flitz polish on the smaller buffer as the final buff, it worked well. The last pic is of our Hoover bag machine with coffee can motor that we still use to this day, usually to clean Sanitaire dump bags.

 

[centralvacs1928]

Very cool!!

I'm jealous of both those buffers. The big one certainly deserves some respect if you want to have all your limbs remaining!

Is that a Windtunnel brushroll I see inside your bag cleaner?

 

[hoovercelebrity]

Yes - can you post more pictures of the bag cleaner, and the brushroll modification? I recently acquired a bag cleaner and any tips or tricks would be most welcomed.

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

The brush in the bag cleaner is a Hoover Elite two row brush. My brother thought that the one end fit on with little or no modification, but may have required a bushing on the other end. He installed the brush quite a few years ago, and it has not needed replaced since then. These are fun to put belts on by the way. As far as having things get away from you on a buffer, it has happened. My brothers fingers were spread so far apart that it ripped the skin between his fingers. I try to buff off of a sharp edge and not into one.

 

[3rdgenvacguy]

I made an attempt at making my own outer bag for the 800. The first bag I made did not have the pie cuts at the bottom. The second bag I cut out the pie shaped wedges at the bottom. The bag with the pie cuts hangs much better on the machine and also folds better when not used. I included a picture of the bag I used as a reference which has pie cuts. Also is shown how the bottom of the bag is cut in a U shape because the bottom of the bag is longer than the top. I'm going to try some different fabric paints on some of the scraps. I want to get some graphics on there, probably won't be able to do the elaborate design of the 800, but who knows. Finally the handle and bag slide were powdercoated as well.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

Great

job there!

 

[jmurray01]

What a gorgeous machine you have there.  I would just love to see it in person and hear that motor purr.