'52-'54 Frigidaire Unimatic Pulsator (Energy Ring) repro progress .....

[sfh074]

<span style="font-size: 14pt;">As</span><span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> most of you know I have been slowly reproducing all the rubber agitator parts for Frigidaire washers from 1952-1964. </span>

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">I finally was able to try a test cast from the '52-'54 Frigidaire pulsator mold I made .... the pulsator on the left in the picture below. The pulsator on the right is a 65+ year old original that has seen better days. Not bad for a first try but I see there are a couple of issues that need to be tweaked. This first one gets scraped to reuse the metal flange again. I'll chalk it up in the name of progress. </span>

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Big thanks to Ben for allowing me to borrow his NOS pulsator to make the mold!</span>

 

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bud - Atlanta</span>

[this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-12:48]

 

[sfh074]

Comparison .....

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">photos of the '52-'54 vs a '55-'64 pulsator. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Here you can see they are identical except for the overall height.</span>

[this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-10:47]

 

[sfh074]

Come to find out .....

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">the metal flange in all pulsators are nearly identical from 1952 thru 1964 ..... [COLOR=#ff0000; font-size: 18pt]AND including the smaller Jetcone pulsators that have the D shaped hole![/COLOR] </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">So don't toss out any old Jetcone pulsators. We can reuse the flange out of them for any pulsator repro going back to 1952! </span>

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Cheers! </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bud - Atlanta</span>

[this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-10:39]

 

[sfh074]

The only molds left to make .....

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">is the one year only 1960 cap and the 1963-64 rings. When that is completed, I will then be able to reproduce all the rubber parts as seen in this diagram from 1952 thru 1964. Including the black ring for the 1947-1951 columns. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">If you need any of these parts, let me know. </span>

 

<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">Bud - Atlanta</span>

[this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-10:48]

 

[swestoyz]

Great work! The pulsator in question, 5417486, is up through 1954 for the WO-65-2. Starting in ‘55 for the WV-65 they changed the tub mount height and thus the pulsator changed. The 5432199 size fits all 55-64 machines, with the ‘55 bring the only version that was ever black in color.

Ben

Edit - I should have also mentioned that the 5417486 will functionality work in the both WO-65 and 65-2, as well as the late 49 flat top machines with the modernized tub (same as WO-65). Can’t say I’ve had experience with the harmonizer tubs, but I’d imagine it would work too.

The 541 prefix was used originally for kits, and with this being a one piece pulsator, vs the original three piece style, I suspect the reason GM used a 541 PN.

But yes Bud, regarding the metal flange; gang don’t throw away those pulsators! Even trashed the metal flange can be used to make a minty new one. [this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-11:02]

 

[repairguy]

That’s awesome!

 

[sfh074]

Thanks Ben .....

I keep forgetting the one year only 1955 pulsator is the taller pulsator ..... but was done in black this first year it was introduced.  It was a natural black rubber compound as with the prior pulsators.

 

In 1956 they created all parts going forward in synthetic rubber, ie ...... Neoprene so as to have colors other than black, where all pulsators from '56 forward, were in a light gray .... including the Jetcone. 

 

The diagram above shows a well weathered Jetcone pulsator, after it has turned the typical dark tan as most older neoprene will do.  As for all the other parts shown in the diagram, the colors are fairly close to original ..... with the exception of all the "green" caps.  I have found all the 58-62 neoprene caps that I've seen in person and in pictures throughout AW have all turned towards a greenish hue. The correct color is more of a turquoise blue/green.

 

<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is what a cap color should look like ..... well dependent upon how your monitor reproduces the actual color, but should be pretty close. This is an original cap with the oxidized layer etched away with muriatic acid leaving a fresh sample of the original 55+ year color. As you can see, more towards a blue than the weathered green you see in older caps.  Even a good quality original cap has shifted towards green.  I guess the blue dye decomposes before the green as it oxidizes shifting the overall color towards green.</span>

 

 

[this post was last edited: 12/7/2019-11:56]

 

[jons1077]

Impressive!

That’s pretty amazing work!

 

[hippiedoll]

Breathtaking...

Your detailed work here is nothing short of AMAZING! To think that so many vintage Frigidaire washers will have fresh looking, colored agitator parts, thanks to you. I am at a loss for words!

You & your creations are AWESOME!!
)

 

[jamiel]

That color shift is interesting, because the original color is basically that of the Maytag polyethylene agitator parts, which don't really change in color...interesting how the rubber and the poly age/oxidize differently.

 

[tomturbomatic]

What Maytag polyethylene agitator parts?
The fact that two different compounds would age differently is not surprising.