|
Thread Number: 39000
/ Tag: 80s/90s Vacuum Cleaners
Well, scratch one Kirby... |
[Down to Last] |  |
| Post# 413869 9/15/2019 at 22:46 (1,678 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
So my ex girlfriend, who has had my Kirby Heritage 1HD for the past several years moved into a new apartment a couple of weeks ago and when I went to see her new place today, she informed me she'd "accidentally" left my Kirby behind at the old apartment. Ironically, she had a couple packages of spare bags for it in the back seat of her car. They went directly into the trunk of my car, even though I don't have a Kirby that uses the Type 1 bags with the oval openings. I may have four other Kirbys but I'm still sort of pissed about it. It's just a matter of respect--or lack thereof.
| ||
| Post# 413881 , Reply# 1 9/16/2019 at 02:01 (1,678 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
Bright side | ||
| Post# 413882 , Reply# 2 9/16/2019 at 02:04 (1,678 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana) | ||
I'd go there and ask the tenant or landlord if they seen it or have it, and leave a note on their door. If they are human beings, they might give it back to you, but by law, it's just forfeit so they can legally keep it if they wanted to. If they don't have it, I'd just go there and look in the nearest dumpster, it may have been tossed out and ended up in there, as most people think a used vacuum like used underwear now and don't want anything to do with it. Most people today don't even know how to work a Kirby, as every vacuum now has an onboard tool assortment.
| ||
| Post# 413890 , Reply# 3 9/16/2019 at 08:57 (1,677 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
@Lesinutah: I know that all too well. I got divorced about 15 years ago. I held a grudge for years about a nice Eureka canister she made me get rid of that had been my grandmother's.
@huskyvacs: I drove through the complex this morning on my way to work but I didn't see it by the dumpster, nor was I really expecting to, considering she vacated the premises almost two weeks ago. It's really just the principle of the whole thing. It's emblematic of a general lack of respect. | ||
| Post# 413894 , Reply# 4 9/16/2019 at 11:07 (1,677 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
 | ||
| Post# 413925 , Reply# 6 9/16/2019 at 21:48 (1,677 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA) | ||
 | ||
| Post# 413947 , Reply# 7 9/17/2019 at 14:41 (1,676 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 413948 , Reply# 8 9/17/2019 at 14:54 (1,676 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I'm finding my self struggling with this. Part of me wants to "replace" that machine, which is totally illogical since I have too damn many vacuum cleaners and certainly don't need another one.
One thing's for certain. She gave me a couple items of hers to list for sale on eBay and when they sell, she's not getting one dime of the proceeds. I hate to be that petty, but there you have it. | ||
| Post# 413951 , Reply# 9 9/17/2019 at 15:45 (1,676 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota) | ||
Sometimes | ||
| Post# 413957 , Reply# 10 9/17/2019 at 21:47 (1,676 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 413970 , Reply# 11 9/18/2019 at 02:10 (1,676 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana) | ||
|
Wow that sucks.
What sucks more is that eBay and the USPS raised their shipping charges recently (early spring 2019) for large packages that are very wide or tall, so buying a Kirby off eBay is not cheap anymore. I used to get one every couple months on eBay for +/- $32 shipping in 2018...not anymore. It's now about $55-$70 for shipping, or the sellers do not bother and just put local pickup only and you're out of luck. I have not seen a Kirby at any goodwill in my area since I got my Classic 1CR in....2010? They rarely appear. They rarely break and they cost so much, people don't get rid of them like a Dirt Devil or a Bissell. (But for whatever reason people will trash a Dyson when it gets just 1 clog and you find them in the trash all the time so I have no idea on that logic). I'd just keep checking online sales sites like offerup, or possibly ask local vacuum shops if they have any derelict Kirby vacuums that have not been repaired that they would sell for cheaply. Or you could buy one of eBay in chunks too. I got the complete lower motor and base for a G3 Kirby for $15 once. Just need a handle and brushroll and power cord. | ||
| Post# 413980 , Reply# 13 9/18/2019 at 09:42 (1,675 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Exactly, Hans-- | ||
| Post# 414038 , Reply# 14 9/20/2019 at 09:53 (1,673 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I make a lot of jokes about 'vacuholics anonymous' but if there were such a fellowship, I'd be calling my sponsor right about now. Lacking that, I'm going to use this space to process some of my thoughts.
