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Handisac use

Charlie,
You're correct on the Handisac use, it was suggested you re-use it up to 5 times, or until there was a noticable drop off in performance.
I've used Handisacs in Convertibles as well, and with the amount of hair that comes off Jack they do come in quite "handy" as they empty very easily.
 
Water Matics

I have a couple of them-The machine is a "bagless" canister vac-you can use a disposable flat filter paper filter in it.When you use it as a standard vac-its sort of like a Filter Queen.It has two flat cloth filters in it along with the paper one to filter the dirt.It has a baffle on the intack to exert a cyclonic action to the intack airflow-like a Filter Queen.The WM has FLAT filters instead of the cone like ones in the FQ machine.The WM gets its name in that it can be used to pick up water.To do this-you remove one of the cloth filters and the paper one.in their place you put in the Ball valve assembly-you must use this to prevent water from being sucked into the motor.It can only pick up a couple gallons of water at a time.A non-elec tric hose is also provided for wet pickups.when you are done with wet pickups-you empty the drum and dry it out-then put back the cloth and paper filters.The motor in it is a bypass type-Two fans in a sepearate enclosure for suction-and a seperate fan in the motor itself for cooling.They are fairly effective machines-but can be messy to empty.You also need another vac to clean the cloth filter.the Fairfax is similar-the Fairfax uses a bag instead of the paper flat filter.The Fairfax also has the full bypass motor and a ball-valve assembly for wet pickups.It is less messy to empty the Fairfax-just remove and replace the bag.You remove the bag for wet pickup and put in its ball valve unit.It then is used for wet pickup like the WM.To go back to dry vacuuming in the Fairfax-empty the water from the drum,dry it and put back the bag.Both are still made today.The last time I looked up Water Matic on the web it was under "Water Matic industrial"I beleive Fairfax is under "Fairfax Industries"
 
Well I just tried the Water Matic and it is indeed a very nice vac. It has that nice soft motor sound that winds up and winds down when you switch it on or off.
The attachment kit appears to be complete except the wands are missing which are easy to replace. The floor brushes themselves are very nice, heavy duty chrome with beautiful wood inserts that hold the brushes inside..I've never seen anything like them. Came also with a crevice tool, dust brush, squeegee, felt floor attachment and a spray gun, as well as the water float and it's attachment plate, dozens of extra paper filters. Can't wait to post a pic of it..grrrr on my camera software..
It says it's made in Canada which is odd since I've never heard of them before and not too far from my old hometown. Now I have to find out what year this thing is..The hose and top cover and caster attachment are turquoise, the bottom half that collects the dust or water is shiny chrome. as is the carrying handle and on/off button.
 
further to my above

I just noticed my Water Matic was made by a company called Switson Industries in Welland Ont... so I googled it.. and apparently they made the old Eatons Eatonia vacs..here's a link with some pics of old Eatonia vacs. Someone on here had an old Eatonia vac sent to them, very rocket shaped.

heres a better link to this guys site..lots of vacs here

http://dkas1.50megs.com/
 
Cool Filter Queen Literature-Wonder what the date of it is.See many Filter Queen vacs like the one in ts pictures-old and beat up-vac shop techs use them to vacuum out customers machines! They are a favorite for that use.I am trying to get one of those-the vac shop users love-'em though.The bad part Filter Queens don't have bypass motors and no ball valve-DO NOT pick up water with them.The company that builds Water Matics in the US is Water Matic Industries-in Front Royal VA.I don't beleive they are very old here.(US)
 
Tolivac

Can you post a picture of your WaterMatic.. and also a pic of the two removable permanent filters.. the booklet that came with mine said there are two filters and that you can insert a paper filter "between" the primary and secondary filter. I may be missing the primary filter.. The filter that is on there now over the motor openings is cloth with a cloth pull tab on it.. but you can't pull it out that I can figure? So it appears I have nothing to put the paper filter "between"

No idea on the year of the FQ brochure. The lady vacuuming looks early 60's, the lady cleaning moths out and putting the filter in looks 50's..

Oh..btw.. on the guarantee. it states
"The Filter Queen Corp Ltd will entirely rebuild and recondition the FILTER QUEEN Power Unit anytime after the experation of the two year guarantee, at a cost not to exceed $20.00

What a deal..still has to be good..
 
Austin - One Hospital G Coming Up!

As soon as my Nikon's batteries recharge, I'll take a shot of the Hospital G I have. I brought it to Tom Gasko, who rebuilt the motor for me. Now the conundrum, what to do with the exterior. It is scratched and I don't know if I am skilled enough to repaint it. Anyway, I will post tomorrow.

