Thread Number: 1082
Engagement of Hoover and Electrolux 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 10885   3/14/2007 at 11:03 (6,246 days old) by laspirateur ()        

I feel like a traitor!!!

After receiving my first vintage Hoover Tool Kit, I am struck by how vastly superior the old Hoover above the floor cleaning tools are to the old Electrolux'es. I feel awful saying this, because I still respect the design and innovativeness of the Elux tools (and will still collect them) but, overall, in lightness, convenience and utilisation, the Hoover tools beat out the Electroluxes by far. I like their lightness, those insanely satiny aluminum wands are supple and featherweight, the hoses are also very light and not susceptible to the fraying that besets the Elux hoses. Also, the Hoover tools have a positive locking interconnection that compare very favorably to the feeble friction coupling of the Elux tools that puts them way ahead in my (and I guess CU's estimation). And even though the Hoover dust brush and floor brush are ordinary by design comparison to the Elux'es, they do the job.

Here's a question to you experts: is there any way I could adapt the Hoover tools to an Electrolux cleaner? Would their be a way to retrofit an Electrolux machine-end coupling onto a Hoover hose?? Have any of you done that? Miss Hamilton gave me great instructions for removing the hose ends from an Elux braided hose, but now I'm interested in replacing the machine end of a Hoover hose with a machine end of an Electrolux hose so I can use the Hoover tools with my cannisters? Any suggestions welcome.

Post# 10887 , Reply# 1   3/14/2007 at 12:50 (6,246 days old) by ian88 ()        

Well as I say, Hoover pretty much invented the modern vacuum cleaner..leave it to the masters ;p

heh that'll ruffle some feathers.

Ian

Post# 10890 , Reply# 2   3/14/2007 at 20:10 (6,246 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        

I have done it, sort of. I have a hoover hose that I put on a rainbow end. I used a hose from a spare front-end convertible hose. All I did was pull of the hoover end and screw the hose into the rainbow end. If the hoover hose was brown instead of white it might pass for original.
I also replaced a rotten electrolux woven hose with an extra rainbow hose I had. First I took the woven hose out of the end and then I pulled the metal cover off of the rainbow end. Then I just pushed the rubber that was left on the end of the rainbow hose into the electrolux end. It looks a little hokey, but it works. Not too much different than my bojack vinyl electrolux hose.
If you put it all together you could get one hose from three!
Or you could go with plan B: hot glue!
Nicholas


Post# 11753 , Reply# 3   4/1/2007 at 17:57 (6,228 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        
Update!

 I've done it! For real this time!
All you need to do is take an Electrolux machine end and remove the rotten woven hose. (I wouldn't want to ruin a good original hose.) Then take a Hoover hose from a convertible front converter. Just twist the hose and converter so that the tabs and hose are disengaged. Then push the Hoover hose into the Lux end. Fits like a glove. The friction fit holds it in fine; with no air leaks. I didn't even use any glue. This way you can put the Hoover hose back on the converter if you ever need to.
Nicholas

Post# 11756 , Reply# 4   4/1/2007 at 18:43 (6,228 days old) by myhooverco ()        

Hey...I had the same idea. I was talking to Buffalo Joe about this same situation. I just got as a gift from Jimmy (FilterFlo) this beautiful Lux 1205...now I know I am a Hoover guy through and through but nothing beats a Lux for quiet performance. Thank you Jimmy for this great machine. It runs very well just like it should. However, I have to admit...I do not like the Lux tools. So Buffalo Joe suggested a piece of "bojack" vinyl hose (non-electric) with a Hoover end. I will have to let you know how it turns out. I really only want a good strong canister for my hardwood floors. I like the Hoover floor brush. This way my upright Convertible and my Lux canister can share the same set of tools. I can also make the hose as long as I like too which appeals to me...I hate my Convertible hose it is so short for any serious job. Thanks again Jimmy for the machine and Buffalo Joe for the idea.

--Tom

Post# 11757 , Reply# 5   4/1/2007 at 18:46 (6,228 days old) by myhooverco ()        

Here is a close up of the cover...thanks also to Jimmy for this green, gold, and orange shag rug. It fits perfectly in the "display" room and is a lot of fun to vacuum. He told me that his parents bought it for their home in 1975 at Sokol's in downtown Akron, OH. It is in perfect shape...and did I mention that it is fun to vacuum???

--Tom

Post# 11758 , Reply# 6   4/1/2007 at 18:47 (6,228 days old) by myhooverco ()        

Here I am vacuuming it!

