Thread Number: 20835
Shampooer/Polisher History (Electrolux and Others) |
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Post# 233324 , Reply# 2   5/20/2013 at 11:29 (3,965 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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I'm pretty much equally crazy about floor polishers and vacuum cleaners! They both are very iconic from my childhood. Back in those days, every household who had vacuum cleaners also had polishers, frequently matching sets. And anyone who knows me knows just how absolutely batty I am for the 1949-1956 Electrolux air-powered floor polisher! |
Post# 233401 , Reply# 4   5/20/2013 at 21:31 (3,964 days old) by luxman107 (USA )   |   | |
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That chrome Electrolux polisher is truly a thing of beauty. |
Post# 233422 , Reply# 5   5/21/2013 at 00:57 (3,964 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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It is pretty, isn't it -- but it's not chrome, just highly polished aluminum. I've never seen another one like it so I think it might have been the very first issue, since all the later ones were painted hammertone gray and then hammertone blue. It was very dull and tarnished when I found it, but after going over it with my electric buffing machine it took on a stunning appearance. To Paul, Jimmy has already given you a thorough run-down on Electrolux polishers & shampooers. I don't know what I could add to his comments. |
Post# 233423 , Reply# 6   5/21/2013 at 01:41 (3,964 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 233439 , Reply# 8   5/21/2013 at 06:06 (3,964 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Polisher video [see link], and an article from Popular Mechanics about the new Turbotool with attachments for power saw, drill, and hedge clippers! CLICK HERE TO GO TO Electrolux137's LINK |
Post# 233476 , Reply# 10   5/21/2013 at 15:52 (3,964 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233517 , Reply# 12   5/22/2013 at 02:35 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Here's a corrected link to the one above. Don't know what happened to the first one... CLICK HERE TO GO TO Electrolux137's LINK |
Post# 233540 , Reply# 14   5/22/2013 at 09:39 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Yes, the warbling, whistling sound is captivating. It first captivated me when I was a little toddler as I watched Mama use her polisher with her Lux E-A, and it still captivates me to this day! I used to have an old NSS, the first model. It went the way of one of my "Great American Garage Cleanups." I hooked one of my polishers to it and, yes, I thought it was going to soar right into outer space! Do you have any older Electroluxes? |
Post# 233541 , Reply# 15   5/22/2013 at 09:39 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 233544 , Reply# 16   5/22/2013 at 09:55 (3,963 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233587 , Reply# 17   5/22/2013 at 14:28 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Here's collector Roger Proehl showing his beautiful Electrolux Model XXX and polisher. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Electrolux137's LINK |
Post# 233593 , Reply# 18   5/22/2013 at 15:27 (3,963 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233595 , Reply# 19   5/22/2013 at 15:31 (3,963 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233599 , Reply# 20   5/22/2013 at 16:10 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 233602 , Reply# 21   5/22/2013 at 16:49 (3,963 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233608 , Reply# 22   5/22/2013 at 17:18 (3,963 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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The hose is usually the biggest issue. Another thing might be that the fan blades are dirty but that's something of a delicate job that I personally wouldn't try to tackle. Getting the motor out is a pain, and getting it back in with the fans properly aligned and balanced is an even bigger problem. Also, of course, make sure the cloth bag is spotless. Whenever I empty one, I always whap it against the side of the building to dislodge all the fine dirt. You'd be surprised what a difference that can make. You guys should keep your eyes on eBay -- polisher attachments turn up fairly often. I think there are a couple of them running now. |
Post# 233665 , Reply# 23   5/22/2013 at 23:24 (3,962 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 233668 , Reply# 24   5/23/2013 at 01:24 (3,962 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Here's an odd floor polisher for y'all -- actually two of them, both the same mechanism but one is polished aluminum and the other one is black wrinkle finish. I used to have an old Royal that these fit onto but I could never figure exactly how. I mean, obviously, the brush and wheels rested on the floor and the motor unit would be connected to the open "neck" on top. A long belt that looped around the brush and then around a sealed bearing which the motor shaft would press against. When the machine was running, the motor shaft would, by pressure somehow, spin the bearing which in turn would drive the rubber belt, which in turn would spin the brush. But the thing is, there really wasn't any way (that I could figure out) how to get the motor unit attached in such a way as to be able to steer this thing. "The angle of the handle" was awkward no matter how I attached it. Does anyone have any info on these polishers, especially an illustrated instruction sheet? It seems to be a really silly kind of "Rube Goldberg" contraption, and I wonder how effective it could possibly have been. Stay tuned for a neat old Eureka suction-powered polisher....... |
Post# 233669 , Reply# 25   5/23/2013 at 01:25 (3,962 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 233801 , Reply# 28   5/23/2013 at 23:55 (3,961 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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. Here's an eBay listing showing the second version of the Electrolux air-powered attachment, the first to be called the "Turbotool." This was sold with the late run of the E-Automatic. You can see the various attachments here that came with it. The Rug Washer set came later, with the Model F. I'm guessing the Friendly Electrolux Man came by and showed the customer the new Rug Washer and s/he got it for their older Turbotool. (I have posted this here instead of the "Super Market" Dept. since it has a direct correlation to this thread.) CLICK HERE TO GO TO Electrolux137's LINK on eBay |
Post# 233845 , Reply# 29   5/24/2013 at 07:30 (3,961 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 233895 , Reply# 30   5/24/2013 at 17:26 (3,961 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 233897 , Reply# 31   5/24/2013 at 17:43 (3,960 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 233900 , Reply# 32   5/24/2013 at 18:19 (3,960 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 233901 , Reply# 33   5/24/2013 at 18:22 (3,960 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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I'm sorry second pic sucks, I bought a new computer and new internet through a mobil hot spot (only option I can get out in the sticks) ok so I hate laptops and I hate windows 8 and I hate my internet of course it doesn't work as fast as the phone. Oy what are us hillbilly folk gonna do? Lol anyhow what do you know about this compact?