I've been making myself crazy all week, poking around thrift stores in hopes that a Kirby--preferably mine--would magically turn up, but no such luck. My thrift store mojo seems to be that if there's something I really want, to the point of obsession, it's the one thing I won't find until I can truly stop obsessing. I actually came very close yesterday to buying a white Oreck XL Classic at the Habitat ReStore for $10 but it just wasn't what I wanted. I want my Kirby back, dammit! Right now, I've got a Legend 2 on my eBay watch list that is reasonably priced (by eBay standards) but needs a little work. But why? I've got like 20 vacuums at the house. Why am I even allowing myself to consider shelling out for yet another one? Will my life really be more complete and fulfilled with one more vacuum cleaner in the house? Wouldn't I be better off in the long run to save my money and take satisfaction in my already excessive fleet, in which Kirby is already well represented with a customized G5, a pair of Gsixes and a Sentria? What am I thinking? Why can't I just convince myself that I've already replaced that machine several times over? Seriously, I bought my G5 in 2015 when I began to doubt I would ever get my Heritage back. Or maybe the Sentria--the only vacuum cleaner I've ever paid more than $100 for--would qualify. After all, it does sort of share the Heritage's gray and orange color scheme. The bottom line is I know I'm being ridiculous about this loss--especially since I haven't had this machine in my physical possession since about 2013. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things but just I can't seem to let go of it. | ||
| Post# 414051 , Reply# 15 9/20/2019 at 15:31 (1,673 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I done went and did it...
Shortly after I made the above post, I put in a 'best offer' on that Legend 2 and won it about an hour or so later. It'll arrive in about a week's time. While I feel like the proverbial monkey is off my back in the sense that I no longer feel compelled to stop at every thrift shop I pass, I still feel kind of stupid for having to make such a purchase to feel better about such a minor loss. Oh well, it'll give me something to do this fall and winter, getting it all shined up and pretty.
| ||
Post# 414063 , Reply# 16 9/20/2019 at 22:24 (1,673 days old) by rivstg1  (colorado springs) |
||
human
Well, as a fellow Kirby-addict, I see your listed collection of G series Kriby's, but you need a pre-G series too! haha. I applaud your Legend II purchase, I think its an awesome machine.....I feel your thoughts on having enough vacuums already.....but to get your or A Heritage back....well, its understandable. Its not a huge expense....but it would balance out your Kirby collection of mainly G series models. :-). welcome to vacuum-holies anonymous!!!!
haha Kelton | ||
| Post# 414075 , Reply# 17 9/21/2019 at 07:45 (1,672 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
 | ||
| Post# 414094 , Reply# 18 9/21/2019 at 22:12 (1,672 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Yes, I'm starting to get a little excited about the Legend 2. The mini emptor is broken on it and I found a complete Heritage II bag assembly for less than the cost of a new mini emptor so I'll be able to slap the thing together immediately and put it though its paces, then take my time deciding whether to keep the H2 bag assembly intact, swap the mini emptor over to the red Legend 2 bag, or mix and match parts like I did my with G5.
Knowing my tendency to easily go overboard on things like this and given the large assortment of Kirby tools I already have on hand, including four complete sets of G series tools, I think I'll take a minimalist approach to accessorizing this new machine. I don't see the point of acquiring yet another full set of tools, even if they are color coordinating, when all I'll really need is a compatible hose to be able make use of what I've got. | ||
| Post# 414194 , Reply# 19 9/23/2019 at 19:50 (1,670 days old) by Blackheart (North Dakota) | ||
|
Little late!
Ah the legend II a lovely looking model but just in case you were still searching goodwill's website has a heritage I with no bids at 14.99 with a fixed shipping price of 17.98. I would have sent the link via email but that wasn't an option. They say opportunity knocks but temptation leans on the doorbell.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO Blackheart's LINK | ||
| Post# 414229 , Reply# 20 9/24/2019 at 15:09 (1,669 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Blackheart--Now I know why there aren't any Kirbys at Goodwill anymore. They're auctioning them all online!!! I went as far as creating a buyer account but I'm going to have to give myself some time to calm down before I make any bidding decisions. Thanks for the heads-up but I hope I haven't just created a monster for myself, especially seeing as I just bought a Sanitaire SC 686A upright over the weekend for $10.
| ||
|
Post# 414230 , Reply# 21 9/24/2019 at 15:15 (1,669 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon) |
||
human | ||
| Post# 414239 , Reply# 22 9/24/2019 at 23:50 (1,669 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Thanks. I'm trying to take a deep breath at this point. I don't think I'll be making any immediate Goodwill online purchases just yet, but I now have a new place to hunt for bargains, which could be fun—if a tad bit dangerous.