--Tom

Post# 11842 , Reply# 7   4/2/2007 at 23:01 (6,227 days old) by portable (Corvallis, OR)        
Stylin'!

 portable's profile picture
Tom, that's might fine shag carpetin'. I used to clean house for a friend (with his D-a-M) and, each time before I left, had to rake the rug as I walked toward the door. His was green and blue. By the way, that is a gorgeous yellow and paisley Convertible behind you. (1070?) I've always wanted to get back the one I got rid of in the 70s. Such a beauty!

Post# 11876 , Reply# 8   4/3/2007 at 07:27 (6,227 days old) by timborow (Georgia)        
Lux

I have recently tried some different floor tools on my Lux Super J. I always thought that the original tool would be better, but have found that others do clean rugs better. The Lux floor tool I have came with the Super J when it was new. I wonder if the older tools that came with models E-L were better and cleaned the rugs better? If the Lux were my only cleaner, I would hate to know that I had to vacuum all the time using that flip over tool--I think it might turn me against vacuuming. Does anyone have a list of the best floor tools on vintage vacuums. I really like the GE tool that came with the Swivel-top.
Tim

Post# 11887 , Reply# 9   4/3/2007 at 11:10 (6,226 days old) by buffalo-joe ()        
We'll make it work....

 Yes, I can make up a nice Lux/Hoover crossover hose. Its amazing what you can do with a roll of bulk vinyl hose, hose cuffs and the correct hose ends. Add a splash of Plummers Goop adhesive and You'll be Hoovering with that Lux soon, Tom.

Joe

Post# 11888 , Reply# 10   4/3/2007 at 13:20 (6,226 days old) by charles~richard ()        
Well, I think it's more a matter of personal preference

 and experience than anything else. I like the Electrolux floor tool very much. The earlier version that came with the E, AE and early F was not as good as the later one -- the rug side was changed significantly and it did improve. But, granted, this nozzle doesn't do all that great job of cleaning rugs, but, really, what straight-suction nozzle does?! You really need a motor-driven brush to thoroughly clean carpets and rugs.

I do love using the old XXX rug nozzle because it's so pretty and I love the loud WHOOSH that it makes when you lift it from the rug. That particularly fascinated me when I was a kid.

I'd have to say, if I was using a Hoover tank or canister, or probably any other make, on any sort of long-term basis, I'd probably find myself doing the reverse -- figuring out a way to connect Electrolux tools to it!

One tool that I think no one will argue about is the Electrolux combo dusting-upholstery brush. It's just terrific, and to think it really hasn't been changed other than slightly in terms of aesthetics since it first appeared in 1954! Both sides of it work splendidly, although, here again, a motor-driven brush like the Sidekick etc. will do a much more thorough job on your sofa than any straight-suction tool.

I could give a list of the brands of tools that I hate, but that would probably start a food fight so I'll keep mum about that, hahaha!

Post# 11979 , Reply# 11   4/4/2007 at 19:19 (6,225 days old) by laspirateur ()        
on that note:

 Well, this is why I wrote that I feel treacherous. But I'm getting tired of having some of the older tools for the Elux slip off of the hose connections and I find, in general, that the Hoover tools are very much lighter and more maneuverable than the Eluxes.and, again, I like the positive connectors on the Hoover tools that the Elux tools never quite got right. The Elux tools definitely have more style and I'm finding that as I collect them, I really would rather preserve the Elux tools and use the Hoover tools. Does this make me a bad person? Probably, but that's just that. Also, when I got my first CANADIAN Electrolux, and used its tools, I was impressed with how much better some of those tools were, like the bare floor tool and the upholstery tool. Interesting were the Canadian and American Electrolux tools converge and diverge. Patent issues, I would assume. Also interesting to note that the extendible wand on the Canadian model, which predates the 1205, is clearly its progenitor.

I read somewhere that the Electrolux double-duty floor tool (E, AE- onward) and the double-duty upholstery brush/dust brush were designed by the Eamses. Is this true??

...and damn you, Miss Crawford, get as mad as you want at that dirt but it stays right where it is!

Post# 11990 , Reply# 12   4/4/2007 at 20:11 (6,225 days old) by charles~richard ()        
"Does this make me a bad person?"

 Not at all! At least, not to me. Part of the fascination and fun of "hobnobbing" with other collectors is talking about their preferences and their experiences. This is enlightening, educational and informative.

Before I met other collectors (before I even knew they existed!), I was a bit of a snob regarding Electrolux and Kirby. Why? Because those two makes were, by a long shot, what I saw most as a kid. I remember seeing only a handful of Hoovers and even fewer of other brands and really didn't care about those makes.

