I HATE Scrappers and "Haul Away" from big box stores. I think all of us do.

[maytagneptune]

Does anyone agree with this one? It makes me sick that whenever I go to the scrap yard for new findings or to get rid of some junk and I see someone come in with a trailer full of machines and on Youtube today I saw someone bring in a load of "Collectibles" Including but not limited to Maytag Neptune,Whirlpool Calypso,LG TROMM,Possible 1-18 and a direct drive. It saddens me as well I had to scrap some machines in my life like my Frigidaire Front loader the spider arm broke in 1/3 from anaerobic corrosion because the spider is Aluminum and the drum is stainless. I wanted to repair it but the spider is not available separately from the tub and it was $530 for a brand new one. I basically watched powerlessly as I unloaded it at the scrap heap and watched it be destroyed. I felt depressed for about 2 weeks because it was my first front loader. About the Haul-Aways from big box stores I am completely powerless on new findings/Donor machines because they load them in the back and haul them off to the scrap heap some near me like my local Home Depot send the haul aways to one of the scrap yards near me. I Happen to go to it and I made a contract with them. there is another store near me that is "A Family owned business". And I know that because they sell Speed Queen. Their Haul-Aways go to a Used Appliance store and I made good friends with the owner and thankfully enough most of the donors/new findings are "disposable junk" because usually one of 3 options. 1: too expensive to repair. 2: I don't have time for this or 3: It's usually too rusty. So This is getting long and if you take the time to read this please reply as long as it is a nice thing to say. (It does not have to be supportive and it NEEDS to not be HATEFUL towards me)

If this is too controversial please move this to Dirty Laundry and give me a warning for a first time offense. I think it makes no sense to ban me for a first time offence.

 

[maytagneptune]

I HATE Scrappers and "Haul Away" from big box stores

If this is too harsh I'm sorry. I'm not trying to insult anybody but throwing away "Collectibles" needs to stop

 

[maytagneptune]

Viewer Discretion is advised. Calypso gets smashed on camera.

 

[DADoES]

 
For all the b!tching consumers spout about "new" machines lasting only 5 years, stinky frontloaders, dry-wash impeller toploaders, etc. .... there really is no interest among them (except the very few special cases) in saving "old-style" machines.

 

[combo52]

Scrapping Appliances

Hi Kelly, Yes everyone here hates seeing vintage appliances that could be fixed get scraped, but bitching about it does little good.

 

You could learn to repair appliances and either work go for a company or start an appliance store that specializes in reselling good used appliances.

 

We are always in need of people that want to get into this business repairing and rebuilding appliances, almost every town and city in the US has openings for people that want to work on major appliances.

 

Call Me, John L.

 

[goatfarmer]

You can't keep them all.

 I get in probably 30 a month or so.  What should I do with the ones that aren't worth fixing? Front loaders with bad bearings, or the electronics are out? Maytag Neptunes that have had a rough life, and are not worth saving? BD Whirlpool and Kenmore machines that no one wants? Do I pay to warehouse them, hoping that years from now, someone would want them? 

 I have a Kenmore BD set, got them several months ago, that I've offered FREE to anyone on here. No takers. Just picked up a vintage Hotpoint machine. No idea what to do with it, but I couldn't let it go bye. BOL Maytags, like a A106, that no one wants.

 

What should I do with them? Any of those machines pictured are FREE to anyone who comes to pick them up. When can I expect you?

 

[tolivac]

In most homes washers and dryers are to use for cleaning clothes-not collecting them.Most householders wouldn't think these machines are collectables.So when the homeowner gets a new machine the old one goes on the junkwagon.For most folks collecting large appliances kinda like cars-you need a HUGE space to keep them.Most homes don't have the large basements many collectors have their collections stored in.In my area-you just get a utility room-and the WD set has to share the space with the HVAC gear and the water heater.No basements here-they would be full of water!

 

[turbokinetic]

It's not too harsh. It's a common feeling among all of us I am sure.

 

Too many people have drank the poison cool-aid of the energy and water saving propaganda.

 

You never know what you've got until it's gone.

