How Can........

[frapdoodle]

How can wringer washers be "semi-automatic"?

I recently saw a thread about a Coronado "semi-automatic" wringer washing machine

how is this possible??

and if you want. post random pics of washers.

im a nerd

^___________^



-Chance

 

[lebron]

I don't know about wringer washers being semi-automatic... technically they are not. Although I assume some were marketed this way.

Semi-automatics are automatic in that they "do" everything except the user has to control the machine, no advancing timer.

 

[frapdoodle]

i dont mean to sound like an ass, so if i do forgive me. but i know what " semi-automatic" means

i was just wondering how this was

 

[volvoguy87]

Timer.

Maybe this refers to a wringer with a timer that will shut off the motor after a certain amount of time has passed?
Dave

 

[frapdoodle]

idk. maybe

and

does anyone know where i can find a vid of that thor washer with a washplate. at least i think it was a thor

 

[dishwashercrazy]

Chance:

Is this the video of the Thor that you were asking about?

Mike

 

[frapdoodle]

er....no

the one im talking about has a washplate at the bottom of the tub

im pretty sure its a Thor

 

[ptcruiser51]

Timer with shutoff

In the bungalow colony where my parents had a cottage I recall at least two of our neighbors had wringer machines with a timer that shut the agitation off after a set time. The machines still had to be filled and pumped-out manually.

My mom had a semi-automatic top-loader. See my profile for an explanation. I think Robert has/had one of these.

 

[frapdoodle]

Thats A Good Idea actually

i think that they should start making the wringer washing machine design again

who agrees with me

 

[launderess]

Hoover & Other Twin Tubs

Were called "semi-automatic" as the washing would stop once the timer ended. One still had to transfer laundry to the spinner thus one thinks that is where the "semi" comes from.

Fully automatic washing machines washes, rinses and spins dry without any furhter input from the user, aside from setting cycle choices at the start. Madame comes back at the end of the cycle and her wash is done.

Semi-automatic washing machines leave out one or more automated steps, thus the user has more interaction.

Obviously it is not possible to have a fully automatic wringer washing machine (how would one get the laundry into the mangles?), but a timer can be added to start and stop the agitator.

Early wringer washing machines did not have timers. One activated the agitator and it kept going until one turned it off. Thus one could wash (or rinse)laundry for one minute or one hour.... By the final years of production, many wringers, including those by Speed Queen did offer timers on some models. This was probably done to compete with fully automatic washing machines rapidly taking over market share.

Even a semi-automatic washing machine allowed a housewive to get on with other tasks rather than standing over or by a washing machine to operate controls. It also prevented damage to laundry left at the mercy of those agitators for too long. If Madame went away and forgot about her washing on a standard non-automatic washing machine, she may return to find her washing beaten to threads.

 

[frapdoodle]

i would perfer a wringer over an automatic. i live in the mountains so we mountain folk tend to get dirty. and with a wringer you can just set a timer for how ever long you want and just let it wash.

and there so cool looking

does anyone know where i could maybe get a maytah square tub wringer?

 

[launderess]

As With Twin Tub Washers

Check eBay, Craigslist and the like, usually the problem is always the same; the washer one wishes is never close by thus will require shipping.

However several members are speaking highly of a man with a truck who will ship large appliances. Failing that there is Uship and Craters and Freighters. The later being the creme de la creme of shipping large items, but one will pay (often dearly), for the service. On the upside your unit is packaged within an inch of it's life and shipped with very high standards.

 

[launderess]

Already Having a Twin Tub by Hoover

The only advantage one can see with a wringer is perhaps a larger washing capacity, and lack of tangling. One still would have all the wash day drama of handling soaking wet laundry between on or more tubs. Have toyed with the idea of snagging a wringer, to use for large items not suited either to the Miele or Hoover, but am not really sure.

L.

 

[maytagbear]

Wringer washers

are potentially dangerous. Fingers, hair, jewelry get caught in the rollers. I know there are many who still use them, and many who love them, but no thank you, as far as I am concerned.

We got our first automatic in 1964, and have never looked back.

Yes, a wringer is better than doing all wash by hand. I will stipulate to that.

However, automatics are safer and require much less interaction than wringers.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[maytagbear]

Emending that-

"automatics, properly used, are safer."

L/Mb

 

[launderess]

Even With The Hoover TT

A person has to get themselves worked up to doing more than one wash load with the thing. Yes, there is lot of wash day drama, but after awhile that wears off and one is left with all that splashing of water, wet floors, wash day hands, and a massive headache from all the noise.

Both twin tubs and wringers do call for one to perhaps slightly adjust what one considers enough rinsing. Oh the fist few loads aren't a problem, but after a bit one does tire of the process. There is also, at least in my experience, mangling and twin tub spinning do cause lots of creasing of fabrics. This in turn leads to lots of ironing afterwards.

L.

 

[soberleaf]

another idea until you find a wringer

is that you can add a switch to most automatic washers and turn off timer motor thus extending wash cycle as long as you like. i have done this to every washer i have had for the last 20 years (except my rollermatics) and it works great! for me at least!

i see wringers on e bay all the time, i picked up two this summer from various sources so they are pretty common. try asking walt (18millst) here on the site if he has one he might sell, i got one of mine from him.

mike, love that video of the thor in action! would love to see how the dishwasher attachment works, i assume it is an impeller base in a tub that replaces the washer tub. watching that machine throw that wash water is priceless!

good luck finding a wringer! washer dreams do come true on this magical site! i (and many others here) can attest to that! a big beautiful square tub pink maytag will probably find it's way to you!

 

[ronhic]

A true semi-automatic washer....

...means you don't handle the laundry at all until it is done.

Twin tubs were never considered semi automatic here (though other Australians should feel free to comment) as there was always some handling of the laundry before it was done.

Australian machines, particularly earlier Simpsons, probably reflect this better than most as the machines tend to look like a normal automatic but you need to switch between components of the cycle. Leon, and possibly Nathan, have excellent examples of 'true' semi automatic machines.

As an example of how they work you would select each part of the cycle by turning the dial

Fill - hot/warm/cold
wash - with detergent
spin - to remove suds
fill - cold or warm (plus manually add conditioner if required)
wash - to rinse
spin - to finish

I am fairly certain that there was no timer at all involved that would halt the action of the machine...though I can't be 100% sure as I have a vague memory of a 'twist' style kitchen timer on the window sill in the laundry

At this point you remove and hang....

This is from another post and is identical to my grans.

 

[launderess]

Any washing machine that does not automatically wash, rinse, and spin dry (with the machine handling the changes of water/filling/draining), is a semi-automatic washing machine.

To put it another way, any washing machine that requires user intervention to get from putting in soiled laundry, to arriving at spun (or wrung out), laundry is semi-automatic.

Wringers, twin tubs, even some small top loading washing machines that one had to fill with a hose for washing and rinsing, are all semi-automatic.

In commercial terms, there were automatic washers that did just that, washed and rinsed laundry. Laundry had to be removed to an extractor to be spun dry. However since the washer did do all the cycles without input from the user, it was an automatic "washer". If it went on to spin the laundry dry it would have been an "washer-extractor".

L.