Would you buy an handmade washing machine?

[maytag85]

At least the tub is metal and not plastic like the outer tubs in virtually everything else today except Speed Queen.

That agitator and its 180 degree wash action is reminiscent of old school washers and is definitely better than just about anything today. Transmission probably overbuilt compared to today's under designed junk. The cherry on top is the lack of a pestering VM groan or the clickty clack of a DD in its wash action. Full control of the water level. No control board to shit the bed in 1 year, costing half the original price of the machine when new...on back order or obsoleted. No junky suspension rods that need replacing on a regular basis. No plastic splutch or crappy underdesigned mode shifter to strip or die. No agitator dogs that need replacing. No snubers to grease or replace. No water pump to die. No lid lock or lid switch to replace. No water valve to replace. Only a couple of seals and a hose to potentially leak water. Simple, easy tear down and repairs.

I'll still take this.

Most HE top loaders are nothing more than a glorified compact machine.

A friend on discord has a Black & Decker compact/portable washer with an impeller, surprisingly works well and does multiple rinses, even allows you to select the water level too. Kind of sad when a compact version of a full sized HE top loader has more flexibility and options compared to the full sized counterparts.

 

[combo52]

Thanks for posting. These are always fun to watch what can be made when you don’t have any money behind you.

That said the quality and the performance of this machine is absolutely abysmal, I would dare say that even the cheapest Chinese top loader today let alone something from
GE or whirlpool would easily outlast 10 of these machines.

The quality of the motor and controls, even the pulleys are so rough they will just shred the belts in little time.

Of course they won’t meet the safety standards anywhere in the world, except now that guess who is decimating things like the Consumer Product Safety Commission maybe we will get these soon, you think you’re homeowners insurance is expensive now wait until these get on the market, lol

John L

 

[mrboilwash]

Just adding a grounding wire to the cabinet would get you to a comparable electrical safety standard like the US had in the late 50`s to early 60`s.
Considering the US was the leading country back then, well except for electrical safety standards and not a developing country like Pakistan still is today puts any criticism in a different light, doesn`t it?
But still the wooden board is indeed a good start to double insulation.
I also wonder how many Americans actually connected the grounding wire to a water pipe or whatever and how many just ignored this practice when it was still code because it was too cumbersome.
Anyway I found the frayed out wiring of the power tools some of the workers in the video were using close to sharp metal edges much more of an immediate problem.

 

[maytag85]

Just adding a grounding wire to the cabinet would get you to a comparable electrical safety standard like the US had in the late 50`s to early 60`s.
Considering the US was the leading country back then, well except for electrical safety standards and not a developing country like Pakistan still is today puts any criticism in a different light, doesn`t it?
But still the wooden board is indeed a good start to double insulation.
I also wonder how many Americans actually connected the grounding wire to a water pipe or whatever and how many just ignored this practice when it was still code because it was too cumbersome.
Anyway I found the frayed out wiring of the power tools some of the workers in the video were using close to sharp metal edges much more of an immediate problem.

I believe grounded plugs on washers didn’t become mandatory until the late 50’s, a few Maytags I’ve seen in the archives (Whirlpool/Kenmore as well possibly) all had grounded cords on them. Wasn’t only for safety, but to protect the machine itself.

Of course, electric dryers were grounded from the get go since the neutral/ground is combined. Won’t work without the neutral/ground.

There’s also some debate about 3 prong vs 4 prong dryer cords/outlets, but never had issues with the 3 prong/outlet setup. The 4 prong setup is kind of ridiculous since it requires more copper, makes installing a new cord tricky, neutral/ground ends up in the same place in the breaker panel and or fuse box.

 

[phillymatt53]

I checked, and the weight of 30 gallons of water is 250 pounds.
So, not including clothes, how can a tub made from thin, flexable metal flashing that was cut by a pair of hand shears possibly not flex or be stable enough to withstand the turbulance and use in those flimsy machines?
I mentioned before in the one video that when the worker pushed the drain hose in place under the tub, the whole area dented in, just from hand pressure.

I don't find that rugged construction, nor is it safe.
It's a joke.

 

[Chetlaham]

The 4 prong setup is kind of ridiculous since it requires more copper, makes installing a new cord tricky, neutral/ground ends up in the same place in the breaker panel and or fuse box.

