1955 Westy Slant-Front dryer!

[alexc04]

Hi everyone, I’m pretty new here so if I posted this in the wrong section I apologize. I think I made an account here a few months ago and posted about my ‘41 Ge fridge. Anyways, I just recently went to pick this dryer up, it’s in decent shape definitely needs a repaint though. I have a couple of concerns about it, my first concern is if it has a bell, the guy I bought it from cut the cord off last minute to test his air compressor so until I replace the cord I can’t test it. It’s a ‘55 model so it doesn’t have the music box in it. Does anyone know if the ‘55 model had a bell? My second concern is with the timer, it’s extremely stiff and is hard to turn. It doesn’t seem to have a stopping point which makes me think it’s dead, where can I get a replacement timer if it is dead? I almost forgot, the door gasket is shot, where can I get one of those? Thanks, I will update the thread with detailed photos of the whole dryer soon.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Congratulations on your find!

I guess the first thing is to get a new cord on her and go from there. We have all faced questions and challenges like you and wonderful people here with experience and expertise ride to the rescue and bring dead appliances back to life.

One thing on which I would caution you is that these old WH slant front dryers had a sheet of asbestos under the heater box because it was at the bottom of the cabinet, right near floors that could be damaged by heat so beware of that and wear safety breathing apparatus when you open her up.

 

[alexc04]

Tomturbomatic

Hi, thank you for your advice! It’s really helpful to know that it has asbestos in it. Unfortunately I’ve already popped the panel under the door open and there doesn’t seem to be asbestos. However, I popped the top off and there was this fiberglass looking stuff in there, I removed it because it was filthy and it’s now in my garbage. Do you think it was asbestos? It’s a gold-colored puffy fiberglass looking material. Thanks

 

[gyrafoam]

Don't hit the panic button. Asbestos used to be all over the place and somehow most of mankind has survived.
It's not like you are working in a factory that produces it.

 

[classiccaprice]

True... but I will admit I'm paranoid of it. My grandfather died from it (building ships during WWII) and my uncle is dying from it now (crawling around on a ship during Vietnam). Asbestosis is a nasty disease.

 

[alexc04]

Aaaa! Stop scaring me! Haha, here are the pictures I said I would add

 

[turquoisedude]

There's as an asbestos plate in my Canadian '53 Westy dryer that I found during restoration; fortunately it was firmly glued/cemented to the heater cover.  However exposure to it could explain a lot in my case....  LOL 

 

The timer dial may seem hard to turn if the lubricant in the escapement has dried up or hardened; this happened with mine.  The dryer still worked, however.    As mentioned, test the dryer as soon as you can to determine what is and isn't working. 

 

Congratulations on your 'new' find!!  

 

 

[paulg]

Dryer RECIPES ?

The instruction manual boasts dryer RECIPES on the cover.
How unusual.

 

[alexc04]

Wiring a cord/response to paulg

Hi, sorry to resurrect this thread, but I’m having trouble figuring out how to wire a cord onto this dryer, I took off the terminal block cover and there are 3 exposed connections, I have a 4-prong outlet in my house so I need to convert it somehow. Everywhere I’ve read that there’s a 4th connection next to the terminal block. But I can’t find it. Can anyone help? I’ll post pics soon.

Paulg, the dryer recipes boasted on the manual are just the recommended amounts of time for a 3lb, 6lb, and 9lb dry load. No actual foods you can cook in the dryer. Unfortunately haha

 

[alexc04]

Classicaprice

Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry for my response to your message about your relatives passing away due to asbestosis. I was really tired when I posted that response and now that I reread it I realize how mean that must have seemed. I’m sorry for your loss and promise that I meant no harm when I posted that response.