Wireless Vac-u-ette

[cb123]

About polish

To scared to polish them on my machine, so I polished them by hand. It's to easy to hit the tag with all of them curves. It will drag the buffing wheel right into them.

 

[nubz3760]

I use dremel with a buffing wheel on my royals. it makes it easier to get into tight places

 

[cb123]

About buffing

What is dremel?

 

[cb123]

Vacuette fan

Sadly, this is from a broken, new wireless vacuette fan, which was replaced with a Hoover model 28, that I got for a friend.

 

[cb123]

Backside of fan

...and rather heavy too. Notice the water line.

 

[cb123]

Oil can

Scott & Fetzer sanitation oil can (1928).

 

[caligula]

Hi cb123.

This is truly awesome!

And I thought I knew a lot about Kirby, both the man and his machines, but I'm absolutely blown away, thanks for posting this.

While I've seen pictures of the Ezee, which I knew as the Grasshopper, I never got a chance to see one up close. And that Vacuette Electric, amazing!

As you have a lot rare Kirby memorabilia I have to ask if you were a dealer, distributor, or otherwise involved with the inner workings of Kirby and or Scott & Fetzer? And speaking of Kirby memorabilia, I'm wondering if you've read the pamphlet about Jim Kirby by Lowell Thomas? That of course is "The Man Who Revolutionized The American Home," It was through that pamphlet that I first learned the background on James B. Kirby.

As he was a very private man, I know absolutely nothing about his personal life. I think he was married, but when, to whom and the dates are not known, nor if he had any children/grandchildren.

You've set in motion a whole slew of questions. As a former Kirby training manager, and Kirby historian I'm completely overwhelmed with all this. As a man who loves to research the one and two person pumpers, hand crank, and other non electric's, I think you can provide a lot of information that I've missed over the years.

Once again thanks for letting me see a side of Kirby that I never knew.

Alex Taber.

 

[oreck_xl]

Does anybody out there have a full-size Eeze, or for that matter an Aer-Rotor? And what was the purpose of the Kirby Utility? Was it simply a hand vacuum or did it convert to other things like its upright kin? I know anything pre-war Kirby is highly collectible.

- Hershel

 

[cb123]

James Kirby- The early years

James was born in Richfield, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland. In his early teens, not more than 13 he was hailed as another Edison, and henceforth he was dubbed the (Wizard of the west-side) by the national press. Because, by this time he was indeed a wizard when it came to all things mechanical. By 1900 James found himself the soul proprietor of a inconsequential engine shop- in the before mentioned town, and some 6 years later he witnessed a clunker of a cleaner truck vacuuming carpets of his poor and put out neighbor- and at once, after he studied the mechanism, he thought to himself, that he indeed could refine the bulky 10 ton beast into something much smaller and dexteritous- nimble around corners, and thus was born the "garbage can" type vacuum cleaner. I'll write more latter.

 

[cb123]

James Kirby

James Kirby

 

[nubz3760]

calem, I dont really know how to describe a dremel. its like an air tool, but electric. its handheld and can take cutting, grinding, sanding, and buffing bits. kinda of like the flex shaft on a handi-butler

 

[caligula]

Hi cb123

Thanks for the enlarged picture of James B. Kirby. The information you provided I already knew, in fact I've written an 8 page bio on Jim Kirby, but what I don't know is his personal life. Wife, children and so on. As far as I know he was born in September 1885, and died in June of 1971. I also knew and wrote about his interest with the massive carpet cleaning machine that had hoses snaked through the house.

I have a book on the history of Cleveland, Ohio. Both Jim Kirby as well as Scott & Fetzer, but nothing on Mr. Kirby's wife and kids.

Thanks for sharing.

Alex.

 

[caligula]

Hi cb123.

James B. Kirby was of Scottish background as am I.

 

[cb123]

Nice1925 Cleveland

Nick, Thanks, for the information on the mini buffer; and by the way that's the oldest Cleveland I believe I've ever seen. It looks to be in superb condition too. The logo on the kirby looks like a 3R- a 1939 upright, and that's a rare bird by any standard.

 

[cb123]

50's Kirby songs

Alex and Nick, here's some Kirby salesmen songs from 1956. The year of Kirby's 50th anniversary of Jim's cyclone, and at the time the 516 was the thing to buy.

 

[cb123]

Kirby 516

The incomparable 516!

 

[nubz3760]

cleveland

Its the only cleveland I've ever seen! Do you have any more info on it?

 

[caligula]

Hi cb123

That Kirby 516 is what I have now, but with a replacement bag. The bag on mine is beige with little Kirby logo's in red. I've seen this print in brown, and green, but I'm not sure if it's authentic Kirby or not. Actually, I've got a 517 but other than the bag, is exactly the same.

That Kirby is showing signs of age, the rubber gaskets in the sani-em-tor, and the dirt tray are both baddly worn, handle spring is sprung, light bulb is out, the bearings are almost shot, and the power switch tends to stick. Also, I didn't bring the hose or attatchments, so it's just the basic upright. All of these are minor repairs of course, but I can't justify the cost, especially as live in the back hills of Pa., and the nearest vacuum cleaner shop 60 miles away! There's a club member who's selling his Kirby Classic 111, and it has all the bells and whisles, so I'm leaving the 516 alone and getting the Classic 111.

As for those Kirby songs, I know them well! Several weeks ago there was a thread 'Does anyone own or work in a vacuum shop?' I contributed a lot of posts to that thread, telling some of my adventures as a Kirby training manager. The songs posted here were some of the ones I sang daily at sales meetings. It was nice to see a page from that song book again.

 

[cb123]

Alex

Alex, I was never affiliated with the vacuum cleaner industry, I just admire the Kirby's form and function. I also see a lot of other vintage vacuums in the same light. They or not only fascinating, but beautiful in design. I wish I could answer deeper question about Kirby's past, because, I do not really know. We've probably read all the same limited books. A thought has accrued to me, perhaps with you. Just maybe you could check for marriage certificates or know someone from that state that could check. They should be public domain and available, even back to that era, or the newspaper's marriage announcements- if it still exists. Death announcements could also glean important information.

 

[tolivac]

The Dremal tool is a high speed,hand held electric hand grinder that can be used for other jobs besides hand and die grinding.The device was invented by a Mr Dremel-now the name,patents are owned by Emerson-Skil tools.The tool is really nothing more than a small universal motor with a chuck or collet on it to hold the various tools used with the machine.They are handy-just about any tool user has one.You can still get them-and in kits-from Lowes,Home Depot,and other places that sell tools.Ad yes-a flexible shaft is available for a Dremel too to convert it to a flexible shaft machine.You can hang the motor at your bench or work area and chuck the worktool in the handpeice and use it that way-good for tight places where it would be hard to get the hand held motor tool in-We use them out here for filing arc marks and holes out of the parts in our transmitters.Does the job quickly and better than hand held files or sanders.And other power tool makers build tools similar to Dremels-it all boils down too-generically the device is a hand held die grinder.Highly recommended for working on vacuums and other work.
A bizarre use for the Dremel tool motor-for lab work they are used to power homogenizers-a device for grinding animal,plant,human tissue samples for lab testing.Lab,science, suppliers sell this version.