Right now, I'm having fun with the Sanitaire. I needed to take a break from grading papers Sunday afternoon and ended up walking around in a nearby Goodwill store not far from my house, not really expecting to find anything, but there it was and as they say on American Pickers, the time to buy something like that is when you see it. I wouldn't really call it a bucket list item but I'd had it in the back of my mind for a while that I'd like to have one if I could get a decent one on the cheap. This one was in such nice shape, I thought it was fairly new and mistakenly posted about it in the "Contemporary" forum (see link below) but I now understand it's almost 40 years old. It needs a belt and a lower cord hook but it's otherwise intact and in unusually good condition for a commercial vac that age. By all indications, it appears to have had a relatively short and easy commercial career. CLICK HERE TO GO TO human's LINK | ||
| Post# 414251 , Reply# 24 9/25/2019 at 15:49 (1,668 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
The Sanitaire has a heavy canvas shakeout bag, which is in almost pristine shape. I'm thinking it may be a generic replacement since it doesn't say 'Sanitaire' on it. The only lettering says "Heavy Duty Commercial". Like you, I'm toying with the idea of converting it to top fill. It looks like kits for it run about $40. The only thing is the ads I see for the kits don't list my model so I don't know for sure one will fit. It's probably due to its age. The ratings sticker says the thing was made by Eureka Williams, not Eurekalux and not Bissell, so it's on back there.
Speaking of bags, the Heritage II Legend bag assembly arrived for my Legend II. I haven't decided whether to use it as is or harvest the mini emptor (and for convenience, the fill tube) to put the Legend II's bag assembly to rights. I'll use the Heritage II bag for the time being while I determine what--if anything--else it needs. I've been getting a little antsy about the Legend II the past few days as the seller posted a tracking number within hours of my completing the purchase but as of this morning, it hadn't yet hit the mailstream. Fortunately when I went go give the seller feedback for the bag assembly, which I had purchased two days after the Legend II, I clicked on tracking and USPS is now in possession and it's scheduled to be delivered on Friday. Sounds like I'll be having a good weekend playing with vacuums. | ||
| Post# 414266 , Reply# 25 9/26/2019 at 00:11 (1,668 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.) | ||
|
You're going to see such a difference in performance when you get that new belt on the Sanitaire, it can't be over stated. I'm glad the Legend is back on track. Sounds like a recipe for a great weekend coming up! | ||
| Post# 414298 , Reply# 26 9/27/2019 at 10:31 (1,666 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
As of this morning, USPS tracking shows the Legend II out for delivery, so it should arrive on my doorstep sometime this afternoon. The belts for the Sanitaire, also originally scheduled for delivery today, won't arrive until tomorrow at the earliest, thanks to USPS' infinite capacity for incompetence. The package has inexplicably been diverted to another nearby town. It's the second time this has happened in the past week. Oh well, one day at a time...
| ||
| Post# 414308 , Reply# 28 9/27/2019 at 15:29 (1,666 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
The Legend 2 Has Landed...
The postman dropped the Kirby Legend 2 off on my doorstep about an hour ago. I've been working to put it together and was going to wait until I had it all in once piece and post a photo of this beautiful, albeit dirty, machine but I need a little help. The brush roll was out of it when I got it and the bottom plate was all bent up on the sides where it meets the hubs of the brush roll. I straightened it with pliers and now I'm trying to put everything back together but it doesn't want to go. In order to get the hubs into place, I had to remove the set screws but when I screwed them back in, it's preventing the brush roll from turning. Am I missing something? I'm assuming the screw heads are supposed to be facing down (toward the bottom plate) so one can access them. How far should the screws be screwed in? I'm assuming they provide some height adjustment for brush roll as the bristles wear down. I just can't seem to find the sweet spot and judging form the worn spot on the belt, this problem has persisted for a while. The PDF of the manual I downloaded was of little help in solving the mystery as the line drawings lacked sufficient detail. I have to say I greatly prefer the G-series bush roll.
| ||
| Post# 414310 , Reply# 29 9/27/2019 at 16:29 (1,666 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Got it together!
After a little cursing and creative bending, I finally got the dad-blame thing together, as the photo below will attest. And yes, I am well aware the bag is technically wrong for the machine (although the stickers on the front of the fan shroud and on the bottom of the machine identify it as a Heritage II). I knew when I bought it that the mini emptor was busted all to hell and when I went looking for a replacement online, the best deal I found was an entire Heritage II Legend bag assembly for several dollars less than the cost of a new mini emptor, including shipping. It turned out to be a good call because that's one less thing to fuss with right away--just stick it on and go. It would be nice to eventually swap the mini emptor (probably with the whole fill tube assembly) over to the original red Legend II bag, but I'm going to save that for another day. I got as far as pulling the red collar band off of it but I'm a bit lost from there. Do I try to push the mini emptor up into the bag and out or pull everything down through the bottom of the bag? I'm sure there's a trick. Think I'll go finish vacuuming my bedroom...
Of course, nothing can be completely easy and this machine is no exception. When I plugged it in to make sure it worked, I discovered the power switch is stuck in the 'on' position. I guess that's better than being stuck in the 'off' position, but still, that's just one more thing to sort out. I need to find a tear-down tutorial so I can see how to take it apart and either fix or replace the switch. Oh well, I feel like I've accomplished a lot in the past couple of hours and there's no time limit on getting it all done.
