Bendix Washer For Sale or Barter

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This is the original

Automatic washer. And if a little thing called World War II hadn't come along, there's a good chance we'd have all grown up with washers like this instead of the Top Loader washer that was created AFTER the war.
 
Going by the backgroud in that picture the property may have all sorts of vintage goodies stashed away.

Keep forgetting how large Long Island really is and that quite allot of it are "old" towns settled before or just after WWI or WWII. If traffic wasn't such a nightmare would consider hitting thrifts and or estate sales.
 
1945?

wonder if this was the first post war model? it looks the same as the pre war??

Don't know much about Bendix, dose this need to be bolted to the floor?
 
This is a post-war model, the Bendix logo gives it away. I wonder if he has any documentation showing the exact date.

The first top-loading automatic was made by Blackstone, the model 50 introduced in 1940-41. Many companies had top loading automatics on the drawing boards and moany patented designs on file before the war, everything was shelved when war production conversion was mandated.
 
They're fun macines.

I have one and used it last night. Lots of wash action. And the mighty spin speed of a whopping 200 rpm leaves clothes almost but not quite dripping. Anyone who wants to use one of these needs to have a spinner of some sort to extract the water.

It's interesting that in the first picture, there is no door handle, but the handle appears in most of the other photographs.

I have the paperwork on mine showing the install date which I believe states 1944, but it might be 1945. It's written in pencil, so hard to read this many years later.

Jerry Gay
 
When One Purchases A Grand Home

And sets up one of those "Martha Stewart" type laundry rooms this machine would be top of one's list. If for nothing else the fun factor just makes these Bendix machines so cool.

Ok, at nearly 300 views is anyone doing a deal or what?
 
200 RPM Spin?

No wonder these are the same people that also invented the squeeze tub in the Bendix Economat. Compared to a 200 RPM spin, the Economat probably extracted about the same amount of water. Funny machines those Economats. Our across the street neighbor had one when I was a kid. I was fascinated by the rubber tub and the way it filled.
 
200 RPMs

Is about equal the extraction power of a wringer/mangle, so considering the time period not much difference there. Only the Bendix made everything automated and one presumes a bit less tortuous on one's body and laundry.

Can only guess extraction power was limited by motors offered that would fit in a domestic washer. Would have to research to find out how fast commercial extractors found in laundries spun back then.
 
I dont remember the name of them

But there were extractors in these neighborhood laundromats that THEY did your laundry in. I do remember that name was called "Snow White, Westinghouse Laundromats". They had these upright, bolted to the floor, extractors they put the wash in after coming out of the big line of Westinghouse Laundromats and then put the into the big gas dryers, then giving them nicely folded back to the customers. They were gone out of this area by the mid 60's when Maytag Highlander Centers and Norge Villages took over.
 
spin speed

My 1949 bendix spins at about 300 rpm and does a passable job of extraction but another spin is often needed in a topload to really ring the clothes out.John you have the same bendix I have in your museum so I am surprised you dont already know this.I would love to hear all about your machine.
 
Hard Mount.

I believe the spin speed was limited because the washer had no suspension. With the hard mount design, all of the G-Forces were transferred to the building. Too much, and things could REALLY start shaking and bouncing. If it was too much, the washer could eventually tear itself free from its mountings and go on one heck of a dance excursion.

Once the technology for a soft-mount machine was developed suitable for a residential / less-than-perfect installation, spin could increase. Also, the Bendix washers have small-diameter drums, so the G-forces are extra low.

Dave
 
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