My little piece of the Hoover Vault

[charles~richard]

See link:

 

[rolls_rapide]

Interesting

I suppose that the polishing brush is similar to the later '4-brush groomer' as fitted to later commercial models, for low-profile carpeting.

I wonder why the bag wasn't fitted in this mode. Surely it would help to catch dust particles released by the brushes?

The ill-fated UK Hoover 'The One' had soft brushes that were supposedly for 'all floor cleaning', but gave atrocious performance on carpeting.

 

[dial-a-nap]

That is too cool - wonders never cease from Hoover!

Can you elaborate on what made it a vexing chore to put this brush-roll in? Does it use the same belt as the standard? I wonder if it put any additional load on the motor...

 

[normvac]

Thanks Charles, for demonstrating the "Hoover Floor Polisher" in action!
Rather interesting. AS I was a very active user of my Grandmothers Kirby polisher back in the 50's on her hard
waxed kitchen floor. Loved the idea of using the Kirby
for that chore. Had no idea all these years that Hoover
had even attempted to fill the same need.
Norm

 

[charles~richard]

The polishing brush roll was difficult to install for several reasons, most of them deriving from the fact that I am not a Hoover expert.

First, there were no instructions with the set. I imagine there were instructions at some point but they must have gotten lost somewhere along the way.

[A guick diversion -- I remember in one of the old Hoover upright vacuum cleaner manuals a page or two of written description and photos of the floor polisher attachment, however, in going through all the manuals I currently have at hand, I don't seem to have that manual any longer. If someone out there has it, could you please scan it for me? I'd like to add it to the web page I just put up.]

Then back to the topic. Okay, lacking instructions, it took several tooth-gnashing attempts to get the thing into the motor housing before I realize I was trying to put it in upside-down! It has a curved chrome casing that wraps around the brush, and when trying to put it in, I did not realize that the chrome casing would curve around and down into the motor housing when you push the roller down in.

Second, the roller only fits in one way (same as with the regular agitator roll), and the only way to tell the correct method is that one of the little 'tips' on the ends of the brush roller that slide down into the motor housing is just a teeny, leeetle bit fatter than the other one. (Why, one has to wonder, couldn't they have made these tips different-enough in size to make it READILY apparent to the naked eye?!)

Third, it was difficult to get the belt down into the channel leading to the motor shaft. Because the chrome housing of the polisher head is in the way. You have to kinda hold the polisher in one hand very close to the motor housing, while pushing the belt down inside with the index finger of your other hand. Then once the thing is in place, you have to reach your fingers way inside the channel to pull the belt up and over the motor shaft.

Honestly! I'd say the average homemaker would have given this procedure one, maybe two attempts, and then given up. Just as well, really, since it really does not do a good job. It just doesn't have the torque, weight or power.

 

[vintagehoover]

Hi, Charles-Richard..

I was the second highest bidder on that polisher!

I'll scan the relevant manual pages for you ASAP - hopefully they'll be of use to you!

 

[charles~richard]

Oh Jack, soooooo sorry... I do hate bidding against fellow club members and try not to [just a matter of personal policy and choice and not reflecting in any way what I expect other ebay users to do], but with eBay now concealing user names it's impossible to know who's bidding. Thanks very much for the kind offer to scan the pages from the manual. I appreciate it; and tell you what -- I'll leave the polisher to you in my will!

Cheers,

 

[vintagehoover]

Hi, Charles Richard!

no worries - that's the nature of eBay. As you say, now we can't see anyone's identies until after the auction's finished (defeating the point of an anonymous bidding system anyway!), it's hard to avoid. I couldn't afford to bid higher than I did, because I was also funding my Convention trip at the time!

I'm glad it's gone to a good home, anyway - just hope it doesn't feel out of place among all those Kirbys and Electroluxes!

Astonishingly, we did actually have the polisher option over here, but I don't hold out much hope of finding one. They're rare enough in the US, let alone in the UK, where sales figures were much smaller.

By the way, aren't the Art Deco graphics on the label of the polisher box beautiful?! Such thought put into the design of such a simple item. But from Hoover, we expect nothing less!

 

[charles~richard]

Hi Jack, yes the box is beautiful, shame it's a bit "knackered" tho, haha. It's very brittle and falling apart.

 

[charles~richard]

I happened to find this auction [see link] when looking for something else. I just want to say for the record, in case anyone was wondering, this was not the one I won! I only paid about $25 for mine. I could not -- would not -- have ever gone this high on anything.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140245255443

 

[vintagehoover]

Ah...

...so you didn't outbid me, then! So hang on, there were 2 boxed, Vault examples of these polishers on eBay? I know someone else who got a third...where are they all coming from?! I thought TTI were keeping everything pre-1950 safe??

 

[charles~richard]

Yes, there was a second Hoover polisher auction. I had not been aware of the previous one until finding it by happenstance. I don't know who the seller is (I paid via PayPal) of the one I got, and also don't know if s/he has any more.