View Full Size
| ||
| Post# 414315 , Reply# 30 9/27/2019 at 17:08 (1,666 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Heritage 2
They are very good machines. I like the tradition A little more. The heritage 2 legend 2 I have 2 currently. I used wheels and handle on other Kirby's. I took all the wheels off and made it a cannister vacuum. I like it has a lot of power and compact mode vacuum stairs, bed, chairs , dusting fans. I figured make it cannister mode I can use it instead of taking time to change vacuum owner. This one is prettier than your other one more than likely too.
Les | ||
| Post# 414357 , Reply# 32 9/28/2019 at 13:39 (1,665 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Thanks Billy. I'll look into that as soon as I figure out how to take the cover off. I'd like to be able to fix the existing red switch, if possible, and not have to replace it with a black one.
After comparing the two bags, I've determined that the Heritage II bag is in enough better condition that I'm leaving it on the machine for the time being or at least until I can remove the fill tube assembly from the red Legacy 2 bag and give it a good washing. It's pretty nasty. I did, however swap the red Legacy 2 bag topper and bag guard band over onto the H2 bag to make it look more like it belongs. It actually doesn't look bad. | ||
| Post# 414367 , Reply# 33 9/28/2019 at 15:46 (1,665 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Clean red bag...
So after a close encounter with a large flat-blade screwdriver, I was able to convince the red Legacy II bag and its fill tube assembly that their relationship was over. I just finished laundering the bag and have it loaded onto the solar clothes dryer (aka clothesline). It looks a lot better and I may well decide to put it back on the vacuum cleaner sooner rather than later.
I'm glad I decided to go with the whole used bag assembly instead of paying a couple of dollars more for a brand new mini emptor alone, because I haven't a clue how to remove the broken mini emptor from the end of the fill tube. I've decided that can wait for some time when I really have absolutely nothing better to do, so it's on a shelf down in my barn for the foreseeable future. The renovations will continue... | ||
| Post# 414369 , Reply# 34 9/28/2019 at 16:27 (1,665 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414374 , Reply# 35 9/28/2019 at 20:22 (1,665 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
There's no zip tie on mine. There's one on the top piece that holds the paper bag but not on the bottom where the mini emptor connects. I've tried twisting it but it doesn't want to budge. I'll try to post a photo tomorrow. It's really a low priority item, though since I have a complete mini emptor and fill tube assembly for that machine.
| ||
| Post# 414380 , Reply# 36 9/28/2019 at 20:48 (1,665 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
|
Was mine, the almost grandson remembered playing with it and wanted. He's 24 now!
| ||
| Post# 414386 , Reply# 37 9/28/2019 at 22:25 (1,665 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Yeah David, that looks like the same setup mine's got, except for no zip tie. Wish my machine were that shiny; right now, it looks like lead. I have no idea what's holding it on so tight. Maybe I just need to get over my fear of further breaking an already busted—and therefore useless—mini emptor and just get brutal with it. The only real reason for taking it off at this point is to throw it away
| ||
|
Post# 414387 , Reply# 38 9/28/2019 at 22:26 (1,665 days old) by vacuumlad1650 (Wauponsee, IL) |
||
 | ||
| Post# 414388 , Reply# 39 9/28/2019 at 22:46 (1,665 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414393 , Reply# 40 9/29/2019 at 00:49 (1,665 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Human | ||
| Post# 414400 , Reply# 41 9/29/2019 at 11:03 (1,664 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Something's burnin'!!!
So I decided to try out the Legend II on my bedroom floor a few minutes ago and all was working well for about five minutes when I started so smell something burning. This wasn't the hot rubber smell associated with a belt overheating. This was a smoky burning smell that I couldn't ignore. I'm getting ready to take this machine apart to see if I can spot anything blackened or melted inside the machine but I'm not running it again until I get it sorted. My money is on that non-functioning switch that pushes but doesn't click. The good news is I bought in the Sanitaire to finish the job and it did great, even on the Persian rug, with the height selector all the way up on the highest 'Shag' setting.
| ||
| Post# 414403 , Reply# 42 9/29/2019 at 11:27 (1,664 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Okay, that turned out to be easier than I thought. The culprit turned out to be burning paper. When I dropped the nozzle off of the machine, I spied a burnt tissue wrapped around the motor spindle!!! Who knew the motor spun fast enough to create sufficient friction to generate heat of 451 degrees Fahrenheit (Thanks to Ray Bradbury for that little piece of trivia)!
While the unit is apart, I decided to go ahead and take a look at the switch. The good news is nobody's buggered with it or bypassed it. The bad news it still just pushes without clicking and it's a sealed unit so there's not much to do other than order a replacement--and figure out how to remove the old switch without cutting any wires. Oh well, may as well start cleaning the thing up while it's torn down. | ||
| Post# 414410 , Reply# 43 9/29/2019 at 12:26 (1,664 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
Edgar: | ||
| Post# 414415 , Reply# 45 9/29/2019 at 14:49 (1,664 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
The belts weren't even that much. I got eight of them for $7.91, so that's roughly 99 cents a piece. Definitely money well spent. The cord hooks should arrive tomorrow, so then the Sanitaire repairs will be completed.