But meeting Stan Kann, John Lucia, and others, certainly was an eye-opener regarding the fabulous lineage of that company -- from the early quaint-looking machines that resemble farm machinery up to the sublime Convertibles, I have certainly come to appreciate that company's output.

And I had never seen any of the Machine Age beauties such as the Premier Grand, Singer R1, R2 and R3, the Kenmore Imperial, etc., until I met Stan. Another eye-opener and now I have about a dozen machines from that era.

And so on.

It -is- true that the early Electrolux floor and rug tools can have a tendency to slip off if you don't attach them securely. This issue was finally addressed in 1956 with the AE.

As to Eames having designed the combo tools, I dunno but I kinda doubt it for two reasons. 1, in all these years I have never heard this; 2, Eames as far as I know did not do any other work for Electrolux - so why would they have hired someone of his stature to design two lowly attachments?!

The only "brand name" industrial designers who worked for American Electrolux [that were ever given credit, that is] were Raymond Loewy and Lurelle Guild.

Some European designers (Sixten Sason, etc.) did work for European and Swedish Electrolux but none of these did any work for American machines.

Post# 12007 , Reply# 13   4/5/2007 at 07:08 (6,225 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)        
Lux telescopic wand

 countryguy's profile picture
Was the telescopic wand only available on Canadian models? When did Lux stop making them? I know by the time I bought my first lux - an AP280 - in 1981 the wand was no longer telescopic. I remember first seeing it when my mom had a lux ZB89 demonstrated to her back in the late 60s. The hose did not have the built in wiring but instead was attached with clips. My dad wouldn't buy the vacuum because it was $275 (including power nozzle) and he said there was no way he would pay that much for a vacuum cleaner!

Post# 12016 , Reply# 14   4/5/2007 at 14:56 (6,224 days old) by charles~richard ()        
Lux Telescoping Wand

 The second American 1205 had the telescoping wand. (The first 1205 still had the PN1 with the long, permanently attached plastic wand.) However, the "catch" that locks the telescoping wand in place is flimsy and is easily broken.

Some friends gave me a 1205 a few years ago that was practically flawless, except for the wand - the telescoping version. The catch was broken and the wand was all taped up around the middle to hold it in place.

Before I got that 1205, I had never seen that type of 1205 wand so I asked around about it and found out why it was discontinued -- because of the defective locking catch.

The next version was the one with the steel wand covered with the plastic sheath. This wand is very heavy. I have never much cared for that type of wand. It's tiring to use for a very long period of time, especially if you use it with one of those short, woven electric Electrolux hoses. I guess Electrolux was trying to get America in shape by making it a physical challenge to vacuum, haha!

Post# 12021 , Reply# 15   4/5/2007 at 16:42 (6,224 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)        
Lux Telescopic Wand

 countryguy's profile picture
The catch still works great on my telescopic wand. Sometimes how long something lasts is very much dependent on the user. Obviously whoever owned my Lux before me took good care of it.

Post# 12022 , Reply# 16   4/5/2007 at 17:13 (6,224 days old) by charles~richard ()        
Telescoping Wand

 True, how long something lasts has a lot to do with how people treat it. I've told many times about how my mom, after vacuuming with her Model AE, would just open the hall closet and throw the whole thing in, not taking apart the hose and attachments and not even winding up the cord. Her reasoning was, "I'll be using it again in 2 or 3 days - why take it all apart when I'll just have to put it all back together again? That she went through, oh, maybe a half-dozen or so hoses in the time she had it says it all.

But with the 1205's telescoping wand, its design was apparently defective enough that the catch would break even in some cases with people using reasonable care. Not my assessment but Electrolux's, given that they changed the wand after a very short time. 1205s with the telescoping wand are quite scarce. I've only ever seen a couple of them since the first one I found.

Post# 12067 , Reply# 17   4/6/2007 at 11:12 (6,223 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)        
Telescopic Wand

 countryguy's profile picture
What year did the 1205 no longer have a telescopic wand? I remember my aunt had an AP280, bought in the mid 70s I think and it still had the telescopic wand.

Post# 12071 , Reply# 18   4/6/2007 at 12:42 (6,223 days old) by charles~richard ()        
I am not sure exactly

 how long the telescoping wand lasted on the 1205 but it couldn't have been for very long. As I said, I never saw one until many years later, but when the 1205 first came out I still lived in a rural area of Virginia where the Electrolux man still regularly made his rounds.

