mickeyd
Well-known member
I hope you find this pleasurable and satisfying. I expect to have the pix scanned into the site by Thursday for our members who prefer them.
A VIDEO: Dorothy Street Christmas Washers--Whirlpool Convertible and Kenmore Visimatic
- Thread starter mickeyd
- Start date
revvinkevin
Well-known member
Bad link....
Says the video is not available... please try again.. THANKS!
Says the video is not available... please try again.. THANKS!
mickeyd
Well-known member
Kev, i just watched it from this link after posting--worked
But after your message, I tried again, and Youtube says it's not ready.
"IT CAN NOT BE" as silly Sam Jaffe says in the SF classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Gort: "Klatu viradda Nicto.
If it worked a few minutes ago, I'm sure it will work again shortly, or I'll just have to give Youtube a hot oil enema
But after your message, I tried again, and Youtube says it's not ready.
"IT CAN NOT BE" as silly Sam Jaffe says in the SF classic "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Gort: "Klatu viradda Nicto.
If it worked a few minutes ago, I'm sure it will work again shortly, or I'll just have to give Youtube a hot oil enema
mickeyd
Well-known member
It's back working
Mike
Mike
westytoploader
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- Joined
- Sep 4, 2004
- Messages
- 4,485
As always, a FANTASTIC video, Mike, thanks for sharing! Looking forward to meeting you in Tucson!
golittlesport
Well-known member
woo hoo!
Thanks for the great video, Mike. My Aunt Margie washed in the kitchen too...in Buffalo NY. Loved the colorful load in the Visi...and the different agitators. The spin on the Whirpool convertible is so cool. I love fast spins.
Rich
Thanks for the great video, Mike. My Aunt Margie washed in the kitchen too...in Buffalo NY. Loved the colorful load in the Visi...and the different agitators. The spin on the Whirpool convertible is so cool. I love fast spins.
Rich
Great video, Mike - laundry CAN be fun!
I think I remember reading that the WP/KM compact washers spin about 800-850 rpm to compensate for the narrow basket - it should give about the same results as the full-sized WP machines.
I think I remember reading that the WP/KM compact washers spin about 800-850 rpm to compensate for the narrow basket - it should give about the same results as the full-sized WP machines.
mickeyd
Well-known member
Rich, had no clue you were from Buffalo--Holy Toledo!! And an Aunt Margie, too. What kind of washer did she have?
Greg, methinks the fast spin was to make 110 volt drying feasible, but find out for me will you? It's spinning very very fast. The Haier spins at 800 and when I respun a Haier load in the WP, I extracted another HALF CUP of water. The spinning is dramatic, looking and sounding like a Unimatic. Makes my other WP'S look like snails.
Just a month and a few days away, Austin
Greg, methinks the fast spin was to make 110 volt drying feasible, but find out for me will you? It's spinning very very fast. The Haier spins at 800 and when I respun a Haier load in the WP, I extracted another HALF CUP of water. The spinning is dramatic, looking and sounding like a Unimatic. Makes my other WP'S look like snails.
Just a month and a few days away, Austin
mickeyd
Well-known member
Thanks, Terry
For me, turnover is everything!
For me, turnover is everything!
Taht was FUN!!!
RPMs
That was amazing to see all the machines and have a tour of your kitchen. My portable is a Sears, direct drive, teeny weeny washer with Dual Action Agitator. It is fine and much better than going out to do laundry, but holds only a fraction of your machine. It does 2 minutes of high speed agitation and then kicks down to slow. I reset it if the load is soiled. It does not spin at anything approaching fast. I set the dieal to spin for a second round and the clothes feel heavy.
Kelly
That was amazing to see all the machines and have a tour of your kitchen. My portable is a Sears, direct drive, teeny weeny washer with Dual Action Agitator. It is fine and much better than going out to do laundry, but holds only a fraction of your machine. It does 2 minutes of high speed agitation and then kicks down to slow. I reset it if the load is soiled. It does not spin at anything approaching fast. I set the dieal to spin for a second round and the clothes feel heavy.
