New Member Says Hi, Asks Elux Questions

[danemodsandy]

Hello:

Charlie Lester finally clued me in on the new Vacuumland forums, and I'm glad to be here. I "know" a lot of you from Automaticwasher.org, I see!

I own two vintage Eluxes. One belongs in this forum; it's a late 1205. The other is a Diamond Jubilee. I have a few questions:

1) I'd like to get the vaporiser attachment for the 1205, a.k.a. demother. Can anyone advise me on how it's used? I know that moth crystals went in it; will any brand work? And how do you use it after filling it with the crystals? I've been unable to find any instructions on the Web, except for a Hoover instruction manual that says to run their demother inside a closet for about an hour. That sounds a little hard on a vacuum cleaner- does anyone know if that's advisable or not?
2) Can anyone tell me how difficult it is to put a new cord in an Elux rewinder? One of my machines has had its plug replaced, and I like an original machine, not a bojacked one.
3) I am searching for a manual for my 1205. Does anyone have one they might scan or Xerox or even sell an original of?

Thanks in advance for any help!
Sandy McLendon a.k.a. Danemodsandy

 

[charles~richard]

HI SANDY!!! WELCOME!!!!!!!

Glad you made it over here.


1. About the vaporizer -- it was the same setup from the 1937 Model XXX until they stopped offering it, which I -believe- was with the Super J. I have instruction books for the Marquis and the Silverado and don't recall seeing them in there.

What you do is remove the cap on the smaller end, the end that looks like the end of an Electrolux hose -- pour in enough moth CRYSTALS (NOT moth balls) to fill it about half full - replace cap - connect vaporizer to BLOWER end of machine.

Then you could use it in several ways. In the older instruction books it said you could unplug the machine, press the start switch, place the machine in a closet with your fur coats and fine woolens, seal the crack around the bottom of the door with wadded newspaper, then plug the machine in and let it run for an hour or so.

It also said you could attach the crevice tool to the hose, run it under rugs, and turn the Electrolux on to de-moth rugs. You could also direct the poisonous fumes into cracks and crevices of upholstered furniture.

But the most efficient way to use it was with the Garment-Aire bag. The Garment-Aire bag is made of that thick rubberized fabric that life rafts are made of. It has a zipper to open the bag and insert your furs and woolens. Then you zip it back up. You attach the vaporizer to the blower of the machine, then attach the hose to the vaporizer, then the hose connects to a little port at the bottom of the Vaporizer bag. Turn the machine on, let it run a while, and PRESTO! Away with those pesty moths and their larvae!

Of course, it also meant that everything smelled like moth balls!

That reminds me of an old joke...

Ask your victim: "Say, have you ever smelled moth balls?"

Unless he is from another planet he will say, "Ugh yes, they really smell awful!"

You say ... "Well, gee ... how did you get his tiny legs apart?"

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

But I digress............... *whew*

"But seriously folks," I don't think the Garment-Aire was offered past the G. Again, I have 1205 literature and don't recall seeing any references to it. You have to understand, moths were no longer the HUGE problem that they were in earlier years. I guess all those demothers and mothimizers and motherradicators and moth-a-killers and moths-be-gone did the job!


2. I don't know anything about this. Someone more versed in Electrolux repairs will have to answer.


3. Keep your eyes on eBay -- booklets for 1205 and other older machines do show up fairly frequently.

 

[charles~richard]

A view of XXX Garment Bag

Front cover of instruction leaflet...

 

[charles~richard]

Photo of Garment-Aire Bag

From a Salesman's Demonstration Notebook

 

[chestermikeuk]

Lux

Hi Sandy

Welcome from the other side of the pond & club, what colour is your Electrolux 1205??, I do like the look of those, all streamlined & square...

Do the Moth Ball blowers have an air reduction nozzle etc, I`ve often thought the full power of a blower might blow the garment bag apart etc??

