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Keymatic Workshop

Will do a new thread in full later, what a palarva - one engineer could never repair on of these in a persons home!!, at some times its taken 3 of us to do a task at the same time!!
Heres Jon (AutoRinseJohn) and Mathew (Keymatic3203) in action tightening up the Keymatic drum front....[this post was last edited: 7/30/2011-12:39]

chestermikeuk++7-30-2011-10-53-6.jpg
 
Morning!

Morning guys. Hope everyones having a good wkend here.
Am full of flue here (Boo Hoo) But least the washing is piling up for me to have another play lol
Whats eveeryone up to then?
Si
 
Hi Mike and the gang.

Sounds and looks like the boundaries of vintage machine repairs have been pushed a bit further out, with the heavy duty tinkering of the 3224 Keymatic!

Really cannot wait for the thread to be started Mike, to see exactly what you have been upto.

Wimbledon towels in perfect Wimbledon weather, with a perfectly positioned little teaser. Cant wait to read and hear about that machine too.

All the best and have a great afternoon.
Chinwag soon.
Paul

matchboxpaul++7-31-2011-09-06-12.jpg
 
Hi chestermike.
Seems like someones busy in the restoration.cant wait to see how it looks when you finish.Si
 
Keeping up with the updates...

Hiya Si, aw hope you get better soon mate and get back to your washing.

So Mr Mike, getting you hands dirty new your latest project hey. Is this a new Keymatic you purchased? Or already in your collection?

Paul!! It's been a while, hope your ok? Working on any new projects recently?

Hass ;)
 
awww poor you.

Well here Jon is getting his weeks wash done, no such things as a Service Wash here, ya muck in and do it yourself!

Hotpoint for washing and rinsing,

Hoover for Fab Con!

aquarius1984++7-31-2011-09-39-2.jpg
 
Like I`ve always said...

you have to aspire to have a Servis....then earn it...LOl

Si, its a group keymatic, found by Gary (electron 1100) and was collected by John & me, it needed the bearings replaced and a full overhaul, so hence a mini mini meet to get it sorted ready for the unveiling....

Hass, yes we are getting stuff in order for the next meet that we hope you and Si can join us....

heres another addition that being checked out and spinning, a 1932 model...Ah Lils Wesher...as we say in Darlo....

chestermikeuk++7-31-2011-10-08-9.jpg
 
Hi Hass.
Aww thanks for that mate. yea. been chilling on the sofa all day. drugging myself up with lemsip and plenty of hot tea lol.Watching Death on the Nile (Peter Ustinov at the moment.)
What are you up to today then? Si
 
Si, the square cabinet Hoovermatics tend to struggle with denim, more so than earlier machines. This is because the later HMs have the wash motor freely pivoting in order for the belt to adjust automatically, but the lack of fixed tension can cause the rollover to stall more easily with bulky items.

 

To get round this on my machine, I've increased tension on the belt by means of wedging a plastic ice cream tub between the heater sump and the wash motor. It's a bit of a bodge, but as long's the belt has a deflection in the middle of half of an inch or more, it shouldn't hurt the bearings - the ice cream tub is springy enough to stay in place without making the belt too tight.

 

Otherwise, it's a case of mixing each load so that jeans get washed with less bulky items like dark t shirts. And as far as really stiff jeans, you learn to stop buying them after a while 
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 Get well soon, by the way!

 

Mike, sounds like some exciting goings on, can't wait to see the thread and more pictures! Has Mathew found himself a Liberator at last? And is that the Savage off ebay? 

 

Rob - nice to see some quadruple tubbing going on, the Deluxes look very smart side by side 
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Hi Simon.
Aaah funny you say about that when i had the back of the machine and was doing a quick look over everything there was a piece of polystyrene wedged between the washer motor and tub helping to keep tension on the belt.
Amazing the little tips u learn on here.lol
Are you still using yours as your every day machine then.?
Si
 
Hey Si, sorry I couldn't get to message you earlier. I was in the garden all day with my Dad having some father and son time. I've been exploring the wonders of my IPad recently brought for my birthday. So been doing some photography work, taking pictures if my Dads mad garden, while he was chopping a tree down, lol.

Yeah dude it's all you can do while your ill, pain in the neck I know, but you'll be back on your feet in no time. Hope you enjoyed the movie and yes drinks lots of fluids!

@mike excellent, hope we can make it. Look forward to it ;)
 
Hey Si, a chunk of polystyrene sound like it would work a lot better, I'll have to start keeping an eye out for some!

