The mysterious Kenwood/Goblin/Philips/Delonghi upright

[jmurray01]

Very interesting!

 

[gsheen]

No it was very frustrating,  the language barrier was huge. 15 trips in one year over there not fun to finalise a product.


I was so glad when my next assignment was a product from Eureka from the states, they were so much more willing to make any changes we needed 

 

[jmurray01]

So what exactly was it you were doing at the time, job wise, to make you be going and suggesting changes be made in Vacuum Cleaners ?

I'm just curious, that's all.

 

[gsheen]

product engineer, our market in SA is unique so often changes need o be made to import vacuums. 

 

[jmurray01]

Ah I see.

 

[gsheen]

when you have a range of vacuums that all use 32 mm attachments you want to try and keep it that way to minimise spares layout and so on, that type of thing, product testing , and of cource seeing if the product will suit our market. the real frustrating part was after all the work had been done months spent sorting out finer details the big wigs decide to cancel the product. FUN  

 

[vintagerepairer]

Some things to throw into this excellent thread, if I may. The Goblin / Aquavac cleaner was around as 'Aqua Vac' before Shop Vac acquired the Goblin brand. It was after this that it got the name Goblin-Aqua vac and Goblin. The Kenwood version was sold in two versions, the first being a standard cleaner and the other electronic. They looked identical except for the addition of a dial on the front top panel of the electronic machine and I think the motor was slightly more powerful in terms of watts.

During the 1990's, some home-catalogue companies had the Philips style cleaner for sale under the brand names M-Tec and Karshima. These names were not exclusive to any specific manufacturer as they were put on many types of appliance by many manufacturers. Some of the cylinder cleaners bearing these names were in fact made by the same Polish company who supplied cleaners under the Spinney and Rotel brand.

 

[vintagerepairer]

Sorry I also forgot to say that the Delonghi version was in the shops long before 1996. It was one which if my memory serves me correctly was seen in the Index catalouge stores, though I think the early models had plastic extension tubes.

 

[turbo500]

Sorry, but I have to disagree. Mine is definitely at 35mm fit. A friend of mine just got a NIB Delonghi Combi 800 and that is also a 35mm fit.

Benny, I remember the M-tec. It was sold through littlewoods I believe. My aunt had one for a short time in black and chrome

 

[jmurray01]

Not to start going on about the 35mm VS 36mm again, but on eBay I can't find a single item for "36mm upholstery tool" but can find a fair few (48 to be specific) for "35mm upholstery tool".

I don't believe we had any 36mm fitting Vacuum Cleaners here in the UK.

 

[gsheen]

Interesting 

 

[jmurray01]

Maybe you are measuring 36mm by going from the outer edges of the hose rather than the inside ?

 

[vintagerepairer]

I have to say that 36mm is a new one on me too, though I suppose it could depend on which end of the tube one is measuring.

 

[jmurray01]

I'd presume he is measuring the widest end of the tube, the end where the hose inserts.

 

[ultralux88]

Oh I’ve always wanted to dredge up and old thread

With something genuinely interesting and relevant. A couple weekends ago Colin visited from Omaha, and we went thrifting... found something interesting!

 

[huskyvacs]

Wow, that's a unique observation there, they really did use that old British mold. I wonder how they got it, and what made them think of all vaccums out there that it would be something worthwhile to re-introduce the mold for?