Kelly
My Whirlpool Tech-Care Quality Training book says hi spin speed is 870 rpm, lo speed is 620. Agitation is 75 spm on hi, 50 on lo speed.
Mike, I love your accent!!!
mickeyd
Well-known member
ha ha Bob, I can't WAIT to hear yours. How do you like m
Thanks Greg, I knew it had to be faster than 800.
Kelly, thought we had some shots of the Living room too; they'll be in the pix. How ya doing? Great, I imagine.
Thanks Greg, I knew it had to be faster than 800.
Kelly, thought we had some shots of the Living room too; they'll be in the pix. How ya doing? Great, I imagine.
Hey Mike,
I have found an extra Kenmore scrubber cap for the roto-swirl. Email me your address and I will send it to you. Swell videos.....those belt drive portables spin at 850 rpm's and have the same tranny, motor and pump as a full size W/P washer.
John
I have found an extra Kenmore scrubber cap for the roto-swirl. Email me your address and I will send it to you. Swell videos.....those belt drive portables spin at 850 rpm's and have the same tranny, motor and pump as a full size W/P washer.
John
mickeyd
Well-known member
John, You just made my day; address is on the way. THANK YOU
Hey Dick, what's shakin', Man? Thanks.
Hey Dick, what's shakin', Man? Thanks.
mickeyd
Well-known member
Greg and other gifted men
The model number of the WP Convertible is LHC4900WO and most everything about it matches the full size WP in the garage which was made in 1977. Can you tell me what year the Convertible was made? Since the spin speeed is close to 900, I understand why I first thought I heard a Unimatic in my kitchen.
The model number of the WP Convertible is LHC4900WO and most everything about it matches the full size WP in the garage which was made in 1977. Can you tell me what year the Convertible was made? Since the spin speeed is close to 900, I understand why I first thought I heard a Unimatic in my kitchen.
scott55405
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- Oct 26, 2004
- Messages
- 1,831
I really enjoyed your video! I like the little belt driven Whirlpool. And the Visi-Matics are amongst my favorites. They wash so well and are so quiet. Have a great pump as you mentioned and the open top wringer really is much easier to work with, even though I like Maytags too.
davy1063
Well-known member
my Yia Yia (Greek for "grandmother") had that exact Visimatic. What year was that from? It had a scrubber cap on top of the pregnant RotoSwirl. The lid had this brush-like filter in the lid that the drain hose would plug into from the top. As the machine agitated, you would open the "drain" lever and the water would recirculate. My grandmother never used that. That little plastic indicator on the inside of the tub i believe was the water level line. After every wash, my grandmother would remove the agitator. Man, thanks for bringing back the childhood memories.
mayken4now
Well-known member
Mike:
great video. really enjoyed the entire thing.
The accent was acceptable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Steve
great video. really enjoyed the entire thing.
The accent was acceptable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL
Steve
mickeyd
Well-known member
You know what, though, Scott?
Remember when Robert suddenly liked his 47 GE more than his Unimatics and
changed his background from Frigidaire to GE ? The same thing happened to me. I now like Kenmore more than Maytag, but I'm afraid to tell Geoff, and maybe it's just a fling.
Thank You
Remember when Robert suddenly liked his 47 GE more than his Unimatics and
changed his background from Frigidaire to GE ? The same thing happened to me. I now like Kenmore more than Maytag, but I'm afraid to tell Geoff, and maybe it's just a fling.
Thank You
mickeyd
Well-known member
Let's hear yours, you wild man!
Thank You, Stevey
Thank You, Stevey
mickeyd
Well-known member
Davy, I don't know what year it is
Mine has the filter port on the side and the filter mounts to the tub, but the filter is missing. I can't know if your Yia Yia"s machine is a few years earlier or later than mine, but I'm guessing earlier, that they "evolved" the filter off of the lid because it was too cumbersome. And the fill port on the side is awesome. If you find out the year, I'l love to know.
Happy to spark memories. I adored my Yia Yia.
