Thread Number: 38247
/ Tag: Small Appliances
Does anyone else have trouble buying vacuums? |
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Post# 407137   3/24/2019 at 09:18 (1,830 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)   |   | |
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I haven't bought any vacuums at thrift stores this year. But I noticed the last few times I've had trouble bringing myself to do it. I get nervous even looking at them. Because I never see anyone looking at vacuums in a thrift store or at yard sales. I get the feeling that people in general view used vacuum cleaners as something very nasty that they do not want in their home.
And in a way, I can understand that, because you don't know where they've been. I try not to bring vacuums into my house either until at least the bag has been removed and I know there aren't any fleas or anything in them. In a perfect world, I'd wait until they had been disassembled and scrubbed down until any dust was removed inside and out, hoses and attachments washed out, etc. At Habitat, the vacuums are upstairs, so if I buy one I have to carry it downstairs and all the way to the front counter to pay. Last summer I got my Kenmore Progressive Direct Drive, I was carrying it downstairs and people were looking at me very strangely. When I first started collecting vacuums about 2012 it didn't bother me that much to buy them. Sure people looked at me odd, but I didn't care. But now just looking at them makes me anxious somehow. I try to look at them from a distance unless something really piques my interest. Anyone else feel that way? It could also be that I feel a bit guilty, because I know I don't NEED any vacuums, and probably shouldn't be buying them. But I've gotten better about avoiding impulse purchases, when I see a vacuum and think "that would be cool to have." Instead, I try to stick only with vacuums that I have always wanted, even if they may not be collectible to others. I may be a bit different than others here too, because I don't collect just vacuums. I like fans (as my name implies) small appliances, lighting fixtures, and others. But, I've gotten to where the clutter can be annoying, and I don't feel like vacuuming because everything has to be dusted off and gets in the way of vacuuming the floor, shelves, etc. |
Post# 407139 , Reply# 1   3/24/2019 at 10:07 (1,830 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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Post# 407141 , Reply# 2   3/24/2019 at 10:18 (1,830 days old) by fan-of-fans (USA)   |   | |
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Post# 407143 , Reply# 3   3/24/2019 at 10:39 (1,830 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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Like others have said, I'm not really worried what others think and I do give any machine I acquire at least a basic cleaning before I bring it into the house. The main thing that holds me back is I really don't have space for any more, so I'm increasingly picky about what I shell out for. I also know myself well enough to realize the purchase price is just the beginning. I'll be ponying up more to fix up the little things that bother me. I've had more than one 'cheap' vacuum turn into a money pit. My Kirby G5 'frankenvac' comes to mind along with the Electrolux Silverado I just finished resurrecting yesterday.
That said, there have been a few times that I have walked away from a vac that I have later regretted a bit. There was a Kirby Ultimate G Diamond Edition for $50 with all its tools that needed a little TLC. I couldn't make up my mind on it at closing time and when I went back the next day, it was gone. Later on, there was a pair of immaculate burgundy machines, a Kirby G5 and an equally clean burgundy metal Royal upright for $19 each with no tools. I knew I couldn't bring myself to buy one and leave the other, so I just walked away from both. It took me about a year to get over the Diamond G and two years later, I still kick myself about the G5 and the Royal. |
Post# 407149 , Reply# 4   3/24/2019 at 14:03 (1,830 days old) by completenutt (West Hollywood, California)   |   | |
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Although, I just couldn't resist a super deal on a Super J and just bought a gorgeous good condition Super J with hose and Stainless Steel PN4 for about 100.00 incl. shipping. I always give them a once over upon unboxing, but horror of horrors for the other Super J I bought a few months ago.... it carried a ton of fleas in the bag compartment and probably throughout the machine....
They started jumping everywhere... what a total turn off!
But, that's the only bad experience I've had buying vintage vacs. The others just needed some TLC. |
Post# 407152 , Reply# 5   3/24/2019 at 14:25 (1,830 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)   |   | |
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If people look at me funny, I look at THEM funny. They quit real quick!
