Thread Number: 39156  /  Tag: Pre-1950 Vacuum Cleaners
1918 TUEC 260 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 415444   11/1/2019 at 10:20 (1,629 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Hi all! My wife and I bought a 1918 house this year that has an antique TUEC 260 central vacuum system installed.

When we bought the house it had been disconnected from the house wiring and just had some bare wire coming out of the bushing in the back. I removed that wiring and installed a cord to plug it into the wall... And it still works!

I've attached some pictures of the unit itself and one of the outlets upstairs. If you want I can take a video of the thing running. :)

It's missing it's plug for the front and it's hose and key, hoping you guys might be able to help me track them down.

Cheers!

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Post# 415447 , Reply# 1   11/1/2019 at 11:09 (1,629 days old) by gottahaveahoove (Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640)        
wow!

 gottahaveahoove's profile picture
amazing. Thanks for sharing this.

Post# 415452 , Reply# 2   11/1/2019 at 13:03 (1,629 days old) by huskyvacs (Gnaw Bone, Indiana)        

huskyvacs's profile picture
Great find! Worth more than the house! Make sure you have the motor fully serviced and greased up before you start using it heavily, it looks like it hasn't been used in a long time, which is why the cord was cut.

Post# 415462 , Reply# 3   11/1/2019 at 22:02 (1,629 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

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Neat! Yeah, I would definitely look over the motor and bearings before using it for realzies. I believe it has some of those new-fangled ball bearings. And as you might have noticed, they like to be oiled monthly. I would get an old fashioned oil can and keep it nearby, as a sort of part of the display.

Speaking of, I love how it's 'on display' right by the stairs. As for the missing plug, if it has a standard pipe thread, you can get a pvc pipe plug of the appropriate size from the hardware store. If not, and I think not, you could probably use a rubber test plug, also from the hardware store.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO MadMan's LINK
Post# 415463 , Reply# 4   11/1/2019 at 22:23 (1,629 days old) by kirbyklekter (Concord,Ca.)        
Niiiiice,

 since a lot of homes didn't even have electricity at that time, this was quite the luxury.A video would be great to see. How many rooms have a hose hook up to the machine?

Post# 415464 , Reply# 5   11/2/2019 at 01:26 (1,629 days old) by RainbowD4C (Saint Joseph, Michigan )        

rainbowd4c's profile picture
Someone needs to get Owen involved with this conversation. He would love this and have TONS of information as well.

Post# 415488 , Reply# 6   11/3/2019 at 15:03 (1,627 days old) by centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        

Hi!

Your TUEC 260 was one of United Electric's later designs, and made use of a universal-type motor instead of the split-phase motor that the earlier machines (at least the single phase AC ones) used. It's altogether quite a bit smaller than the earlier TUEC units, as well as units of competing brands. It was designed to be a very cost-effective way to incorporate a built-in vacuum cleaner into a home, owing to its simple design (one fan, no filters). This simple design, however, also made it longer-lasting than other makes, and the comparatively larger piping and hose made it more able to inhale larger debris without clogging. However, a single fan coupled to a 5000 RPM motor, even though it moves a fair bit of air, does not generate very much waterlift (think 20-30"). It'll dust your bare floors for you, though.

The inlet cover and key for the front of the machine is not something I have been able to locate (besides the ones that are attached to my machines -- and you will forgive me for not wanting to part with those!!). But, as MadMan said, a big rubber cork about 1.5" to 1.75" OD would do the trick just fine. The inlet isn't threaded, so the original plug would have been just friction fit. Your wall inlets, fortunately, are of TUEC's fancier hinged type, so you can't lose the plugs for those.

It shouldn't be hard to get a new hose that will fit your wall inlets, just need to do a little experimenting with the cuff size. 1 1/2" ID or at a minimum 1 3/8" ID is strongly recommended, and as short as possible to reach everywhere from your wall inlets. 25 feet would be great. If you try to put 50 feet on this system, there will be veeeeery little air flowing through the end.

I have attached an advertisement for your 260, as well as a picture of my 260 (the seller's picture before I went to pick it up -- disregard the hose and attachment on it; they are from a 1940s Hoover). I made a Youtube video about it too, which might interest you. It would be cool to see yours run!! They are nice and quiet if the exhaust is connected.

One last thought -- on two of these old systems that were vented into the chimney, enough debris fell from inside the chimney into the upturned elbow of the vacuum's exhaust pipe over the years to clog it. So if your machine seems to be moving very little air, that's probably worth checking.

Hope this helps!

Owen

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Post# 415491 , Reply# 7   11/3/2019 at 18:32 (1,627 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Wow

 lesinutah's profile picture
This is very cool and interesting. The vent system basically burning debris.
Les

Post# 415832 , Reply# 8   11/12/2019 at 09:09 (1,618 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Fantastic info, thanks Owen and everyone else!

I did make a quick video, hope you enjoy. :)






Post# 415902 , Reply# 9   11/14/2019 at 10:17 (1,616 days old) by mieleman (Syracuse NY)        

Hi Jordan,
Such a cool old unit. I to have a Tuec central vacuum, but sadly not in it's natural habitat like yours. I have attached a picture of mine. Out of curiosity if you don't mind me asking, what state are you located in? If I'm not mistaken, you are located in a town called Fargo. I am located in Syracuse NY and there is a Fargo NY about a hour and a half away from me.

