Thread Number: 40271  /  Tag: 50s/60s/70s Vacuum Cleaners
How to "Improve" a Kirby Metal Fan
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Post# 427693   6/26/2020 at 00:00 (1,371 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Video: Lawrence McLane





What he did was to grind each of the 10 fins here and there to make them look similar to the 11 fins of the plastic fan. Be careful when you attempt this experiment. When he tried this experiment on his Classic Omega, he saw that the airflow improved greatly.

~Ben


Post# 427694 , Reply# 1   6/26/2020 at 00:58 (1,371 days old) by LawrenceMcLane (TX/NM)        

Lawrence here. Excuse my French in my videos, I am indeed a creature of habit. :)
I have done this with repeated results, both in a 515 which saw an increase in airflow, the Classic Omega, which also saw an improvement, and the fan in the video went in a Tradition last night, which saw an improvement over the Lexan fan that was in it. Glad to see my hair-brained ideas actually worked!


Post# 427745 , Reply# 2   6/27/2020 at 00:45 (1,370 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

You have to maintain the balance of the fan-all blades cut or ground equally.If not the fan will run off balance causing noise and possible damage to motor bearings.

Post# 427798 , Reply# 3   6/28/2020 at 08:46 (1,369 days old) by Oldsuck (Houston, Texas )        

I’d be happy just to find a metal fan. 😒

Post# 427826 , Reply# 4   6/28/2020 at 19:17 (1,368 days old) by MadMan (Chicago, IL, USA)        

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Modifying the fan, as perfect as you can, you should still assume it needs to be balanced. Not like that's a big deal, though.

Post# 427835 , Reply# 5   6/28/2020 at 21:38 (1,368 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Metal fan

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If you would be happy to find one what model would you need it to fit. I've can probably help you out.
Led


Post# 427836 , Reply# 6   6/28/2020 at 21:40 (1,368 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)        
Balancing

lesinutah's profile picture
Might actually be the reason it is so effecient.
With the fan in the drill how do you make it true as you put it.
Thanks for the reply in advance.
Les


Post# 459160 , Reply# 7   1/4/2023 at 16:03 (449 days old) by VacsofProsper (TX)        

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I have 3 metal fans and I would like to give this a try. Do I need a drill chuck for this method?

Post# 459168 , Reply# 8   1/4/2023 at 18:53 (448 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)        
VacsofProsper

kirbyclassiciii's profile picture
Gabriel,

Drill bit? Not exactly. A Dremel grinder would be the tool to use to grind down the fins, but you only want to do this just enough for the ten fins to better clear the inside of the fan case.

Watch the video to understand how this is done, so you know how to do it properly.

~Ben


Post# 459169 , Reply# 9   1/4/2023 at 20:02 (448 days old) by VacsofProsper (TX)        

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KirbyclassicIII, I'll see if I have a Dremel along with very good grinding tools. Thanks.👌

Post# 459170 , Reply# 10   1/4/2023 at 20:53 (448 days old) by KirbyCollector (Columbus Ohio USA)        
I have a few fans modified this way.

kirbycollector's profile picture
Lawrence, the man behind this modification is a close friend of mine. And I’ll just say, you won’t regret doing this!


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