Never thought I'd get a Bison Mark 2 vacuum.

[oldcrankman]

I believe this has all of its attachments and it sounds pretty healthy. Its missing its headlight lens tho..https://youtu.be/w5d-cgqKCQs?si=-V6okczg47NSRwdW

 

[lesinutah]

Nice

I like the green bison. I actually have the attachmen kaddy/box for that vacuum. I don't have a bison buy I love the ds80 and I like the green.

 

[tolivac]

I would like to find the brown and a green Bison.The former Bison factory is now home of E1 emergency vehicles-fire trucks and ambulances.

 

[oldcrankman]

I got this for $18. Also, how do you find the date on it, I think mine is from 1972.

 

[paul]

Congrats - nice piece of '60s & '70s vacuum cleaner styling—and a rare one at that!

Here's a link to the 1968 operating manual for it at Automatic Ephemera: https://www.automatice.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi?showdoc~395~Bison~

From what I've read, there were three versions, or marks, of the green Bison: Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III; followed by the Centurion in hammertone brown and a tan bag with a brown windowpane pattern. I'm not sure if there's a code in the serial number, or if something was stamped in the casing.

I found the original 1968 patents by inventors Wilbur-Webb Selley and Richard H. Schaffer (Mark I) along with 1969—detachable handle & movable light, 1970—dirt receptacle, 1973—detachable handle with sliding member (no hardware removable necessary); which may suggest the different versions, or marks. I also found a 1982 article (below) referencing the Centurion. Apparently, the Bison factory in Ocala, Florida was shuttered in 1983; ending the company's 15-year history. Interestingly, it began as Vactronics, Inc. and changed its name to Bison Manufacturing Company in 1971 when it moved from Orlando to Ocala.

Here are the 1968 (filed)/1971 (granted) patents and other noteworthy items I located:

 

[huskyvacs]

Wow! Great find! You got lucky! I nearly had one in 2017 but I lost the bid by $1! Just $1!

 

[oldcrankman]

I wanted to send Bison photos just because lol.

 

[ajc31980]

Awesome !

Awesome find ! That’s one I’ve added to my bucket list. I didn’t even know they existed till seeing one posted on FB last year .

 

[oldcrankman]

So when I got my Bison, I didn't know I forgot the attachments that I found at the thrift store today. I'm surprised they're still here. I will sends pics once I get home.

 

[lesinutah]

The

Bison has 10 amp motor. I wonder what the airflow is for it.

 

[oldcrankman]

Here's the other stuff for my Bison.

 

[human]

Just watched both of your videos. It's amazing the thrift store held onto that tool kit for two months! Did they just let you have it when you walked in and said you had the vacuum to go with it? You've definitely got yourself one of the true 'unicorns' of the vacuum world. I've never even seen one, except for photos here on Vacuumland.

 

[nova_candy]

Bison Mark III

My 1978ish Mark III, I have the tools and tool caddy, but the hose is from a centurion

 

[vacuumman]

Bison Rheostat

Nova_Candy, were you ever able to fix the rheostat issue on the Bison or does it still only run at high speed?

 

[nova_candy]

Re: Bison Rheostat

I need to find a resistor I can replace the open one with as it had failed before I bought it

 

[rainbowd4c]

Is it possible to make a video of how to hook up the attachments and how to how up the carpet head after the attachments? I've always wondered about that?

 

[oldcrankman]

Sure.

 

[nova_candy]

Bison

It is intresting that the Mark II power head uses a worm gear drive to the brush roll, and the Mark III is a direct belt to the brush roll

 

[huskyvacs]

I think it's because they found out the gear drive was too complex and costly, and it failed pretty quickly. The gear teeth did not like the resistance once the brushroll was going through thick carpet.

That same problem would come back to haunt the Hoover Windtunnel V2.

 

[nova_candy]

Demonstration of Mark III powerhead and hose

 

[dysonman1]

General Electric made the Bison motor for them. Richard Shaffer was President of Bison. Former V.C.C.C. board member, Clay Floyd, operated a service/repair center for Bison in the early 1970's (1973 to be exact). Mr. Shaffer flew from Florida to Denver to host sales meetings, recruit new salesmen, and generally drove Clay nuts. There was a hedge trimmer attachment shown in the demo books and 'coming soon' and tons of customers used to invade Clay's repair center demanding that attachment which they believed would be delivered by the salesman. No hedge trimmer ever was sold. Only pictured. Lots of angry customers. By the way, Dwane Chapman (the bounty hunter) sold Bisons through Clay's office at the time. Clay referred to his sales tactics as 'unscrupulous'. He pushed Bisons on old ladies, which Clay didn't approve of.

 

[lesinutah]

I

Guess you can't teach an old Dog new tricks. Lol corny joke
With a 10 amp motor theres no wonder they went through bearings like it's nobody's business.

 

[lesinutah]

Damn

If u put your finger over the fan it would be sliced into deli meat in no time.

 

[nova_candy]

NIB Bison

These three just came on Ebay, all Mark II