Being the Canada's Thanksgiving weekend and having the Monday off (today) Dave (AeolianDave) endured the arduous 90 mi trek west along the freeway Sunday morning to participate in perhaps the first ever micro meet held in Canada at my place. No minutes were wasted after his arrival in order to go scout my favorite junk emporium in a little town not too far away. Within 60 seconds and about the same footage from the car to the front door we both had grabbed our first vac treasures. Much more was to be found inside. As you can see by the pictures of my trunk below some of it.

Back home, my back seat. We should have taken daves Legacy wagon :(

The day was boiling hot and humid in the high 80's and we were both soaked after loading the stuff from the trunk into my garage.. Here my little Ben gets a sniff of the action.

Probably the nicest find for Dave this 1963 Eatons Viking (Eureka) canister vac with all the acccesories and carrier and a beautiful intact hose. Nary a mark or scratch on it. Included was the original purchases receipt from Eatons Dept store dated and priced iirc about $72. Amazingly the original purchasers address was only about 3 blocks from where I live now.. we drove by the house but I'm sure they're long departed. Here's Dave with his new Viking

Here he has an unknown Monitor cylinder sans any hoses, wands attachments. Made by Monitor Appliances (Canada) Ltd, toronto ontario. If anyone knows anything about Monitor we'd sure like to know. Has a cool little logo above the name, A stylized boy skating on red roller skates. My guessing is that Monitor either folded or more so that they were bought out by Hoover since I have an old Monitor washer that looks amazingly similr to the first ever Hoover spin washer/dryers.

Well you got a peek at what was next. This fair condition Eureka Roto Matic canister in Canary yellow.

Dave took what had long left behind on previous forays I've made to that junk store and brought home this Connie. It looks one helluva lot nicer now that all the dirt has been removed from it, and the bottom tray isn't even rusted, remarkable.

Here Dave tries out his new Kirby Tradition. My sister actually picked this up for me at a garage sale on Saturday calling first from her cellphone to see if I wanted it. I didn't really because I already have a complete set Tradition but I figured someone would want it and sure enough it's got a new home. Needs a little TLC is all but it's running smooth and fine.

No indeed I didn't leave empty handed because this delightful flower power Kenmore Twin Fan had my name written all over it being the upright sort of guy I am.

We had a great evening dragging out most of my vacs from all different rooms in the house upstairs/downstairs. Once the living room was full we had to move downstairs to the rek room. Here's me looking ever so fabulous, always on the leading edge of fashion, trying out Daves wonderful GE Roll Easy which he brought along

From my better side LOL

WOW!! You found ALL that stuff in ONE DAY??! In ONE STORE??????!!! Amazing!!!

What a fantastic bunch of vacuum finds! I love the Roto Matic and the Monitor the most. Has anyone ever heard of an Elgin Standard? And can someone find any pictures of one?

Here Dave tries to find dirt under my side chair, as if there would be any, utilizing a 70's Eatons Viking (Eureka) orange canister.

OH and he brought that neat tester, we didn't write any of the results down unfortunately, but this old Filter Queen of mine got one of the highest scores and the proof is in the picture!!!!!

As well I forgot to take a single picture of Daves other buy at that junk store, a near complete 80's Filter Queen and a complete Filter queen attachment set with optional sudso guns, hair dryers, doo dads etc. I think there was massage cup as well but I didn't try it. I think you can see it in the garage photo above. Cleaned up real nice.

Dave is an amittedly "canister guy" and I'm the opposite so he got a good chance to try out the uprights. Here he's playing with the non power drive DAM but I think he found it a disappointment after having just used the power drive model LOL I think so too, ya gotta have power LOL

Dave brought along a few of his US Electroluxes for me to see. I'd never seen one in real life before. Very nice, very heavy I couldn't believe. Loved the bag ejectors. Not as quiet as the Canadian versions and as per Daves suck o meter not quite as sucky.

And this Canadian model, now I can't remember the model #

Dave trying out the Elux Side Kick for the first time with my Electrolux AP 280. We both concluded that my 280's hose has been shortened somewhere in its life. Anyways the Side Kick got two thumbs up from Dave.

Dave mastering the Classic III

Here we were comparing newest z88 to the one I found last week. Seems the one from last week is a trace weak on the suction side but it's Daves now and he can further investigate the innards later. Sounds fine, runs well, probably needs some cleaning in there somewhere. Oh if notice on the carpet in front of the white chair. That's a lovely pile of used coffee grounds conveniently dropped there by my little Ben while we were out vacuum hunting. You know it's true what they say about Border collies being the smartest dogs. He dug that out of the garbage in the kitchen.