Neutrals and grounds only end up at the same place in the panel which houses the main disconnect. Beyond that neutrals and grounds are to be kept entirely separate.

I do not find 4 wire systems ridiculous. There were reports of people getting shocked from 3 wire dryers. Another case where a baby was getting its diaper changed- the frame of the dryer was live and the washer frame was grounded with the baby laying across both machines.

Typically two or three things must go wrong at the same time for an electrical system to become hazardous as the code is written, but with a 3 wire 120/240 volt hookup only one thing needed to go wrong.

As much as I think some aspects of the code are overkill with manufacturer funding behind them, some of the rules were actually written in red.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Well, all the electrical safety concerns aside, what about the performance?

Shocking we don’t yet know how good a job these washers if they get mass-produced will do…

And the way water and electricity don’t mix, will this appliance have to be as quickly replaced before its matching dryer companion ever breaks?

I’ll take avocado super capacity!

 

[phillymatt53]

Well, all the electrical safety concerns aside, what about the performance?

Shocking we don’t yet know how good a job these washers if they get mass-produced will do…

And the way water and electricity don’t mix, will this appliance have to be as quickly replaced before its matching dryer companion ever breaks?

I’ll take avocado super capacity!

Out of pure curiosity, (I was a bit bored) I did some digging around about these handmade contraptions.
Those Youtube videos of those sloppy garages and seemingly impressive rows of those handmade machines all show up as some form of propaganda designed to entertain the viewer.
And they do a pretty good job of convincing the viewer that those things are actually marketable products, certainly the gullible viewer will believe what they see.

However, in some further exploring of the name branding that was shown, those brand names do not represent the actual brands in appearances or functions.
To me, it's just more youtube timewasting entertainment, like those videos of contraptions such as those perpetual motion things, motors that don't need electricity, and other bizzare crap.

 

[maytag85]

Neutrals and grounds only end up at the same place in the panel which houses the main disconnect. Beyond that neutrals and grounds are to be kept entirely separate.

I do not find 4 wire systems ridiculous. There were reports of people getting shocked from 3 wire dryers. Another case where a baby was getting its diaper changed- the frame of the dryer was live and the washer frame was grounded with the baby laying across both machines.

Typically two or three things must go wrong at the same time for an electrical system to become hazardous as the code is written, but with a 3 wire 120/240 volt hookup only one thing needed to go wrong.

As much as I think some aspects of the code are overkill with manufacturer funding behind them, some of the rules were actually written in red.

Never had a problem with the 3 prong cords on my dryers, don’t know if anyone else who had problems with the 3 prong cord on their dryers either.

The only one who would know that answer is John since he’s been working on appliances for the past 53 years or so.

 

[phillymatt53]

Never had a problem with the 3 prong cords on my dryers, don’t know if anyone else who had problems with the 3 prong cord on their dryers either.

The only one who would know that answer is John since he’s been working on appliances for the past 53 years or so.

In residential wiring, you have 3 wires, major appliances are designed for that.
Unless the wiring is mis-wired or damaged, there should never be issues.

 

[Chetlaham]

Never had a problem with the 3 prong cords on my dryers, don’t know if anyone else who had problems with the 3 prong cord on their dryers either.

The only one who would know that answer is John since he’s been working on appliances for the past 53 years or so.

There have been enough reports over the years of people being shocked from 3 wire circuits to sway code making panel members into voting affirmative on a national code change.

I do not discount your own experience or those of a seasoned appliance technician, however, those anecdotes are only a fraction of a much larger whole when hundreds of millions of 3 wire circuits are taken into account.

Though rare as probability has shown you, connections do fail as any service electrician or electrical engineer will tell you. The difference being whereas a dryer or range will simple stop working on a 4 wire circuit the frame of the appliance will become live on a 3 wire circuit.

 

[normadesmond]

Amazed how many didn't have on gloves with all that sharp metal.

On a lighter note, I never saw the factory foremen, but I could certainly hear Theodore, Simon and Alvin!

 

[phillymatt53]

Amazed how many didn't have on gloves with all that sharp metal.

On a lighter note, I never saw the factory foremen, but I could certainly hear Theodore, Simon and Alvin!

LOL!
It adds to the entertainment!