The Canadian Electrolux Triple Brush Polisher/Scrubber/Waxer Survey

[aeoliandave]

Decided this needed a new thread.

This polisher first appears in the 34 page 1953 Manual for the red skinned ZB 54 and the blue ZB 55.

Mechanical Maid was the Trademark. The brochure is printed in silver & blue on glossy stock with large B&W pictures and is simply stunning. It lists ands shows every friggin' accessory nozzle available, including the gray hammertone Air-powered Junior Floor Polisher (familiar as the American XXX Floor Polisher), Horse & Cattle, Furnace, Book, Library and Clothes brushes and use-specific crevice tools not standard and available at additional charge. Also 4 pages of Factory Assembly area photos.

I'm surprised to find I have not yet scanned and posted this manual...here's the cover.

 

[aeoliandave]

Gleaming top to bottom in Chrome and Polished Aluminum, note the lovely T-handle Balls and the Electrolux Globe Medallion.

 

[aeoliandave]

It makes its next appearence in the back pages of the 1957 Elux-o-matic 88 Owners Manual, once again in Chrome, but I suspect also in a matching Red, as Pete has this Polisher-only model version in Red. He'll have to look up the Model Designation Number for us...

I have the Red BX-10 Polisher with the attached Shampoo/Liquid Wax tank.

 

[aeoliandave]

The red BX-10 can bee seen in back of the Triple brush lineup.

 

[aeoliandave]

The new B style first appears, in Red & Cream, in the 1961 manual for the Eluxomatic ZB 88 with the white bumper surround. It is Model B-20.

 

[aeoliandave]

The green Model B-21 is shown on the back cover of the 1967 ZB 89 manual.
The machine starts when the handle is released and tilted back.

 

[aeoliandave]

The green B-21 is again mentioned in the 1969-70 Manual for the Elux-o-matic Model 89E with the trigger handle Power Hose.

 

[aeoliandave]

In the 1973 AP100 manual, it is now called the Model B-22 and is color matched in shades of biege & cream, with a restyled shiny aluminum Logo strip in a rubber 'frame' around the motor housing.

The Liquid Level window is now moved to the front of the tank; the Green B-21 window is on the tank's backside, not viewable while in motion.

 

[aeoliandave]

The brown & cream Model B-26 I got from Pete appeared in 1978, matching the AP-280.

This photo of the AP-280 from Doug's site.

 

[aeoliandave]

Up until now, the Polisher Motor deck has been of cast Aluminum with a plastic motor shroud.

The B model polisher soldiers on and appears again as the Model B-50 with an all plastic one piece top deck and motor shroud, on this page of the 1982-85 E-2000 Cleaner

 

[aeoliandave]

The 'beater for parts' Model 2101 I'm salvaging bits from is dark grey/green & cream and is a color match for the 1985-87 Electrolux 2100 in Jadestone.

 

[normvac]

Thanks Dave. That is a great visual history of the lux polisher and cleaners. Enjoy seeing the differences.
Norm

 

[luxg]

Thanks Dave for those neat pictures. I just love the matching sets!!

 

[aeoliandave]

Anatomy of a Floor Polisher

The donor B-2021 gave up its gears tonight.

The two helical cut gears in the Green B-21 had shattered to pieces and in this picture the discs have been cleaned off. The remaining gear is already showing stress cracks and missing teeth. The shafts are an integral part of the gears and so all 3 must be replaced. This involves prying off the sealing caps rings on the other side with a slot screwdriver inserted between the gear disc and the plate. While I could use this 2021 plate as is, its the wrong color, cheaper plastic and is stamped Model B-2021. I want this Green B-21 to be as original as possible. Duh.

 

[aeoliandave]

Donor gears in place.

 

[aeoliandave]

Underside with bottom plate attached. Sealing rings not yet pressed in place.

Tank solution (water/shampoo/wax)flows down the tube in the previous picture to the thin slot by the center of the spindle on the left where it is flung about by the rotating brush heads.

 

[aeoliandave]

Top of the motor plate. Gear axles are C-clipped in pace in their own lube wells. The wells are stuffed with oil saturated granular wool and capped.

 

[aeoliandave]

The cordwinder donut.

 

[aeoliandave]

Screwed in place the cordwinder contacts press to the motor's.

