Kirbys 501, 517 & 519

Took each piece off one at a time. You clean it and make sure no calcium build up or anything after cleaning it. The screws sand the head of the screw before removing them. Keep track of where the screws go. Polish the screws with polishing wheel.
Sand from 100 grit to 200 grit to 2000 grit. When done standing lightly clean off excess sanding dust. If you have small imperfections you can hit it with cutting rouge with a buffing wheel. If you reach the point where it's flawless get a microfiber towel and apply generously. You keep rubbing polish in circular motion until polish becomes black. Lightly remove polish and spots the polish isn't black yet at a little bit at a time while keeping circular application motion. It will take some time but once polish is removed go over the body and ensure there is no residue left.
The restoration of the 510 was hard as it was in a barn for over 50 years.
The screws if cleaned make them easier to install and are already polished for install.
You see people completely disassemble the vacuum and polish ever piece. I wouldn't recommend this until you know where everything goes, good at polishing metal and have enough time. Just because the vacuum is polished doesn't mean everyone completely cleans the inside of the vacuum. If you have the motor housing empty use a degreaser. The degreaser gets off almost everything. Then I'd dry it use steel wool if any blemishes. You don't polish the inside but imagine a car restoration that has grease around the motor. It's the details that make it good to great.
If you get a cleaner for cars to clean electrical components you use that to clean field coil and the armature.
If that lost you I can recommend looking up texaskirby guys thread I'm attaching hyperlink. He has pictures and his explanation and instructions are great.


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Post# 443753 7/10/2021 at 14:09 (1,017 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes Have gotten a lot of stuff processed in the garage and came across these three. 501, looks like the original bag, cord shot and it had the scrubber mounted to the front. 517, replacement vinyl brown/striped bag, cord/bag good. Some questionable fine DARK dust inside. Bagged the dust and will toss in the garbage. 519, Bag looks original, nothing like the 501 pattern. Cord fine. I will be looking for replacement parts. And look on here for any description of what each model is supposed to be equipped and look like. Not looking forward to polishing any of them. Merci.

Post# 443754 , Reply# 1 7/10/2021 at 14:57 (1,017 days old) by Hoover300 (Kentucky)
Checkrate/Likes Model 501 Kirby doesn't exist, do you mean 511?

Post# 443755 , Reply# 2 7/10/2021 at 15:20 (1,017 days old) by KirbyClassicIII (Milwaukie, Oregon)
Checkrate/Likes *fantomfan57* I think you mean one of your Kirbys is a 510 or 511 or perhaps even a 561, not a 501. ~Ben This post was last edited 07/10/2021 at 17:17

Post# 443757 , Reply# 3 7/10/2021 at 15:36 (1,017 days old) by KirbyCollector (Columbus Ohio USA)
Checkrate/Likes *You must mean 511 or 561* The 500 series are as followed. 505 508 509 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 560 561 562 Sanitronic

Post# 443760 , Reply# 4 7/10/2021 at 16:25 (1,017 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *Oops,* I am sure I read it wrong. I will double check. In the meantime, I found the front brush roll hosing, it had a broken belt changer plastic cover. I replaced it with the one on the carpet brush housing. Exact match. Which means, I need a replacement early brush roll.

Post# 443764 , Reply# 5 7/10/2021 at 19:54 (1,017 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes 1 *Kirby 510* I figured out where I got the number from, it was the note I made for each model letting me know what I needed to replace. Read 510, but transposed the numbers to the note. Used the note to write the post. I know one of these models came with a box of attachments. I will look for that in the morning. I also have a Kirby tub to explore. Years ago I picked up a table grinder/buffer. Will have to put it to good use.

Post# 443772 , Reply# 6 7/11/2021 at 02:03 (1,017 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes *Look* Into my avatar. It's a 510 that came from the depths of hell. I brought it back from the dead. The belt lifters on it came with it so I didn't change it. The belt lifters would look just like yours

Post# 443775 , Reply# 7 7/11/2021 at 06:11 (1,016 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *Les,* Very nice restoration. What process did you use to clean and polish your? I know it is important to use good tools to dismantle vacuums to avoid damaging the fasteners.

Post# 443777 , Reply# 8 7/11/2021 at 11:06 (1,016 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes I Took each piece off one at a time. You clean it and make sure no calcium build up or anything after cleaning it. The screws sand the head of the screw before removing them. Keep track of where the screws go. Polish the screws with polishing wheel. Sand from 100 grit to 200 grit to 2000 grit. When done standing lightly clean off excess sanding dust. If you have small imperfections you can hit it with cutting rouge with a buffing wheel. If you reach the point where it's flawless get a microfiber towel and apply generously. You keep rubbing polish in circular motion until polish becomes black. Lightly remove polish and spots the polish isn't black yet at a little bit at a time while keeping circular application motion. It will take some time but once polish is removed go over the body and ensure there is no residue left. The restoration of the 510 was hard as it was in a barn for over 50 years. The screws if cleaned make them easier to install and are already polished for install. You see people completely disassemble the vacuum and polish ever piece. I wouldn't recommend this until you know where everything goes, good at polishing metal and have enough time. Just because the vacuum is polished doesn't mean everyone completely cleans the inside of the vacuum. If you have the motor housing empty use a degreaser. The degreaser gets off almost everything. Then I'd dry it use steel wool if any blemishes. You don't polish the inside but imagine a car restoration that has grease around the motor. It's the details that make it good to great. If you get a cleaner for cars to clean electrical components you use that to clean field coil and the armature. If that lost you I can recommend looking up texaskirby guys thread I'm attaching hyperlink. He has pictures and his explanation and instructions are great.

Post# 443902 , Reply# 11 7/17/2021 at 05:53 (1,010 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *Hey Les* No, the screw in cap is missing on mine. Someone used to sell the caps on Ebay years ago. But I found that same cap was used on older Handi-Butlers. I suppose I can use a piece of felt as a replacement for the material behind the grate in the Emptor.

Post# 443927 , Reply# 12 7/17/2021 at 19:11 (1,010 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes I Didn't notice the hNdi butler. If on ebay caroljean from Oregon message her for a sweet aire port lilly tan or red Felt is a perfect replacement for the grate on the entor

Post# 443803 , Reply# 9 7/12/2021 at 15:35 (1,015 days old) by fantomfan57 (Central Texas)
Checkrate/Likes *Les,* I found on the inside of the emptor, a removable metal grid that was a holder for what looks like the felt material. My guess is it was used for the Sweetaire drops.

Post# 443806 , Reply# 10 7/12/2021 at 17:14 (1,015 days old) by Lesinutah (Utah)
Checkrate/Likes *Yes* That's exactly what it's for. If you use steel wool the aluminum grate will come clean. Did yours come with a sweet sure cap? The cop would be on the outside upper portion. The cap on 510 I believe is black as I've only had red, grey, tan blue(Kirby never made a blue cap). I've painted tan and red ones. You have a pic of the bags? The 508-512 bags are super hard to find. The 510 cord I believe is a dark grey bell female end that plugs into the machine. If you look at the back of the attachment boxes in the center is a number. The 510 would be 50 and 517 would be 57(1957)and 519(1959). The 519 is the last of the plastic belt lifters. The 560 has the metal belt lifters with the plastic bezel.