Mystery attachment. Neither of us know what this is for, anyone know/guess. It's a full size floor like attachment metal, but has these rubber/vinyl rollers on the bottom?

Resting after the haul

As you all know from the Red 86/88 & red hose thread Pete kindly offered me his 88 bargain that came with the red tools he wanted. I had an extremely rare Sunday/Monday off and proposed to come over & pick it up. Yes, yes & yes and a done deal. Figured I haul along a few vacs he's not seen before. Weather forcasts Saturday night were for overcast with high rain threat. We had no inkling it was going to be a Sunny & hideously hot muggy weekend. As you've seen, the Gawds were smiling on us. A wee bit of pain for humungous gain. Seems fair in the end.

Besides the blue Monitor canister probably the object that almost blew the brains out my ears is that TURQUOISE HOSE!!!!!

You may have noticed it? :-) I swear it was blazing at me far across the room with an inner light & homing beacon. More to come...and how you too may locate one!

Yup, all but the Kirby Tradition in one store. Plus a plethora, a veritable cornucopia of attatchments and doo dads not shown.

I think it's called a Vibro-Groom...or is it Vibra-Broom...? :-) It is a Eureka attachment for cleaning carpet. It vibrates the carpet which loosens the grit and dirt. Nice finds, too!!

~~K~~

Its a FLOWBEE INT'L Hair Cutting hose. The human cutting head in this case has been modified with large nasty looking hedge clipper type reciprocating blades and is labeled a Pet Groomer. Runs on a plug in 15VDC AC adapter and makes a hell of a racket. The hose itself easily detaches from the head unit and yields a respectable 7.5 foot length. Obviously destined to grace the Roll-Easy, its a 1.5" OD plastic vacuum hose. (insert maniacal chortling)

Here's the Flowbee website headquartered in San Diego.

Yes, it vibrantly hued but with all the shades of turquoise on a Roll-Easy, its as perfect as yer gonna get, one thinks.

Turquoise Gentlemen and Ladies, let the friendly pestering of Flowbee Pet Division begin...

And here's a beautiful vintage 50's chrome Sunbeam Mixmaster Jr that Dave brought for me. It's in fantastic condition and even the Sunbeam decals are unscathed, a rarity when it comes to these little mixers.

o.k. hadn't seen you posting for a while. Looks like you had a great time. I've had a few micro meets and they are quite fun! Had one mini meet in Ohio...a blast!!!

Great pics... I have the same two filterqueens... very kooland alll the attatchments including the hair dryer...

are there any vacuums left to be had in that part of Canada?
My favorite is the Kenmore Twin fan!

Oh there's more I'm sure Jeff. Being Sunday and a holiday Monday all the thrift stores were closed so we didn't get to any of them. You'll just have to get your butt heading east one of these days. The twin fans nice isn't it if only for the bag, they're ok cleaners though but not my fave. That blue/turquoisey Viking Eureka though was "the" catch because it's still in such excellent condition.

The rug tool that has the rubber bands is teh Eureka Vibra Beat. The air rushing through the bands caused them to vibrate in order to loosen dirt from the rug. Sounds great in theory but it didn't work in reality. It was just noisy and the bands would sometimes stop if something large got stuck in them. Oh. and it was LOUD!!!!

I can't believe all those finds! What a great day!!!I do like the Eaton's Blue canister! The Monitor vacuum looks like a Kingston tank that we had here in the US.

Marty

Looks like the Canadian chapter of VCCC is up and running hehehe.

Blimey, what a lot of great finds! That must be some store. Looks like you both had an excellent time together, it's always brilliant fun to meet up with like-minded individuals!

Si

Why isn't the UK Chapter of the Hells Vacuums going yet, Simon?

:P lol

Pete/Dave

Looks like you had a great time with great vac finds! What is the model of the Eureka Rotomatic?

Gary

Darn I wished we tried that Eureka Vibra beat nozzle while it was here. I think we were both exhausted the next day from the unbearable humidity outside. I think I lost 5 lbs from sweating alone it was that awful. We hit a record 90 degs for Oct 8 and while that wasn't even the hottest day of the year I think it was the muggiest we had. The time sure went fast though and I think we stretched the Sunday night into the wee hours of 3 a.m. ish Monday morning and still never tried every machine.
The place we got all the stuff from is a treasure trove and you could spend hours, I have, poring through massive amounts of items, probably anything you can think of all in a semi structured jumble. We never even got to the thousands of books and old magazines, newspapers etc. I'm debating going back to grab an old 3 head Hamilton Beach Multimixer that weighs a ton. And there was a not bad looking Hoover apartment sized "Automatic" washer there as well, not the run of the mill washer/spin dryer and also a not bad looking small sized rotary iron

Wow great photos! I really like the 438 Connie! That one is a more rare model. It is kin to our 434 in the same colors of Canton red and white. The Canadian version, 438, was made later from 10.23.63 to 10.21.64 in the Hamilton plant. So this machine was only made for a year making it a harder model to find. Our version was painted differently (the bottom was Canton red and the top was white with white trim) and was only made from 8.9.61 to 10.20.61 here in North Canton.

