Kirby early C, ebay NIGHTMARE!

[caligula]

Hi cb123,

Wow, I wish my Kirby 1-C or 2-C looked that great.
Alex Taber.

 

[caligula]

To Paul.

That my friend, is the signature of, James B. Kirby.
Alex Taber.

 

[electrolux137]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy, do I ever feel your pain. I've had more than my share of eBay horrors too. Some people are just clueless about packaging large, heavy items. I know that some collectors balk at leaving negative feedback about shoddy packing and I wish they would not hesitate, because sharing Packing Horrors with other eBay buyers can serve as a warning to them.

 

[gsheen]

When I buy stuff from up country I arrange the shipping and packaging myself. I use a special shipping company that will fetch the unit unpacked from the seller, They then package it themselves. They use tons of bubble wrap and New heavy duty double core reinforced cardboard boxes to fit the machine in.

Yes it costs more but man its worth it. Considering that the machine I like to collect are vary rare with almost no chance of finding another one in SA I make sure they don't get damaged

 

[cb123]

I agree

I would pay more to have it shipped decently. Here's a photo of the belt caps to the early C and 1-C.

 

[cb123]

Backside of

the belt caps

 

[cb123]

Thanks Alex,

but your 1-C and 2-C don't look  bad by far - quite the contrary !  Here's a photo of my half of a 1-C and early C together.

 

[vacuumman206]

shotty packing

I have only once received a damaged vacuum by mail. Seller packed a d2 with hose, wands and pn into a box(not a small box by any measures) the thing he didn't take into account was the plastic dolly was no match for the metal machine. I don't remember what I got back out of that mess. I generally buy boxes and use a couple small-medium boxes, trimming and bending the cardboard to make custom boxes to fit the vacuum in it's most disassembled state. and then wrap it real good in bubble wrap and tape. I also put in big, bold, near idiot-proof letters Fragile: This Side up on every side pointing to the top. Haven't had a single machine arrived to the buyers damaged. Oh and yes, the choir does sing when a gloriously polished kirby like that is seen.

 

[cb123]

Vacuumman206

I sure wish you were there to wrap the Kirby for that nimrod. Now as it occurs to me , after I finished talking to him, I found him out to be all mouth and no mind - as I honestly told him a child could have done a better and safer job in packing such a thing. (Just because they cared!!!) -- ( WHICH HE DIDN"T) - SADLY!

 

[cb123]

gsheen,

you wouldn't have any photos that you could post of  your vacuums - would you? If so I would really like to see them. Thanks Calem

 

[cb123]

gsheen,

I would REALLY like to see a photo, and a little history on the Kirby 506. Thanks again, Calem

 

[kirbyfan99]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL KIRBY'S! I'm thinking of buying an early Kirby model c off of Ebay, though I'm wondering, will a 505 brushroll and belt work in a Kirby early c? if anybody could tell me that would be great!

Jack
Kirbyfan99
YouTube: jedi725

 

[super-sweeper]

I remember this story I heard once,

From Charles Lester's website, Another story about Kirby packaging and nimrods...


 


I couldn't find the original article he wrote, So I'll just give you the run-down (What I remember):


 


Charles told an Ebay seller (Of which he was buying a vintage Kirby from, 500 series I believe) "DO NOT SHIP THE KIRBY IN IT'S ORIGINAL BOX!"


 


And you know what he did?


He wrapped the original box in PARCEL TAPE, and mailed the Kirby in it! And guess what happened then?


IT STARTED RAINING!


Poor Charles got home to find the Kirby, Box soaked, sitting at his doorstep.


 


-Alex.

 

[cb123]

Jack

From what I found the Kirby 505 through the 512 is a good enough fit. You might want to put a little elec. tape around the height adjustment screws for the brush roller - only if the rubber is gone from dry rot. All this will do is make the brush roll more stable - which is a good thing. I've posted you some photos, and I hope they can help. This is the original roller brush to my 512, and it fits O.K. on the Kirby C.

 

[cb123]

Another pic

I would recommend using a well used belt on a Kirby C, because it will be easier to get on and off your belt pulley - not to mention, easier on the finger too. This is the 512 roller brush on a Kirby 1-C.

 

[cb123]

Alex,

Thank you for the story, it would almost be funny if it wasn't so horribly, but often times the truth hurts. It makes me want to shout, DEAR MERCY, ALL THE INHUMANITY!!! If you squeezed their heads fudge would come out of their ears. What a bunch of ebay seller imbeciles, which suffer from some kind of arrested development once they greedily take our money! I too felt the sting of Charles' pain, and let me tell you - it doesn't feel good.