I GoT ... TUNED !

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This is one of those machines where a Kenmore Vari-Flex would work great because of the single speed motor, you could change the fins to give you a gentle or vigorous agitation depending on your load.......

you have to admit, this has a strong agitation especially with the jean load...nice rollover on all of the loads.......it is a shame these machines don't have a higher spin speed.....but you can't have everything all in one machine....

Love that waterfall filter.....
 
Darren -

That is an absolutely spectacular machine, and it is even better I think that you like it so much.

I love the agitator and cap - it is the exact configuration that both my grandmothers had in their clone Whirlpools from the same era. I loved those machines as they were a treat to watch for me - similar in sound and operation to our Kenmore, but different enough to be fun for me. There is a real difference in sound and visual performance between a surgilator and an original Roto-Swirl, so I really enjoyed watching these. LOVE that thumbnail cap!!!

About the pump air sounds (cavitation) that some machines make and others don't. My experience has been in general that this noise fluctuates with the amount of air that is allowed into the drain hose once the water is largely out of the machine. On machines with a direct pump to drain hose (meaning from the pump straight out to the cabinet), this is quite easy and air getting to the backside of the pump is direct. On machines with filters in the way, or two-way vales, etc, this gets more complicated.

While using a machine in the garage that I was draining into the yard, I noticed that swiveling the drain hose (which kinked or opened the pump to drain hose inside the machine) I could raise or lower the sound of cavitation. Then I started putting two and two together regarding the machines with self-cleaning filters. Some drain at the top of the cabinet, others at the bottom. Those that drain from the top retain more water in their hoses and are less likely to make audible cavitation sounds. I think eventually as machines exhaust their water during spin, most will make some sort of sound. The loudest are the newer 1980s machines with the high-volume pumps (the newer two port and three port design). These move more water per unit time and thus more air and they produce the most noise.

I have also noticed that recent use of fabric softener will amplify this sound, though I don't know if that is caused by a change in the water itself from the softener or if the softener lubricates or coats the impeller of the pump.

Your machine is cavitating during agitation because the top portion of your pump is running basically dry until water flow is reversed during drain. I strongly suspect that if you put your drain hose into a bucket or tub full of water while the machine is agitating, the cavitation will stop.

Anyway, NEAT machine Darren and I am so glad you got it!!!

Gordon
 
KM VARI-FLEX AGITATOR

The Vari-Flex would have indeed been better suited to a one speed machine, in fact I once sold a basic WP one speed washer with one that I installed in it. If you think about the fact that the VF agitator was first used on Three speed LKMs it was kind of silly as you could have 12 different washing actions by using all four settings of the agitator coupled with the three motor speeds.
 
This was the exact washer my Mom had when I was a kid. That Black area that is marked right before the normal wash time is for suds return (that's why the pump is running in your vid). Mom had a suds save on her machine. It was a great washer. The thing lasted 10 yrs for her of doing laundry for 6 kids and two adults.
 
"TUNED" Indeed !

You guys must have had a blast doing this. Look at that Surgilator go! Stiff jeans don't stand a chance. Such Energy--makes you want to dance.

 

I really like the fast drain, thought you had edited till I read read what you said. And a FOUR MINUTE rinse--all WP/KM's should have one.

 

Thanks for the multiple views.

 

Joke: Maybe the water turned Navy because the Surgilator kicked the blue right out of the jeans.
 
Message from Darren (Aldspinboy)


Darren wanted me to say that he really appreciates all of the responses that you have made to this post.

He apologizes to everyone - he has temporarily lost his internet access, and will respond in person just as soon as the service has been restored.

Mike
 
Darren, that is almost the Whirlpool that started it all for me! The dial is almost identical (Mama's had two small knobs) and the lint filter is spot-on. Ours had the chrome "surgilator" cap, and Mama trained all of us to take it off after every wash, lift the agitator, and put the cap under it "so it could dry out under there." That machine washed thousands of diapers and kept on washing until I was in high school. The matching dryer lasted until 1995 or so, when I bought her a new Whirlpool to replace it. She hated it. Didn't dry fast enough (she only used it on rainy days and in the winter) for her taste.

Ah, the search for a 1963 or 1964 model continues...
 
Vari-Flex and 1-speed

John, Ihad a secretary in the late 1970s/early 1980s who had a keyboard LK.  Her mom had been a home ec teacher all her life in a smll town school district not far from whre I now live (small world huh?) Anyway,  she only used cottons white & colored cycle buttons and simply changed the ettings on the variflex to meet the purpose of her load lol. 
 
Towels in the WP/KM

I have noticed in my 1959 Whirlpool, with towels or blankets, stuff that really holds lots of water, that the spin extraction pulls out enough water against the sides of the tub that it fills the filter pump port and I get more water out the filter once the spin-spray has started. That means that the fabric softener is already in the tube and runs into the filter and through the clothes during spray, then out the drain, and then the deep rinse has almost no fabric softener left. So while I do wash towels and anything in the WP/KM, I tend to add the softener by hand at the right time, instead of using the automatic dispenser.

I have never seen the filter pumping water during spin with shirts, pants, etc, only towels and heavier items, small blankets, that hold so much water in.
It just goes to show, like Yogi said, you can't get everything in each machine, and each different type of load can do better or worse in different machines.
 
I was without the internet for a week, Verizon does have a great signal and Fios has the fastest uploads.

But there service is very, very bad I don't think it is right yet.