Looks like you guys had a great time! You gotta love those mini meets!

--Tom

Nice haul guys, I'd like a meet like that one day..messing about with old vacs from foreign climes ;p

Alas, as usual i've got to keep the purse strings VERY tight.

Mmm, I've heard about the Vibrabeat and am gonna fire it up after I finish posting. Wheee...

Fascinating to have the 438 identified as Canada only issue, Tom. And thanks for the date & model info on that other thread.

I never really hankered after a Connie since all the ones I've seen over the years/decades are trashed, rusted out and severely dented or have furniture castors bolted to the rim by a helpful husband, one suspects.

Then I won an original two tone blue top swivel nozzle Connie in fair condition and cheap on eBay. Figured that's all I'd need. Famous last words.

But as we came around the building ( already pumped from finding the superb Viking 107) to the back yard of open shed roof bins, there it was...exposed to the open elements under mud, hay & organic debris beside the sad looking Eureka Roto-matic (which is a Model 910 C). I rooted them out into the sunshine, got down on my knees and discovered that all the pink rubber and the pink toggle switch, handle & rim were intact and good looking. The rim was just full of dried mud. And the all over Ivory (?) ball just looked so right set off with the pink accents. Sure, a few minor scratches to the ball's paint but no dents and the hose recepticle nameplate is flawless. Diving back into the stack of junque yielded two intact Constellation hoses and wands (with broken nylon latches, btw) and the complete hose for the Roto-Matic. Once again, under the grit & muck the Roto-Matic paint wasn't scratched too badly and the chrome top isn't pitted and the rubber rimmed cloth bag that fits over the motor was inside. Both original rubber cards in supple unspliced shape.

This is what we call a no brainer. They are unusual enough that I've never seen one in person and the likelyhood of obtaining them for the collection seemed slight. I've walked away from things only to find them gone a few days later. So...I think another week, probably in the rain, would have ruined them so I had to save 'em NOW! LOL

The next morning all the new vacs came out to the back deck one by one. I'd already inspected the hoses & fittings in Pete's garage workshop and shortened a Connie hose by 2" where it was split at the wand nozzle. A bit of soapy washing later, Pete magicly produced paper bags for the Hoover and the Eureka, we plugged 'em in and the hoses proved to be airtight and Suck-o-meter worthy.

Its still almost too much to comprehend the lovely vacuums I have on my livingroom floor now and gosh, I'm certainly not fussed about a bit of bottom pan rust you can't see from above anyway. We were surprised to hear all the motors run strong and quiet with reassuring long rundowns without squawking.

If the Connie represents a ringed planet Saturn, the Roto-Matic is a Vangard Satelite sent from Earth to orbit it.

Petek, really a great little meet. If you ever come across a Z88 lux, with tools for a decent price. I would like very much to have one in my collection. My Aunt that live Queenston, Ont. had one, w/power nozzle. Let me know if and when you ever do!
Norm Brown
Columbus, Ohio

I instantly recognized the Boots Boy figure on the Monitor canister vacuum.

This electric clock I found in London Ontario at least 25 years ago. There are 4 glass discs. The two inner ones are bonded like stained glass within toothed rims driven by two timeing gears in the shapely bakelite base. The clock face is 5.25" diameter. Keeps perfect time.

The aluminum baseplate reveals all.
To me the design elements of this clock and the vacuum and Pete's Monitor washer fairly shriek A Century Of Progress / World of Tommorow Chicago 1933 through 39. Note the sensuous casting of the vacuum's one piece cast handle and the way it flows back into the cast aluminum motor housing and switch. The die stamped aluminum spears behind the front latches have asubtle profile that graduates from a half-round flute to a 90 degree inside angle channel at its end where it hugs around the rear exhaust cap.

Refined Late Streamline Moderne.

Very nice Mystery Clock! I have one myself, although it's a Jefferson Golden Hour. It is now proudly sitting on a shelf downstairs plugged in. However, at the time of the picture, it was on my nightside table. Enjoy!