The Kirby is going to need a little more work, though. Its belt is toast (the burning tissue melted it) and I don't seem to have any more Kirby belts on hand, so I'm going to have to wait until I can replenish my supply. Meanwhile, I need to figure out how to get melted belt crud off of the fan spindle. The switch to which I'm referring is the foot-operated power switch. It pushes but doesn't click on or off. I did figure out how to remove it, though. There's a little hole directly below where each wire goes into the switch. Just press in there with something like a nail or a punch and the wires come right out. I took one out and will wait until the replacement switch arrives to do the others. I don't want to be plugging wires into the wrong holes. | ||
| Post# 414464 , Reply# 47 9/30/2019 at 18:29 (1,663 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I cleaned the spindle with a Scotch Brite pad and a little bit of Goo Gone. I just turned the spindle by hand and the soot and burnt belt residue came off quite easily. I'm thinking I should probably wipe it down with alcohol before I put a new belt on. Not sure what Goo Gone residue on the spindle would do to the belt. I haven't done anything about the fan yet but it's definitely on my list. I've never replaced one before so it'll be a new experience.
There's no gasket on the opening where the bag connects to the Sanitaire's motor housing but there is one on the bag opening. If that's the original bag from the early '80s, I'm sure the seal is a bit deteriorated. But what the hell, it was never designed to be hypoallergenic, germophobe friendly, sealed environment air filtering device. It's a dust-belching artifact of mid-20th century American industrial technology that cleans the hell out of carpets. It's real good at what it does and not much else, but that's okay. It just is what it is, it makes no apologies and you sorta have to respect that. The cord hooks came today and I installed one to replace the missing bottom hook. The color is a little off—more of a dove gray than an ivory—but I'm okay with it, especially for the price I paid. I guess at some point, the original top hook will probably break—not that I'm planning to arrange for any unfortunate accidents, mind you—and then the top and bottom hooks will match. While I had the Goo Gone out for the Kirby, I took the Goodwill price tags off the Sanitaire and gave the machine a good wipe-down so not only is the price tag residue gone, the whole machine—especially the motor cover—is nice and shiny. | ||
| Post# 414507 , Reply# 49 10/1/2019 at 15:26 (1,662 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Yeah, I saw that double Sanitaire. It looked like two vacuums sharing a common chassis, sort of like vacuum equivalent of conjoined twins. It would be interesting to see underneath and find out whether it has two standard bush rolls one double-width one and whether it used two standard belts (most likely if it uses two brush rolls) or if the motors are ganged together on a single belt which could be practical if it's using a double-width bush roll.
Glad you enjoyed my description of the Sanitaire. I had fun writing that. I'm waiting on a few pieces to arrive for the Kirby so I can start putting it back together. I did some cleaning on it Sunday and the aluminum now looks like shiny lead. I'll be working on it some more, once the weather cools off a bit and I can stand to be outside. | ||
| Post# 414510 , Reply# 50 10/1/2019 at 16:26 (1,662 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414520 , Reply# 52 10/1/2019 at 23:54 (1,662 days old) by vaclab (Pickerington, Ohio) | ||
Here's The Sanitaire Wide Track II | ||
|
Post# 414523 , Reply# 53 10/2/2019 at 02:44 (1,662 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
||
|
Very NEAT double wide sweep vacuum!I WANT one!!Surpirzed at how nimble the vacuum is and does a nice groom job.What kind of disposable bags does this use?Or is it two dump bags? | ||
|
Post# 414524 , Reply# 54 10/2/2019 at 02:45 (1,662 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
||
|
For some reason-this makes me think of a batwing bushhog mower used with a tractor! | ||
|
Post# 414525 , Reply# 55 10/2/2019 at 02:59 (1,662 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC) |
||
|
No dustbunnies under beds with THIS vacuum around!How much did it pick up after the whole house vacuuming? | ||
| Post# 414541 , Reply# 57 10/2/2019 at 17:35 (1,661 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Today's mail brought a bevy of needed Kirby parts and supplies for the Legend II including a package of six genuine Kirby belts with the knurled surface, a new power switch (albeit with a black button) and a new bush roll. The Kirby is back together and working great. At some point, I'll tear it back down for polishing, but not today.
