I Don't Understand This, Any Theories????

[Unimatic1140]

OK so I want to refinish my new window-door 1957 KitchenAid dishwasher. I notice that flakes of paint were pealing off the machine and below it was shiny metal. So I figured that maybe the machine was originally stainless steel or brush chrome below the paint and the owners had painted the machine to match the kitchen in the 60's. So I got some paint stripper and took it to the frame around the door. The paint bubbled up and came right off without any trouble. An original factory baked-on finish would have been a nitemare to try and strip off. But to my surprise it appears to be just plain old metal below, it scratches easily and there are a few rust spots below the paint.

So my question is, what happened to the original finish???? Did KA offer this machine in an "unfinished" state so you could match it to your kitchen???

What do you guys think??, I'm totally stumped!!

 

[rickr]

I don't know Robert, but I would guess that the pink is not the original finish. I know my parents had one fridge painted yellow back in the 50's, and later, another one pink. So people were doing that sort of thing back then.

You made a fun dishwasher out of that btw. <:

 

[neptunebob]

One of my sisters has the KDI 16 that my aunt had fitted with the custom wooden cabinet panels. Underneath the panels, the metal is painted a kind of a beige, which feels like auto primer. Maybe you have the same thing, the primer that is underneath the paint, but your machine dosen't look like it accepts custom panels. Perhaps the paint on yours became worn or yellowed at one time and the owners spray-painted it.

 

[jeffg]

Robert, two guesses:

1. At some point the frame was repainted to match the front panel.

2. KA originally used a different (inferior) finish on the frame.

 

[rp2813]

Maybe the owner had it custom painted and the painter removed the original factory finish, so now when you strip it, there's just the pre-finish coat metal.

 

[bajaespuma]

Now that you mention it, one of the options on the KDS-17 series(if you remember, there were zillions of options for those front panels) was a primed panel without a frame, I think they called it the "Vari-front". Maybe back in the fifties it was offered as well. I also remember that the GE pull-outs seemed to come with way more optional front panels than they did even in the late seventies. I remember they even gave you a choice between "Brushed Chrome" and Stainless Steel. I think they were all trying hard to convince Mrs. Draper and her girlfriends to invest in a dishwasher that would "go" with the kitchen decor of the day.

 

[stevet]

More questions than answers here!

Robert, is it possible that what you have is actually stainless steel? Looks like the right color! These machines were available in a stainless finish so it could be that it just was repainted to match the then current color scheme. Many years ago, my aunt bought a used KD10 which had the horizontal motor which came in stainless and her husband actually sprayed it Turquoise to match the rest of her appliances. He just prepped it and primed it with auto primer, frame and door and then shot the final custom matched color.

If it turns out to be plain metal, can you prime it with a clear sealer and then a clear coat over the bare metal? Are such things available?
Best of luck no matter what. I love the window on it. Those machines really do clean well with hot enough water supplied to them and racking the dishes right!
I had the portable version of that machine and man, it weighed a ton but cleaned like crazy. I used it as a spare for a while and then gave it to my cousin who used it for about 5 years without a problem. Even had a second set of racks. The guy who gave it to me was a customer of mine at my original Hobart office in NY and he had a Kosher Kitchen but only room for one machine so he had the extra racks to keep the meat and dairy separate.

 

[toploader55]

Front Panel

As I recall, KitchenAid offered a SS front panel or Brushed Chrome. That was on the later machines. Around the time of your KDI .As before once mentioned, Maybe it was an option to order the Front in Brushed Chrome to be "Primer Ready". I'm ferklempt that you are stumped. The original finish was baked on correct ????? Check with stevet. He's the Hobart Guru. You're still the best Robert. Eddie

 

[toploader55]

OOOOps Too Late

I knew you would get to this Steve. By the way How are you ? We need a phone call. Eddie

 

[Brent-Aucoin]

Cool!

Hey. I just love your window!
Are you going to paint it? Or leave it "all natural"? I am sure whatever you pick will be cool!
I have this dishwasher out at the "storage place", where the "cars should go". I think the one is that I have is the same vintage. I have run it, but it needs work, seals and such.
However, the paint is doing the same thing, on it's own. I glanced at it a couple of weeks ago, and there was, like a chip of paint, falling? I don't know how to describe it. So I went up to it, and looked at it, and said: "I am going to peal you". And I did. And it just pulled, and pulled, to the end of the door! The metal looks just like your pictures. I wonder if it was the beginning of painting appliances for Hobart? Or, the paint was the actual option, and they all started out this life? (virgin so to speak) The dishwasher I have is white, with metal slits in it. (where i pulled) If this was Hobart decision during this time, they did well. The paint jobs seemed to hold up for a good long time, under so much life and use. Hobart was really ahead on the game as far as how to make a dishwasher, make it clean, and make it last! They really did keep up to their promise.
Sorry for blabbing.
Have a great weekend everybody!
Brent

 

[neptunebob]

Robert I think you should use the blues and the greens like the one on this ride for your KitchenAid:

http://www.hardrockpark.com/britishinvasion/nightsinwhitesatin.cfm

 

[Unimatic1140]

Well guys the thing is these panels are not stainless because there is a small amount of rust forming in almost all the places where the paint had chipped away long ago. It is just plain metal.

Greg says in the brochures for the 15 series he has, you could get the machine in just a primed only state so you could paint the panels what ever color you choose. I assume that is what is going on here, the original KitchenAid paint would have been way too durable to come right off with paint stripper.

So now what color to paint????? I'll have to visit a paint store and see if they can color match a certain color and put that into spray cans.

 

[gansky1]

Perhaps a bit spendy, but have them chromed!

 

[mickeyd]

You have those beautiful,, summer, ice cream parlor colors i

why not a nice caramel or butterscotch. mmmmmm