Cheers, Mike

 

[danemodsandy]

Mike and Charlie:

Mike:

Good to be here! Thanks for the welcome. My 1205 is the original turquoise colour, though it is unusual in one other respect, which I've duly checked out with Charlie. The machine is a "late" 1205, from around 1973, with the clip for the dusting brush, and the late control panel. But it has the earlier body, with smooth-surfaced steel instead of the leatherette-textured steel of every other late 1205 I've ever seen. I bought it on eBay, and had no clue that it was unusual until I got it. It does not appear to be a bojack; there was no evidence of dissassembly/reassembly. So, it appears to be an "early late 1205", made after the new control panel was added, but before the run of new steel bodies was begun. Fascinating how these variations occur, eh?

Charlie:

Well, now I know about the demother- so an hour IS right! I can see how that bag would have made things pretty easy- I really appreciate the photos. About the 1205 manual- I've been looking and bidding for some time now. They seldom turn up, and when they do, there's a bidder in Canada who always wins (is that you, petek?). The scans of the manual for rebuilt machines in the thread on your silver G are the closest I've come yet. If I ever manage to find this little Grail, I promise to post scans in the Manuals section.

Oh, about moths: The reason you don't see them much anymore is that houses are more closed up than they were back in the day, due to air-conditioning- there's not as much access available to the moths. And there's much less woolen material inside if they do get in. I'm sure you remember years ago, when houses stood open during the hot months- there was always a screen door left open, or a hole in a window screen. And all that yummy wool inside, just beckoning...

 

[danemodsandy]

P.S.:

Forgot to mention- the 1205 has a PN-2 with the telescoping turquoise sheath, and a full set of turquoise tools. The telescoping sheath is not correct for a late 1205, but it's the only turquoise one I have been able to locate. I also have two sets of wands, for use when I have to vacuum some of the higher ceilings around here, like the one in the stairwell. Very convenient.

 

[crevicetool]

HI Sandy!!!

Welcome to the club...From Snellville here...Also a Lux fan. There is a vaporizer on Ebay right now for a 1205 vaporizer. The release levers are different then the earlier units in that you can get your fingers on them when inserted in the blower port of a 1205. I would be inclined to think also that you would operate the vaporiser in the 1205 while the machine is standing up on its rear bumper otherwise there is the possibility of crystals exiting the vaporizer and entering the blower housing> Charles-Richard, I also have a vaporizer from a model XII, Its a funny thing that I beleive is tin, by the way it had oxidized prior to my cleaning it up. It works the same way the later versions worked except the appeearence is more compact length-wise but bigger in cross-section. It also screws on the back of the XII. Again welcome Sandy BTW- I found the one on Ebay (1205's) by intering vintage electrolux.....Rick

 

[crevicetool]

vaporizer for 1205 vaporizer

Dept. of redundancy department.

 

[danemodsandy]

crevicetool:

Thanks for the tip about inserting the vapouriser directly into the blower port on the cleaner- that had not occurred to me. It makes perfect sense for demothing a closet- you can get the entire cleaner in there and still close the door properly, which you couldn't do with the unit attached to the hose. With the cleaner up on its end, it wouldn't take up much space, either.

I'm already watching that auction- thanks!

 

[rexaircollector]

Welcome Sandy

I'm in Loganville, GA. Great to see we have another local member. My collection has downsized some from what it was 5 years ago and now I am "trying" to limit my purchases to the more obscure machines. We're glad to have you aboard!

Robb Castaldo

 

[danemodsandy]

rexaircollector and crevicetool:

I'm in East Cobb. Glad to see there are more Georgia members!

 

[rexaircollector]

Sandy

We should all get together sometime to share collections. I understand there is also a collector in Jefferson, up north by Commerce. His name is Toby but not sure if he is a member yet. Hope you are considering the convention in Sept.

Robb

 

[danemodsandy]

Robb:

When and where is the convention? Also, is it open to non-VCCA members?

 

[vacuumkid3]

Oh, and I live in Alabama, so we all could get together! What great fun we'd have! This "mini-meet" as we call them is open to everyone; however the VCCC conventions are just for members. Nice of you to join us, Sandy! ;-)

~~K~~ (Kyle)

 

[crevicetool]

Convention

Click on the convention 2007 button on this site. I'm a member , but I think that button will work for non-members. Rick