 

I went to Lowe's with my parents yesterday and we looked at new refrigerators. Not looking to buy, just looking to laugh.  They have upwards of FIVE THOUSAND DOLLAR fridges with hideously complicated door mechanisms that will surely leak and lead to frost clogging. You know without a doubt that parts and seals will be unavailable in no-time. Add to that an underpowered compressor which won't live long under the excessive runtime caused by the overly complex cabinet that will surely have air leaks.

 

Most stores sell appliances with a satisfaction guarantee period during which you can return it. They should be required to retain your old one, undamaged, until the satisfaction guarantee period is finished. That way if / when you find out you are unsatisfied with the new one, your old one can be returned.

 

[jons1077]

Goatfarmer

Are you in Indiana? I certainly have nothing against free machines if they were close enough to me to get.

 

[gyrafoam]

Oh, I get it!

It's a double-edged sword.
You can get into a frenzy of collecting until you have don't have a square-inch of space left.
Then you face the reality of having to make restoring them a full-time job. Then you have the expense of the parts.
Then you are chasing your tail with most of them because as soon as you turn around one or the other of them needs some other repair.
All because you have to "rescue" these precious machines from the crusher.

It has been a fun hobby for a long time. At this point I have my favorites and most of the rest can go. Then you face the reality of "giving away" the machines you struggled to pay for, bring home, restore, and constantly need repair if you use them.

So in the end you can't even "give" them away because the same people who are always whining about "someone save this" and who have "dream machine itis" end up NEVER following through and coming to get them. (Oh, I have done that once, myself). "It's one mile further away than I can travel". "The shipping is too expensive". "Someone save it because I don't have enough room left to bring it in",etc. Millions of them have ended up in the crusher we never even knew about----and that is just fine---because if only we knew---------.

So in the end, all these wonderful machines end up on the curb, hauled away to their final fate. Piles and boxes of parts along with them.
In the end you have had fun tinkering, enjoying them when they ran properly, and maybe sharing with some friends.
Such is the cost of a hobby.
All the kvetching in the world doesn't matter in the end, and the day after our funeral, someone will call in a dumpster and it will all be gone anyway.

 

[maytagneptune]

Part them out

@goatfarmer Part them out. if it has the 12002039 it's a VERY Valuable PART also try to save the spider arm. If the bearings are bad it's possible to replace them without buying a whole new tub.

 

[rp2813]

Refrigerators are the stand-out tragedy in this situation.  It doesn't take a whole lot of special equipment or scientific knowledge to repair or restore a washer or dryer, but that's not the case with refrigerators. 

 

Beautiful refrigerators in excellent shape are sent to the crusher every day because the average DIYer doesn't have the skills or tools to change out a compressor.  Try getting any refrigerator repair person to replace a compressor -- on a professional level or as a side job -- and you'll get one or all of these three responses:  1)  A quote in the 4-figure range,  2)  No guarantee whatsoever,  or 3)  Crickets, usually in that order.  So you end up with a fridge, pristine as it may be otherwise, that has been totaled. 

 

Nobody without the ability to repair it wants a dead refrigerator, but parting one out more often than not wastes time and does more harm than good, usually resulting in valuable parts being broken because they weren't designed for easy disassembly.  And so the whole thing gets sent away.  Storing parts for some day that may never come just doesn't make sense.  Most of us don't have that kind of room.

 

[goatfarmer]

Steve Gyrafoam has it right. Many times I hear people lamenting about old machines, how someone "needs to save this", and "I wish it were mine", etc. But I've seen examples of the same people commenting on a Craigslist post "if it were only closer", when it's an hour away. How bad do they really want something?

 With a full time job, and other responsibilities, checking a newer machine out to see if and how it runs, tearing it apart, looking up part numbers, listing said part  on eBay, hoping someone who can work on these machines gives me $40.00 for it, instead of going out and buying new, and if they do buy said part, boxing up, and shipping said item, ain't gonna happen. I'd have machines stacking up all over. 

 Yes, Northern Indiana is where I live. Logistics is another problem for many, but again, how bad do you want something? I've had people from several states away stop by, and pick up machines. I've shipped a Maytag 806 washer to California. Others went to Missouri.

