I now own a Kirby

[texaskirbyguy]

Rugsucker is right. The cord goes inside that channel and a zip-tie goes in the hole.
The screw holding the channel piece is in the other side, out of view.
Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[justjunque]

I gave in and bought the correct screw for the scuff plate online. I think it was called a scuff plate.
I know, I could probably have gotten something from the hardware store that would have worked. But, that's just me. I wanted the correct, genuine part. So, I paid a ridiculous price for one little screw.
I guess I can afford to splurge a little bit here and there, since the vacuum itself cost me nothing.
As for the tab where the cord goes; I'll probably just leave it as is. Tuck the cord in there, and hope it stays.

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

jscarlato

Joe,

That reminds me also of the first-generation American Lincoln Super Sweep sold from 1969-72, which descended from the 1967-68 Janitronic. That Super Sweep was in jade green and white. LesinUtah and OpelGTKarl both own one.

~Ben

 

[jscarlato]

KirbyClassicIII

Yes. I've seen pics of this model. I think that was a good color choice. Back in '78 or '79, I bought a Hoover Concept One model 3105. That was a white and green model. It looked good in that color.

 

[kirbyvacuum]

G4

Love the color
Love mine

 

[justjunque]

Hey all.
I hope you don't get angry with me because of this. But, I get discouraged very easily. I've talked about some of my issues over at AW. But, in a nutshell, anxiety and depression play a big role in it.
I've spent a good portion of this afternoon trying to get the G4 to shine. I bought a little jar of Mothers, hoping for better results than I was getting with my other polish. Sadly, it's not the case. There's what look like water spots or something all over this thing.
Someone who can take it all apart, maybe hit it with some fine sandpaper or steel wool or something, I'm sure they could make it look like new.
I'm going to put the new HEPA bag in it, when they arrive. I have that scuff plate screw coming, and I may still replace the brush roll.
But, I see myself trying it out on my area rugs, and trying the bare floor tools in the rest of the house; basically, just to be able to say that I've used a Kirby. Then, I'll probably look to pass it along to someone else. Maybe for free...or maybe just trying to recover what I spend for replacement parts.
I'm just really disappointed that I couldn't do more with the aluminum. And, every time I look at it, I'm just going to be reminded of my failure.
Again, please forgive me for being Debbie Downer. I just had hopes that a hand polishing would yield better results.

Barry

 

[huskyvacs]

Hand polishing will only work if it's not that badly tarnished - basically as a touch up. It will get tarnish off but it would take you forever and as you saw not do very good of a job with badly corroded metal. Your hands can only do so much (unless you have Hulk Hogan's biceps lol) Heavy tarnish and oxidization you need a polishing machine to work down beyond the top layer.

VacLab has a great easy video to follow on how to polish up a Kirby. No sanding needed. Just a couple buffers and a packet of polishing sticks.

 

[human]

Don't beat yourself up over this...

Don't look on your hand polishing experience as a failure. If zero is where it was before you started on it and 100 is factory perfection, where are you now? 60? 80? 90? Wherever it is on that scale, just see it as progress, not perfection.

 

[lesinutah]

The

G series kirbys don't shine like older kirbys.
I recently collected a few vacuums. Old straight suction electro hygiene, vacuette electric, ds 80, 505, super sweep and 2 avalirs.
They all run great. The avalirs I tried polishing with mothers may not nope its going to take more time and there not going to shine like the 505 or ds 80.
The super sweep is mostly original and it's original paint color. It's got alot of paint missing and scratches. Ib like using the super sweep more than every vacuum except the ds80. The super sweep has 8 wheels 7 black and one green. It doesn't even have the original bag.
It's like a sleeper car. They don't paint them. They keep the original look and they run like brand new cars. Imagine ta race between a sleeper car and a new corvette. The corvette loses the race. The sleeper isn't the prettiest but it out performed a new corvette.
Try as best you can and use the vacuum and keep it because it doesn't have to be the shinier it works well and your doing the work on it. There's alot more satisfaction using a vacuum you restored more than a brand new vacuum.
Warren buffet has had the same house since 1970s and a 80s or 90s model car. He splurged on a cup of coffee and a breakfast treat every day. He'basically invented the best way to invest in the stock market. He was the richest man in the world and could buy anything he wants.
I think your doing a great job on the vacuum. Your proud of what you done and nobody will treat it like you. Keep the vacuum and realize not everything has to be new and shiny.
People are sometimes a holes. There's been alit of bad weather everywhere and it's like the whole country has been in a prissy mood. I was mean on this board and I walked away for almost a year. I try to help people and be positive.
2018-2020 I lost my mother 11/2/18 and I wasn't talking to her. My dad passed in 12/10/20 and I was there for him the last part of his life. I found him on the toilet passed away. He didn't want anyone to have to clean up his pooh. I also lost my job in 8/2018 I worked 10 years at.
There will be bad things happen and there will be mean people. Usually mean people are having a bad day and are taking it out on you. It also comes from people who were insecure with themselve.
Keep your head up your a good person with a good heart

 

[justjunque]

Thanks, guys.
Les; I'm glad you decided to come back to the forums.
That's some rough stuff you had to deal with. I'm sure it would take a toll on anyone.
Health issues have cost me my job of 25 years. It's been three years for me now. The anxiety/depression go hand in hand with the physical health problems. They seem to feed each other.
I'm going to try to take y'all's advice, and just do what I can do with the G4, and try to have some fun using it, instead of worrying that it's not flawless. Emphasis on "I'll try". My brain is wired to default to the negative in every situation.

Edgar; That's a good way to look at it. I appreciate you. I will try to look at it as looking better than when I got it. Thank you.