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Post# 415928 , Reply# 10   11/15/2019 at 09:04 (1,615 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

I'm in Fargo, ND. Beautiful machine!

Post# 415958 , Reply# 11   11/16/2019 at 01:42 (1,615 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

Is this the oldest bagless central vacuum?Neat vacuum-and it still works!

Post# 416285 , Reply# 12   11/21/2019 at 10:16 (1,609 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Hey Jordan:

Nice machine. I have one of the Tuec 170's from 1912 in my collection. LOL same problem as yours too - the cap for the outlet on the machine is missing and so are the parts.

Incidentally I am in Moose Jaw, Sk so not all that far North West of you.

Doug



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Post# 416303 , Reply# 13   11/21/2019 at 14:08 (1,609 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

That's great, love it!

Seems like an authentic-looking one could be fabricated... Owen, would you be able to provide some close-ups of the plug and key?

Post# 416314 , Reply# 14   11/21/2019 at 18:08 (1,609 days old) by SUPEROCD (PNW US)        
Wow...

 I never knew central vacs went that far back. I've always assumed that central vacs were invented around the late 80s-early 90s.

Is this a direct-air or is it a bypass?

Post# 416334 , Reply# 15   11/22/2019 at 08:16 (1,608 days old) by crazykirbydude (Lexington, KY)        

crazykirbydude's profile picture
From what I've heard, it's a mixture of both. The large dirt gets caught in the container, and the small stuff gets exhausted outside.

Post# 416676 , Reply# 16   11/28/2019 at 12:16 (1,602 days old) by Centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        

Thanks for the video - sounds like a TUEC! You may want to fill up those two oil tubes. Bearings sound dry, but they may just sound like that even if you've oiled them.

I hope the attached pictures of the plug and key will be helpful.

Owen

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Post# 416677 , Reply# 17   11/28/2019 at 12:28 (1,602 days old) by Centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        
SuperOcd -

 It would technically be a bypass, as the debris gets separated (or at least about 90% of it) before going through the fan. It isn't quite cyclonic separation, as the dirt pretty much drops straight down rather than spinning around. But the fact that the only thing resembling a filter is a coarse mesh screen below the fan intake is quite similar to a modern cyclonic central vacuum like a Vacuflo or a Vacu-Maid, both of which also need to be exhausted to the outdoors (though not usually through a chimney like the early machines did).

Found another period advertisement that I had saved from somewhere on the Internet.

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Post# 417155 , Reply# 18   12/11/2019 at 16:03 (1,589 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Awesome, thanks for the pictures!

Post# 417176 , Reply# 19   12/12/2019 at 01:07 (1,589 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Old meets new? :) Fit is pretty good, but could obviously use a rubber gasket of some sort. Will still have to figure out how to do a brass front plate and make a key. Thanks again Owen!

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Post# 417187 , Reply# 20   12/12/2019 at 14:02 (1,588 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Key turned out OK, got some issues to work out with the printer I think. Works great though!

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Post# 417334 , Reply# 21   12/17/2019 at 06:11 (1,583 days old) by centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        

That's awesome!!

Have never gotten into 3D printing, and I am very impressed. How hard is it to set up a print job like this?

Owen

Post# 417339 , Reply# 22   12/17/2019 at 09:17 (1,583 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Thanks! 3D printing is finicky for sure, but there are lots of good support groups out there and tons of content on YouTube to learn from. I've just started teaching myself 3D modeling so these are only the 2nd and 3rd of my own designs I've printed.

Couple things you might notice in the model... The top of the key cavity is a 45 degree point, this is to get a nicer surface on that part. You could go straight across, called bridging, but the surface is generally poor when you do it that way. The key is tricky for the same reason, the shaft sits on the print bed tangentially, and the blade and handle are suspended, requiring supports to be printed to print those suspended parts on. Similar to the bridging, the surface on the underside is not great.

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Post# 418001 , Reply# 23   1/2/2020 at 10:35 (1,567 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

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WOW - great job on the 3D printing. LOL don't suppose I could talk you into sending me the file so I could get someone here to print one for mine? :)

Post# 418728 , Reply# 24   1/17/2020 at 12:41 (1,552 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Thanks Collector2!

I've just put them up on Thingiverse. I've also added a version that uses the rubber part from a plumbing test plug for a good seal. Details in the description.

www.thingiverse.com/thing...

Cheers!

Post# 418731 , Reply# 25   1/17/2020 at 15:10 (1,552 days old) by Collector2 (Moose Jaw, Sk)        

collector2's profile picture
Thank you


Post# 439220 , Reply# 26   2/26/2021 at 23:33 (1,146 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

Realized I never posted a finished pic. Thanks for all your help everyone. :)

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Post# 439226 , Reply# 27   2/27/2021 at 01:25 (1,146 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

madman's profile picture
Very nice! How'd you do the brass? Cover it with a thin sheet, or what?

Post# 439255 , Reply# 28   2/27/2021 at 17:44 (1,145 days old) by jrunsvold (Fargo)        

I had a machinist buddy make the face plate out of round stock. It wound up pretty thick at around 3/8, so I split it with a hack saw and cleaned it up on the sander. I still have the other half if someone could use it!

Post# 439273 , Reply# 29   2/28/2021 at 07:06 (1,144 days old) by Centralvacs1928 (Chicagoland)        

Beautiful!! I need a machinist friend, lol. Don't get rid of that other half...somewhere out there is another plate-less TUEC :)


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