 I gave a late 40's Philco 'fridge to my cousin's neighbor, to make a smoker out of it. It killed me to do it, I could see the potential. But it was covered in rust, huge dent in the door, only 1 shelf inside, no freezer door, wiring was original and crispy, no idea if it worked,  you get the picture. I guess that makes me the "hated scrapper".

 

 I can live with that.

 

[maytagneptune]

@goatfarmer

@goatfarmer you are not a Hated scrapper. there is a big difference between too far gone and repairable. If you want to scrap then why don't you just part them out?

 

[maytagneptune]

@goatfarmer

I drove 2 and a half hours to get my 1-18 I'll drive up to 9 hours if necessary

 

[jons1077]

Certainly not disagreeing

I’ve got my fair share of machines and a couple I’d like to part with. I’ve avoided the scrapper so far. I was fortunate to land my dream machines early on so there haven’t been any others that I felt the need to drive many states away for, not that I’d be opposed to doing that for the right opportunity. I agree that being overwhelmed with too many certainly takes away the joy of having and using the good ones without feeling the burden of things to be done. Collecting, I’ve learned, takes lots of patience and time.

 

[goatfarmer]

Good thing you're willing to drive, many are not. As to parting them, for the reasons I listed. Plus  I would have to have to stockpile parts that may or may not sell. Much easier to send them to their final resting place,

 

[blackstone]

I know the feeling from both perspectives....

When cleaning out our family business, I had to choose what appliances to save, and which to dispose of. I am fortunate, in that I had the time to make reasonable choices. I did not have to empty out the building for a quick sale. I had time to decide what was worth saving. I lived next to the building, so whatever I wanted to save (or was undecided about saving), it involved just a short haul.

Of course, then I found this great group, and was able to find new homes for so much Blackstone material (appliances and parts). But not every machine could be saved. I made many trips to the junkyard with my Suburban. I also filled 2 roll-off dumpsters with scrap iron.

Have I had any misgivings about getting rid of something? Perhaps. Those 2 new-in-box Blackstone dryers would be nice to stare at. The 350 that was our household washer (and which was rebuilt many times) would be a nice momento. As with everyone else, space is a finite quantity.

As mentioned above, on the day after our funeral, someone will just be hauling away the remnants. Hopefully, when that day comes, the scrap iron price will be high.

 

[launderess]

Don't have a dog in this hunt

But recall several months ago there was an auction of a former member's vast collection. We're talking about a house and one or more storage areas (IIRC) full of things.

Barely one-quarter or one-third of collection sold to other members, collectors or anyone who would actually have use for things. General opinion one gathered from members who attended the auction is much if not all of considerable amount of remaining stock would be heading to knackers yard or be crushed.

One cannot save everything; and even the most rare or desired things (in good condition) often have a very limited market.

Mr. Lee Maxwell's collection is case in point; to best of my knowledge he has not found anyone willing to purchase, donate to or whatever it would take to preserve even a portion of that lot. Time is short given the good gentleman's age, thus one is afraid of what will happen should nothing pan out before Mr. Maxwell pegs out.

Whenever Miele techs are called out, they shake their heads at why one is spending so much money on an "old" washer. They also do not understand why one has other old machines littered about.

Defending one's habits by pointing out build quality and other points gets one but so far.

If we are being honest with ourselves most of us hobbyists know much if not all of our collections will be rubbished before we are in the ground good.

Over the years several members have liquidated or at least cut things down. Others have abandoned the group totally and what wasn't sold/donated/collected.... well you can guess the rest.

Even when members have passed on and those charged with settling their estates have reached out to the group; often response isn't what was expected.

Quite frankly we're talking about major appliances, and not everyone has a home or storage space the size of Tara. Shifting these large (and often heavy) machines across one or two states has become increasingly expensive.

When a member passes on or someone is otherwise under the gun to clear a place out, time is often short. It really comes down to "come and get it before "X" date or it's going onto curb/will be hauled away". [this post was last edited: 10/27/2019-18:50]