How well does Denim handle in your Pulsators..full load

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Hi Rick, that's a good question, I did notice the water level was slightly lower in the my '52 Whirlpool but I always attributed that to the float system as opposed to a pressure switch. I'm not sure about what they were thinking, I do know that the WP/KN capacity claims went up, but the basket size stayed the same.

Call me weird but that doesn't see very even for 4-section loading but what the hell
Good point Jason, but you see when I have five pair of jeans or six sweatshirts or seven towels I simply load them in 5, 6 or 7 sections respectfully. This is something I figured out early on in my Frigidaire loading.

Looks like Team Kenmore is leaning towards the bakelite Surgilator, ouch that's some stiff competition for the Team Frigidaire's 8lb tub and 3-Ring Agitator.
 
Seriously though..

I would vote for the Surgilator as well - probably the best of the WP/KM Lintmaker agitators!

It would be fun to strain the drain water from the Kenmore and the Frigidaire, just to show the difference. It's stunning. (don't forget to add the lint from the Kenmo's filter...)
 
I'm a Kenmore guy, but....

I'm kind of thinking the Frigidaire will probably win. In fairness, however....shouldn't the machines be used with native agitators?
 
In fairness, however....shouldn't the machines be used with native agitators?

Well it really doesn't make a difference because the wash basket and drive stroke were exactly the same throughout the Whirlpool/Kenmore standard capacity design, so I think it would be perfectly fair to pick the Surgilator.
 
Well Lets Just Be Happy

that we NEED a differant machine for each load washed. Justifies having so many machines! Scott AKA Quiltnbear
 
If the jeans are new and not Pre-Washed (stiff as hell) it will depend on how many pair are in the Unimatic---(don't try it if the pulsator is old rubber--it might split!) Three pair will work nicely in the Unimatic, and I think it would win.

Go to four pair of stiff ones, though, and I'm thinking a 'Kenmo or Whirly might do better----but only with a Surgilator. (The straight-vane will drag them through the water mercilessly but may not roll them over well).

Five or more stiff ones and even the Surgilator will have reduced roll-over----but a Unimatic would be paralyzed!

-My two shekels.
 
I'm Ready to start Filming

I'm ready to start filming so here is the "official" test. I will use the same 5 pairs of jeans and I will do the Frigidaire first, then I will spin them out at 1140rpm and put them into the Kenmore. This way we have the EXACT same wash load, albeit the Kenmore load will be wet to begin with, but this wont make any difference in turn over a few minutes into the wash.

I will fill each machine with warm water and let it agitate for 4 minutes, then at the 4 minute mark I will start filming, by that time the jeans should have settled into their respective wash flow. Then I will add two dry white socks to each machine so we can how quickly the socks get sucked under.

Gentlemen, start you engines.
 
so, uh, are the results going to be revealed tonight? this will be must-see, since i've never seen a surgilator in action!
 
suspense

I've tried 3 pairs of jeans plus smaller items in both types of machines and know which is better, but 5 will be very interesting. Wonder if the results will change?
 
OK, here is my 2c worth. I am with frontaloadotmy, I think if we are really going to compare K to F the surgilator gets disqualified. I also believe the str8 and rotoswirl both should be tested since they were both used and will probably give very different results.

Here is my guess. a roto swirl will beat Frigidaire and a Frigidaire will beat a str8 Kenmore.
 
The Results Are In!

Now I have to edit and post the video, which I will try and do tonight, it is going to be a bit time consuming converting it and uploading it to the net, so I can't promise I will have it done tonight, but I will try.

I think both sides we be very surprised at the results. Picking the Surgilator for this test was a wise choice boyz.

The question is----are the jeans to be used in the test brand new (non pre-washed) stiff dark blue denim?
And what size are they?

Steven Riley! It's not nice to ask a girl that question. LOL

Actually the I used three pair of Neal's jeans (33/32) and two pair of my jeans (31/30). I didn't use brand new jeans because I want the test to be like the way I normally do wash and not something that rarely happens. Our jeans last a long time, so its rare that I have any new jeans to wash. Both machines were at or slighlty over capacity with this wash load.

The point here is to see how the two machines perform with the Exact same clothes. It would be interesting to do this test with towles and another with mixed cottens shirts.
 
MY guess is they BOTH kicked major @$$. I know the Surg did a helluva job and the 3 ring kept right up with it.

Just for posterity, I might do 5 pair of jeans 34/30 in Frankenmore with the skinny Super RotoSwirl. I'll have to fudge with the water level cause it is a large cap machine, but I can make it fill to about where the standard machine would go, and likewise pit it against the Oasis, even though it has a hard time rolling jeans on normal cycle.
 
My Jeans Load, not necessarily vintage

MY F&P can handle 8 pairs (34x32 for those who must know!) pretty well. I've done 9 which kinda pushes the limit.

I washed 9 pairs of jeans in my Calypso last night. See thread in Deluxe for details.

Perhaps I should try a large load with the Double-Duty Surgilator next door ...
 
My nostalgic side wants the Pregnant Roto-Swirl (it was on the '60 Kenmore I grew up with), but I seem to recall my '84 Whirlpool (with the winged Surgilator) did a better job with all-jeans loads than the preggers 'Swirl.