The cordwinder cap has 3 rollers that keep the reel pressed in place against the winder spring gears.

 

[aeoliandave]

Cap is held in place with 3 spring clips. The switch is contained in the cap and is weighted open & on. The handle presses the switch to off when locked upright.

Electrolux's modular method makes servicing & replacement of components a snap.

 

[aeoliandave]

Metal deck in place awaiting plastic motor hood.

 

[aeoliandave]

All together running & looking like new.

 

[collector2]

Sigh - ok - I'm not a fan of polishers or shampooers but here's the Candian list. The new shampooers/polishers usually came out 6 months to a year after the matching machine as they didnt sell as many and, consequently, had alot of the old stock to get rid of.

The first Candian polisher was the BA5 - chrome with dark reddish brown trim and grey hilight. It was sold from about 1950-55.

The second one was the BX5 - same machine but chrome with brown trim and tan/yellow hilights to match the ZB57. It was sold from 1955 - 58.

The third one was the B10 - red with cream trim to match the 80 series machines. Its run was 1958 to about 1965. This machine introduced the concept of using a polisher as a shampooer with the addition of a shampoo tank.

Around 1965 came the first radical change - the B20. Also red and cream colored it featured a retractable cord, and floding handle as well as a very modern design which was to survive till the late 1980's. Its run lasted till 1968 when the B21 (in green) replaced it.

From there on the models were:

B22 - tan and white (1973-1975)
B23 - yellow and white (some may be found in gold as well to match the super J - which was sold while our vacuum factory was on strike) (1976 - 1979)
B28 - chocolate brown and white (1979 - 1983)
B50 - Almond and tan (1983 - 1985)
2101 - Taupe and Grey (1987-1989)
2101 - Jadestone blue and Grey (1985-1987)
Special Edition 2101 - wine and grey - mall show special machine - no cord reel(1988 - 1990)

These dates are all off the top of my head so I may be out by a year on some. (I only worked on them - didnt collect them)

Doug

 

[aeoliandave]

Thankyou for chiming in with brilliant information, Doug.

Compared to freestanding double disc polishers, triple brush models are inherently stable. All polishers are meant to be guided across the floor 'floating', not pushed. but when pushed & pulled the doubles tend to tip over and 'dig' in.

I just think Electrolux's compact futuristic styling is unmatched in the washer/polisher/scrubber/waxer & even sander world of domestic toil.

Of course, you can accomplish the same thing with a bucket, hand brush, mop & squeegee but 'Better Living Through Electricity', ya know.

 

[elux89]

Dave,

Thank you for the excellent pics and description. Much appreciated. I happen to own a widetrack (2101) in the taupe color. These gears are no longer supplied by electrolux. If you are ever in need of new replacement gears, go to www.ttparts.ca This wholesaler started carrying them about a year or two ago. Rumour has it that each gear is wholesaling for around $90 CDN. Yikes!!

A couple of weeks ago I picked up the newer Aerus/Lux style shampooer/polisher at a thrift store for $10. (about 12 years old) Thought I got a good deal until I opened it. Oil all over. These newer style ones, the motor is mounted on it's side, running into a gear box, which in turn rotates the gear which has a cogged belt turning all three gears. I much prefer the older style.

Vernon

 

[aeoliandave]

$90 each!

This is why there will always be dedicated junk collectors like myself who haul home dead & dubious junk from the curbside - so there will be spare parts for the restorable machines that come our way.

The green B-21 deserved it - it was found in its original carton with the shampoo guard and drip tray as well as a full compliment of brushes & pads and the cardboard storage caddy.

 

[aeoliandave]

Triple Polisher addendum

The afore mentioned red Electrolux triple polisher only Model BX-10. This is Pete's. He gave me the second red BX-10 that has the additional Solution Tank for wax dispersion.

 

[elux89]

Dave,

Have you had the chance to work on the newer lux floor pros?? Just wondering which one you prefer. I think the older gear driven style is better than the new belt one.

Vernon

 

[quebecois]

I know this is a 10 years old post, but I just had a B28 in hands yesterday, just long enough to dig into it and see two out of three drive gears fallen in pieces.

I also just saw a BX-10 with its tank for sale this evening and I wonder if it is equipped with the same cheap gears or something else more durable.