Thread Number: 31139  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
Kirby 560 questions 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 344168   2/15/2016 at 15:42 (2,986 days old) by icee (Indiana)        

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So I was out in town today, looking atound at several diffirent shops, and I spotted a kirby 560. It didn't have a price tag on it, and it looked a little sketchy. Also, I really don't know pretty much anything about those models. Like how do you even change the bag? The couple minutes I had with it I couldn't figure it. Also, what's your opinion on them in general? I am newer to collecting, please forgive me if I don't know some normally common knowledge lol.

Post# 344182 , Reply# 1   2/15/2016 at 16:25 (2,986 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
icee

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Zach,

The Kirby 560 was produced from 1960-1961.

It was the first Kirby to have the triangle-shaped belt lifter, although the previous-style red belt lifter continued to be used on the Power Polisher until the model 562 Sanitronic.

~Ben

Post# 344183 , Reply# 2   2/15/2016 at 16:29 (2,986 days old) by westyfan (St Louis, MO)        
About that 560...

 I have a Kirby 561 so I may be able to answer a few questions for you as they are very similar machines. The 560 you saw was made in 1960. As far as the bag is concerned it is a cloth only setup. You don't change anything when it gets full. You simply shake it out and place the vacuum over a piece of newspaper. Then you open a little door on the bottom of the bag called the "emptor" and the dirt will fall onto the paper. Just do this a few times, you can even rub the sides of the bag to get more dirt out and it will be good to go. All of the older styles of vacuums had cloth bags with no "disposable" paper bag inside. There were a few exceptions to this rule but the Kirby brand in particular was a late adopter of the paper bag technology.

As far as how these machines are built. In a word, amazing. They really are tanks. The only maintenance they need is to occasionally grease the bearings (not impossible or hard if you are mechanically inclined, I did it), and also check the motor commutator brushes to make sure that they aren't too short to run right. In short, if you can plug it in and it runs right and doesn't sound like the bearings are howling you should be fine. Also note that the fans can be destroyed by vacuuming up hard objects like coins and things like that. Make sure to never vacuum up hard objects like that.

I am really impressed with my 561, it really does a great job every week cleaning my whole house. Oh, and you can get almost any parts for these old Kirby's still. Kirby still caries stuff like brush rolls, hoses, and such. A new brush roll made my Kirby work much better on carpets. It really works the nap up and brings the color out on my large rugs.

Post# 344189 , Reply# 3   2/15/2016 at 18:10 (2,986 days old) by icee (Indiana)        
Westyfan

 icee's profile picture
That's excellent to hear, I might go back and inquire about it.

Post# 344210 , Reply# 4   2/15/2016 at 21:08 (2,986 days old) by kenkart ()        
I think

 These clean rings around the new Kirbys, the nozzle is more narrow so the suction is concentrated and the old style brushroll really vibrates the carpet.

Post# 344324 , Reply# 5   2/16/2016 at 23:03 (2,985 days old) by kirbyvacsandmor (WY US)        

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The 560 Happens to be my favorite vacuum would recommend it to anyone who asked and is a beautiful machine also a great collectors item.

-Lars

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Post# 344396 , Reply# 6   2/17/2016 at 13:07 (2,984 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine)        

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Too bad it doesn't have a two speed motor.


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