My 'simply curious' side wonders how the Roto-Flex would do. I always thought they didn't look too convincing, but I've never seen one in action so that's pure speculation on my point.

I've always thought this: Why not use the whole length of the agitator to do the cleaning, rather than just putting fins at the very bottom of an agitator. The Surgilator seems to fit that bill pretty well.
 
might be but where's the romance

My neighbors here in Munich have a picture somewhere of their 18 month old kid asleep in my lap, me asleep with my back against the refrigerator...and we both fell asleep watching the front loader in their kitchen wash.
David loved that.
No doubt about it - modern front loaders wash better. But where is the romance? When my old rollermatic started thumping away I just knew those clothes were getting clean, cleaner, cleanest. I could feel it in the whole house.
And that last thrust up then down while the spin started building. Oh!
I ain't gonna say that word, but my, I sure was jealous of my 501s in those days.
Regardless of who "wins" - the fun part is the sound and the action of both these wonders of post-modern technology.
 
I know I have bad breath--oh no!

and Hyperhydrosis--how unseemly! and Dwarfism--what a sight! and many other known defects, but unless I am also an irredeemable moron--poor b@$tard! Frigidaire's pulsator is more powerful than Frigidaire's three ring agitator, but I have neither, so I can't conduct any tests. I only have memory. And I could be wrong.

Robert, what is your opinion of the pulsator vs. the 3 ring agitator.

I love the Whirlpool family as much as the Frigidaire, and I have a Surgilator WP.
I think the Surgilator won, but if you put a pulsator in the ring, Surgi loses.
 
what is your opinion of the pulsator vs. the 3 ring agitator

Hi Mike, a 3-Ring agitator is a pulsator so I do not understand your question.

I'm working on the video now everyone and I hope to have it ready soon.
 
YAY, the video is ready, again here is exactly what I did:

I filled each machine with warm water and let them agitate for 4 minutes, then at the 4 minute mark I started filming, by that time the jeans had settled into their respective wash flow. Then I added two dry white socks to each machine so we can how quickly the socks get rolled over and under.

I think this video is super cool! It shows how completely different a Whirlpool/Kenmore and a GM Frigidaire washers perform the exact same task. Both machines have their strong points and both have their weak points.

I will hold my commentary on those points until after you guys get to see the video. Please pay particular attention to how I load the Frigidaire. Even though I added no detergent you will see a small amount of suds in the Frigidaire which got to wash the jeans first. These jeans were clean to begin with and were last washed in the Maytag Neptune Top Loader, the suds in the Frigidaire confirms my suspicions that the Neptune Top Loader is poor at rinsing. So enjoy everyone and let us know what you think.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6452412296892521532
 
Whew!

Ok I was worried about my 66 rollermatic washing jeans but I feel it will do a good job. Not sure about a queen size comfoter - oh well laundrymat here i come.

Joe
jamman_98
 
Ultra Cool !

Robert,

This was just the greatest - thanks for taking the time to do this. But maybe both machines should have been the same color? LOL!

Rich
 
video

Hi Robert,
This was a great video. Yes the loading is the key. Even though I always liked Whirlpool / Kenmore washers - I will still always go with the Frigidaire. It still gives a better rollover and it is more gentle on the clothes with a more through wash.
Thanks
Peter
 
Wow, that was very cool. The Frigidaire definitely held true to the gentle "live water action" and the rollover was nice and steady; I saw those socks go under and come back up again many times. The Surgi-more really thrashed them around, but I noticed it had a hard time getting the air bubbles out, which seemed to impede the turnover a bit. I noticed this by how long the socks remained on top, however, once the socks actually reached the center, they went down quickly! I wouldn't doubt that both loads were of equal cleanliness from each machine, but I'd say the Frigidaire won.
 
I wouldn't doubt that both loads were of equal cleanliness from each machine, but I'd say the Frigidaire won.

Well Austin it depends, IMHO I'm not so sure there is a clear winner here. I will explain why later after we get some input from what others thought.
 
I thought this was most interesting. My 2 cents:

*Seemed like the Frigidaire load was a squeeze when dry
*The Kenmore appeared to have some open space when dry
*The Frigidaire definitely had more rollover by virtue of
pulsating agitation
*The Kenmore appeared to have less rollover due
to the socks not working their way up, but I think the
oscillating agitator moves the load from side to side as
well as rolling over, in a slower manner.

So its difficult to say which load was washed more completely.
 
video advantage

goes to the Surgemore because of the larger white rim reflecting the tub better, and clearer water allowing greater vision, while the Frigidaire water was cloudy and the tub opening smaller; but the actual roll-over count goes to the Frigidaire. Toward the end of the film, the Surgemore operation really looks smooth and graceful, as if it were finally in command of the tub for a long voyage and full steam ahead.

Robert, we posted at the same time Sunday around one in the afternoon. I was trying to persuade you to use the pulsamatic's faster stroke in the contest. Don't you think the pulsamatic would really spin those jeans? Only you know. I know they're all called pulsators, Good Buddy. Was trying to distinguish between a unimatic and a pulsamatic. :>D We always called the black bakelite one, a pulsator, and the colored 3 ringer, an agitator.

What a sweet bedtime treat--"while visions of agitators danced in their heads."

Thanks Sambert

XXOO

Mikey
 

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