girlnextdoor
Member
Or, as the Smiths might say, "Please, please, please, let me get what I want..."
Apologies for writing a novel instead of a post. TL;DR - please tell me what vintage models I should look at for daily users that still have parts available and that a handy person can do most of the maintenance on without too much difficulty. Currently have hard water until I buy a filter/softening system.
I last posted back in 2018. I had acquired an early 90s GE dryer. Unfortunately, before I could find a matching Filter Flo washer, my husband "loaned" the dryer to someone in difficult financial straits (we still had a working set). That person chose to junk it when something went wrong, which p***ed me off beyond belief. (I never gave him permission to just get rid of it without checking if I wanted it back to repair.) Lesson learned - never "loaning" that guy anything again!
After a long hiatus I'm starting over, but am thoroughly confused as to what model machines I should try to buy. It seems to me I should be looking at a time frame of mid 70s - early 90s at the latest. A matched set would be nice but is not required. Stackable is nice but not required. They must be easy to work on for DIY repairs because although hubby is magic at mechanical stuff, he's not an appliance tech, and I'm far less mechanically inclined than him. Parts should not be as rare as hen's teeth.
I would love to find something that fits my needs and would be happy to purchase restored units from any of you helpful collector/techs -- combo52, yogitunes, RP2813, goatfarmer, Tomturbomatic, etc. I'm sorry I forget other people's names because I haven't lurked in ages due to insane hours worked at a job I now no longer have.
I never seem to find good condition older models within 200 miles of me - or if I do, someone else gets them first. I'm willing to branch out and drive further, but I do have a limit due to current gas prices and, well, husband's availability. I need him to help load the things, LOL. At this point he is starting to pressure me to buy something before our current set gives up the ghost. The last research I did was ages ago and now I'm under the gun to find something before my husband upsets me by "making a command decision" and showing up with something on sale at Lowe's. I normally like to do my own research and not ask to have things spoon-fed to me, but I'm short on time now. If we have to drive far to pick something up, he's more amenable if it's already restored than if it still needs work.
--- I'm looking for reliable daily users that get things clean without being terribly rough on fabrics. I believe I do more laundry than a normal 2-person household.
Weekly:
2 loads of sheets
2 loads of body towels
2-3 loads clothing
Bi-weekly, add:
2 loads thin bedding blankets
1-2 loads clothing
1 small load of kitchen linens
1 small load of work rags
2 loads cat blankets (!!!) (mixed with towels to help slough off hair)
In the past I had my eye on GE Filter Flo models specifically because of our cat hair issues. I do take lint rollers to things before washing and even try to run them in the dryer in advance with rough towels to remove as much hair as possible before washing, but there still seems to be a fair amount deposited in my FL washer and plenty in the dryer. I had also considered vintage Kenmores. Lady Kenmores seem to be impossible to find. I know some later-but-still-vintage models have been nicknamed Shredmores and I know a few members here disagreed on their usefulness and desirability but I no longer remember the details. I can't recall any details as to what vintage Maytag would work for my needs.
Note: I have hard water where I live, and am currently looking into whole house water filters, possibly with a water softener as well, for this issue.
If I am asking too much I apologize. I just don't have the minimal model knowledge (of strengths, of known problems, etc.) let alone the technical knowledge (what is DD or orbital, long stroke or short, etc.) to be able to make an informed decision. If anyone could PLEASE tell me what specific models I should be looking for and what price range I can expect to pay, I would be very grateful.
--- Also any education on the following would be greatly appreciated: I don't bleach very much, and I seem to recall that that using some regimen of bleach as well as warm/hot washes is necessary to keeping spiders from disintegrating. If I switch from a FL to a TL I don't have to worry about this, but what issues WOULD I need to keep in mind with a TL? For example I recently saw somewhere here that using enough detergent and hot water is necessary to keep older TL models working well but I don't know the how or the why of that.
--- (This isn't the right forum for the following notes but adding them anyway:
if I should be looking at anything NEW that works well, is reliable, and is less expensive than Speed Queen, please tell me to post a brief request in the Deluxe Forum. I can't afford a new SQ set. A mixed set came up for $ 600 an hour from me - a 2010 SQ TL washer and a 2017 SQ dryer, but based on a comment from combo52 about SQ TL builds pre-2017 I've decided to pass on it.)
Thank you in advance for any and all recommendations!
Also, besides the help I've been given on past threads, I've enjoyed lurking and just reading about all the amazing things you experienced people know about these machines. So I upgraded my membership as a "thank you" for the wealth of info you are all kind enough to post.
