Duo-Matic Twin Tub Washing Machine Restored

Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

Help Support :

Yes, it is ! Sadly, the spin rinse hose had completely hardened and was useless. I've tried making one, however the outer spin drum fills up too much and ended up overflowing onto the motor and the spin switch, so I had to dry it all out with a fan heater. I just rinse in the wash tub instead.
 
Rolls twin

Hi we’ve just restored the later version Rolls Rapide for a friend. We discovered the hardened remains of a seal under the spin can. Yours might be the same and not have one but need one ! This stops floods going over the motor. Remove the wash deck. Remove the spin can drop the spin motor and pump assembly. We used a cv joint boot that was a universal one from euro parts. We cut a small part of the narrow end and clamped to spin shaft near motor and sealed with deboro glue. Then re attached spin assembly to the machine and fold over the large end on to the lip in the spin outer can. We used glue let it tack up then folded the cv boot over the lip. Then sealed with a clamp. This seal isn’t like a carbon seal that stops water going in bearings. This just stops water escaping the can. Yours might be different but they didn’t change much in design. Hope this helps

Richard

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_1.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_10.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_2.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_3.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_4.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_5.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_6.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_7.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_8.jpg

ricky5050-2018082816273002473_9.jpg
 
@twiddlybobby

Hi have you tried to just do a flow rinse in your spinner as far as I know they were not made to fill with rinse water but for you to insert the hose end into the hole in the lid and start the spinner running after returning the suds and let fresh water run into the spin can until the water runs clear.

may save you rinsing in the sink..

Austin
 
Duo-Matic Rinse

Dear Richard & Austin:

Thank you very much for your wonderful pictures and great information. I've now solved the problem. I finally managed to remove the spin can, and to my horror, I found three and 1/2 (!) moldy socks underneath!!!! They were very old, and were blocking the drain, so I removed them, poured in some raw bleach and left it to soak overnight. It works perfectly now, and I've even made a new spinrinse pipe which I've fitted a small water saving showerhead to, the type that you put onto an ordinary kitchen tap, and within 3 minutes, it spin rinses a full load perfectly.
Other than the pipes underneath, which I've replaced, the motors and wiring are immaculate. I was told by the house clearance company which I bought it from, that it came from the home of a washing machine repair man, and up until his death this year, he kept it working !

Many thanks,

Mike.
 
Wow! Good for him in keeping the machine in such splendid condition!

Regarding the 'mouldy socks' under the spin canister: Can this machine accept the 'spin mats' beloved of Hoover, Hotpoint, etc?

If not, I remember reading on a commercial 'Peco Extractor' spin-dryer label, to "tuck a towel evenly over the load".
 
Duomatic

Hi Mike

Glad this machine finally went to a collector who will look after it for years to come. Hope you managed a good deal, that price kept going up n down like...well better not say ha ha..

Looks a very sturdy twinny, we need to meet up sometime, only a few miles down the road and a few of us in the North West !!

Thankfully youve sorted the problem, glad it was only socks and not some unmentionables like weve found in old washers !!

Happy Washing ...
 
Rolls_rapide: Yes, I have a spin mat that came with it, but I need to glue it, as it is cracked, so when I put it in the drum, it pops out when spinning.

Duomatic: Yes, the price was going like a yo-yo. I wasn't going to buy it, but as it was the machine my Nan had, I had a rush of nostalgia !
Yes, it is very sturdy, and is built like a tank.
Wow, I didn't know you and others where in the North West ! I'd love to meet up sometime. My house is 1920s - 1960s, I collect and restore all sorts of things.
I'm 33 and I've never owned an automatic washing machine !

Mike.
 
Duomatic

Hi Mike, glad its working for you, yes they are a heavy beast, our friend Ian (Triumphdolomite) om here also has one but needs some work to get it back in action !!

Make sure any spinmat is safe, dont want it flying over the top and being flung around, would think the larger Creda / Servis ones will be better as the spincan is pearshaped if I remember !!

Your house sounds fab, will drop a message and arrange to meet up !!

