I like it very Kool . The can is made from a military storage can with a over center lever latch . Well that’s what it looks like to me . You’ll probably have to replace the bearings in the motor . The grease turns to a waxy putty and just locks up .
No it wasn't the first ever...they were more of a industrial vacuum system then sears started making the home and shop models . They were a dry vacuum for wood working shops.i remember my junior high wood shop had a big central setup for the whole shop , the saws, and the dust was collected in them waxed paper barrels , and there was also portable ones it was the same barrel and it had the vacuum head that clamped onto the top and a Fram with wheels that clipped onto the bottom .a service would come around and collect the full barrels and clean out or replace the filters and leave empty barrels then the full barrels were deposed of or dumped cleaned and returned.
The one I have now is a newer unit , about 30 or so years old, it's actually a heavy duty portable commercial grade dry vac dust collector. It's a 30 gal. or so metal drum that has white non-marking rubber wheels , other top is a very powerful snail shell type motor and **** super charger kind of set up that is the lid and it clamps down on top of the drum on the bottom side its got a cloth bag/filter with a draw string on the motor air intake and its got a catch bag set up on the outside on the air exhaust /with a muffler......also the drum has a big cloth , like a big laundry bag with a draw string, bag that goes in the drum first then pull it up and over the drum before you clamp the lid/motor ...when full just lift it out and dump it or have more bags ...I just reuse the 9nly one I have . But now I use the vacuum for collecting bat **** from my attic and I use heavy duty plastic trash bags. I put on my haz mat paper suit a respirator and go to work when bag is full ..lift it out tie it closed and collect the cash....$5 a pound. When they p***ed the Marijuana laws in Oregon I sell the stuff as fast as they can **** it out. Highest nitrogen fertilizer you can get.
My dad had one of those back in the mid 60's. The drum was shorter, but used the same motor and top. He replaced it with a wet/dry in the early 70's. I used that until last year when the motor started smoking. Sure made things yo last back then. Thanks for the pics, I will show to dad and see if this will jog his 90 yr old brain.
Showed the vac pic to mom and dad. Mom recalls the vac, but sadly dad has memory problems. I always try to show him or talk about the old days. It's hard seeing him in such decline.
Sort of reminds me of the homemade vac that I used at a previous job for ****ing sludge out of the coolant tanks. Except this was made from a steel 55gal drum and used compressed air.
We have that same Black Fiber 55 gallon Drum Sears Shop Vac. Still works! Doesn't use a Vacuum bag so to speak but a filter bag to cover the Vacuum Motor Port!
The Jalopy Journal
