BOL Wards!

[swestoyz]

So, instead of finding Lady K's in basements of old ladies homes during estate sales for 15 dollars - bottom barrel bargains can be found behind Menards for 9 dollars!

This machine was in such good shape I just couldn't let it go to the crusher. No congrats is needed for this Wards as it is meant to have fun with for awhile but will hopefully find a new home soon.

From what I've been told the lower end models and commercial Wards washers had back opening lids with the black non-burping agitators. Still has a HUGE tub though and washes clothes really well! Of course comes with the wonderful shot-gun sounding brake when the safety lid is lifted during spin.

A big surprise came when I took the rear panel off. Investigating to see how the water level was metered - it was a pleasant surprise to see that an infinite water level pressure switch had been hiding behind the BOL panel for decades! So to save some water a little flick of the dial can turn the level down as needed.

A video clip and a few pics follow for those who enjoy these machines. Even though they aren't as desirable as other models, they are still a ton of fun.

Utilitarian at its finest!

 

[swestoyz]

A side profile. Machine was in just too good of shape to leave it behind.

 

[swestoyz]

Five Cycle Washer

I love this timer. Any mix of browns and yellows with a red line really makes things happen. Notice that the cold rinse for each cycle is called out differently - it is either a "COLD RINSE", or a "RINSE COLD". Too funny.

I clearly see three cycles - where are they hiding the other 2?

 

[swestoyz]

Cycle chart. Oh, I guess it would have helped to have read this first ;-)

 

[swestoyz]

Washing away

 

[swestoyz]

More washing

 

[swestoyz]

Cycle complete - lid open. I didn't get a shot of it, but the lid has a very large 'bump' in the center. Guessing to make room for the agitator?

 

[swestoyz]

Pressure switch - anything strange in this picture?

Sure - why didn't they just drill the hole and install a knob!

;-)

Hope you enjoy ~

Ben

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Ben,
Very cool find!
Looks mint!
Very fun washer!
Brent

 

[scott55405]

Ben, that's a cool machine to have fun with! I have not seen one of that vintage though with the lid that goes that way. Usually they go to the side and lay flat. I wonder why this one is different?

 

[mickeyd]

#4 regular wash WARM; #5 perma press COLD ;'D

My God, can those things wash !!!!! Little wonder Norge scored #1 in washing ability so many times. Dirt doesn't stand a chance in agitation that powerful, so fast the camera had trouble keeping up with it, Love how you showed that the Spray rinse IS effective since it hits the fins and flies all over. Is your water pressure a little low there, Ben?? I had the white version, a Norge, a burping one, and I loved it. It was the first REAL washer I ever owned, early 80's. Thanks for bringing back so many grand memories. Wonderful video, Ben, and ah! the sounds of those urgent rhythmic strokes--nothing like the Norge badge in all its incarnations.

 

[scott55405]

That video was awesome! I was wondering why there was no spin brake, apparently has something to do with the lid switch that you had disabled.

 

[tuthill]

Awesome Vid!

Awesome video of a cool machine. You sure know how to make videos, as the unimatic vid is great too.

 

[70series]

Thank you for the video. BOL or not, that is a great washer. Never saw the black angel wing agitator at work, but she does a good job. I may have missed it in the above posts, but what year was that washer. It must have been early since it had the back opening lid.

Have a good one,
James

 

[laundryshark]

Thanks, Ben!

What a unique video to add to my personal collection! Many thanks!--Laundry Shark

 

[swestoyz]

James - I'm really not sure of the year to be honest. I was guessing late 70's through the early 80's but I could be wrong. I do not know a whole heck of a lot about Norge/Signature/Wards washers - but they sure are fun.

_____

The 'brake'. I defeated the lid switch on this machine to make the film and for continuous fun. I filmed this on Saturday evening - on Sunday afternoon I washed a 3/4 full load of t-shirts and button up shirts. The wash action was more relaxed and felt very fluid. With the larger load the machine spun longer during the coasting portion of the cycle after spin. Because of this, the 'brake' engaged earlier in the coast to cause the tub to quit spinning abruptly - very similar to the end of the film. This would have been normal during regular washing.

One of these days I'll figure out how to take the front panel off to show pictures of the solenoid and the brake. In theory it works very similar to the solenoid on an AMP Maytag.

Something I left out - since this machine was set to fill to the highest level from the factory - this strange white ring was installed to let the operator know exactly how full they could fill the machine 'dry' and expect clean clothes.

Ben

 

[washerlover]

Great find! Those babies really now how to slap those clothes around! And all those delightful sounds! Awesome machine, Norge/Wards are my faves! Hope you have lots of fun with this one.

 

[stainfighter]

neat BOL action! burp-a-lator still possible?

kewl - would it be possible to make it into a burp-a-lator with a different agitator? Seems like a pretty decent spin speed for a TL tho not as fast as a Unimatic

 

[gyrafoam]

Ben-----

Thats a great toy!
In commercial service the Norge machines had that "Maximum Load" "ring" on machines at their coin laundries. I remember them on their first perf-tub machines way back into the early sixties. The ones I recall did not cover the top of the agitator----rather they fit down over it and were stopped by the top part of the upper vanes. I think they were turquoise in color.