Seeking belts for early Handi-Butler

[mark_t]

G'day folks. Recently got the Kirby bug - refurbished five so far. I especially like the older ones, Classic III and back, and I'm currently keeping my eyes open for a 518 as I think it would be cool to have a vacuum the same age as me.

The reason for today's post is that I recently found a Handi-Butler for my Classic, but the belt is rough and Kirby has discontinued them. Anyone know where I might find a couple?

I'd also like to find a pair of the rubber cups which were missing from my kit (what are those for anyway?) and the rubber arbor for the sanding disks. It's kinda weird - my kit came with the sandpaper discs but instead of including the arbor for them, there is a wire wheel in the kit. I've seen this same combination in a couple of pics of other kits I have seen for sale on ebay. It's like Kirby stuffed a bunch of random stuff in a box and said "here ya go!"

Anyway, I'm a big fan of discussion forums. I always try and find one to go with whatever I happen to be interested in at the time, so I'm glad I found this one and I hope to be able to contribute.

Mark

 

[kirbykid]

I have a 518. I'm currently restoring it and it is all original and comes with everything that it would have. Except the hose is from a 514 or something. Once I finish it I could contact you. If you want it send me an email and ill start working on it more.

 

[kirbykid]

Oh and I do have the rubber cup things

 

[mark_t]

Appreciate the offer on the 518, but I will be looking for a project rather than a restored unit. (old guy, big workshop, time on his hands)

I would like those rubber cups though. What are you looking to get for them? Do you know what are they for? Do you have the rubber arbor for the sanding disks too?

Mark

 

[kirbykid]

i have no idea what a rubber arbor is but if it is that rubber wheel thing then yes i have it. the rubber cup things are put under the front wheels of the kirby to stop it from moving when you are using the handi butler. i would like 5 buck for the cups and the wheel plus shipping

 

[kirbykid]

do you think you could restore my hoover baby?

 

[kirbykid]

could you take a picture of the box that your handi butler came in? only some came with the rubber wheel thing. i just checked my stuff and i dont have an extra rubber wheel but your kit might not need one.

 

[mark_t]

My kit doesn't call for the rubber disk - it has the wire wheel instead. I was just wanting one so that I could use sanding disks with the Handi-butler. I thought it was strange that my kit came with sanding disks but no rubber wheel to mount them on, but apparently that's how some of the kits came.

Btw, are your rubber cups in classic brown?

 

[briankirbyclass]

The rubber cups are for to put under each FRONT wheel of the Kirby Motor, in order to steady the motor while using the Handi Butler, so that it wont go flying off the counter or bench.

 

[vacman1961]

An Oreck upright belt should work on the Handi Butler, from what I remember they are about the same size.


 

 

[mark_t]

Now there's some good info - thanks vacman!

 

[je]

Handi-Butler Box

Hey Kirby fans, how best to pack the original Handi-Butler boxes for the Omega? I can't quite fit everything in so the top of the box lies flat. Also, I need to get my Classic III jig/saber saw worked on - there's friction when the casing screws are in place. Thanks,
JE

 

[kirbyclassiciii]

For the very first Handi-Butlers (models 509 to early 518) the upright brush belt (159056) will work.

~Ben

 

[kirbyrama]

On the subject of Kirby Handi Butler----

I have just received a replacement flexible shaft from Ebay for a Kirby 519 model because the existing one would no longer spin freely. The threaded wheel shaft(on the grip end) of the replacement is thicker in diameter than the previous. None of the equipment from the "Tool Kit" would fit on the end of the shaft. I used a pliers to swap the threaded wheel shafts; it is easy to do; It just twists off of the grip . The point is that there were two different sized threaded wheel shafts on the red flexible shafts from models 518-561.

 

[VacManDan]

As for the belt, the one I used to have I recall just putting on regular Kirby Upright Belts...if you can't find those a belt for a Royal Upright MIGHT work...I had a vintage car and I used the handi-butler on a 518 to buff all the chrome (once removed from the car)....took a lot of trial and error to match up buffing wheels that would work. I went overboard and bought all my local Sears had when they discontinued them. If you can't find them let me know, as far as I know they're still hanging in my workshop in a shopping bag collecting dust.