Wiring up the switch was a breeze. There is a little hole below where each wire attaches. Just poke a nail or very small screwdriver into the hole and it releases the wire. I just unhooked one wire at a time and inserted it into the correct hole on the new switch before disconnecting he next wire. It's the same method I use for changing out spark plug wires on a car. Oddly enough the replacement switch did not have the little metal fastener into which a screw goes to secure the switch to the motor housing. It was easily harvested from the original switch. I seem to have lost one part, though. On Sunday, I disconnected the little light that shows the machine is powered on from its socket to make it easier to remove the wires from the old switch and now the piece the little light snaps into is gone. Oh well, it'll show up at some point and I can put it all back together properly. For now, I just shoved the light up under the bracket to which it is supposed to attach, if the piece hadn't gone missing. | ||
| Post# 414553 , Reply# 59 10/2/2019 at 22:15 (1,661 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
No, it was the step-on switch on the back. The step-on button is now black instead of red but it doesn't look bad. I learned my lesson about mis-wiring a vacuum when I was working on an Electrolux Silverado last winter and I reversed two of the wires and had it where the power nozzle came on when the vacuum was off and vice-versa. The Heritage was a pretty nice machine when I got it from my dad but it had suffered from some benign neglect while my ex had it. I was looking forward to getting it back from her and giving it some much needed TLC but now I'm heaping that attention on the Legacy II. Its needs are different but it's already shaping up nicely. The ratings sticker on the bottom says 4.5 amps with the floor nozzle and 5.5 amps with a hose. The stickers actually identify the machine as a Heritage II, which is pretty much the same machine with a reversed color scheme.
| ||
| Post# 414572 , Reply# 61 10/3/2019 at 22:30 (1,660 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Starting to make her shine...
I was out running errands this evening and ended up at Walmart, so I decided to get another tub of Mother's metal polish because I've misplaced the one I have. I also picked up a can of Never Dull wadding, which I hadn't seen on a store shelf in decades. The last can of that stuff I'd had was red, white and blue. This one is silver and black, so I may have just not recognized it previously. I got home and worked on the nozzle and headlight cover for about 30 minutes, alternating between the two polishes to see which one I liked better but I found out that going back and forth between the two really puts a shine on without a lot of effort. There's still some 'freckling' but it definitely doesn't look quite as forlorn as it did, parked next to the Sanitaire. I'll probably spend a some more time shining it up this weekend. It may not be perfect as some of that freckling will probably require some sanding, but it'll at least look respectable. I also ordered a hose for it today. With all the Kirby tools I have around the house, I saw no real reason to get yet another whole set when a compatible hose will let me use what I have with it.
| ||
| Post# 414587 , Reply# 63 10/4/2019 at 16:55 (1,659 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Ready for a close-up, C.B.
So I tore down the Legacy II and gave it another hour, give or take, of elbow grease, Mother's and Nevr-Dull and I think it came out pretty good. Not perfect, mind you, but pretty good for the amount of effort I put in. My procedure was to scrub it vigorously with a piece of Nevr-Dull wadding, then buff it with a paper towel, then use that towel to rub Mothers onto it and buff it off, by which time the paper towel was totally black. I went through this cycle three or four times before I washed my hands and buffed it down one last time with a clean paper towel.
While she won't win any beauty contests, at least now it doesn't look quite so embarrassing next to the shiny Sanitaire. To get an idea of how far it's come in the week that I've had it, take a look back at the photo I took of it in Reply no. 29, just after I assembled it for the first time. It didn't come with any attachments, but it had (and still has, to a certain extent) splash or spill marks down the exposed side, opposite the bag. I don't know whether it just sat in a basement and had stuff spilled on it or it was used with a shampoo attachment and never properly cleaned afterward. I was able to get most of those marks off (see photo no. 3), but not all of them. I'm sure I'll be rubbing on it some more in the future. The look of the gray Heritage II bag on it is starting to grow on me. It kind of breaks up all that oxblood red. I'll make a decision whether to keep using that one or go back to the original red one by the time I fill up the paper filter bag inside. Oh, and I fixed the pilot light that shows when the machine is powered on. I caught one of my cats playing with a little plastic lens that fits in a hole on top of the bracket, then the light assembly snaps into it from below. Not at all what I had visualized, but it works. | ||
| Post# 414596 , Reply# 64 10/4/2019 at 22:24 (1,659 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414617 , Reply# 66 10/5/2019 at 11:35 (1,658 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Thanks,
I still need to go over it with some car wax to seal in the shine and I may revisit the polishing process at a later time. right now, I feel as if the machine is petty much complete. The only thing I have left on the list at the moment is a fan replacement kit, which I can get for about $12. The gray Lexan fan looks to be in pretty good shape, though. I don't have a mini butler, so I'll have to give that one some thought. Sounds like it could be fun. | ||
| Post# 414632 , Reply# 67 10/5/2019 at 15:24 (1,658 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414636 , Reply# 68 10/5/2019 at 16:02 (1,658 days old) by sptyks (Skowhegan, Maine) | ||
|
Hi Edgar,
This is how you can get a great shine on all parts of your Legend II. I used this method on my Heritage Legend II seen in the photos below.