Husky; That is a good video. Granted, I'm not the type to take the whole machine apart like VacLab did.
But, I'd say that G3 and my G4 are in very similar condition. He seems like a cool guy. I wonder if he's a member here.

I got a package in the mail today. I think it's the HEPA bags.
I've decided to settle for hand washing the outer bag. If I were the type to name my machines, "Good enough" might be a good name for this one. It's not like it's ever going to be a showpiece.
Plus, watching the video of removing and reinstalling the Emtor, I'm not willing to risk tearing that rubber sleeve thing at the bottom of the bag. Hand washing the whole assembly will have to be "good enough".
Thanks again to everyone for your kind words. It means a lot.

Barry

 

[human]

That's exactly right, Barry. You have invested time and energy, as well as a little of money, into that free Kirby and you are making it better in the process. Take satisfaction in your ongoing accomplishment.

 

[justjunque]

Latest updates, for anyone interested;
The screw for the scuff plate arrived today. It was expensive, but I like that it looks like the one that would have been there originally.
And, I have the outer bag in the bathtub with some liquid Tide. It may not come out as good as a machine washing would have done, but a lot of dirt did come out. The water was instantly brown. Maybe I'll drain this water, after some soaking and swishing, and wash it a second time. We'll see. My back is already yelling at me for leaning over the tub.
It would be wonderful if the splotch of white paint would come off in the wash. But, it doesn't seem likely.

 

[justjunque]

Washing complete.
I did do a second washing. That water ended up looking about how I expected it to look during the first wash.
After the second washing, I filled the tub with clear water, and gave it a good rinse.
Now, it's hanging over the laundry sink in the basement.
It seems like it should be dry by around July or so.
I'm not really complaining. Sometimes, I just sound like I am. I'm actually relieved that that job is done. It will be dry when it's dry.
I watched a video where a guy dried the bag for his G3 by installing it on the vacuum, without an inner bag, and running the vacuum. I don't think I'm daring enough to try that.

 

[lesinutah]

Link

Use hair hairspray the link explains how.
Don't dry the bag on the vacuum. There can be dust or something in brush roll or dirt and build up going back onto the bag.


https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Paint-from-Fabrics

 

[texaskirbyguy]

If the bag is detached from the other parts, it can be spin dried in the washer for a short time - I have done this.
Then hang it outside in the sun & breeze, zipper open, and it should be dry in less than a day.

The paint spot may need some light scraping with a plastic scraper - just go easy on it. Better to have it than a hole, lol. If it doesn't budge, consider coloring it with a permanent marker instead to mask it.

Glad you made it look better after polishing. Water spots and stains are very hard to remove without heavy polishing equipment. Even buffing wheels on drills will not remove them as they are quite deep. The G4 I had recently restored was like that. I was disappointed not being able to remove them, but it looked a heck of a lot better than the crusty hulk I started with. I had doubts going in they would remove completely but it looked great at 6' away on the floor. That part was a win.
Bottom line is if you make it look better, then it was certainly no failure. Only few machines can be restored to show quality with basic handyman tools.

Keep up the good work, Barry!

 

[justjunque]

Thanks, Rob.
Even just hanging the bag in my basement, it's dried a lot more just overnight than I was expecting.
I kind of have the same thought with regard to the paint splotch. It's not huge, and I don't want to damage the bag by trying to remove it. The colored marker idea is interesting.
I don't have any hairspray, as mentioned by Les. But, that article went on to mention rubbing alcohol. If that wouldn't damage the bag material, I could try that. We do have that on hand.
Bottom line; I'd rather live with a smudge of white paint than damage the bag.
As for the aluminum; I'm going to do the rest of it by hand, and be content with it looking better than when I got it. Like you said; from a distance, it looks pretty good.

Barry

 

[texaskirbyguy]

The bags on these are mostly synthetic materials, so they do dry fast. Turn a fan on it to help it.

Polishing takes a lot of effort - speed and pressure. This is the hardest part of a Kirby resto. The more you can give, the more material will be removed. Hand polishing is the lightest you can do, a wheel on drill is about the most I can do, which is way above hand polishing. I need a 6" wheel for my bench grinder next.
Kirby had 8-12" 3600RPM buffing machines that meant serious business. Those would even buff out scratches if not too deep. So the polishing results are really equipment driven.

Alcohol should not hurt the bag. Start with a small hidden area first to tell for sure. If it is really paint, then it may not help, and nothing may. If it is ink or another substance, alcohol or paint thinner might dissolve it. It all depends on what the substance is and what solvent dissolves that substance.

 

[justjunque]

I finished the hand polishing on the aluminum this afternoon.
Looks kinda purdy from a distance, in dim light, if you squint. LOL

 

[justjunque]

I don't know how much difference you can see in my lousy picture. But, here's the "after" shot, in the same location where I took the "before" shot.
And, my apologies in advance. I imagine this picture will post sideways as well.

 

[justjunque]

First impression:

After installing a HEPA bag, (found it a tad tricky to get it secured onto the fill tube), I fired it up and did the braided rug in the breezeway.
I got a little chuckle out of it. Being a Kirby noob, as this is the first time I've tried one, I was finding it a little bit heavy to push, but not unmanageable.
About a third of the way through the task, I realized that I hadn't engaged the Tech Drive.
I stepped on the lever, and tried it again.
Woo! Basically, the thumb and index finger was all it took then! What a difference!
Kind of neat too, that the room smelled faintly of clean laundry, since I just washed the outer bag with liquid Tide.
I know I got discouraged initially, and didn't plan on keeping this vacuum. But, I'm kind of impressed! I just wish I had some wall to wall carpet to really get some use out of it. Maybe I'll bring it with me when I visit my mom some time. There's a couple of carpeted rooms at her house.
I did discover that the headlight is burnt out. But, that's an easy fix...even for me.

Barry