He came by one day to show Mama the new 1205, but since she had just gotten the tan G a year or so before, she was not interested. I am certain that it had the sheathed wand because I remember seeing the cord coming up from the power nozzle to the back of the sheath where it was connected, and I thought it looked kinda tacky. (What does a 13-year-old know?!)

This would have been in 1969 or early 1970, as we moved from there to Annapolis, Maryland in the spring of 1970.

There was an Electrolux branch office in Annapolis where I had a most unfortunate encounter with a very unsavory Electrolux man. 'nuff said about that. But the point is that the 1205 was of course still the "model of the hour" and the machine in the front window had the sheathed wand.

Post# 12089 , Reply# 19   4/6/2007 at 23:33 (6,223 days old) by frkirby511 ()        
That's about right Charles-Richard...

 ...because the summer of 1970 was my first summer selling Electrolux out of the branch in Scranton, PA. I had just completed my freshman year of college seminary.

At the beginning of the summer we were still selling the telescopic wands; but by the end of the summer they had begun to switch to the long metal wand with the plastic sheath. I think different branches got them at different times depending on the stock they had. I don't think the transition was simultaneous at every branch.

But the telescoping wand latch was not the only problem with that particular set up. The other problem was the plug at the end of the early pistol grip electric hose. It kept shorting out. In fact that was a bigger problem than the latch on the wand. So the hose with the goose neck and cord replaced it.

Actually I liked that set up better myself. The goose neck handle on the hose makes a much better reach than that pistol grip. Of course, sometimes the cord from the hose end to the power nozzle wand could get tangled but not often.

The same was true for the Model L The switch to the gooseneck hose end and the metal wand and sheath was at the same time.

Also we were putting a lot of these metal wands on the Model G power nozzles because the all plastic sheath of the earlier power nozzle tended to crack...a lot! It was very common to be cold canvassing and run into a Model G and have to replace the wand.

Anyway...those are very vivid memories for me.


Post# 12550 , Reply# 20   4/13/2007 at 21:01 (6,216 days old) by buffalo-joe ()        
The Operation Was A Success

 Well, Tom and I successfully grafted a convertible tufflex hose onto his 1205. Now Tom can happily use his Hoover tools with his Electrolux in daily cleaning. Here is a couple of pics with the Lux/Hoover in my living room. Sadie my dog is objecting. Is she a purist? No, Sadie hates ALL vacuums. How did I end up with a dog that hates vacuums. That's another thread.

Post# 12551 , Reply# 21   4/13/2007 at 21:03 (6,216 days old) by buffalo-joe ()        
A Closeup

 A closer look at the hose graft....

Post# 12573 , Reply# 22   4/14/2007 at 08:42 (6,215 days old) by laspirateur ()        
How?

 Please tell me/us how you made that graft--this is EXACTLY what I would like to do.

1. How did you remove the electolux machine end coupler from its original hose and,

2. How did you splice the hoover hose onto it??

Post# 12584 , Reply# 23   4/14/2007 at 16:43 (6,215 days old) by myvacsrock (USA)        

hey maybe you can even wire it up to use a windtunnel power head for amazing cleaning ability!!

Post# 12587 , Reply# 24   4/14/2007 at 19:15 (6,215 days old) by charles~richard ()        
A Divine Creature

 "I have almost achieved perfection you see, of a divine vacuum cleaner that is pure, harmonious, absolutely incapable of any malfunction. And if in my tinkering I have fallen short of the perfect form by the brush, wand, or hose, it really is of no great importance." -- Dr. Moreau (The Island of Dr. Moreau) [paraphrased, of course!!]

Post# 12591 , Reply# 25   4/14/2007 at 21:09 (6,215 days old) by buffalo-joe ()        
Elux Hose.........

 To remove the end of the Lux hose, I took an old, frayed hose and with a hacksaw and wire cutters, cut the end off. Then, using needle nose pliers, pull the wire out of the hose material remaining in the coupler. Then you just work the old material out of the coupler with screwdrivers and needle nose pliers. There is a sheet metal piece that retains the hose and it has to be pulled out as well. Then you take a 1 1/4 inch hose cuff and glue it into the Lux hose end. Now you can twist on any hose that will fit. I hope to get pics someday and I'll post the process again.

Joe

Post# 12608 , Reply# 26   4/15/2007 at 06:21 (6,215 days old) by laspirateur ()        

Thank you, Miss Hamilton, I will take that as a cautionary. After all, I wouldn't want to repeat Dr. Frankenstein's mistake.

Post# 12627 , Reply# 27   4/15/2007 at 12:12 (6,214 days old) by charles~richard ()        
heh heh

 Well, Dr. Moreau wasn't Frankenstein. He was a mad scientist who experiments with mixing animals up, and then mixing them with humans, to create new beings. Things get messy when the "manimals" figure out what's going on, and rebel.

