Just acquired this 1959 Lady Kenmore combo from Kevin. Haven't done anything with it yet. Has some rust on it.
1959 Lady Kenmore Combo
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hippiedoll
Well-known member
very cool!
Can't wait to read what you do to get this baby up & running. And also your progress, when you get in there to get this vintage beauty going!
;o)
Can't wait to read what you do to get this baby up & running. And also your progress, when you get in there to get this vintage beauty going!
;o)
The rust is located on the side of the outer tub next to the burner. The intense heat on the porcelain from the very powerful gas burner next to it caused the porcelain to break down. This was often exacerbated by someone starting another load right after one had finished so the tank was really hot when the water hit it. There was no measure taken to protect the porcelain tank from the heat since the heat helped the water heating.
My electric WP had some small rust holes where the hose from the bleach dispenser ended above the water line and right against the the porcelain on the right hand side of the machine. I just used epoxy to glue scrap pieces of glass to the porcelain tank to seal the minor holes which, as I said, were above the water line. This is going to take real body work, maybe with stainless steel.
My electric WP had some small rust holes where the hose from the bleach dispenser ended above the water line and right against the the porcelain on the right hand side of the machine. I just used epoxy to glue scrap pieces of glass to the porcelain tank to seal the minor holes which, as I said, were above the water line. This is going to take real body work, maybe with stainless steel.
I love how the blower housing is on the exact other side of the cabinet then the blower motor.
That rust really dosen't look good. With that size of hole, my best bet would be taking the tub out and maybe have a little piece of stainless steel welded onto there. Then coat the surrounding area of that welding area with some epoxy or silicon to prevent eventual rust from damaged porcelain due to the high temperatures during the welding.
Getting the tub out though sure as hell won't be easy, and I doubt you want to have to do it twice.
That rust really dosen't look good. With that size of hole, my best bet would be taking the tub out and maybe have a little piece of stainless steel welded onto there. Then coat the surrounding area of that welding area with some epoxy or silicon to prevent eventual rust from damaged porcelain due to the high temperatures during the welding.
Getting the tub out though sure as hell won't be easy, and I doubt you want to have to do it twice.
mayken4now
Well-known member
Very Cool, thanks for posting. Love the back of the machine like Brent says!
Now uncover the Ford Custom Truck!
Now uncover the Ford Custom Truck!
37,000 BTU's
Justin, when I was making a "restoration" list I was considering replacing the rusted steel with stainless steel, it won't be original, but it will hold up to the heat from the burner. Obviously I didn't get any further than making a list, however.
Kevin
Justin, when I was making a "restoration" list I was considering replacing the rusted steel with stainless steel, it won't be original, but it will hold up to the heat from the burner. Obviously I didn't get any further than making a list, however.
Kevin
The blower is just above the motor. You can see the long belt going from the blower to the motor. Over on the other side is part of the variable sheave pulley which was the speed changer mechanism. A little motor wound up a chain to pull one arm of the mechanism up which increased the drum speed from the wash tumble speed to the rip-roaring spin speed of something like 225 rpm. Big heavy belts ran that thing and they made a lot of noise.The heated air entered the rear of the drum on the left, as you looked at the machine from the front, was pulled across to the right front where it was sucked out through the front of the drum then through the lint screen and then out through the blower.
It was quite a noisy machine. Mine had belonged to a friend's family. When it was in use (and usually in the dry cycle) when the father, a police detective, arrived home from work, the mother just opened the door to stop it so that he would not be bothered by the noise. There were fat heating elements glowing cherry red that could be seen through the window during the dry cycle and all air flow across them stopped and 5600 watts of heat just baked the upper part of the machine. There was a little damper on top of the heater box (the rectangular gray box seen behind the pulley) that was supposed to restrict air flow through the machine until the start of dry. The poor little thing and its spring were just rusty toast after all of those years of abuse.
A service man told me that when Sears took these back due to customer non-satisfaction, they used to take ice picks and poke holes in the outer tub so that they could never be used again. He told me that when he saw my epoxy and glass tub repairs.
It was quite a noisy machine. Mine had belonged to a friend's family. When it was in use (and usually in the dry cycle) when the father, a police detective, arrived home from work, the mother just opened the door to stop it so that he would not be bothered by the noise. There were fat heating elements glowing cherry red that could be seen through the window during the dry cycle and all air flow across them stopped and 5600 watts of heat just baked the upper part of the machine. There was a little damper on top of the heater box (the rectangular gray box seen behind the pulley) that was supposed to restrict air flow through the machine until the start of dry. The poor little thing and its spring were just rusty toast after all of those years of abuse.
A service man told me that when Sears took these back due to customer non-satisfaction, they used to take ice picks and poke holes in the outer tub so that they could never be used again. He told me that when he saw my epoxy and glass tub repairs.
cfz2882
Well-known member
clutch for blower on ~1961 version
I was given an RCA whirlpool version of one of these in 1979,lady said it was 18 yrs old and would not spin(cable from gearmotor spool to variable sheave pulley was broken...)This one had a solenoid clutch device on the motor blower pulley to disable the blower during wash-not noticing this on the 1959 machine(or maybe I am just not seeing it in the picture?)Pump,on front of motor,was black bakelite turbine style with rubber blades
I was given an RCA whirlpool version of one of these in 1979,lady said it was 18 yrs old and would not spin(cable from gearmotor spool to variable sheave pulley was broken...)This one had a solenoid clutch device on the motor blower pulley to disable the blower during wash-not noticing this on the 1959 machine(or maybe I am just not seeing it in the picture?)Pump,on front of motor,was black bakelite turbine style with rubber blades
Love the console-in-a-console look held over from the 1958 line. Congrats and good luck with it!
clutch for blower - not on the '59
John Lefever will correct me if I'm wrong, but on this one there is no clutch, the blower runs all the time. However there is a damper door that opens for "dry" but closes for the wash / rinse / spin part of the cycle.
