Custom Care changed agitation to ex-slow on any cycle. None of the delicate selections ran at ex-slow by default far as I know.
Kenmore Lady and TOL Washer Models?
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Custom Care changed agitation to ex-slow on any cycle. None of the delicate selections ran at ex-slow by default far as I know.
I've mentioned it took awhile before I appreciated the 1960 Model 80 in our household due to a severe case of Frigidaire envy. I had an unused 1959 Lady Kenmore for about a year back in the early 1990s which was very similar to the Model 80.
Timed dispensers for bleach and fabric softener; a wide array of pre-programmed cycles; an option that stepped water temperature down one level for houses without enough water-heater power; lights in the tub, on the console and, in the Lady K, an ultraviolet lamp which made the suds glow; the option to save or not save wash water (on suds-saver models); infinitely-variable water levels; Roto-Swirl agitators that turned over even the toughest loads; very effective lint-filtering systems (self-cleaning in the Lady K).
You're right, Malcolm, they were very advanced--or at least feature-laden--machines for their time.
Of course Maytags were quieter and almost every other brand of washer spun faster, but those Kenmores sported a long list of bells and whistles. They even became substantially quieter and less prone to suds-lock by the mid-1960s.
My ever-frugal, do-it-yourself stepfather replaced the innards of our '60 with those of a lightly-used mid-60's machine while I was in college. I could hear (and see) the differences the first time I used it after that. The Super Roto-Swirl agitator was gold, skinnier and had ribs on the column and fins; the bottom of the tub sported two rather than four rows of drain holes.
It was fun watching the videos of Kenmores posted in this thread. Thanks!
Ben (Swestoyz): Do you still have your pink '59 Lady K?[this post was last edited: 7/30/2015-15:35]
Timed dispensers for bleach and fabric softener; a wide array of pre-programmed cycles; an option that stepped water temperature down one level for houses without enough water-heater power; lights in the tub, on the console and, in the Lady K, an ultraviolet lamp which made the suds glow; the option to save or not save wash water (on suds-saver models); infinitely-variable water levels; Roto-Swirl agitators that turned over even the toughest loads; very effective lint-filtering systems (self-cleaning in the Lady K).
You're right, Malcolm, they were very advanced--or at least feature-laden--machines for their time.
Of course Maytags were quieter and almost every other brand of washer spun faster, but those Kenmores sported a long list of bells and whistles. They even became substantially quieter and less prone to suds-lock by the mid-1960s.
My ever-frugal, do-it-yourself stepfather replaced the innards of our '60 with those of a lightly-used mid-60's machine while I was in college. I could hear (and see) the differences the first time I used it after that. The Super Roto-Swirl agitator was gold, skinnier and had ribs on the column and fins; the bottom of the tub sported two rather than four rows of drain holes.
It was fun watching the videos of Kenmores posted in this thread. Thanks!
Ben (Swestoyz): Do you still have your pink '59 Lady K?[this post was last edited: 7/30/2015-15:35]
lordkenmore
Well-known member
Push to start/run
The old Kenmore system of "push to start and run" actually seems more "right" to me, but I suspect a lot of that is just that I grew up with a 1960s Kenmore in the house, so until the 1990s, that was the standard I knew.
The old Kenmore system of "push to start and run" actually seems more "right" to me, but I suspect a lot of that is just that I grew up with a 1960s Kenmore in the house, so until the 1990s, that was the standard I knew.
norgeway
Well-known member
Our next door neighbor
Had a 63 Lady Kenmore when I was a kid, and I thought that was the fanciest thing ever , I remember her saying she loved it because it was foolproof, push the fabric type button, turn the dial until it stopped and that was it, it also had a button for spin only which was handy ., but the self cleaning lint filter was the very best thing!Kenmores WERE noisier than Maytags, but they washed much better too,,the spin was ok, it was slower than many, but that didn't matter to most people, and was an advantage to people without a dryer because the slower spin did not cause as many wrinkles.I knew a lady with a 64 Frigidaire who never let her machine spin the full cycle because she claimed it set in too many wrinkles.
Had a 63 Lady Kenmore when I was a kid, and I thought that was the fanciest thing ever , I remember her saying she loved it because it was foolproof, push the fabric type button, turn the dial until it stopped and that was it, it also had a button for spin only which was handy ., but the self cleaning lint filter was the very best thing!Kenmores WERE noisier than Maytags, but they washed much better too,,the spin was ok, it was slower than many, but that didn't matter to most people, and was an advantage to people without a dryer because the slower spin did not cause as many wrinkles.I knew a lady with a 64 Frigidaire who never let her machine spin the full cycle because she claimed it set in too many wrinkles.
pierreandreply4
Well-known member
i do not remember what year my grandmother had a push to start inglis liberator washer all i know is that she replace that washer in 1988 when my granfather passway it was a 3 cycle model with brush lint filter sorry sadly no pictures
My mothers original 50's Kenmore Cycla-Fabric had the push to start dial. She bought a new Kenmore 4 cycle in the early 70's, which the 4th was an enzyme soak that nobody would ever use, and was pull to start and she could never get it right.
