Nifty Thrifting through Wyoming

[aeoliandave]

That's Wyoming Ontario Canada, through which one passes on the way south to Petrolia from Hiway 402, on which if one stays will take you to Sarnia.

Each time I've stopped in to the Petrolia 'Pete Clement's' Barne de Junque this winter it has been closed so I took a chance it would be open this Valentines Day Weekend, when, because of Ontario's newly minted statutory holiday Family Day, gives most of us a 3 day weekend. Whee.

 

[aeoliandave]

Preparing my shopping list at home I was intent on finding some small Sunbeam Mixmaster bowls in green and blue and specifficly a juicer reamer with the strainer shaking cam. Found the Reamer, no bowls.

Pete had told me about a blue Compact there and this is what I found and had to snatch up...

Compact Electra Model C-6EPB with PN power socket on the back topside. Came with a restoreable leaky cloth weave hose. There was a pair of Eureka chrome wands and bunches of mostly Eureka tools including another Vibragroomer so they were tossed in a box, too.

 

[aeoliandave]

Not knowing if I would find any vacuums of note I brought along The cute little GE TIDY, The Hoover DUROS and a shiny spherical thing for Pete.

Here you can see the assorted Eureka tools

 

[aeoliandave]

PIP ever vigilant for front door activity.

Why, oh why are Compact decals always worn to illegibility and yet you can't clean them off totally down to the paint when you try ever so much? Arghhh...still, never turn down a decent Compact with hose and a bunch of orphaned Eureka tools & wands for $15.

Pete just handed me a Turquoise Compact Upholstery tool to go with it!!!

 

[aeoliandave]

PIP in actual stopped motion being vacuumed by the GE TIDY m

Not sure who likes it more, Pip or Pete but I know I'm impressed.

 

[aeoliandave]

Dave showing off his extra long wand.

Well, I had an extra one for the Hoover DUROS so... Sometimes ya just gotta go with excessive, ya know?

 

[aeoliandave]

And now...Davy's Platinum Horseshoe up the Fundament(al)

Musty dusty box has the Pip & Ben's full attention...could that be a vacuum cleaner tool storage caddy???

 

[aeoliandave]

Cover of the Owners Manual.

I've been on the floor and under the table in the vacuum section so many times I doubted there would be anything new or interesting other than the Compact.

This box was ON TOP of the table piles of completely unrelated Dishracks and plastic housewares...

So don't forget to look up from time to time...

 

[akabent]

Just wondering, Dave

Hey, Dave

Is your dog a Berner?? She surely has the right markings though smaller. Perhaps still a puppy or a mix??

Rick

 

[aeoliandave]

No, not just the manual and a musty box...

The Whole Wangfangdoodle Suck-o-lating
Vacuum Cleaner Ensemble, by Gawd and all his Mysterious Ways Angles.

So little used it could be called Brand New in Old Box !

Supple unfaded cloth weave hose holds almost full suction with a reading of 56" to the intake reading of 60".

 

[aeoliandave]

What's this accessory?

Oh, another Electric Hair Dryer hose attachment. And a Crevice tool and a Dusting brush and a Floor brush and a Carpet nozzle and a Demother and a Spray Gun and two extension tubes that just happen to be of that smaller metric diameter that doesn't fit North American tools & hoses but will fit the German Progress cylinder I posted a while back.

 

[aeoliandave]

Overhead shot of the set

I just don't know when to date this vacuum, made in Great Britain but sold by Vactric Canada of Montreal.

 

[petek]

Rick, that's not Daves puppy it's mine. Pip. He's a registered Australian Shepherd, will be 6 months next week, tri-color. And yes he does look a lot like a Bernese Mtn Dog in the face and markings

 

[aeoliandave]

Quick test with Mr Clean Eraser has completely removed that darker smudgeing around the handle base from the golden leatherette.

 

[aeoliandave]

The bottom has a cord winding clip that doubles as a hanger loop for closet storage off the floor. Cord is as brand new. The ONLY spot of rust is in this one spot on the front end Suction Dome, no pitting on the chrome anywhere.

 

[aeoliandave]

The Die Cast aluminum handle and runners are beautiful sculptures alone.

Here's a surprise - the manual says it has a 3 Stage Fan. Pete & I know how quiet it is - almost CanLux 80 Series-like in it's soothing whoosh.

I'll scan and post the Manual when I'm back home.

Man oh man, what a thrilling find. $25.

 

[hygiene903]

What a Beautiful Machine!!

It kind of reminds me of a Lux XII. Comgratulations,
Jeff

 

[arh1953]

If Dave's luck gets any better, he'll have to apply for sainthood! What absolute luck!! The Vactric is the find of the century. I have a GE Tidy that kindly Toby G. sent for the price of shipping, I need to find suitable tools for it someplace. In the meantime I just use generic plastic shop vac tools.

 

[collector2]

Hey Dave

Great find. That model of Vactric was also sold by State Vacuum Stores in Canada under the name President (see pic) I understand that they were one of the last models that Vactric put out (very late 1950's or 1960).

Incidentally the crevice tool is in the box upside down. It goes in the top slot and the small nozzle goes in the one underneath.

Doug

 

[collector2]

There is also a matching floor polisher that you're going to have to look for now (just for the sake of having the set)

 

[chestermikeuk]

Golden Gong Award....

Goes to Dave for his vac collecting skills...!!!...LOL, well done Dave, very interesting finds especially when then come from overseas!!! The Vactric was our first "new" family vac, produced from the mid 50`s...it was also called the "National" as well as it was sold by local Electricity Board shops under their own label...

Yours looks like new, is the hose supple or dried hard??

cheers, Mike

 

[compactelectra]

Wow Dave!

That is beautiful. Isn't it fabulous when you come across something like that? You definitely have the VCCC "Find of The Year" award for 2009 so far. That thing is a beauty. Definitely worth considering bringing to the convention for "Best Original." You would be hard to beat.

Fred

 

[aeoliandave]

Thanks Mike, for your picture & info - only the 'European' style ankle joint nozzle is different and is the same style that came with my Progress cylinder.

As for the hose, it has taken on a memory set from being folded in the carton beside the vacuum but is otherwise supple and virtually air-tight - suction test loss difference is only 4" after 50+ years in a closet. There is no stiffness, it just settles into those bends & straights at rest.

I say a closet on the main floor because the cloth weave has absolutely no faded spots or stains and the cotton threads are still vibrantly coloured. The Carton has lost it's top flaps to dry rot but the rest of the box is more or less unspoiled.

 

[aeoliandave]

Yes indeed Fred, it is a warm shock to open a deteriorating carton to find something like this inside in such super condition. However well cared for it surely didn't see much use but some - the brown paint it worn off the bottoms of the skid skates wheree they contract the floor...and that's it for scuffs scrapes or tarnish other than the unfortunate small rust blemishes on the bag cover.

 

[aeoliandave]

As is usual on any older machine that has never had cause to be serviced every nut and screw on the vactric needed tightening 1/4 turn. Due to temperature fluctuations and metal expansion/contraction over decades of storage.

Inside the dust bag chamber - leading to triple fans - with the motor filter removed, before wiping clean with a dry rag...