DC02 Wand Handle Alternative

[RobinM]

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Broken DC02 wand handle? Here's an alternative (from Numatic's Henry)....

A Henry (or Hettie etc) 'Bent end handle 32mm' will fit the DC02's straight telescopic pipe.
I ordered a genuine Henry stainless steel bent end handle - I haven't tried any 'pattern' parts, the chrome-plated items or the aluminium version.
The Henry part has subtly tapered ends.
If it is too loose, put some insulating tape on the bend end handle.
If it's too tight, and you can't make it fit, buy some Henry pipes (and floor tool, if needed).
A Henry floor tool will also fit the DC02 pipe, if your original has fallen apart (like ours did).

Now for the hose....

If your DC02's hose is in good condition....
1. You will need....
a) A Henry 'Hose cuff' complete with the hose end fittings (three pieces in the kit).
b) (Optional) some construction adhesive that will glue plastic, if you want to glue your hose-end sleeve to the hose.
2. With a Stanley knife (or a bread knife) cut off the 'worst' end of your DC02's hose, close up to the the hose-end sleeve (make sure the cut is 'square'!)
3. Remove the DC02 lock-ring from the hose.
4. Thread the Henry lock-ring onto the hose (the right way round!)
5. Screw the hose-end sleeve (anticlockwise!) onto the cut end of the DC02's hose. The 'pitch' of the 'screw-thread' of the DC02 hose is slightly 'coarser' then the Henry hose, but it is not sufficiently different to stop the fitting screwing on. Screw it on tight, but not so tight that you wrinkle up the hose inside the fitting. I didn't glue mine, but that is an option - use one of the 'construction' adhesives that claim to glue plastic.
6. Draw the lock-ring up to the hose-end sleeve and attach the 'cuff'.

If your DC02's hose is in bad way....
1. You will need....
a) An intact DC02 lock-ring (with the two buttons that engage with the holes in the socket), and
b) A new or second-hand 1.8 metre long Henry hose, complete with fittings on both ends (prices vary enormously!), and
c) EITHER one of the recovered hose-end sleeves from the DC02 hose (the glue is ferociously difficult to remove!**), OR a Henry hose-end sleeve, cut-down (accurately!) to the same length as the DC02 item.
CHECK that the Henry hose-end sleeve is a good fit in the DC02 'machine end' socket.
Add some insulating tape if it's a bit loose - if it's tight, file or sand it down.
d) (Optional) Some construction adhesive, as in 1 b) above.
2. 'Pop' the Henry 'machine end' plastic nut (backwards - away from the hose end) off the hose-end sleeve (may be tight if it's new).
3. Cut the Henry hose close up to the hose-end sleeve (make sure the cut is 'square').
4. Remove the Henry plastic nut.
5. Thread the DC02 lock-ring onto the hose (buttons nearest the cut hose end).
6a. If using the DC02 hose-end sleeve....
This is not internally threaded (at least ours wasn't) so it will need gluing to the hose.
6b. If using a Henry hose-end sleeve....
Screw the hose-end sleeve anticlockwise onto the hose - tight, but not too tight. Glue it if you want to.
7. 'Plug' the hose into the DC02.

You should now have a functional hose / pipe /  floor tool assembly.

**To remove the cut off fragment of hose (Henry or Dyson) from inside a glued-on end sleeve....
With a sharp Stanley knife, cut the hose inside the sleeve in a spiral fashion (don't score the inside of the sleeve!) and then 'peel' out the hose, also spirally. Getting the glue out of the base of the fitting would probably require a sharp knife, bent to a right-angle at the end, to cut the soft but tenacious glue away from the base of the inside of the sleeve. I gave up.

Note: Some of the smaller DC02 tools will fit the new Henry hose-end (you will need the Henry 'stub pipe' that fits within the hose end cuff) - others may be a loose fit - either use insulatiing tape, or get some Henry tools.

I haven't tried this 'mod' on any other Dyson, but (in theory at least) it should work with anything with 32mm hose and pipes.
Borrow some Henry pipes and hose and check for a good 'fit' before spending any money!

Good luck!
 

[MVacs]

Excellent solution and write-up. 

I've made that a sticky here. 

[RobinM]

Since I carried out this 'mod', it occurred to me that....
1. Some Dyson owners may not wish the despoil their vintage DC02 with black Henry accessories.

2. A short cut length of Henry metal pipe (from the straight or the 'bent' sections) could be glued, 'melted' or jubilee-clipped into the broken DC02 wand handle.

3. You could get a custom-machined metal 'stub-pipe' made, with a reduced-diameter end to fit into the DC02 wand handle - potentially time-consuming or expensive!

I haven't tried this, but....
1. It could require some time and patience with a half-round file or abrasive paper wrapped around a cylindrical 'mandrel'.

2. It could fail again, if your wand handle has become brittle with age.

Let us know if you try this!