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Post# 234414 , Reply# 34   5/28/2013 at 22:01 (3,956 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 234445 , Reply# 35   5/29/2013 at 09:08 (3,956 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)   |   | |
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That Compact polisher resembles a Electrolux Automatic E polisher; could it be from a C2? |
Post# 234469 , Reply# 36   5/29/2013 at 14:41 (3,956 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)   |   | |
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Post# 234515 , Reply# 37   5/29/2013 at 22:15 (3,955 days old) by kirbyvertibles (Independence, KS)   |   | |
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Post# 235755 , Reply# 38   6/8/2013 at 22:56 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Here's an oddity. This is a very old blower-powered polisher that was sold with Eureka UPRIGHT cleaners including the deluxe Model M and the standard Model K. This would have been in the late 1930s; I don't know the exact years. (John Lucia, are you there?) I only know this because of some Eureka parts & repair literature that John Lucia sent me quite a few years ago. In it were diagrams and (I think) photos of the polisher in use with the Model M. It's hard to imagine this thing really did much of anything, given the relatively low power of the Eureka's exhaust. I'd guess that the felt ring around the revolving brushes did as much polishing work as the brushes did! It's an oddly beautiful thing, though, and I think it's really cool how the designer called for a glass window on the top so you could see the vanes spinning when the polisher was running. This post was last edited 06/08/2013 at 23:14 |
Post# 235756 , Reply# 39   6/8/2013 at 22:56 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235757 , Reply# 40   6/8/2013 at 22:58 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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View of the underside. Note the radiating brush strips and circular ring made of carpeting material. This post was last edited 06/08/2013 at 23:15 |
Post# 235758 , Reply# 41   6/8/2013 at 22:59 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235759 , Reply# 42   6/8/2013 at 23:00 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235760 , Reply# 43   6/8/2013 at 23:04 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235761 , Reply# 44   6/8/2013 at 23:05 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235762 , Reply# 45   6/8/2013 at 23:09 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Yep! The brush configuration is NEARLY identical to that of the Eureka! There are slight differences, such as the color and material of the outer ring (carpet material for the Eureka and felt for the Red Devil), and the way the brush strips are attached to the metal disk, and the configuration of the little holes (purpose unknown - perhaps for aerodynamic considerations - the holes might allow for air flow through the disk and thus less resistance against the wind as the brush revolves.) |
Post# 235763 , Reply# 46   6/8/2013 at 23:11 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 235764 , Reply# 47   6/8/2013 at 23:14 (3,945 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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And the same close-up of the Red Devil brush. Okay, now, really! There HAS to be a connection here. I mentioned that the Red Devil polisher was made in New Jersey, nowhere near Michigan (the original location of the Eureka factory). Perhaps there was a 3rd-party company who made the brushes for both companies. Fuller, perhaps? Those brush strips do look like the Fuller brush strips used in many attachment brushes including for the Electrolux combination floor tools. |
Post# 235852 , Reply# 48   6/9/2013 at 15:06 (3,945 days old) by luxman107 (USA )   |   | |
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I love the hedge trimmer attachment. I wonder how many people use it amd actually took their vacuum outside to trim hedges with it. |
Post# 236107 , Reply# 49   6/11/2013 at 05:15 (3,943 days old) by floor-a-matic (somewhere)   |   | |
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I sometimes use the Rug Washer for scrubbing floors (with "scrubby" pad) before using the FloorMATE; it does really nice job. This unit has a unique sound, which I refer to as the "buzzing bees" sound. |
Post# 236144 , Reply# 51   6/11/2013 at 13:44 (3,943 days old) by Electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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