Hoover pre-war rubber bumper/protectors

[scoover]

Just what I was looking for...

Robin,

Fantastic, that's very helpful. Since I last posted I have had a go at an 800/825 full length pattern. I have been working from a fairly poor frontal picture of an 825 bumper so I just guessed about the double rivet sections. My pattern appears to be a reasonable match for the 825 bumper in your pictures which does not have the Hoover logo. That's interesting as the picture I have been working on has one with a logo. However they are both very different from the actual 800 bumper. I'll have to make another pattern for that one.

Have a look at the pictures, they show the four patterns I have made so far, in picture one from top to bottom: 400 series, "Thick line" early Hoover logo for model 105-543, "Thin line" for 725-750 and the 825 section. I have not fitted logo's to any of them yet as they're not finish varnished. It'll be the new year before I can get to work on the 800 version.

Thanks again, would appreciate your (or anyone else's) thoughts on accuracy.

 

[scoover]

800 and 825

Now had a chance to look carefully at your pictures Robin. I think the 800 bumper is a scaled up version of the 400 series section which I made using a tiny bit of original bumper from my 450. That would make sense that the 450 and 800, on sale together had matching bumpers.

The 825 pattern I have made is not bad, however the rivet reinforcements are too deep, they extend down to the bottom of the section but should stop maybe 5mm above.

The obvious next question is were the 425 and 475 versions different, but for now I probably need to make a new 825 pattern, an accurate 800 and finish the others.

 

[midcenturyfan]

Unfortunately, looking at the rubber bumpers on my Hoovers has shown up so many anomalies, that I would not like to categorically state anything.

All of these machines have had more than 80 years for people to repair them, and to fit non-original parts. Hoover also changed the design of things like badges during the production run of a model, so it is conceivable that they could have changed the shape of the rubber components.

Do you live anywhere near me, as maybe I could bring a machine over, for you to measure up?

Robin.

 

[scoover]

That's very kind of you but sadly, I am 300 and odd miles away from you in Scotland. Your right though, they've been kept running for 80+ years so originality is hard to determine. My patterns are not intended to be undetectable facsimiles, I am just enjoying the challenges of identifying the differences and then the technicalities of closely reproducing them.

I am happy with what I have for the 450, and all big Hoovers prior to the 800. I reckon (thanks to you) I can get pretty close to the 800 and 825. All of my patterns are at work so I wont get any further until after the break but I feel it's going well. The colleague who helped with laser cutting the Hoover logo for the 700-750 reworked it today to match the heavier and slightly cruder lettering on the bumper for the 541 and 543 so those two bumper patterns will be more or less ready to cast later in January.

 

[midcenturyfan]

It is a shame that you do not live somewhere slightly more local to me. To our American friends, 300 miles might not seem far, but in the UK, it means virtually another planet.

Another technique that will certainly be useful for making parts is 3D printing. A friend of mine is experimenting with it, and I will be very interested to see the results.

Robin.

 

[scoover]

3D printing

Yes, we've got a couple of 3D printers at work. The problem with those is that the more basic one prints in very durable ABS but the finish is unmistakeably 3D printed so needs sanded and painted to look period correct. The higher end one produces finished objects but the material is not as durable.

However one thing at a time. If good old fashioned pattern making produces decent results on a fairly simple form like the bumpers I am going to move on to more complex items and possibly recreate things digitally which will then be cast.

 

[madman]

Somebody's good at wood working...

 

[scoover]

It's my job

I love my work!

 

[heinzelmann-hh]

Hi Scooter,
it would be interesting to know whether you were successful with the bumper project.
I have just received a Hoover Model 700 which is missing the original bumper. Someone had fitted a simple black rubber strip as a replacement, but it is fixed very carelessly and is already damaged and simply looks shabby.
A better replacement is therefore needed.

 

[huskyvacs]

I also need a reproduction bumper too. Also not sure how many know this but the original bumpers actually have yarn molded into the top and bottom ridge to shape it.

 

[ohiovacuums]

I've made them

I find rubber floor mats that are the same or similar..try Home Depot/Lowes.
I made them for old Hoovers and they look almost identicle.

 

[heinzelmann-hh]

What kind of rubber mat should this be? A mat does not have such a striped shape as a bumper.

 

[scoover]

Funny this should get picked up on five and a half years later as I dug the patterns out and finished them off a couple of months ago.

If you've read the original thread I had plans for two different styles of Hoover logo but somewhere over the years the smaller set of logo's have gone missing so they are all the same now.

