Equipment Score

[LBPete]

One of the side benefits of scrounging thrift stores, garage sales and swap meets looking for old stereo equipment is you stumble across all kinds of stuff. I couldn’t pass up this old electrolux shop vac for $20.

My mom had an Electrolux vacuum cleaner this same aqua color back in the early 60’s so my guess is this thing is from the same era. I still remember the salesman coming to the house and demonstrating all the attachments. He had a demonstration attachment that was a clear chamber with 3 handball size steel balls in it that he could pick up with the vacuum.

This one is built like a tank. It has great smooth turning and stable casters, all steel construction with the exception of a removable plastic cover over the top of the motor housing. The tank is actually either chrome or highly polished steel. The motor is smooth and quiet and boy does it suck! It was made in a time when stuff was built to last. And it has.

It actually works great and the cloth bag and gasket are intact. Overall all it needs is a good cleaning and it should be ready for the next 40 years of service.

I have never seen one like it and cannot find any information at all on the Internet about this model. There are a couple of sites that have pictures and production dates for all the Electrolux household vacs but no mention at all about a shop vac. Has anyone ever seen one like this?

- Pete

 

[shrinkboy]

aren't you gonna need to upgrade that power cord to something nicer, maybe with a matching aqua sleeve and a hospital grade plug?

 

[SPL db]

Interesting find... looks like it even has a extra power outlet.

I like the fact that the hose is a normal size vacuum hose instead
of the 4-5 inch monster that's on my Craftsman! :thmbsp:

Scott

 

[fotno]

My mom bought an Electrolux 30+ years ago. Still runs, still works as well or better than any machine I've ever used. Good stuff, from back when products were built to last.

 

[LBPete]

Shrinkboy,
I'm going to change out the power cord to pure silver oxygen free wire in pure silicone sleeves and a nuclear grade plug. Then I'm going to rhodium plate the whole thing to make it more scratch resistant. Then to top it off, re channel the output air to make it hover an inch off the ground when it's running. Then it would be vacuum nirvana.

SBLdb, the standard hose that accepts Electrolux tools are a big plus. It didn't come with any but I've collected a variety of them over the years to use with another shop vac. The Electrolux brushes use real bristles, and nothing cleans like a real bristle brush.

As a side note, last year I found a current model, Fein shop vac at a thrift store. It too was $20. Fein is a bucks up Italian power tool maker. That shop vac is really nice, very quiet and has a 16' hose that will actually reach from the ground up into the gutters on the house. But the damn hose is a bastard size that nothing fits. Wound up spending another 40 or 50 bucks to get a range of attachments for it and they are crap compared to the yard sale Electrolux stuff. Now I have the dilemma of two good shop vacs. Each has it's plusses and minuses.

- Pete

 

[rallycat]

Looks like an industrial/janitorial vacuum instead of a home vac. You may have to look offline for old industrial supply catalogs.

I picked up an old Clark industrial vac for $20 a couple years ago - great garage/car/patio vac - similar industrial heft as your Electrolux, if not the stylie aqua tone.

 

[outlawmws]

Pete,

Are you going to be able to get dust filters for that? I had to dump my old shop vac because all it was good for was liquids without a filter.

 

[Reel 2 Reel]

But ...can it 'suckstart' a 'Harley' on a cold winter day? :scratch2: LOL

I wish I had some girlfriends that could!!!!!

Thats an item back from a time when quality counts...unlike today.....

Great find Pete! :thmbsp:

 

[LBPete]

Rallycat,
It does have that janitorial look to it. The bumpers around the base looks like other janitorial gear.

Outlaw,
It has the original electrolux cloth filter. It spans the whole diameter of the drum and has a rubber gasket around it outer edge that seals the motor assembly to the drum. The motor assembly has a cage/basket that hold the filter open. It is a really good design. The filter and it's rubber gasket are pretty much perfect. But to answer your question, I have searched on the web and can't find a replacement. There are many sites that have bags and filters for other electrolux models but nothing that comes close to the one that this model uses.

And Gary,
It has the power to suck the chrome off a trailer hitch. That's more than enough suction to start a Harley.

- Pete