Antique Wascomat-In New York

[exploder3211]

Heres a Blue top Wascomat.. Very old (i think)..

http://cgi.ebay.com/WASCOMAT-W181-B...00QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3284QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[gansky1]

Jon, you NEED these!

 

[toggleswitch]

OMG OMG OMG

Those were in the laundromat granny used to use after her GE FF died (by around mid 60's), and she was not allowed to replace it. (FEH! I would have told grandpa exaclty where to go.)

Grandma and grandpa preferred the dryers at the laundromat to line drying. [Total opposite of most immigrants) "Cleaner" than a NYC alley and there was a morbid fear of wearing damp clothing and or getting wet in general. Believed to cause illness.

I believe those machines were finally replaced in the late 80's.

Spaking of laundromats, I wentt to one the other day to wash some large area rugs. Saw someone wash four load of laundry. Took the stuff home wet. Where in heck do you dry four loads of laundry in winter? (I am assuming without mechanical assistance.) Perhaps her washer died.

 

[seeitrun2006]

Taking home wet clothes

When my mom's Hotpoint would ever so often need service we did exactly that. Took the clothes to the laundromat to wash. When finished we took them home wet and either dried in the dryer (after1968) or hung them outside on the line. Unless of course it was raining.

There are 5 kids in my family so my mother did not do without a washer very long. I'm 50 years old and we did not have a clothes dryer until 1968. Sometimes she'd hang them around the house to dry. Man haven't we got it made today!

 

[sudsman]

OMG

Those are the old "Mae West" Style and were fantastic machines. There are still a lot of them here in Ft Worth.

 

[peterh770]

I believe you can still get parts for these guys from Wascomat.

 

[alr2903]

Sudsman

were these the ones that had the plastic strips that were program cards? labeled blankets, sheets towels, drapes, i realize the ones in the pic are coin ops, but hotels had the ones if IIRC, that you pushed the the plastic strip/cycle card or whatever it was called into a slot. the strip moved out as the cycle advanced, they were all labeled with metal tags that described the wash load? LOL, after school job one year, I had forgotten all about them, would of been around 1975 or 76. Im sure it had been in use for years before I first saw it. alr2903

 

[toggleswitch]

Those are the old "Mae West" Style and were fantastic machines.

Why are they called that? Torpedo-bra style front?

 

[oxydolfan1]

AFAIK the laundromat in Fort Lee, NJ, still has 'em.

When I get my camera, I'd be glad to take a run up there and run a few comforters, New Year's table linens, etc.

I remember them as showing signs of wear but being incredibly gentle, compared to their newer cousins...

Another laundromat that went out of business by me took their 80s-version Wascomats (remember the gold-beige-orange motif?) and TRASHED them.....without telling me! (Oh, the pain...)

They had a happening high-power water-jet sound...

 

[sudsman]

air2903

Yes, The non coin models had "program" card that could be cut for any formula you wanted . Most were grey but all colors were avail. We had Red for blood loads Blue for scrubs green for rewash white for general wash and yellow for blankets and black for patient gowns.. Can't beleive after 30 years I still remember all the codes// They were sold in 18, 25, 30 45 &75 lb machines. They did a fine wash job.

 

[alr2903]

Thanks Sudsman

I thought that was the one and thanks for replying, alr2903

 

[nasadowsk]

Hey, where's that LM in Fort Lee? It'd be neat to see one of these in action. What vintage are they anyway?

Wascomat I think is based on Long Island, or at least their US ops are. I can't imagine they manufacture them there though...

 

[sudsman]

air2903

I think these are the machines you are refering to. They are the Wascomat F L models Fl stood for Full load . In the St Mary's hospital plant we had 10 of them .. They run 2 shifts a day for almost 15 years with only minor problems such as belts , gaskets.. ect things one would expect to replace.. They produced the cleanest work of any machine I have ever seen.. LOL

 

[sudsman]

Wascomat Pic

Lets Try again

 

[alr2903]

sudsman

Thats the one's i remember. Hey thanks for taking the time to locate and post that picture. At my job back then they had ONE, must of sounded like an airport in that hospital basement. thanks again. alr2903

 

[oxydolfan1]

Phil, it's on Lemoine Avenue in the Coytesville section.

I believe the cross street is Myrtle, a few blocks north of 9W.

It's been a while since I've gone, so for all I know, they've updated (I hope not)....