Heres the link to a thread on Ians Duomatic..

https://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?75047
chestermikeuk-2018091610045804842_1.jpg
 
Hi Chestermikeuk:

Speaking of the spin dryer, I've encountered a problem. The spin can has just collapsed, luckily, it wasn't spinning at the time! Underneath, there are four rubber supports (not sure what they're called). Looking inside, two of them have snapped off. They appear to only be glued on, no bolts running through them. I've just tried super-glue, but they've come off again, so not sure what to do :(
That machine looks great, the wash lid is slightly different to mine.
Will look forward to meeting up. I will probably have to ask you to have a look at this one if that's ok?

Many thanks,

Mike.
 
Needl nose pliers

Hi we used needle nosed pliers push in and turn anti clockwise.

Then there’s nuts underneath. Re the rubber things. The one we did had nuts on bolts through the rubber things but it was a later model

Hope this helps

Richard
 
Hi Richard,

Thanks very much, it's worked. However, the plastic cover has split, but at least I've got access to the bolt now. It's a square one. Is the screw thread standard anti-clockwise, or clockwise to untighten? I just don't want to break it. I've found a website that sells Rolls/Colston rubber mounts, so I'll order 4 of them.

Mike.
 
Ah not sure

I’m guessing so ours was a series of bolts. The plastic cover can be glued on ! When you have it to bits just check if it has any remaining rubber seal. I’m sure it should have one :)

Richard

ricky5050-2018091815073207435_1.jpg

ricky5050-2018091815073207435_2.jpg
 
Yes, that's exactly what mine looks like underneath, except mine are a blue colour. I left the machine turned upside down overnight with superglue on the rubbers, and it seems to have done the trick. I just get nervous using it now, as I keep thinking it will collapse again whilst spinning, and it will fly out of the window lol.

Thanks everyone, for all the info,

Mike.
 
I wonder just what Duomatic were thinking of when they used that rubber suspension. It doesn't inspire much confidence.
 
Yes, I wonder the same thing, as the machine is the most robust twin tub I've ever seen in every other way, why on earth weren't the rubber supports?
I had a brainwave last night, as I was hanging some net curtains with curtain wire. I had some wire left, and as it is made of a tough spring coated in plastic, I used 4 strips to strengthen and suspend the spin motor from and it has worked!
Here are some pics of my finished vintage house.

All the best,

Mike.

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_1.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_10.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_11.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_12.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_13.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_14.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_15.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_16.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_17.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_18.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_19.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_2.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_20.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_3.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_4.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_5.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_6.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_7.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_8.jpg

twiddlybobby-2018092010175507641_9.jpg
 
Duomatic

Mike the plugs just push into the metal housing and have a slit in the middle to grip ?? so did yours just pop out of the groove and the motor dropped down ??

Would love to see a pic of the curtain wire etc, may be a good workaround and or backup strategy !!

Your house is fab fab fab , we have a few more members of the crew that have similar houses...your among friends here lol..
 
Hi ChesterMike,

Mine had snapped just below the metal housing, so I glued them back on with superglue, as it works very well with rubber. I tried gluing them last week, but I didn't leave it to set long enough. I left the glue to set over night, and it did the trick, so just in case it dropped again, I strengthened the motor with curtain wire. Pity I didn't take a pic before I turned the machine the right way up. I just connected the 4 strips of wire via the screws on the bottom of the motor that the pump is screwed on with, then suspended them from the two metal strips underneath the spin outer drum. I've tested it with heavy washing, and it's perfect.

I've also managed to restore the control panel, as it was badly cracked, so I put black electrical tape on it (seen in video). I've managed to reconstruct it with heavy plastic tape and re-sprayed it. The wash timer switch had been replaced by the previous owner with an old oven knob, so I had a look in my tool drawers and found two old white belling oven knobs and they fit perfectly, and are as near to the original dials as I could find. I flattened the bent metal strip that has the duo matic logo and minutes on and re-glued it. Sadly, it was in such poor condition being heavily worn and scratched, I resprayed it, so it is blank atm. I'm hoping I may be able to find a replacement one day.

Glad you liked the house, and I'm amongst friends, haha. I'm just waiting for my latest find to arrive in the post - a sink side wringer.

Many thanks,

Mike.
 
Back
Top