Better keep a close watch on that Hybrid you've created, and sleep with one eye open, hahaha!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO charles~richard's LINK
Post# 12631 , Reply# 28   4/15/2007 at 13:17 (6,214 days old) by buffalo-joe ()        
Speaking of Posessed

 I have a Lux 1205 that is MINT and complete. It even has the polisher! Anyways, it belonged to a lady that had died. I got it cheap because the motor was bad. Armature was shot. I replaced the motor and shortly afterwords that motor burned up. I replaced it again, thought everything was OK and the switch burned up. I figured after 3 major problems that maybe that dead lady didn't want anyone else to have that Lux. Its now on a shelf still in disrepair and I'm not sure whether toss it or give it an exorcism. Charles, que the theremin....

Post# 12641 , Reply# 29   4/15/2007 at 17:11 (6,214 days old) by myhooverco ()        

Thanks to Buffalo Joe for "Hoover-fying" my 1205 Lux. I can't wait to use it with my Hoover cleaning tools. Those Lux ends are very tricky!

--Tom

Post# 12692 , Reply# 30   4/17/2007 at 00:24 (6,213 days old) by akabent (LEFT Coast)        
MARRIAGE!

 Oops! Wrong term according to 'The Religious Wrong'.

Anyway, a perfect marriage between LUX and HOOVER, in my opinion, is to adapt a Hoover VERIFLEX hose onto a Lux end with the appropriate Hoover 'handle' at the other to accomodate Hoover attachments. The VERIFLEX hose, my favorite, is one of the best made; lengthy, supple, and very easy to work with. Personally, I use a Veriflex hose with Lux attachments which I suppose is sacrilege to some!!

Rick

Post# 12708 , Reply# 31   4/17/2007 at 07:26 (6,213 days old) by laspirateur ()        
adapt a Hoover VERIFLEX hose onto a Lux end

OK, again, HOW???

Post# 12736 , Reply# 32   4/17/2007 at 20:11 (6,212 days old) by akabent (LEFT Coast)        
VERIFLEX morphed to E'LUX

 There are different ways one might approach this, but the simplest is to use a vinyl cuff or collar available at most 'old-style' vacuum repair shops. As you know, the spiral hoses essentially thread into one end of the collar while the other is manufactured to fit the machine end of an Electrolux. (Only Lux requires two different collars to accomodate the original tapered hose, one being smaller than the other) Since the VERIFLEX hose has that lighter-colored 'vinyl string' running between the grooves of the outside of the hose, remove approx 1-1/2 to 2 inches worth by unwinding it. It will unwind!! Then 'screw' the hose into the collar and friction-fit or glue the collar into the Lux fitting.

Going with the Thread Theme above, I am guessing the 'working end' will be attached to a Hoover 'handle'.

One can also use vinyl electrical tape (wound tightly) to build up the outer diameter of the hose to cause a good friction-fit to the Lux end. This is actually more cosmetically pleasing, too!!!

Lemme know how it works out!
Rick

Post# 14525 , Reply# 33   6/1/2007 at 19:47 (6,167 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        
Update

 My wife and I just got a new camera, so I wanted to post some pictures of my hybrid hoses.
The first one is a Rainbow hose with an Electrolux end.

Post# 14526 , Reply# 34   6/1/2007 at 19:51 (6,167 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        

Next is the Hoover hose with the 'lux end

Post# 14527 , Reply# 35   6/1/2007 at 19:57 (6,167 days old) by constellation86 (Roy, UT)        

And last is the Hoover hose with the Rainbow end. I made all of these hoses without glue so I can put them back if I need to.
Sorry about the picture quality, I'm sure I'll get better with practice.
Nicholas

Post# 14955 , Reply# 36   6/14/2007 at 08:15 (6,155 days old) by laspirateur ()        
Oh Honey Lambs!!!!

 It's fittin', it's fittin'....it's just fittin'!!!!

The Deed is done and I am a BELIEVER! I've just experienced a renuvacuu-sance. The Hoover hose is connected to the Elux and I am a vacuuming fool. I guess ALL of my vintage Elux hoses are suffering some degree of degradation because the suction improvement is dramatic. Also, the lightness and flexibility of the hoover hose is going to insure that all of my Elux hoses will become museum pieces, not to be used again, except for display. The tools are light and handy, and there's nothing, I repeat, nothing like those positive locks. Best of all possible worlds! Thank you friends for your help and encouragement!


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