Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Looking for a killer Vacuum cleaner

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Topic: Looking for a killer Vacuum cleaner

Brian Francis
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Newberg, Oregon USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-19-2000 11:33 AM

Hello to my fellow theatre operators I ask for help from your extensive collective experience once again. Right now my theatre doesn't have a working vacuum cleaner so we sweep sweep sweep.. I need one that can suck up popcorn, dots, maybe even the sticks on suckers and the stuff they sneak in.

Is there a particular brand or model that some of you all think are tops in this field. There are so many out there!! One that really sucks if you know what I mean. Economical and effective. I Thank you a lot!

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 10-19-2000 02:55 PM

I too didn't know what vacuum to buy. So I went to Best Buy and bought the absolute cheapest vacuum I could get. It is a Eurika and cost $35.00. I didn't want to get the $400 vacuum that they offer at Grangers. I figured that by the time that the $35 vacuum busted I would have it fugured out.

The $35 vacuum still sucks (as in what it is supposed to do.) We have a shop vac for the nastier stuff, like when the back room floods. (monthly)

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Tom Kroening
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 214
From: Janesville, WI USA
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 10-20-2000 01:21 AM

Get one of those kikin backpack blowers : ) I was testing ours while cleaning out the nasty janitors closet and accidentally turned around and blew it at a customer *oops*.

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Bill Enos
Film God

Posts: 2081
From: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 10-24-2000 12:17 AM

We usually buy vacs at the nearby thrift(second hand) store. Why spend more than you have to when the cleaning crew will probably bust it anyway? We've bought a few really good and fairly expensive ones only to find them abused. The cheap ones are just as good.

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Steve Scott
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1300
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-24-2000 02:58 PM

Try the Top Flite, it's lightweight,depndable, and comes with a heap of cord. We use it during big rushes, particularly when the popcorn coats the floor.
You may have to check around to find one, I don't know at the time where we go ours.

Usually, we just use rubbermaid dustpans & carry them across the carpet, which works great. Or, we use these sweepers (we call them 'hokeys') to push in front of us & sweep up everything from candy to napkins.

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Brian Francis
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Newberg, Oregon USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-27-2000 06:09 PM

Thanks a lot fellas for the usful information. I will start looking around at the usual stores and thrift shops for a good value but not junk.

Here's a question for Steve about that "TOP FLITE" model. Is that the one by the company that makes "POWER FLITE", based in Canada? I would like to get a starting point on how to track down what it is you are writing about, having never heard about it before. Thanks again.

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Steve Scott
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1300
From: Minneapolis, MN
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 10-29-2000 02:59 PM

Ooops!
I meant the power Flite! Theater dyslexia! (top flite is our cleaning solution for mopping!!

)
Goto www.topmop.com, I couldn't look through the entire website, but google matched the power flite to that website.
If you need a description, it's a blue upright with a metal handle.

Sorry that I can't be more descriptive, but I found out that one of our old managers owned it, and took it with him when he quit!

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"Trying is the first step towards failure!"
-Homer Simpson

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Wayne Cope
Film Handler

Posts: 25
From: Micanopy, FL, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 10-30-2000 02:34 AM

Our building maintenance man made his own. He got a vacuum that was broken somewhere and took the body off of it - the part that contains the motor and bag, basically. He took the frame from a backpack that had ripped up and bolted the vac to it. He got a hose, attachments, and spliced a long power cord on.

For only the cost of his labor, he's got a backpack vacuum, which otherwise costs serious money and it's been working fine for years. If you need a beater brush type vacuum on the carpet, this won't do, but it will do a lot of cleaning much more easily than any other style of vacuum.

Of course the initial cost is not the issue. It's the effectiveness and the life-cycle cost. To that end, if I were doing this from scratch, the only change I'd make would be to get a unit with an empty-able canister, rather than a disposable bag.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-01-2000 05:46 PM

Thats easy! The "Suckolux" in Rodger Rabbit.
Just call Marvin Acme, he stocks them........
Mark

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Bruce McGee
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1776
From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular.
Registered: Aug 1999

posted 11-02-2000 07:46 AM

Marvin Acme is dead, remember?

If you can handle dragging a "tank-type" Electrolux around the lobby, you can get one of the older ones with the canvas bag that you can dump and shake. I have had one of these for at least 30 years that I have not killed yet. You wouldn't believe the things it has sucked-up. If you tell the used-vac store what you want, they can probably find one. I saw one not long ago for $15.

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Rick Fowler
Film Handler

Posts: 17
From: Richmond, VA, USA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 11-08-2000 01:04 PM

one name comes to mind KIRBY, they are expensive new about $1200.00. but check your local dealer they'll probably have a few used models that you can get for 300-400 bucks. new they come with a lifetime warranty and my grandma still has hers can you believe a vacum cleaner that is 40 years old! I bought one for myself and have had it for 6 years 3 times longer than any other vacum I bought in the past. check it out I doubt you'll be dissappointed.

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Regal Booth Certifier

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Brian Francis
Film Handler

Posts: 15
From: Newberg, Oregon USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 11-12-2000 11:39 AM

Researching around on the this subject I have come to the point of thinking to buy a good upright vacuum cleaner, probably either a KIRBY or a ROYAL,a good used one of mostly or all METAL construction,especially when it comes to the fan, which would be in the under $200.00 range and hard to beat for durability and long life. New along these lines would be $400.00 to $1200.00 or like that. Thanks to all for comments and advice.

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Scott Norwood
Film God

Posts: 8146
From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas)
Registered: Jun 99

posted 11-12-2000 01:01 PM

In my apartment, I have a "Hoover Convertable" which must be about 25-30 years old and runs great. It's very solidly built and is heavy. The cheap plastic ones that they sell at Kmart don't compare. You can probably get one of these (or something like it) practically free at a garage sale and have it reconditioned for less than the cost of a new plastic one.

For a theatre, I'd probably either get the cheapest thing I could and consider it to be disposable or get something better that is old and have it fixed up. I doubt that there's much difference in the actual suction power--just the quality of construction and expected lifespan.

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