Royalaire 260 "After" Pics

[hygiene903]

Here's a few pics I took of my Royalaire after I got it all cleaned and polished. As you can see here, it is definitely green, and not blue as it appeared in the ebay pic I originally posted. Incidentally, the other Royalaire, model 186, arrived today, and I'm really gonna have my work cut out for me with that one! Stay tuned for further developments!
Jeff

 

[hygiene903]

And Another

From the front

 

[hygiene903]

One from the back...

 

[hygiene903]

And Finally,

One with the attachments. Now all I need is the instruction book and tool caddy to make it complete!
Jeff

 

[briankirbyclass]

Jeff, how is the suction on these Royalair's? They look like a very powerful machine.
I remember an Aunt and Uncle that lived on a farm in Wisconsin years ago had one of these Royals,,Or it could have been a re-badged Royal. Maybe Electro-Hygiene?
She kept it in a back closet of the living room of the old farm house, and would let me drag it out whenever we would visit. I dont remember it having extraordinary suction, but that could have been due to a full bag. Im sure she never emptied it too often,,they were too busy running a farm.
She must have used a motherizer attachment of some kind, as the exhaust always reeked of moth crystals.
I kinda remember a HI and LO push button switch on the back, top of the machine,,like each setting had its own push botton.

Very cool machine! Good Job!

 

[sireluxomatic]

Shine-tastic!

Wonderful job! Looks as good as new and raring to go.

 

[tristar]

Suction

If this older Royal is anything like my mid-60's model, its probably pretty powerful for it's era. I have a mid-60's 401 tank that's about on par with the Compacts of the same era, it's certainly more powerful than any Lux or similar cleaner of the same era ever dreamed of being! And from such a tiny package! It's just hilarious how strong such a small cleaner can be.

 

[rugmaster37]

Jeff,

The results are indeed stunning. You must be so proud to have such a nice Royalaire in your collection. I feel personally that yes you can have a NIB anything, but for many; it's one that you bring back with love and devotion, is surely one that has the fonder outcome and ending. And As we all can see you did a superb job.

Incidentally this machines basic design continued up until 2004-2005 or so when we were no longer able to get them. Of course by then the thing was not at all as sleek or stylish as this model you have...It ended up looking like the Battlestar Galactica with all that goofy stuff hanging from it.

Very nice indeed!!!


Chad


Ann Arbor Michigan

 

[normvac]

Jeff
Any pictures from our mini meet, on that role of film ??
We've got to get matched up on that 1920's Royal upright
so you do your magic with it !!! Royalair, looks awesome.
Norm

 

[hygiene903]

Thank You!

First I want to thank you all for the compliments! And yes, it has TREMENDOUS suction! I think only my Electro-Hygiene 966, Lux G, and Royal Power Tank come close.
Chad, I agree with you 100%, that when you put the time and elbow grease into restoring a machine, it does make it that much more special. And I always wondered just when Royal stopped building tanks as we know them. I remember seeing them through the 90's. Do you know if they sold their patents to Airway? The Air-Tec that Charlie had at the convention looked a lot like a Royal tank.
Brian, your Aunt's vacuum sounds like it might have been an Electro-Hygiene tank. They had a chamber for deodorizing crystals built in to the front cover near the connection for the hose, so you could deodorize while you cleaned. However, I have never seen a Royal or EH with Hi and Lo buttons on it. Could you be remembering that from a different machine? Did your Aunt's vacuum look like the one below? That is my 966 Electro-Hygiene. The crystal chamber is in red.
And Norm, check out the thread "Columbus Mini-Meet in the "Off-Topic" forum. Sorry I didn't get any pics in the living room before we went to the basement. Hope you enjoy the pics I did get.
Jeff

 

[briankirbyclass]

Jeff, yes, my Aunt's vac was definatly an Electro-Hyg. , exactly like the one in your pics.
I coulda swore it had a hi/lo switch on the end, but it sure could have been someone else's vac im thinking of,,,afterall, this was at least 35-40 years ago! HAHA
Thanks so much for the pics!

 

[hygiene903]

Brian,

I know what you mean about the time frame of 35-40 years. It was 35 years ago that I was selling Electro-Hygienes, and the 966 in the picture is probably about 50 yrs old, and still going strong! And the Royalaire 260 is 45-49 years old, too! And if you're Aunt's machine didn't have much suction, the bag probably WAS packed full, as they usually had TREMENDOUS suction!
Jeff

 

[rexaircollector]

Jeff

What a sharp looking machine! A little elbow grease, and it turns out to be a beauty. I have the same one in my collection and you are right, they were work horses and good performers as well.

Robb

 

[hygiene903]

Thank You, Robb!

It was a pleasure to work on and I was really pleased with the way it turned out. Good to hear from you and it was great seeing you again in North Canton last August.
Jeff