Free Piano Key LK or Whirly Washer

[sudsmaster]

This is a set, not sure if the dryer is an exact match, though... same color - harvest brown or whatever it's called ;-)

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/zip/556513362.html

 

[mattl]

Rich, if you were a little closer we might work something out but Yakima is a looong way away.

Anyway it's harvest gold, gas, some rust ect. Gave it to my cousin when she was in a rented house, she moved in with relatives so her stuff and the dryer is in storage, no idea of the condition now.

 

[washerlover]

Ugh! I have room, but am about 6 hours away...I love the dryer! The LK washer isn't old enough for me to drive down & get it, even though the price is right! I already have a '64 Coppertone set.

 

[70series]

Couldn't sleep, so I thought I would checke the board for any late night new threads. Good thing I did.

This is a 1974 or 5 Lady Kenmore large capacity washer with the Penta Swirl agitator. The cycles are painted on the console, instead of on a plastic dial.

The dryer is a 1966 model 800. My next door neighbors had that with the matching washer. The only difference between their dryer and this one, is that theirs had the dial stem that matched the washer, whereas this one has the tactile knob.

Have a good one,
James

 

[mayken4now]

Very nice machines! Someone in the SF bay area grab them.

What's all that shit all over the floor around those machines?

Amazing.

Steve

 

[oldappliancenut]

I remember That

I used to have that dryer

 

[rp2813]

I remember seeing all of those "piano keys" on the LK's when shopping for my mom's new washer back in 1975. The LK's were just too expensive and luxurious so we opted for a Penta-Swirl model with "Quiet Pak" a little further down the model line. It did its job silently and efficiently for 25 years. I think I saw the same or similar model in harvest gold in the 1/26 wash-in pix.

That's a very nice machine, even in brown. I hope somebody who has the room for it grabs it.

 

[mattl]

Yup...

We had the '73 "piano key" Kenmore for quite a few years, 23 if I recall. Wish I had kept it, I do still have the matching dryer in storage though. It was a great machine with the adjustable Penta Swirl agitator and all the various cycles. I recall replacing the agitator in the early 90's when it stripped out, the new one wasn't as much fun.

 

[powerfin64]

I want that dryer!!

Rich

 

[funguy10]

What is a Penta-Swirl?

 

[cleanteamofny]

It looks like this...

 

[cleanteamofny]

The Penta-Vane is on the Left and Penta-Swirl is on the right.....

 

[powerfin64]

Gas?

Drat! wish It was electric..

Rich

 

[cleanteamofny]

Penta-Vane in action on YouTube.

 

[mattl]

Neither of those agitators were in the original machine. In the '73 I had the vanes were adjusted in and out by slightly lifting the agitator and turning. I'd have to dig out the manual but I think there were 4 settings.

 

[powerfin64]

Veri-Flex Agitator

thats what is(OR should be) in that Lady K. I have a '72 in Tawny Gold.
Best Kenmore agitator.

Rich

 

[cleanteamofny]

Vari-Flex agitator

Now from our sponsor: Clorox commercial

 

[70series]

Penta Vane In Action On YouTube

Actually that was a Penta Swirl. I did not expect much from it, but boy did it roll those clothes.

Have a good one,
James

 

[cleanteamofny]

You're right James, more work and less sleep got to me, I should have caught that!

 

[laundromat]

That washer should have had the"Veri-Flex"agitator which had flexible vains that would adjust inward or outward depending on the turbulance you wanted in clothes roll over.These "Ladies"also had a finer belt to lower the noise level considerably!I had a 1967 matched pair in Orlando and sold them to an unapreciative person who claimed she threw them away when the washer's door switch failed!!I found out later she became a "crack head"and actualy sold them to support her habit.

 

[powerfin64]

correct but...

these lady K's did have a "V" belt which made them silent but the new'er models didn't come with the "Veri-Flex" agitator, they did come with a "Penta Swirl" from what I'm told.

Rich

 

[kenmoreguy64]

More on the Vari-flex and Pentas

All -

The Vari-flex was a standard capacity agitator. They considered them 12lb. machines I think? I haven't looked at model parts lists for the 70s Ladies, but I don't think the V-F was used past 1972 or 1973, and I think it had only 5 or 6 years use total. When the Lady K went to the big-tub capacity (18lb.), it no longer could use any of the old agitators and was limited to the Penta-types. The Penta-Vane (five straight vanes) and the Penta-Swirl (five roto-swirl-like vanes) were all Sears had for the big-tubs until the Dual-Action came out in the later 70s. The Penta-swirl was used in the higher line machines, the Penta-Vane in the lower.

I only worked on a couple Vari-Flex equipped machines, but I saw a number of others either waiting to be serviced at other places or in a salvage yard. Each one was either stripped and no longer adjustable or locked in position (usually the most vigorous). I don't know when exact replacements were discontinued by Whirlpool, but by 1990 when I got my start, Sears' solution was to sell you a white Roto-swirl. I put one in a friend of a friend's machine one time replacing the vari-flex that was stripped and would not stay with vanes engaged at any but the weakest setting. The guy later told me his machine hadn't worked as well in years and that must have been a big improvement when they came out with the new agitator! I didn't bother correcting him.

 

[coldspot66]

The Vari-Flex agitator also took up alot of room in that 12lb tub!!!!