First, get a tube of Flitz polish from Amazon or Walmart. Flitz works better than Mother's and it also works on the plastic and rubber parts. Works great on the rubber bumper of the nozzle.
Second, apply a light coat to a section of your Legend use a soft cloth or (I just use my finger). Then use a microfiber cloth to buff it to a dull finish.
Third, attach a small buffing wheel to your electric or battery powered drill and buff away until you get a nice shine. Repeat if needed.
~Stan | ||
| Post# 414643 , Reply# 69 10/5/2019 at 17:47 (1,658 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
| ||
| Post# 414652 , Reply# 70 10/6/2019 at 01:23 (1,658 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Human | ||
| Post# 414659 , Reply# 71 10/6/2019 at 04:14 (1,658 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.) | ||
|
Human, Did you get a chance to see the blue Sanitaire widetrack in the above threads? Nice. | ||
| Post# 414673 , Reply# 72 10/6/2019 at 17:06 (1,657 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Les--The bag I have on My Legacy II is technically correct in that the design is identical to the one that came on it, except for the color scheme. That gray bag with the red Kirby word mark is actually for a Heritage II Legacy, according to its original black bag topper. The Legacy II bag has the same pattern but with the geometric elements in the same oxblood red as the machine's plastics and the Kirby word mark in gray. This is shown in the video in reply no. 43. I did swap the red bag topper and bottom band from the original bag onto the H2 bag in place of the black ones to make it look more like it belongs there. The photo in reply no. 29 shows the H2 bag mounted on the machine with its original black topper and band in place before I swapped the red trim pieces onto it. The funny thing is, the more I live with it the way it is now, the more I like it. The red trim pieces really help bring out the red Kirby work mark.
| ||
| Post# 414717 , Reply# 73 10/7/2019 at 18:59 (1,656 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
The hose came in the mail today and I had a pleasant surprise. With the low price I paid and the color that appeared on my computer screen (more of a Classic III crimson than a Legacy oxblood), I assumed it was going to be a generic, third party hose. Imagine my surprise when it turned out to be a genuine Kirby hose and the color is identical to the red of my vacuum. Given Kirby's penchant for discontinuing most older colors, save for black or charcoal gray, I'm a little surprised this hose is actually available in both black and red.
| ||
| Post# 414719 , Reply# 74 10/7/2019 at 19:10 (1,656 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Correct
Edgar
The heritage 2 and legend 2 bags are different. I was going through my vacuum items I have probably 30 Kirby and royal bags. I have a couple thousand disposable bags. I like heritage line quite a bit. I've lost track of amount of vacuums I've sold but heritage line I sell and get more money than other non g series vacuums. The color scheme is appealing to most people. I see you didn't catch my question. I have a correct switch color if you wanted to mail me black one I'll mail burgundy one and trade straight across. My canister legend 2 has no wheels and a few other parts I put on other vacuums. Les | ||
| Post# 414759 , Reply# 76 10/8/2019 at 22:02 (1,655 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Oh, I fixed the light when I put in the replacement switch. I had found a little plastic lens that fit into a hole on top of the plastic bracket into which the light fixture fit. It turns out the lens holds the bracket and the light fixture together.
I'm not sure what the next project is going to be. I'm moving into the busy part of the semester, so free time is going to be at a premium for about the next two months. Grading papers is not the most fun of being a college professor but it's what pays the bills and funds the occasional vacuum cleaner project. Les--thanks for the offer of the switch but I think I'll stick with what I've got since it's band new. I'm thinking that when things slow down this winter, I may try to drill out the rivets to get inside the switch and see if I can fix it. | ||
| Post# 414994 , Reply# 77 10/16/2019 at 16:09 (1,647 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Well, I thought I was done with vacuum projects for a while but I came across a Heritage/Legend mini emptor for well below retail and decided to go ahead and put the innards back in the recently laundered Legend II bag (red geometric pattern with gray "Kirby" word marks) and in rummaging around, I made two discoveries (no, not Electrolux uprights) that led to a slightly more ambitious approach. The first discovery was not so good. The fill tube that was in the Legend II bag was shot, so I decided to scrap it and order a brand new one since they're pretty cheap to begin with. Then, while waiting for that to arrive, I found a Heritage/Legend bag coupling I'd forgotten about. I had bought it several years ago with the intention of retrofitting my late lamented Heritage 1HD to use the newer style bags so I would only have to stock one type of bag for all of my Kirby vacuums (just the Heritage and a Gsix at the time). Of course, I never got to do that, so I decided that since I had all the pieces, I'd fit my freshly laundered Legend II bag with all new innards. Since the red Legend II bag topper and bag guard band are presently in use on the gray Heritage II bag that's on the machine at the moment, the Heritage II bag's black trim pieces went onto the red Legend II bag. As with the red trim pieces on the gray bag, I think this one looks better with contrasting plastics, so I have no immediate plans to swap the two trim sets back to their original locations. Of course doing so is about a two-minute job, should I change my mind.