I have made pattern strips for the 541, 700-750, 400, 450, 800 and 825 (the 800 and 825's have two types, with and without reinforcement triangles!). They are mostly made from photographs and gnarly perished stumps so they are not true to life replicas, though they are pretty close.

I reckon I could put in the reinforcement strings without too much difficulty.

That doesn't mean I am anywhere near finished. I need to make silicon moulds from the patterns and I need a vacuum chamber to get the moulds bubble free. I made one of these a while ago but I've lent it to someone and it'll be later in the summer before it comes back.

I've also identified a much cheaper substitute for Devcon but I am not sure I'll be taking orders for these.

I can't imagine there is going to be a huge demand for them and definitely can't imagine anyone paying what it would cost me to make a single bumper, post it off and charge enough to break even.

Once I've got the moulds done I'll start experimenting and if they work out OK then maybe..

 

[scoover]

Funny this should get picked up on five and a half years later as a couple of months ago I dug out the existing patterns, finished them off and added a couple more to finish off the set.

If you've read the original thread, I had plans for two different styles of Hoover logo but somewhere over the years the set of smaller style logo have gone missing so they are all the same now.

I have made pattern strips for the 541, 700-750, 400, 450 (can't remember if the 475 was the same), 800 and 825 (the 800 and 825's have two types, with and without reinforcement triangles!). They are mostly made from photographs and gnarly perished stumps so they are not true to life replicas, though they are pretty close.

I reckon I could put in the reinforcement strings without too much difficulty.

That doesn't mean I am anywhere near producing a finished bumper. I need to make silicon moulds from the patterns and I need a vacuum chamber to get the moulds bubble free. I made one of these a while ago but I've lent it to someone and it'll be later in the summer before it comes back.

I've also identified a much cheaper synthetic rubber than Devcon.

Not sure I'll be taking orders for these though, can't imagine there is much demand and don't think it would be cost effective to make one offs and ship them.

However, once I've got the moulds done I'll start experimenting and if they work out OK then maybe.. Watch this space.

 

[repairman]

This is similar to what Mike Balda was doing for older Kirby units a few years back. He would make custom wheels, outer bags, and many other parts. While there probably aren't as many people lining up to buy coffee-can Hoover parts, you could probably make a batch of say 10-25 and they would sell instantly.

I currently need a bumper for a 575. It's the only part that I don't have the means of making. I also thought about making a batch of bag spreaders in conjunction with a sheet metal place, but again, there may not be as much of a demand.

 

[heinzelmann-hh]

It is quite possible that the demand for such special spare parts is very limited. Nevertheless, those collectors who are desperately looking for wear parts such as rubber buffers, cloth bags or the special scissor-shaped bag spreaders for the model 700 would certainly be very grateful for a visually acceptable replacement solution that comes as close as possible to the original.

 

[scoover]

Not great pictures to be fair but this is the current state of the patterns for my bumper strips from top:

1/700/725/750

2/all models prior to 700

3/425

4/800

5/800 with reinforcement pads

6/825

7/825 with re-inforcement pads

8/450

When I started on these I was very taken by the rivet re-enforced versions of the 800/825. Not so much now. I think you can see the difference in the 825 version made a while ago and the 800 version made recently.

They still need a bit of cleanup round the logo insertion and as I said earlier they have varying degrees of accuracy.

I need to work out what happens on the reverse. Some originals had distinct cut outs for wheel nuts etc. whereas others just had a long concave curve. I'll add that in to the mould closer.

Feel free to comment (as far as you can see from bad pic) on accuracy or whatever.

 

[huskyvacs]

As long as you advertise it where people can find it, I think there would be a demand. When people here were were making Kirby bags, they sold out virtually overnight, and people still ask about them 6+ years onward who is making one (nobody is anymore).

Maybe make 10 and then see how they go, and if it goes good maybe make a reservation list and once you get so many names, run off a batch.

Alternatively one also could make a metal branding iron of the old Hoover logo and sell it so people could stamp the "Hoover" logo into their own bumpers. Some have managed to find rubber door seal strips that are markedly close to the original Hoover ones, they just lack the "flair" of the original Hoover logo to complete the picture.

 

[heinzelmann-hh]

@scoover

The models look very promising. Compared to the simple square shaped rubber strip that I have attached to my model 700 one of these copies would be much more authentic.

I would definitely be very interested to buy one from you when you are ready to produce them.