One of the most indestructable vacuums!

[vacuumkid3]

That's right! I think I've found the one and only upright that can suck up pennies, nails, compression fittings (!@#$), and rocks...a Kirby G-5!!

Well, here's the story...a lady that goes to our church told me her Kirby is clogged. I told her I'd be more than happy to look at it. So, last night, she says it's in her car. When I get it home, I realize the belt was not connected. "Well, THERE'S your problem!"

Okay, so I put it back on...and then I want to see how the "Sani-Emtor" box (it's not a true Sani-Emtor) looks like on the inside. So I get it off, and I hear a lot of stuff rattling around in there...I proceed to shake it out, and what do I find?! Tons of small pebbles, a penny, a nail, several thumb tacks, and two pieces to a compression fittings. The compression fitting pieces are badly dented, although they are I believe malleable brass. The penny is also badly dented, as is the nail, and the plastic piece to the thumb tack is broken.

Oh...and the most amazing part about it all...nothings broken! The fan still looks good! Good 'ole USA quality right 'der, folks!

~~K~~

 

[vacuumkid3]

Has anyone else noted anything like this in other vacuums?

~~K~~

 

[hoover28]

yes I do

I have seen a lot of junk in vacuums that come in my vac shop. the kirbys always seem to have nails and pennies and junk in the sani-emtor.


Chris

 

[aeoliandave]

The G3 I got in the fall had been lastly used to clean up a basement renovation. The bag was full of sawdust and plaster dust and the Emptor contained nails, drywall screws, nuts, washers, bolts, electrical box knockout slugs, mini Marshmallows and Smarties (M&Ms to Americans). The vacuum just stopped running, she said. I found a melted drivebelt, a 2" nail pierced through a fan blade and a block of wood wedgeing the fan immobile. No other damage to the plastic (nylon?) fan, not even a chip out.

The vacuum and powerdrive run just fine now. I also like the clean surgical appearance of the white and polished metal G3 styling scheme.

Dave

 

[electroluxxxx]

lets see some pics dave

 

[aeoliandave]

Pix of the cleaned up G3, Mike?

Because if I'd been smart enough to take pictures of the debris that fell out I'd certainly post them. I do wish now I'd photographed the fan chamber and nail-piercing fanblade when I had the front off. :-(

These days when a new vac arrives or I give one the total spa treatment I habitually photograph the dissassembled 'before' state.

 

[electroluxxxx]

I would love the Pix of the G3

 

[tolivac]

Oh geez-surprized that hard diet didn't bust the fan!!That is Kirby ABUSE for sure.Please do not renact those with your Kirby wether it has a plastic or metal fan or ANY direct air type vacuum.Years ago a Kirby dealer-service center in Forestville Md-(suburb out side Wash DC)showed me a Kirby 519 that had been used to try the clean the bottom of a partially drained swimming pool!!the machine was a wreck!surprized the user didn't get electrocuted.the fan was destroyed-and the fan housing had MANY holes and dents in it.He kept the machine in his shop to show people what would happen to the Kirby if you picked up lots of hard things with it.-like a swimming pool floor covered in gravel and pebbles.
fast forward to present-the above was about 30yrs ago-A vacuum place here got a Kirby G6 whose inner paper bag had long burst and the outer cloth bag was so hard that it held its shape without the machine running.she asked me to try the machine--it STILL picked up even though it was PACKED!the fan was OK though.Story was is an older lady owned it and the grandchildren were at the house to take care of it for her since the Kuirby owner was too ill at the time.The kid "caretakers" never bothered to check the bag-was a "magic" vacuum to them-whatever got picked up-"disappeared!"I have also got a couple of Kirbys that have busted fans and found junk in their mini-emptors.Also have an Oreck that I got at a yard sale-was a nice looking machine----but the fan housing was busted along with the fan.the bag was packed with stuff-including several quarters(used them in the snack machine at work)couple of keys,many paper clips,and some nails and screws.If you have stuff like that to pick up-don't use the direct air type machine-you need a SHOP-VAC!I try to be careful what I pick up with my direct air machines-my favorite design-but try to avoid hard abrasive things-they will break or abrade your machines fan.Thru the years I have found METAL fans better.I have one type of vacuum that takes this abuse though-my NSS M1's-their huge fans have blades quarter in thick!Used one at a freinds basement remodel and that machine just simply ate cable staples,counduit box slugs,nails for breakfast ,lunch and dinner.The nails and slugs were bent over from the fan.and the fan housing on M1 vacs is STEEL lined.A magnet clings to the fan housing-even though the outside of it is aluminum.

 

[aeoliandave]

Well, Rex, it's certainly not us Vacuum Rescuers that run these torture tests - we just get nice restorable vacuums from those who do and as you say think the bag has a rock crusher brush roll and some sort of matter vaporizor inside the bag. LOL

In preparation for a photo shoot of my G3 last night I emptied yet more sand, grit and nails from the fam chamber and emptor cavity - gosh, I thought I'd got it all out...was turning the fan by hand when it stuck on something again. on inspection I found a few nails and a bolt wedged into the casing, though thankfully nothing has pierced the housing.

 

[aeoliandave]

As for Shop Vacs, I was lucky a few years back to find at the side of the road on trash day a 1983 Model 725 four gallon original Wet/Dry Shop Vac in really nice shape, in the box with papers and all the tools. The metal bucket's paper bag was half full of plaster & sawdust & pebbles but the motor filters were all in place. I keep this one in the basement and do use it outside in the garage in the spring to pick up all that winter road grit & stones. This vacuum must have been used by a very careful contractor or handyman guy who reads and follows manuals- in the box was also a really nice Dirt Devil Ultra model 08230 cloth bag hand vac with the rotating brushroll cover that directs suction to the attached side hose. Again, no more cosmetic damage to it other than a few light scuffs.

When it was time to move the waterbed I used the Shop Vac to suck out the last of the water in the motionless wadding inside. It removed 12 gallons and sucked the waterbag flat and dry. Was then able to roll the matress up and move it easily on my own.