Airing Dirty Laundry

[appnut]

Ugh, I remember how noisy those KAs can be. Particularly at certain points during fill & drain when the pump is really soundling like a jet plane. But during the full-water fill water circulations, it was quite soothing. It's only when it does the partial fill is it pretty noisy. And the James is LOUDER?? Oh my!!!

 

[Unimatic1140]

But the sounds are wonderful

One of my biggest gripes with that modern dishwasher in our Kitchen (and its days are numbered) is how quiet it is, what fun is that if you can't hear it? Although with its two hour cycle, that's probably a good thing. If I like this KitchenAid I will take out the Modern dishwasher and install the KA in its place. Between the KA and the '56 Frigidaire in the Kitchen that is all we would ever need. Now if I could only find room to install the Apex Dish-a-Matic in the Kitchen too, that would make three upstairs.

 

[pulsator-power]

mini wash in

Robert, did you save all the dark clothes for the weekend loads? What machines are you going to wash them in?

Have you gotten a chance to get some of te other machines going from the last trip you went on where the Wizard (pig) came from?
Jerry

 

[Unimatic1140]

Hi Jerry, yes it was just a midweek wash of towels and sheets.

No with all the work on the website, the other machines are still waiting to be worked on. I started on the Kelvinator and plan on finishing it up in a few weeks when things are not so hectic around here.

 

[peterh770]

Which Kelvinator?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Which Kelvinator?

Hi Peter, the Top-of-the-Line Kelvinator model I got in Tulsa.

 

[peteski50]

Which Kelvinator?

Hi Robert,
This looks like a real great little washin from above. The Kelvinator will realy make the party!
Peter

 

[jasonl]

Early Kenmore

Why were the tubs so deep or lower in the early Kenmores than in the later ones? Seems that a short petite housewife would have a little trouble reaching down in there

 

[mrb627]

Controls

The timer and other controls had to be mounted in the cabinet at that time. I guess they didn't have to be, but that was the state of technology back then. Once controls moved to a rear console, this issue went away.

MRB

 

[golittlesport]

I'm not sure why the tubs were lowered like that...but Robert's Whirlpool in the picture has controls on a rear console.

 

[Unimatic1140]

I'm not exactly sure why the basket is so far down in the early Whirlpool and Kenmore machines. As MRB said might have something to do with the very first models having the timer on the front of the cabinet. Even though my machine is the 2nd design with the control on the rear console, maybe they didn't want to spend the money to retool in order to bring the baseplate up. Who knows what they were thinking.

 

[golittlesport]

...and they produced both the "deep-dish" style and the raised-tub style simultaneously for a few years. I have an old Sears catalog (1953 I think) that has the front-mounted controls on the lower priced washer and the frog-eye big-lid higher priced model that not only had the tub raised but had a rubber strip between the cabinet opening and the D-shaped metal tub guard. Probably as you said, Robert...a new design style phase in.

 

[westytoploader]

Does Neal ever use your vintage machines for his laundry or are they "off-limits?" Also, does he have any favorites?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Austin, I do all the laundry in our house and Neal mows the grass and shovels the walk. Its a perfect trade off, I hate hot weather and cannot stand mowing grass so I would much prefer doing laundry in the nice cool basement.

When I'm out of town for what ever reason, if Neal needs to do a load of wash he uses the Harmony set.

 

[jasonl]

Poor Neal

All those immaculate vintage machines and he doesn't even get to play with'em. At least he cuts the grass which I like to do as well.

 

[westytoploader]

Hot down here...

I like to mow the yard as well, but only with the riding mower...

It's practically unbearable to be outside with that Texas summer weather (100°+ temperatures and especially now the high humidity/heat index), so needless to say I'm doing most of the washing and vacuuming.

To get back on subject, did 1970's Norge/Wards washers (such as the Fedders Norge in GregM's collection) have indexing tubs?

 

[DADoES]

Hmph. I have to mow and trim my own yard. It's not quite big enough to justify a riding mower (and I seriously need the exercise anyway). I did pull out all the old shubbery earlier this year so I don't have to trim all that stuff every few months.

I don't recall that the two Catalina machines within my experience had indexing baskets.

 

[fixerman]

I don't believe any of the Norge design machines had indexing tubs. The brake is applied during agitation.

 

[jasonl]

Riding mowers

I have a tractor too. It's fun to sit on that thing and drive. So I do the laundry, vac, and mowing at my house. I'm a (not for long) single guy and I gotta do it.

 

[westytoploader]

I'm itching to find a Norge-designed machine in Houston...might need to take a little trip out to Crosstimbers again for an inventory check...;-)

The problem is they're practically bulletproof (judging by the Signature machines on eBay from time to time; used for years and still in excellent working/cosmetic condition), IMO, which obviously makes them H-A-R-D to find out here.

I would absolutely LOVE to find a Montgomery Ward portable by Norge, but that's pretty much a dream now...