 

Yeah, the Hoovermatic is my regular washing machine, and has been for a couple of years now - another member here (electron1100) offered me an 80s automatic, but various factors have prevented me collecting it (sorry Gary, if you're reading this!).

 

Think mine led a hard life, so it's been a bit of a rolling restoration - new heater, pulsator and housing, spinner bearings, pump valve and filling/emptying hoses have all been fitted since I got it in 2007, I like to tell my partner that with all those new bits it should last another 37 years 
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Usually do two washes a week, with 3-6 loads in each wash. I tend to stick with the same wash water, working on the logic that back in the day folk would wear clothes for longer and not necessarily bathe daily, and so the water would have gotten dirtier sooner.

 

I've had Hotpoint and Servis twinnies and Ariston and Hoover single tubs since my 20s, but always wanted a Hoovermatic as they're the ones I remembered the most from childhood, and it had to be a deluxe so there'd be no faffing around with manual rinsing. I swear it has a soul - the only time my ex used it (when the auto in our flat broke down) the heater developed a leak to earth and tripped the plug in circuit breaker - he was able finish the washing without it, but turned the machine on and off at the plug in case it zapped him 
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Hey Si.
Sounds good. your machine is deffo looking good now though with all the love and running repairs.
Mine has tidied up quite well. and I'm planning to get it out for a wash later today.
So far I'm just looking at replacing the belts but thats more preventing a problem than it needing them but if they are the originals then they have been on for a long time.
I quite like the auto rinse. works very well and then theres the fact i can put another wash on as its doing the rinse so deffo saves time.
Something nice about the smell of hot soapy water in the house makes everything smell fresh.
si
 
Hi James.
Yea thanks for that. Just seen the advert may have a few more pics too.
Thanks for that.
Vacbear. Did u mean that empress doesn't have a heater? How can u tell? Is it the shape of the wash drum?
Si
 
Well Have just finished another good wash. yet again did 4 loads in the hoovermatic. Put a load in the automatic too and sure enough I've filled. washed, emptied, wiped everything down and put away, and sure enough the auto is STILL going on one load lol.
Si
 
Heater

Si

That particular Empress does not have a heater, but they were available with heaters - if you check Lance's recent thread "Servis Mark Two Heater" (with Parnall, Servis Supertwin & Empress) you can see where the heater control is on his - on the centre front towards the door for wringer storage.

Al
 
Polystyrene block

Hi Si and Si,

pleased to read your machines are going well. I understand what you mean simon about adding tension to the belt, but I always assumed the block of poly was incase the machine was turned on its back the motor wouldn't swing up and the belt come off, imagine the numbers of new machines delivered with disconnected pulsator belts otherwise. Thats only my thoughts, don't know this is the reason.

You make me want to get mine out, but have too much on at the moment, thankfully the electronic 1100 just carries on with the job.

Mathew

keymatic3203++8-4-2011-16-48-57.jpg
 
My mum had that exact same Electronic 1100, good machine. The idea with the belt tensioning, I noticed that the motor wobbles slightly, I think I might get hold of some polystyrene myself!
 
Mathew, was the polystyrene block an original fitting or an unofficial modification, do you know? I've had machines shed their pulsator belt when being moved on their back or front, not a problem for us tinkerers, but inconvenient for the original owners, so your theory also makes sense.

 

After I got my HMDL I also picked up a W7002, which was the last power wringer machine. It was also the last model with a fixed motor, otherwise the wringer belt would slip when dealing with bulky items, and the wash is much more torquey, three pairs of jeans are not problem, and it's also better at dealing with stalling, the wash bobs around until the load starts to turn again. Thinking about it, the W7002 out-turnovers my HMDL with the modification, tomorrow should be washday so I may put some styrene in before then.

 

Suds - if you try it, will you let us know how you get on?

 

Si - like Lance said in another thread, Empresses are very common compared to most vintage washers, so you can afford to be picky when looking for one - I suspect that with a bit of patience you could pick one up for under a tenner!  Like Al says, not all of them came with a heater, and some of the older ones might not have an emptying pump either - they just have a tap behind the wringer cupboard door, you can see it above the wringer in the 1947 advert below. So unless you can route a hose down a drain or outside, you'd be stuck emptying out gallons of water by bucket - no fun!

74simon++8-7-2011-07-36-50.jpg
 
Hi 74simon
Well my machine was from new fitted with a small square block of polystyrene glued to underside of tank between motor. but weather that was just for transit and should have been removed when new i dont know.
 
BTW thanks for the advice re empress si. I will wait as i want a really nice condition one. :-p
Hows your machine going btw?
 
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