~~K~~

Ah HA... I found some Monitor info. They made radios as well, an interesting read about the clock etc.

Another good site showing the Monitor washer I have

Wow! That micro-meet looks like it was an enjoyable event for all! I cannot get over how many fabulous finds you picked up while thrifting! I think I need to plan a road trip and visit the canadian thrift stores.

One shelf unit almost full.

The polished and re-corded Monitor sharing Pride Of Place with early LX without adjustment dial...

Yes Charles, I salvaged an intact supple Beldon cord w lovely original plug from a trashed extra Spic-Span handvac after cutting off a 6" taped section at the motor end.

Dave look what I went back to get today LOL

And some pics

Pride Of Place On Top, naturally. :-)

Monitor motor ran free and easy. Cleaned the comutator and brushes. It pulls 55" on the Suck-o-meter, same as the LX. Much quieter than the LX on the Hum-O-Meter, tho'...

x

Yippee for you, Pete. Gosh, ain't chrome sparkly.

That long shot of the front yard of the building is gonne get folks' sap running. :-)

I put the newly washed & polished Kirby Tradition together tonight. Got a polisher/buffer mandrel setup for the hand drill a few days back. Luv it! I'm on a metal polish binge...

I guess that means I'll have to go to the downtown flea market this Sunday and pick up that Premier canister that's been sitting there for a year unspoken for. LOL

I'm going to use the handle from that red Sanitaire you saw in my garage on this blue EuroClean and whatever else is better and make a good EuroClean out of it.. They're exactly the same other than the name and color.

Hell yes, Pete and next time you spot one of those 'not so rare' chrome Fairfaxs...well, surely I need one of those, right? There's a 50/60's Space Pod/Jetsons theme that suits me very much there. Now that I have branched out beyond cylinders to Jet Age drum canisters.... LOL

Aeoliandave,

Love the vacuum shelf (and the vacuums on it of course). Perfect way to keep your collection organized, and the hoses off the floor. I was thinking about storage possibilities for my own, slowly expanding collection. I think I am going to get myself a vacuum shelf.

Pete,

I enjoyed the photos from the thrift store. It looks delightfully cluttered and disorganized, just the way I like 'em.

Thanks Debbie. I want many more similar shelf units but new ones run in the many hundreds of dollars so I intend to visit Used Restaurant Equipment stores to find open wire shelf units that are at least 24" deep.
As for hoses, I keep them coiled on the floor or looped over a 2 foot diameter carpet tube section hanging from the attic ceiling. As you've gathered from reading, its a big error to store them hanging over a door top or from the vacuum on end, since the hose weight puts a strain on a small area of rubber/cloth/coil section, even vinyl hoses. So please ignore the treatment of the hose on the LX. It was for picture purposes only.

It's a fun place Electrogirl, especially inside. There is so much stuff you can spend hours poking around. I got these two little gems today as well. An old Taylor oven thermometer made of metal and porcelain and this cool little japanese made transistor radio in very nice condition, the picture makes it looked marked, it isn't. Oh and some buffer pads for a floor polisher, not worth taking a picture of LOL

Oh and since I have Border Collies and always have had border collies and always will have Border Collies I found this wonderful Border Collie statue. It's actually very realistic just doesn't look it in the picture.

Aeoliandave,

Thanks for the info on the vacuum shelf, I never thought to look at restaurant supply stores. I did learn from reading this forum about the storage of the hoses. When I had my Ultralux, I never took the hose off and used to stand it up in the closet with the hose attached. I cringe when I think about it now. I am sure I probably damaged the hose (which was the woven type) because the Luxes that I have now seem to have much better suction.

I also like your idea of storing the hoses in carpet tubing. right now, I have the hoses disconnected from the vacuums and they are stretched out in a hallway that is used more as a closet. I live on the third floor of an old house and when you enter, you can either turn left and go thru this hallway into the living room, or walk forward, open the door to my computer room/den and go through there. My bedroom and office are "walk-through" rooms. The hallway is not needed and the vacs and hoses are not really noticeable from the livingroom, so it does not look unsightly, it almost looks like a closet without a door. For now it is working out, but I would love a vacuum shelf for display and organization purposes.

Pete,

Love the oven thermometer and little radio. The border collie does look very realistic. You should take a photo of it on your lawn, I bet people would think it was a real dog in the photos. When you put it in front of your dog/dogs, how do they react?

I really enjoy going to the junk stores that are like the one in your photos, it is so exciting spending hours combing through the chaos, unearthing treasures.