 

Anyway I got to work at the polls today all day and want be able to finish this thread like I would like to until wed or tomorrow nite.

I want to thank all of the responses and I will address them in the time I will get in the coming hours.

 

Thanks for again guys sorry for the long delay.

 

I will leave with the work I have done so far...

Mark thanks for the input I did use CLR the stuff really works on rust but not Heavy Soap minerals or calcium to my taste.

So CLR and Brillo pads and messed up fingers got me a pretty good looking tub lol.

Got to go to sleeep or I want make it today.

Gordon & Martin your the best.

Louis thank you for the great story.

 

I'll finish this as soon as possible.

 

Darren k

 

 

 

 

aldspinboy++5-17-2011-02-13-53.jpg
 
WOW!....that turned out sweet......but talk about working your fingers to the bone, we should wear gloves while doing this kind of stuff, but never think until afterwards....great job Darren!
 
That is one beautiful "Plain Jane" washer! I and a few others around here just love these BOL washers - so simple and utilitarian but still beautiful. Kind of like a new sister wife that you grow to love in time.

The CLR looks like a lot of work - have you tried Super Iron Out? It comes in a bottle but is a powder. I've seen that work miracles with rust stains. If there are rusty spots in the basket, a few dabs of epoxy like JB Weld will do the trick for that. Don't want rust spots on those sheets that would make the neighbors gossip when you hang them out.

Congrats on the hard work, it looks amazing!
 
Funny and yet brain dead......Darren said he got "TUNED".....and then my mind hits.... I have a passion for, and have 7 nepTUNES, so far.....call me slow!

I washed my carmats in one the other day, which I have done a million times before, well, one got caught between the inner door, and ruined the inside plastic......would anyone have a spare parts machine that could sell me a door, or at least the inside part?...thanks in advance....
 
Wow so much for wednesday I ran over time to finish some spots on the machine and wanted more pictures.

 

Eric - Thanks much on the washer , I want to see those Kitchenaids if you can..

 

 

 

Mark- Thanks again for your input and your washer is fantastic loving the metal cap and pushbuttons lighted console cant get better then that.

 

I had one metal cap and don't no where it is ...not feeling good about that.

 

 

 

Paul- There is no drum light .

 

But you have a nice light on that console of yours , Maybe we can pimp the Westinghouse with lights hmmm...

 

 

 

Gordon- Thank you !

 

Thumbnail cap is the first time I heard it was from you , LOVE the cap as well it's a in-e the Speed Queen is an out-e I remember the disscussion very well lol.

 

The story on cavitation was an education thanks for that and thanks for talking to me .

 

The washer that I was talking about was picture 11 & 12 I guess that's a copper smokey pattern on pic 11 one of my faverites.

 

Pic 12  Is  P U R E  B E A U T Y !

 

Everybody Gordon has his collection in Photos shy guy .

 

 

 

Martin- T H A N K  Y O U again !

 

I like the idea of a VerI-Flex but that would be so odd looking in this washer lol.

 

Plus would it fit over the shaft ..im not sure when they changed the shaft configuration..

 

Now lets get that 1-18 going hopefully soon... I thank Rollermatic for his teardown and the way he colored the pices.

 

Makes it so much easier to follow Gooood luck on that washer it's a goood machine.

 

 

 

John - Thanks nice talking to you.. your a wealth of knowledge another walking washer man.

 

 

 

Robert -   Thanks nice story...I'm sure this model does not have a suds saver just a lot of air .

 

 

 

Micheal- You love water like I do you always see beauty in Agitation in ways that is different from others I love that about you.

 

I have something for you .

 

I had you in mind when I did it.

 

 

 

Louis - I seem to hear storys on wringer washers and seen some videos in Brazil with Automatic washers and the Surgelators

 

come out of the machine after the wash ends.

 

Which I thought was cool ...But when you said your mom did this with the cap under the Agi I never saw or heard that until recently.

 

Just saw that more in wringer washers is that a good thing to do for Agitators or Just bakelite Agitators you think or anybody..

 

Thanks again for the story.

 

 

 

Bob - Did you ever go to that womens house or saw here wash before...?

 

 with the Vari-Flex  ?

 

I have  several women I liked to watch wash one of them was my grandmother she was always attentive to her washer.

 

 

 

Greg - It is so nice to here from you and Thank you !

 

I will try to get the Powder Super rust out... even for future projects.

 

I need something for the tub cap it's really has heavey Minerals I got some out and rust but taking a break cut fingers lol.

 

Hey I'm thinking I like this washer better then trying to love my sister in law I try to love her but...she's a Bit**he.

 

But I got it what a cool saying.

 

Ok that Avitar is that an EASY cap on a Roto-swirl if soo... I never seen one with a smooth base that is so mmmm good looking !

 

No I I'm not going to let Sonia talk about Brown or reddish stains on my sheets or clothes and she would talk lol.

 

Hopeing you and your family are well.

 

 

 

Martin I hope that you get that door for the Neptune.

 

 

 

 Greg , People here is Sonia love her ...Some D**k head drove into her fence she was not happy.

 

Could you Imagine Darren whats that on your clothes.

 

 Sonia's washer is Sears best Elite DD system with multi wash speeds and she washes at high then she tuns it to normal ...

she also attentive to her washer and never overloads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[this post was last edited: 5/20/2011-09:33]

aldspinboy++5-20-2011-04-56-41.jpg
 

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