1957 Frigidaire Control Tower Dryer Repairs

[filterflo]

I had posted last week about the 1957 Control Tower Frigidaire Filtrator Dryer that I found in my last estate sale. I tried it while it was still at the house but it did not work. Moved it home and into my workshop on Sunday morning and the first thing I tackled was the timer light. Its always an easier repair if you fix the lights first! Or at least it seems a little more glamorous........

 

[filterflo]

The rest of the dryer was "DOA". No motor, no timer action at all. Upon removing the back, all the belts were in place but one of wires had rubbed against the pulley and had worn thru. No burn marks were visible and this was the wire that fed the drum light and ozone bulb. I spliced it back together and still nothing working..............

 

[filterflo]

Filtrator dryers have a safety switch that shuts off power if the drum belt brakes. I jumped those wires and it sprang to life! BUT, the drum was jammed and not turning. Seems there was a big glob of cotton jamming the drum. It had made the belt wear and loose enough tension to make the safety switch trip. Not sure where this cotton all came from, it looks like the lining to a quilt or some type of blanket........

 

[filterflo]

Globs of cotton, some all rolled up! At first I thought it was insulation from the dryer, but its pure cotton. Mouse nest perhaps? But no mouse dropping in it (thank goodness!!)) so I guess it was from a blanket/quilt?

 

[filterflo]

Dryer back together, and running with a load of sheets in it. Love that fluffyness that a Filtrator Dryer gives laundry!

 

[filterflo]

All cleaned up and back together, ready for its first real load of laundry........

 

[filterflo]

The Sheer Look, what a great design! Running as quiet as can be, Im so pleased to get this, and that it was such an easy fix. The owner told me his mother bought it and it quit working shorty after she got it, and she would never get it fixed because it was so slow to dry. She always had a wringer washer that she used in conjunction with this. I can only imagine how slow it worked with a wringer as its companion.........

 

[cadman]

GORGEOUS!!

 

[swestoyz]

Jimmy -

That is fantastic! I loved the step by step diagnostic on getting it back to life. I agree - let those lights shine!

Enjoy ~

Ben

 

[tolivac]

Really nice dryer-love the "Jackshaft" pulley drive in it-hadn't seen that in years!!!Only other time I had seen the dual pulley "jackshaft" drives was for Wurlitzer band organs.

 

[christfr]

fantastic

know youll love it!! went through the same stuff with this 54 i have and now she is happy and quiet as a mouse..yeah..fantastic job!!!

 

[bethann]

Good job Jimmy! It's in such wonderful shape. I'm happy for you!

 

[hoover1060]

Delineated - Detailed - Perfected

Congrats on that dryer Jimmy, it sure is gorgeous!
How nice too that its had very little use all these years too!

 

[customline]

WOW!

Great job. This is what I tune in to see everyday. Does my heart glad.

 

[filterflo]

Thanks customline, and I agree. After all the drama on the Super section, thought I would post some pics of the dryer and repairs, which is one of the reasons that Applianceville exists.................

 

[veg-o-matic]

Fab job, Jimmy! One of these days I'll get to see a Filtrator in person.

Uhm, you did do something about that bare splice, didn't you? Don't want any members to get fried...

veg

 

[rickr]

That is one FINE looking dryer Jimmy! Thank you for the detailed photos. It is always great to see the great photos with the descriptions! Glad you were able to find this classic,and hope you find the matching washer someday also!

 

[harvestgold]

Jimmy awesome find and such an easy repair Just a beautiful machine Hope you find a washer

 

[gansky1]

Keep those Filtrators Clean!!

The Filtrator lint problem... This is what a 1960 Filtrator looked like when I took it apart 2 years ago. The string lying in the bottom was wrapped around the drum shaft. Scary fire hazard, but all that lint absorbs moisture from the drying clothes and would have slowed the machine down horribly. You can see bits of scorched lint around the cabinet and lying in the bottom as well - this came from the top of the heating element housing.

This lint looks mostly white too, probably used the machine for drying all those turkish towels!

 

[rickr]

Lint Lint and more Lint!

Think I remember when you restored this dryer Greg. It was just full-of-it!! LOL! That was the most lint I ever saw before. It is amazing more dryers don't catch on fire,when you see inside many of them.

This is a photo of the 56 Whirlpool dryer before restoration last summer. And I thought THAT was a fire waiting to happen!