@ Frigilux -
Oh yeah, those pepto Kenmore's are still around. I haven't had time or the ambition to work on them. Someday....
www.automaticwasher.org
Ben
Oh yeah, those pepto Kenmore's are still around. I haven't had time or the ambition to work on them. Someday....
Spring = Pink!
Today was a fun day. Hilary and I headed to St. Louis to pick up a few finds. Here we are, loaded up and ready to head home.
www.automaticwasher.org
Ben
lordkenmore
Well-known member
>She bought a new Kenmore 4 cycle in the early 70's, which the 4th was an enzyme soak that nobody would ever use,
Think of some of today's machines with a 78 different cycles. ("Normal Wash" "Pet Bedding--Small Dog" "Pet Bedding--Large Dog" Etc, etc, etc.) I bet most users of such modern machines probably have more than one more cycle that will never get used!
Think of some of today's machines with a 78 different cycles. ("Normal Wash" "Pet Bedding--Small Dog" "Pet Bedding--Large Dog" Etc, etc, etc.) I bet most users of such modern machines probably have more than one more cycle that will never get used!
Stop lock timers on lady Kenmore's
All the models with a three speed motor had at least one delicate cycle button which use the extra's low-speed for the agitation and in addition they also had extra speed buttons or the custom care button to allow the use of the extra slow speed with any cycle.
All the models with a three speed motor had at least one delicate cycle button which use the extra's low-speed for the agitation and in addition they also had extra speed buttons or the custom care button to allow the use of the extra slow speed with any cycle.
Custom Care button
I have in my mind that the Custom Care button reduced the agitation speed by one step--meaning ex-slow on knit/delicate cycle and shifted to slow agitation when selected on Normal and Perm Press cycles. Anyone notice on the close-up of the avocado 1974 LK, the Perm Press cycle max length as only 8 minutes? Previous LK Perm Press cycles max lengths were 12 minutes. The 10 minute cycle at the bottom was for knits and the 6 minute point on that cycle was for delicate. Only on the LK, the Knit cycle also had a 2 minute pause (the 8 minute increment)( where the agitation stopped and had a brief soak. The earlier to mid-life LKs had one timer increment for whites (hot) and another timer increment for colors (warm). But I think at some point, both of those cycles for Normal & Perm Press both stopped at the maximum wash time for both whites & colors to take advantage of the detergent dispenser--which only functioned initially at the max wash time, but eventually "flowed" for 2 timer increments. Thus my supposition for these later ones was that maybe cycle button also controlled the hot or warm wash temps.
I have in my mind that the Custom Care button reduced the agitation speed by one step--meaning ex-slow on knit/delicate cycle and shifted to slow agitation when selected on Normal and Perm Press cycles. Anyone notice on the close-up of the avocado 1974 LK, the Perm Press cycle max length as only 8 minutes? Previous LK Perm Press cycles max lengths were 12 minutes. The 10 minute cycle at the bottom was for knits and the 6 minute point on that cycle was for delicate. Only on the LK, the Knit cycle also had a 2 minute pause (the 8 minute increment)( where the agitation stopped and had a brief soak. The earlier to mid-life LKs had one timer increment for whites (hot) and another timer increment for colors (warm). But I think at some point, both of those cycles for Normal & Perm Press both stopped at the maximum wash time for both whites & colors to take advantage of the detergent dispenser--which only functioned initially at the max wash time, but eventually "flowed" for 2 timer increments. Thus my supposition for these later ones was that maybe cycle button also controlled the hot or warm wash temps.
8/8/2015 Picture of the Day is a 1960 Whirlpool Imperial Mark XII with pushbutton timer.
toploadloyalist
Well-known member
According to the underlid cycle charts on the "piano keyboard" Lady K's, the delicate cycle button on the upper row had regular slow agitation, while the one on the lower row had extra slow agitation, both with brief soak periods. This continued until this model was discontinued c.1975. Over the years, the names of the selections varied greatly. (Upper button: Delicate Fabrics-Lingerie, Knitted Fabrics; Lower button: Washable Woolens-Fragiles, Delicates-Washable Woolens)
mrb627
Well-known member
For Clarity
Did the CUSTOM-CARE button only reduce the agitation speed or did the spin speed also get adjusted down?
Malcolm
Did the CUSTOM-CARE button only reduce the agitation speed or did the spin speed also get adjusted down?
Malcolm