John Lefever will correct me if I'm wrong, but on this one there is no clutch, the blower runs all the time. However there is a damper door that opens for "dry" but closes for the wash / rinse / spin part of the cycle.
The blower ran all the time. My bedroom faced the "side" back door to the house next door (driveway with side entrance into the house). The washer/dryer was right next to the outer wall. I'd lay in my bed at night (which was next to the wall and kinda under the window) and listen to the machine go through wash & rinse cycles. when it would begin to spin, the pitch/tone noise of the blower would go down a bit until it reached full spin speed. And sometimes I'd cry myself to sleep because I wanted to be over there watching that machine. Never did get to see an even complete wash cycle in the 5 years it was next door.
mixguy
Well-known member
Remember this washer/dryer too
the Mother of one of my mom's friends had this washer in their home built in late 1959. The had a Sears refrig too with bottom freezer. Moved the combo out and replaced with regular top load Sears MOL model with 2 speeds, 2 cycles, 3 water levels, and 5 position w/r choices . Kept the combo but moved it into and outdoor kitchen/BBQ house around 1963. Back then, most everyone hung out clothes to dry unless there was rain. Never been back inside there since, the house is still in the family but has not been occupied for the last three three years. Have no idea which appliances have been replaced. When it was built it was the first home I had seen with push button wall light switches rather than the standard toggle. Also had adj height ceiling lamp over the dining room table with dimmer
the Mother of one of my mom's friends had this washer in their home built in late 1959. The had a Sears refrig too with bottom freezer. Moved the combo out and replaced with regular top load Sears MOL model with 2 speeds, 2 cycles, 3 water levels, and 5 position w/r choices . Kept the combo but moved it into and outdoor kitchen/BBQ house around 1963. Back then, most everyone hung out clothes to dry unless there was rain. Never been back inside there since, the house is still in the family but has not been occupied for the last three three years. Have no idea which appliances have been replaced. When it was built it was the first home I had seen with push button wall light switches rather than the standard toggle. Also had adj height ceiling lamp over the dining room table with dimmer
seeitrun2006
Well-known member
1959 Kenmore electric wash/dry combo
My grandmother had this exact machine except her's was white. It was on the enclosed back porch of her house. She was the talk amongst her 6 sisters having such a "modern" appliance in her house. And yes it was very noisey to say the least. She used the dryer very little because it always got too hot for her liking. She was very afraid of anything catching fire since their house burned when she was a little girl. There was a WASH AND DRY drying cycle that she would use. She would let it dry for about 10-15 minutes. Then put the clothes on the line to finish drying.
Around 1964 they started having major issues with it. Mainly draining issues, door seal kept falling out. The Kenmore repair guy came out at least 2 to 3 times a year. The last time it quit draining in 1966 out the door it went.
It was replace with a 1966 Westinghouse MOL TL washer and electric dryer. It was no doubt the biggest washer I had ever seen. My grandfather had a friend who worked for GA Power. That was the only place in rural Suwanee GA that sold Westinghouse. Sears at the time was in downtown Atlanta.
My grandfather and I took apart the old Kenmore wash/dry combo. That thing had more parts to it than the space shuttle. We came across the heater coils. They were coruded I guess from detergent residure/suds drying on them. We also found the speed control with the little chain attached to it.
I always loved to watch it wash especially the roto-spray wash action!!!
My grandmother had this exact machine except her's was white. It was on the enclosed back porch of her house. She was the talk amongst her 6 sisters having such a "modern" appliance in her house. And yes it was very noisey to say the least. She used the dryer very little because it always got too hot for her liking. She was very afraid of anything catching fire since their house burned when she was a little girl. There was a WASH AND DRY drying cycle that she would use. She would let it dry for about 10-15 minutes. Then put the clothes on the line to finish drying.
Around 1964 they started having major issues with it. Mainly draining issues, door seal kept falling out. The Kenmore repair guy came out at least 2 to 3 times a year. The last time it quit draining in 1966 out the door it went.
It was replace with a 1966 Westinghouse MOL TL washer and electric dryer. It was no doubt the biggest washer I had ever seen. My grandfather had a friend who worked for GA Power. That was the only place in rural Suwanee GA that sold Westinghouse. Sears at the time was in downtown Atlanta.
My grandfather and I took apart the old Kenmore wash/dry combo. That thing had more parts to it than the space shuttle. We came across the heater coils. They were coruded I guess from detergent residure/suds drying on them. We also found the speed control with the little chain attached to it.
I always loved to watch it wash especially the roto-spray wash action!!!
BEST OF LUCK JUSTIN...
That is very cool. I loved the idea of a combo,
before this weekend's convention, but now
I NEED one, too. I know you will be able
to do what needs to be done. Good Luck.
Louis
That is very cool. I loved the idea of a combo,
before this weekend's convention, but now
I NEED one, too. I know you will be able
to do what needs to be done. Good Luck.
Louis
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