My Dumb Blonde of a Ling-Temco

[jersey-johny]

I've been searching for a strong late 50s early 60s dishwasher to install in turquoise kitchen project I have coming up. Trying to avoid pitfalls of past jobs but still find myself challenged by the Looks & Coolness Factor VS Quality of Job.

Few years back I found a turquoise Ling-Temco and so fell in love. And still love it - but holy crap what a LOUSY performance! I mean bad. Shame really, because it reeks of 5-star effort and pride-in-manufacture. It WANTS to be good / successful, you can tell. I think it was Ling's first attempt? Or did this come after the glass-topped James?

Its a complete fumble when it comes to completely cleaning everything. But still a totally cool machine: compact, beautiful strong little beast with the chrome-framed, fluted-glass front and the powerful water-wave.... I still run it just for the show of it, people go nuts and get all mesmerized! And its true, it is crazy-soothing to start that baby up and watch her go!

I'll try and upload a video soon for those that maybe haven't seen it in action before.

 

[peteski50]

Ling-Temco!!

I really like this dishwasher - I wish they all had windows!
Best Of Luck with it

 

[rp2813]

This is one of many inadequate dishwashers that does require rinsing before loading, but it cannot be topped for its cool factor.

 

[turquoisedude]

It never hurt to have 2 vintage dishwashers in a kitchen (4 is a bit much according to my Hubby, but well, he's no fun...LOL).

 

The Ling-Temco is a way cool machine, but for a daily driver, try to find a KitchenAid.  Yes, this from the person who lives, eats, and breathes GE!  I've got 4 KA's and all of them work great - my KDS54 was originally white, but I painted it turquoise to match the Frigidaire range & refrigerator at the house in St-Lib. 

 

[tomturbomatic]

Unfortunately, the strainer around the twisted sister impeller is not self cleaning so all particulate matter must be removed from the dishes before washing. It is the successor to the James. A school friend's parents sold their James to make room for a 30 inch wide Westinghouse range and very few people get rid of a dishwasher that performs well.

 

[foraloysius]

Braun used the same design for it's dishwasher or Ling-Temco made them for Braun or so.

http://www.tugendhat.de/BRAUN_HGS.html

 

[combo52]

Poor Performing DWs

Hi Johny, You may have saved the trouble of putting my LT DW together [ it really wasn't very high on the list anyway ] LOL

30 some years ago we brought into the shop an almost never used 1961 Tappan DW with the revolving drum that reversed to wash 1/2 of the dishes at a time then rinsed once in each direction, It was the worst performing DW you could imagine, even if you rinsed 98% of stuff off the dishes the 2% left behind multiplied and redeposited itself all over the dishes and DW itself.

I now wish I had saved it for the museum as I don't think that many people would believe how badly a cool designed DW could work.

 

John L.

 

 

 

 

[kd12]

Institutional use?

So was this something intended for institutional/commercial markets? I can't see someone buying one of these new for home use.

 

[revvinkevin]

Definitely for the residential market

 

This Ling Temco was WAY too small capacity to be useful in anything other than home use.  Remember, this was back in the early 1960's and it would have been "cool" to have one in the house!

 

It is a very cool DW, regardless!

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

No. It was a dishwasher available in three sizes and was meant for either under cabinet, under counter or portable use with the later two needing models with drain pumps.

 

[turquoisedude]

Also, weren't these machines targeted for boat and trailer installations? The smaller, wall-mounted units would have probably fit.  

 

[jersey-johny]

Yep, these were pushed HEAVILY in womens' home mags as well as Popular Mechanics. Its all gravity drain and they were meant to be recessed in wall over the ktichen counter, or under stove tops. Some even came with their own kitchen-cart. And yes they are loud - but some would call it a not-unpleasant 'white noise' loud.

I've seen listings over the years of ones installed in both mobile trailer homes as well as boats.
The video above is sweet! But bear in mind that light must have been hacked in by someone after purchase. They were not manufactured with interior lights. And hey I think the cart its sitting on in the video is one of the original ones that you could option.

The steam distilling function works beautifully and gets everything bone-dry but of course that means it also bakes on whatever particulate didn't get rinsed away.

Its brochure also alludes to it as a pre-dinner plate warmer!

 

[jersey-johny]

Oh, and Paul....

OMG! I'm on my way up now, dear, to retrieve that St. Lib turquoise kitchen trio!!....
Will there be time for cocktails with you and hubby? : D

 

[turquoisedude]

C'mon up anytime!

But beware.... Hubby will get ME plastered and will be offering up all kinds of vintage appliances... LOL 

 

[cycla-fabric]

Maybe a Glass Washer?

I would use it as a glass washer and maybe light breakfast or lunch dishes. The machine can't be that bad. Maybe the filter can be made to filter the water so the waste doesn't get washed back onto the dishes.

Doug

 

[jersey-johny]

Hi Doug - actually as long as you do a thorough pre-rinse of every item, the LT does do an *acceptable* job? Its all gravity drain, with a fairly constant flow of fresh water coming through (I think its something like 10 gallons per cycle). One issue - I think - is that particulate matter gets hung-up on the cylindrical shaped wave-producing jet because its surface is covered with evenly spaced tiny circular piercings, sort of mesh-like.

Another issue is the loading is an intricate process, and its brochure/instructions make a big deal out of how important it is to get that aspect right. So a misplaced bowl, or wrong-facing platter completely blocks anything behind it from getting evenly 'waved', and possibly not 'waved' at all.

But let me tell you - at the end of the day I am this lovely thangs BIGGEST FAN and I will never part with it, and yes I do intend on doing a recess install over my counter and proudly showing it off. Its just too much fun!