Greg - That 61 chrome is a mystery. I can't imagine that anyone would put the kind of money into rebuilding a 50 year-old machine. Either it originally came that way or that was the finish under the paint, which I find hard to believe. It could have been aluminum which the vac shop buffed out after removing the paint. Many possibilities. I have kept it in my living room and added a beautiful matching set of 6200 cleaning tools. Will post that tomorrow as well. If I don't, yank my chain.

Fred
 
Petek: I would like to post pictures,but don't have a camera.I would have lots of things to take pictures of.In the WaterMatics I have there are two cloth filters and you could use the disposable paper filter between them.You can also use the same flat paper filters in a Fairfax.In Fairfaxes-they go in above the bag-under the powerdome.The Question I would like to ask to WaterMatic-Why not use the disposable filter UNDER both cloth filters-then you don't have the messy task of cleaning the cloth filter.It would be interesting to try that.Cleaning the cloth filters is messy.On the Powedome you have the filter must be stuck in it-you should be able to remove it.The filters were removable for cleaning-or after many-many years of use-replacement-I liken them to the cloth bag on a dump bag upright-you have to replace it after awhile-when you can no longer clean it-or has a smell.Both FQ and Kirby had those guaranteess long ago-and yes they still have to honor them-instead-either will try to send a salesman to your home and try to sell you a new machine!
On Hospital G's-besides a noise filter-didn't the square filter act as an early "HEPA" filter to filter out fine particles and carbon brush dust from the motor?Those are pretty cool machines-have only seen pictures of them-never seen one in person.I had the thoughts those were the first "HEPA" type portable vacuums.
 
Wow you guys have some great looking vac`s! Charlie I dream of finding a turquois G some day! Found a tan one a couple weeka ago and was really suprised how quiet it was! Enjoyed the pics!
 
Petek:Found the WM website-Maybe it can be of help to you.You should be able to order parts for WM machines from them-filters,Attachments,etc.I don't know how long WM has been building and marketing their machines in the US.Sounds like in your machine one of the filters is missing. It should have two cloth filters-also does your machine have a round blower exhaust port on the top rear of its powerdome?When you are using the machine as either a dry or wet vacuum-there is a foam filter on this-WM calls it the "Filterizer".

http://www.watermaticinternational.com/
 
Switson Industries and other tid bits

Apparently made vacs in Canada for many companies..Watermatic, Kirby, Eatons, Regina, Eureka and a few others.

I found a beat up old Kirby Classic III with the original bag and sani emptor..so I can make a good original machine out of the one I already have... yay...

When washing dirty Kirby bags..use cold water, the color bleeds something terrible. And a pinch of Downy makes them smell great for a few days.
 
Petek:-The filters should be in their own round frames.-with the small pull tabs on them-allowing you to easily remove it from the powerdome.I haven't seen the machines with a "wrap around bumper or something"Sounds like machines sold in Canada must of been diffrent than the machines sold in the US.In that case I don't know if the WM website I found could help-it was designed towards US customers.Maybe you should check with a well equipped vac shop in your area.They may be able to get the filters and parts you need for your machine.
 
Ah ha

I took another look at my vac and it appears I am missing just one filter..The cloth filter that is in there I did manage to remove.. it sort of seats around the rim under the rubber, basically it's just cloth sewed on a wire hoop. I'll hit a vac shop and find the other filter or order one online from that site..
They are the same machine as that site....only mines an older model that doesn't have a power nozzle..same screw in hose, that's something isn't it. Doesn't look like the floor nozzles for the new models are the nice heavy heavy chrome ones like mine are.
thanks again
 
Petek: Glad you found the needed info-I also like the older attachments as well-esp if they were the polished metal!The plastic ones just don't cut it-esp on a "hi-end" vac such as a WaterMatic.The tools on both of mine are plastic.I may have to use that website to order more filters-and I was going to try them in the tank first and the cloth ones on top-could save a messy cleanup job!
 
Dr. Mitch, Water-Matic fans and others.........

Well, thanks Dr. Mitch for the kind word words on the turquoise G. It is a fabulous vacuum and still works great some 50 years later---at true testimony to the brilliant thinking at Electrolux at the time.

And the the Hospital G, in both the turquoise and tan versions, the only major difference was the amount of baffaling to quiet the motor noise, the additional filter on the rear/back of the vacuum, (which was only cotton battoning and a screen), the optional length of the hose and the 3 row brushstrip brushroll.

Domestic versions of the G could be ordered/modified with the 3 row brushstrip/brushroll but only for a limited time as Electrolux realized that the extra pull/torque on the the P/N motor would burn it out fairly quickly and as a warranty item they would have to replace it.

So it goes in vacuum history.

Charlie
 

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