The whole assembly process only took about 20 minutes or so to complete, but the most uncooperative part of the whole thing by far was the mini emptor. First, it didn't want to screw onto the fill tube, but I easily solved that with some silicone spray (hope it doesn't melt the plastic on the fill tube, but I did order a two-pack, so I'm prepared). The tougher part was wrestling the spring on the bottom of the bag onto the top of the emptor. My hands are still sore from that exercise. Oh, and I got a package of 11-inch cable ties from Harbor Freight to lash it all together. A hundred of them only cost me $2 on sale. So now that I have two complete bag assemblies for that machine, I'll have to find an incomplete Heritage II in need of some TLC, but not today. | ||
| Post# 415043 , Reply# 79 10/17/2019 at 23:20 (1,646 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I agree. I'm sure the folks at Kirby had a special tool for putting the bag assemblies together. I just used a big, flat blade screwdriver to get it started but it quickly got too tight to continue with that, so I just wrestled it the rest of the way into place with my fingers. Persistence was the trick. If I stopped to rest my hands, I would lose ground. I just had to keep going until it was all the way on.
I know it's silly, but that bag assembly is so nice and clean now, I almost hate to put it on the vacuum and use it. I know I'll get over it shortly, but for now, I'm enjoying its pristine state. | ||
| Post# 415060 , Reply# 81 10/18/2019 at 21:28 (1,645 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Yeah, I almost started a new thread about this bag but I decided to continue with the existing one for continuity's sake. That does sound like a job cleaning those older bags. Washing this one was pretty easy, once I got the plastic trim pieces off the outside and extracted the emptor/fill tube assembly. The bag itself was super filthy, thanks to several holes in the old fill tube, so I took it outside, turned it inside out and gave it a good shaking (standing upwind) before I brought it in and put it in the washing machine. Once it was done, I just tuned it right side out and hung it on the clothesline to dry, leaving the zipper open for maximum air flow. By the time it was dry, it looked practically brand new, except some of the flocking had worn off from the inside. But it looks great on the outside. For the photos below, I just unhooked the other bag from the Legend II and hung this one from the handle.
| ||
| Post# 415063 , Reply# 82 10/18/2019 at 22:46 (1,645 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.) | ||
|
That's a really snappy looking bag in the first picture, I really like that.Kinda dressy, just needs a nice tie to go with it! | ||
| Post# 415076 , Reply# 83 10/19/2019 at 15:15 (1,644 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I agree. I like the red bag better with the black trim on it. Gives it an elegant look that would really be sharp on a black-trimmed Heritage II. And I think the red trim sets the gray bag off nicely as well. It especially makes the red Kirby word marks pop out. I think Kirby kind of missed the boat with their monochromatic approach. I believe they're going to stay configured this way for the foreseeable future.
| ||
| Post# 415081 , Reply# 84 10/19/2019 at 17:26 (1,644 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Legend 2
The maroon is what I prefer. I'm not a huge fan of black on the heritage.
You don't see black plastic of emtor as its hidden. If you can get led light would be a nice touch. I'm digging how nice it looks after Reno. If you can get a chrome zip brush for it is jump on it. The vacuette is made to match like royal prince 501 was with royal vacuum. The chrome zip brush and vacuette could cost more than you spent on the vacuum. I have lots of Kirby items including 2 vacuette but no chrome zip brush. If you have a zip brush it's excellent on car interiors. Les | ||
| Post# 415090 , Reply# 86 10/19/2019 at 22:25 (1,644 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
Yes, the Sanitaire has been sitting in the corner lately but really needed a lot less TLC than the Kirby. I do have the Kirby wheel covers on the Legend II and they still have their protective plastic film on them. I don't have a chrome Zip brush but I do have a gray one that came with my Sentria. Chrome ones do look sharp and can be had for around $25 shipped. The Legend II has a regular headlight bulb in it. I'll have to give that a thought.
| ||
| Post# 415109 , Reply# 88 10/20/2019 at 21:10 (1,643 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina) | ||
|
I have an original silver painted wooden brush roll. No idea whether it has ball bearings or not. It does turn smoother than the one I took out. I got it second hand with a bottom plate that was in much better shape than what came with it, which was bent all to hell. The bristles show far less wear than the original one and the whole assembly, which also came with a good belt in place, was less expensive than a band new brush roll.
| ||
| Post# 415118 , Reply# 89 10/20/2019 at 22:17 (1,643 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah) | ||
|
Heritage | ||
| Forum Index: | 
| Other Forums: |
|
|
|
|
|
Comes to the Rescue!
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}
;){kind=link}