It's probably just now that you're being self-conscious about it, that you notice people looking at you. Whether or not they're actually looking at you funny for having a vac or not. You know, maybe they're just interested in what you've got. Let's be honest, most people go to thrift stores for clothes, when they see someone carrying a large item around, it's a little strange, but it might just be 'ooh, what do they got?' |
Post# 407198 , Reply# 6   3/26/2019 at 00:05 (1,829 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)   |   | |
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I have a bit of autism/aspergers, so I'm always high strung and high anxiety, and yes people do make me paranoid. I am always nervous about what other people are viewing me doing from their perspective and how weird I must look. It really kills experiences for me because I am not thinking about my hobbies and stuff but about being nervous about people. It does get really old and tiresome. When thrift shopping or whatever, I have learned, and am still learning, to just kind of tune them out and not think about them - the general public I mean - and focus on what I am there to do. I just try to enjoy the experience, have fun seeing all kinds of vintage and recent things (even if I do not want to buy them) and also focus on what cool things I have found to buy.
Society has gotten to the point where anyone that does something outside of what nuclear parenting has taught people and that differs from what "the norm" is, they are considered strange and eccentric. Everyone is trying so hard to be the same as each other like that's the way it's supposed to be, and this is why there is so much conflict and drama today with the "how dare you not like what I like" mantra. People just can't accept people for how they are. You basically just have to not think about the people around you, get into your own space, and do what you gotta do. In time, you eventually will get yourself trained out of the fears of being judged and be able to enjoy your hobbies guilt free. Just focus on you and your life, which those people are not a part of and don't care the least about. Also it's your house to live in, not anyone elses. As long as you can still move around in it, and if the fire department can get through it without breaking their arms or legs, I think you shouldn't need to worry. I gave my kitchen a through roof to floor cleaning in 2017 (I planned to do the entire house 1 room at a time that way but it didn't happen yet) and it's still pretty well spotless today aside from some general light dust. A lot of people do not have the hours a day to devote to cleaning their entire house every single day of the week to a mirror-like shine. I honestly don't mind having dust on my things and walls, but I do keep the floor vacuumed and some of the important stuff like the windows and stuff you can visibly see being dirty is cleaned up, but I don't make a career out of it. I too have the problem of having too many collections started, then stopped when I lost interest. I have been pruning out the lesser collections I have that I lost care about as I aged, and now I primarily focus on what collections I do enjoy maintaining and being within that are near and dear to my heart (videogaming, vacuums, diecast cars/Hot Wheels, and cellphones). I used to collect flashlights and exit signs but drifted out of them. I will keep my exit sign collection though because they have sentimental value as it's how I learned electrical repair and how to be an electrician, fixing up their wiring and putting them on extension cords so I could plug them in and see them lit up. |
Post# 407219 , Reply# 7   3/26/2019 at 16:34 (1,828 days old) by dysonman1 (the county)   |   | |
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I owned my own vac shop for over 21 years, and I'm opening a new one very soon, so people don't make me nervous when they see me with vacuums. I always talk to people in thrift stores, etc. That's how I make money.
Throw the bag away outside, and if you're really nervous, put it in the garage and spray the bag compartment with Raid. My JOB is to put my hands into other people's old 'rusty/dusty' (as the Rainbow salesmen call bojacks). I always gauge how much to charge the customer (during the Estimate) by how nasty the vacuum is. |
Post# 407246 , Reply# 9   3/27/2019 at 10:27 (1,827 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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Post# 407536 , Reply# 10   4/3/2019 at 08:49 (1,820 days old) by Kirbysthebest (Midwest)   |   | |
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My biggest problem with buying vacuums is I am running out of space to put them. |
Post# 407550 , Reply# 11   4/3/2019 at 13:59 (1,820 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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Post# 407551 , Reply# 12   4/3/2019 at 14:06 (1,820 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)   |   | |
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Post# 408293 , Reply# 13   4/19/2019 at 03:36 (1,805 days old) by maxeley4103 (East Sussex, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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Yes they may be dirty sometimes but usually you can get a really good deal. For instance my DC25 was £31!!!!!!!!! dirty yes but fully functional and under the dirt in fantastic condition. I wouldn't shy away unless it looks to far gone. You may have more of a problem with dirt but for me just a bucket of warm soapy water and some rags and i'm set.