Mine has the filter port on the side and the filter mounts to the tub, but the filter is missing. I can't know if your Yia Yia"s machine is a few years earlier or later than mine, but I'm guessing earlier, that they "evolved" the filter off of the lid because it was too cumbersome. And the fill port on the side is awesome. If you find out the year, I'l love to know.
Happy to spark memories. I adored my Yia Yia.
Mike, I had one of these convertibles back in 1984. It was a belt drive, wig-wag mechanism and did spin at over 800 RPMs. I have often wondered what would happen if the mechanism was removed and used to power a full-size WP/KM belt-drive tub.
golittlesport
Well-known member
Hi Mike
Both of my parents were born in Buffalo. We would go and visit my grandparents and uncles who lived at 302 Massachusetts Avenue when I was a boy. I was born in Dunkirk NY, just outside of Buffalo. I still have lots of cousins in the area. My Aunt Margie had a 1950 Westy slant front in her kitchen...no dryer. She lived on York St. You talk like my cousins...music to my ears...haha!
Rich
Both of my parents were born in Buffalo. We would go and visit my grandparents and uncles who lived at 302 Massachusetts Avenue when I was a boy. I was born in Dunkirk NY, just outside of Buffalo. I still have lots of cousins in the area. My Aunt Margie had a 1950 Westy slant front in her kitchen...no dryer. She lived on York St. You talk like my cousins...music to my ears...haha!
Rich
magic clean
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2004
- Messages
- 511
Another Buffalonian
Mike, your video is really great. Wonderfully narrated. Your accent is fun and its cool that you made note of it. Growing up in Buffalo, I get called out on it too.
My "Grandma" had a Kenmore wringer like yours in her white Youngstown metal cabinet kitchen. She lived on Busti Ave. in a 2 family. It was parked next to her 52 Fridgidaire refrig. She would roll that machine up to her kitchen sink to wash. It was a cumbersome process as there was not enough room and the kitchen sinks don't do well as laundry tubs. I remember her soaking things in the bathtub too!
In the winter, she would carry baskets of wet wash up to the the attic to dry. In the warm weather, it was down a flight of stairs and out to the back yard. It was really a process of hard work. But I don't think she ever really complained. Advance to today's world, its hard to imagine folks worked so hard not all that long ago. I think the Visi-matic is from the very early 60's.
Leslie
Mike, your video is really great. Wonderfully narrated. Your accent is fun and its cool that you made note of it. Growing up in Buffalo, I get called out on it too.
My "Grandma" had a Kenmore wringer like yours in her white Youngstown metal cabinet kitchen. She lived on Busti Ave. in a 2 family. It was parked next to her 52 Fridgidaire refrig. She would roll that machine up to her kitchen sink to wash. It was a cumbersome process as there was not enough room and the kitchen sinks don't do well as laundry tubs. I remember her soaking things in the bathtub too!
In the winter, she would carry baskets of wet wash up to the the attic to dry. In the warm weather, it was down a flight of stairs and out to the back yard. It was really a process of hard work. But I don't think she ever really complained. Advance to today's world, its hard to imagine folks worked so hard not all that long ago. I think the Visi-matic is from the very early 60's.
Leslie
mickeyd
Well-known member
Thank you, Gentlemen
Leslie, your last name survives in these parts, seen it many times. And Busti avenue is still the main drag in the neighborhood famous for being the home of La Nova Pizza--they keep winning contests and their wings, etc. are shipped all over the world.
Aunt Marge didn't have an attic, so in the winter, she walked the laundry down the street, basket by basket, to Aunt Mickey's house and hung the clothes in HER attic. They worked so hard and never blinked, and they loved us so much and were so happy! And we worshipped them.
Rich, Glad our accent is so stable and locally universal. Dunkirk is the next "big City" 30 miles west and down the lake from here. My sister Ann lived on Massachusetts for a time--small world, indeed! Your last name is missing; wonder If I know any of your cousins.
Rinso, "Wig-wag"-- do you mean dual action? This machine is way earlier.
Leslie, your last name survives in these parts, seen it many times. And Busti avenue is still the main drag in the neighborhood famous for being the home of La Nova Pizza--they keep winning contests and their wings, etc. are shipped all over the world.
