The machinery gods answer to my prayers
My wife called last Saturday and informed me our refrigerator was hot. A quick check showed a running but not compressing compressor. Thus was my GE Eterna off to its eternal reward. Sunday consisted of evicting unfrozen food and a large metal box from my kitchen and Monday my search started. Contacts through friends, Creigslist, Penny Saver, etc, had no results; so Wednesday was damaged / used dealers. My wife threw in a load of clothes, started the washer and we left. We returned about 3 hours later to Lake Laundry Room and a river running out the door. It seems our 1986 Kenmore had conspired with the frige for a two pronged attack. The washer was drained and moved to a place it could be disassembled. Almost 30 years on a wet concrete floor does not improve sheet metal and rusty clips can be fun. The frige budget was adjusted to include a used washer. Yesterday was all the yard sales we could find and everything but washers and friges. This morning, there was a new Creigslist item to investigate. It was in a direction we hadn’t travelled and overpriced. So, on a whim, we aimed at another outlet store. Enroute, my wife spotted a yard sale down the block on a cross street. A quick U turn and drive by was uninspiring until I noticed what I thought might be the back of a refrigerator. It was a 25cu’ black / stainless GE, very moldy, that had been parked several years following remodel. We agreed on $20.00 and I went back for my truck. Returned, loaded and headed back. Yard sale #2 was lots of knick knacks’ and a washer. I had a chat with the very nice gentleman who owned it and was unable to refuse his offer to take $20.00 for the washer if I would be kind enough to haul off some other items that didn’t sell. I am now in possession of; a very large, very battered coffee table, a box of very old bottles and a mid 30’s Maytag. The table goes to Goodwill, the bottles on my player piano and the fate of the washer can be up to you. Had the gods been devious enough to supply the gas version, you couldn’t pry it from me and my wife would be moving out. As it is, I have way too many projects to dive into wringer washer repair. I’d like it to have a good home and am starting here. I have no idea what it’s worth, I’m open to suggestions, offers, trades, anything. I’ll take ANY functioning auto washer. (would a Duomatic be asking too much?) All I know about it now is; the lid is missing, “It worked when I put it in the garage” and the cord is very cracked and brittle but does not appear to be shorted. Plugging it in could be exciting as the copper prongs are exposed all the way to the cord. I’ll investigate more as I have time. It is very heavy and will live in my truck until I have help and a place to put it.
I’ll answer any questions I can, Tom
PS The GE froze a glass of water, there’s hope.