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Post# 408294 , Reply# 14   4/19/2019 at 04:23 (1,805 days old) by maxeley4103 (East Sussex, United Kingdom)   |   | |
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I'm so sorry I completely misread your post. I do agree with you that people can give you funny looks but I just turned round and said screw it. If other people dont like it they have the problem not you. People who find other peoples lives weird have too much time on their hands and really need to get out more. Just buy it ignor the universe.
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Post# 408873 , Reply# 15   4/29/2019 at 10:03 (1,794 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Post# 408899 , Reply# 16   4/29/2019 at 22:40 (1,794 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)   |   | |
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This just hit me. Think of Ferris wheel. Put vacuums on shelf pulley system in Ferris wheel motion. You could fit 5 or so displays in an area that would carry only 2.
Another option is put RS system in like libraries have . Put vavuums on tracks and if you want access to one slide on tracks. It's space saving yet makes all vacuum accessible. If you don't want pulley system a garage door type assembly would make a good experience. Les |
Post# 409883 , Reply# 18   5/28/2019 at 18:18 (1,765 days old) by Ultralux88 (Denver, Colorado)   |   | |
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Post# 409889 , Reply# 19   5/28/2019 at 20:53 (1,765 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)   |   | |
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Post# 410199 , Reply# 20   6/7/2019 at 14:18 (1,755 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)   |   | |
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Of the trouble I am having with buying vacuums, it is these vacuums:
Kirby Janitronic (1967-1968) American-Lincoln Super-Sweep (series 1) (1968-1972) American-Lincoln Super-Sweep (series 2) (1972-1979) American-Lincoln Super-Sweep 180 (series 3) (1979-1982) American-Lincoln Super-Vac 180 (1982-1985) ~Ben |
Post# 411023 , Reply# 22   6/29/2019 at 17:21 (1,733 days old) by rivstg1 (colorado springs)   |   | |
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Post# 411381 , Reply# 23   7/10/2019 at 22:22 (1,722 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)   |   | |
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Post# 411426 , Reply# 24   7/11/2019 at 22:01 (1,721 days old) by AmanaDeluxe (Currently trapped in Houston. Detroit is my home. )   |   | |
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Fraser Crane might have said your guilt is causing you to manifest feelings of paranoia, as well as an overdeveloped tendency towards fastidiousness overblown to the point of borderline germaphobia.
No. I personally have not suffered giving a squat what people think of my purchases, nor do I let a few harmless (though, admittedly disgusting at times) mystery soils cause me to lose sleep. If I did, I would take a moment to enjoy any new cannabis laws my state may have passed, shake it off, get back on that horse and continue to buy whatever I wanted. Unless, of course, the guilt catalyst has a point. If you have vacuums lining your halls, in your shower, under the bed, etc,... you may want to pull back and ask a professional to help you figure out what void it is you’re trying to fill with vacuum cleaners. And try not to worry about bringing in fleas. They’re all over every lawn ever, and they don’t survive indoors without a cat or dog. Of course now our pets take pills for that, Riiight? |
Post# 424225 , Reply# 27   4/25/2020 at 14:02 (1,432 days old) by Rdwdcp (UK)   |   | |
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If you have trouble finding a vacuum just buy a Dyson DC07 there amazing! |
Post# 424266 , Reply# 28   4/26/2020 at 03:08 (1,432 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)   |   | |
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Jake1234 - Is the skip owned by the government? Here, at least in Chicago anyway, city garbage bins are considered 'public domain' and thus it's perfectly legal to take anything from them. Private waste companies' skips or dumpsters are technically private property, but since it's just garbage, nobody really cares if you take stuff. I'm betting at least that part is that same over there.
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Post# 424304 , Reply# 30   4/26/2020 at 20:52 (1,431 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)   |   | |
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Post# 424343 , Reply# 31   4/27/2020 at 14:57 (1,430 days old) by electrolux137 (Los Angeles)   |   | |
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Post# 424345 , Reply# 32   4/27/2020 at 17:00 (1,430 days old) by Marks_here (_._)   |   | |
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