Aunt Marge didn't have an attic, so in the winter, she walked the laundry down the street, basket by basket, to Aunt Mickey's house and hung the clothes in HER attic. They worked so hard and never blinked, and they loved us so much and were so happy! And we worshipped them.
Rich, Glad our accent is so stable and locally universal. Dunkirk is the next "big City" 30 miles west and down the lake from here. My sister Ann lived on Massachusetts for a time--small world, indeed! Your last name is missing; wonder If I know any of your cousins.
Rinso, "Wig-wag"-- do you mean dual action? This machine is way earlier.
geoffdelp
Well-known member
Hey Mickey ... OK, OK, I forgive you for liking your Visi-matic better than your Model J! You WILL come back to your Maytag some day and it will be waiting for you! 
To be honest with you, if I had a nice Visi-matic like yours, I'd probably be liking it a lot too. There certainly is a lot more bells and whistles than on a Maytag. I really like the fill port; that is so cool! I am always worried about the hose coming out of the tub as I've had that happen before and water gets everywhere.
Your video was FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for sharing. Your little Whirlpool convertible is a blast and washing by the kitchen sink is always fun.
I got to operate Don Shier's Visi-matic this past fall; it was fun! You're right; they are very quiet ... a lot quieter than a Maytag. The wringer is so visible; we had a sock roll up on the top roller and were able to see it right away. In my Maytag's, I have to stand to the side and watch them come out. The other cool thing is the timer; it shuts off not only the agitator, but the motor, too. You can't do that in a Maytag. All you have to do on the Visi-matic is set the timer dial to "HOLD" and you can continue to wring, pump, re-fill, whatever. I've always thought that was a great feature. I also like the ability to "shift" speeds. The handles on the side are great, too.
See ... I could become a Visi-matic user!!
I admit, too, that I had an "affair" with a Speed Queen. One of the new ones from Lehman's Hardware. That was about 7-8 years ago. It was definitely not a Maytag ... very "tinny" sounding and the wringer would pop open if you looked at it wrong. The on-off dial for the agitator was backwards; that was weird and there was no pump. Luckily I have a floor drain in my laundry room and out the back door in my laundry room that walks up to the back yard (for hauling all those baskets of clothes out to the line!). In the end, I was very disatisfied with the Speed Queen and gave it away for our parish's fall festival or spring fling or something like that.
I really need to get my act together and make a video of one of my Maytag's!
To be honest with you, if I had a nice Visi-matic like yours, I'd probably be liking it a lot too. There certainly is a lot more bells and whistles than on a Maytag. I really like the fill port; that is so cool! I am always worried about the hose coming out of the tub as I've had that happen before and water gets everywhere. Your video was FANTASTIC! Thanks so much for sharing. Your little Whirlpool convertible is a blast and washing by the kitchen sink is always fun.
I got to operate Don Shier's Visi-matic this past fall; it was fun! You're right; they are very quiet ... a lot quieter than a Maytag. The wringer is so visible; we had a sock roll up on the top roller and were able to see it right away. In my Maytag's, I have to stand to the side and watch them come out. The other cool thing is the timer; it shuts off not only the agitator, but the motor, too. You can't do that in a Maytag. All you have to do on the Visi-matic is set the timer dial to "HOLD" and you can continue to wring, pump, re-fill, whatever. I've always thought that was a great feature. I also like the ability to "shift" speeds. The handles on the side are great, too.
See ... I could become a Visi-matic user!!
I admit, too, that I had an "affair" with a Speed Queen. One of the new ones from Lehman's Hardware. That was about 7-8 years ago. It was definitely not a Maytag ... very "tinny" sounding and the wringer would pop open if you looked at it wrong. The on-off dial for the agitator was backwards; that was weird and there was no pump. Luckily I have a floor drain in my laundry room and out the back door in my laundry room that walks up to the back yard (for hauling all those baskets of clothes out to the line!). In the end, I was very disatisfied with the Speed Queen and gave it away for our parish's fall festival or spring fling or something like that.
I really need to get my act together and make a video of one of my Maytag's!
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