Apologies for writing a novel instead of a post. TL;DR - please tell me what vintage models I should look at for daily users that still have parts available and that a handy person can do most of the maintenance on without too much difficulty. Currently have hard water until I buy a filter/softening system.
I last posted back in 2018. I had acquired an early 90s GE dryer. Unfortunately, before I could find a matching Filter Flo washer, my husband "loaned" the dryer to someone in difficult financial straits (we still had a working set). That person chose to junk it when something went wrong, which p***ed me off beyond belief. (I never gave him permission to just get rid of it without checking if I wanted it back to repair.) Lesson learned - never "loaning" that guy anything again!
After a long hiatus I'm starting over, but am thoroughly confused as to what model machines I should try to buy. It seems to me I should be looking at a time frame of mid 70s - early 90s at the latest. A matched set would be nice but is not required. Stackable is nice but not required. They must be easy to work on for DIY repairs because although hubby is magic at mechanical stuff, he's not an appliance tech, and I'm far less mechanically inclined than him. Parts should not be as rare as hen's teeth.
I would love to find something that fits my needs and would be happy to purchase restored units from any of you helpful collector/techs -- combo52, yogitunes, RP2813, goatfarmer, Tomturbomatic, etc. I'm sorry I forget other people's names because I haven't lurked in ages due to insane hours worked at a job I now no longer have.
I never seem to find good condition older models within 200 miles of me - or if I do, someone else gets them first. I'm willing to branch out and drive further, but I do have a limit due to current gas prices and, well, husband's availability. I need him to help load the things, LOL. At this point he is starting to pressure me to buy something before our current set gives up the ghost. The last research I did was ages ago and now I'm under the gun to find something before my husband upsets me by "making a command decision" and showing up with something on sale at Lowe's. I normally like to do my own research and not ask to have things spoon-fed to me, but I'm short on time now. If we have to drive far to pick something up, he's more amenable if it's already restored than if it still needs work.
--- I'm looking for reliable daily users that get things clean without being terribly rough on fabrics. I believe I do more laundry than a normal 2-person household.
Weekly:
2 loads of sheets
2 loads of body towels
2-3 loads clothing
Bi-weekly, add:
2 loads thin bedding blankets
1-2 loads clothing
1 small load of kitchen linens
1 small load of work rags
2 loads cat blankets (!!!) (mixed with towels to help slough off hair)
In the past I had my eye on GE Filter Flo models specifically because of our cat hair issues. I do take lint rollers to things before washing and even try to run them in the dryer in advance with rough towels to remove as much hair as possible before washing, but there still seems to be a fair amount deposited in my FL washer and plenty in the dryer. I had also considered vintage Kenmores. Lady Kenmores seem to be impossible to find. I know some later-but-still-vintage models have been nicknamed Shredmores and I know a few members here disagreed on their usefulness and desirability but I no longer remember the details. I can't recall any details as to what vintage Maytag would work for my needs.
Note: I have hard water where I live, and am currently looking into whole house water filters, possibly with a water softener as well, for this issue.
If I am asking too much I apologize. I just don't have the minimal model knowledge (of strengths, of known problems, etc.) let alone the technical knowledge (what is DD or orbital, long stroke or short, etc.) to be able to make an informed decision. If anyone could PLEASE tell me what specific models I should be looking for and what price range I can expect to pay, I would be very grateful.
--- Also any education on the following would be greatly appreciated: I don't bleach very much, and I seem to recall that that using some regimen of bleach as well as warm/hot washes is necessary to keeping spiders from disintegrating. If I switch from a FL to a TL I don't have to worry about this, but what issues WOULD I need to keep in mind with a TL? For example I recently saw somewhere here that using enough detergent and hot water is necessary to keep older TL models working well but I don't know the how or the why of that.
--- (This isn't the right forum for the following notes but adding them anyway:
if I should be looking at anything NEW that works well, is reliable, and is less expensive than Speed Queen, please tell me to post a brief request in the Deluxe Forum. I can't afford a new SQ set. A mixed set came up for $ 600 an hour from me - a 2010 SQ TL washer and a 2017 SQ dryer, but based on a comment from combo52 about SQ TL builds pre-2017 I've decided to pass on it.)
Thank you in advance for any and all recommendations!
Also, besides the help I've been given on past threads, I've enjoyed lurking and just reading about all the amazing things you experienced people know about these machines. So I upgraded my membership as a "thank you" for the wealth of info you are all kind enough to post.
