mardieinmi
Member
Found this at an estate sale. It was still in use.
New find - Hamilton Automatic Clothes Dryer
- Thread starter mardieinmi
- Start date
Help Support :
Beautiful find!
These were structurally built like tanks and have similar weights. It is educational to look at these and see how dryer construction evolved. If you remove the belt from the drum pulley and give the drum a spin, the drum will usually coast silently for a long time. They are very quiet in operation. You do have to be careful to use the low heat setting for synthetics and blends, but they can be safely used for them as long as you are judicious in setting the timer so that the dryer does not run after the load is dry.
These were structurally built like tanks and have similar weights. It is educational to look at these and see how dryer construction evolved. If you remove the belt from the drum pulley and give the drum a spin, the drum will usually coast silently for a long time. They are very quiet in operation. You do have to be careful to use the low heat setting for synthetics and blends, but they can be safely used for them as long as you are judicious in setting the timer so that the dryer does not run after the load is dry.
brucelucenta
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2013
- Messages
- 1,924
Other than the old style Norge gas dryers from the 50's and 60's this dryer is the only other one that will dry clothes in the least amount of time. A heavy load of cotton jeans or towels in about 20-25 minutes on high heat. Incredible dryers! Check out the burner on those!
Early Hamilton Dryer
Nice find, is yours gas or electric ? and if gas is it electric ignition or constant burning pilot ?
Post more pictures and let us know if you are going to use it.
Nice find, is yours gas or electric ? and if gas is it electric ignition or constant burning pilot ?
Post more pictures and let us know if you are going to use it.
mayken4now
Well-known member
IIRC
Hamilton made the first Frigidaire dryers.
Hamilton made the first Frigidaire dryers.
frigidaireguy
Well-known member
First Frigidiare Dryers
We had a 1949 Frigidaire dryer built by Hamilton when I was a kid. It just had the timer switch - No heat control.
Bob
We had a 1949 Frigidaire dryer built by Hamilton when I was a kid. It just had the timer switch - No heat control.
Bob
bendixmark
Well-known member
Hamilton
When I was very young the nice lady across the street had that dryer and she let me come over and watch it.Love it so much fun.
When I was very young the nice lady across the street had that dryer and she let me come over and watch it.Love it so much fun.
mardieinmi
Member
More photos
It is electric. Looks like it is dual voltage
It is electric. Looks like it is dual voltage
brucelucenta
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2013
- Messages
- 1,924
I have never seen an electric one. That is interesting. Makes me wonder if it dried as fast as the gas one did. The gas one had a standing pilot. The only gas dryers of the 50's I remember that had electronic ignition were a few Kenmores and Whirlpools. I know that Maytag was one of the very last to have electronic ignition. They had a standing pilot until they changed the design of their dryers in the 70's.
Hamilton Electric Dryer
While Hamilton certainly pioneered Gas Dryers they made electric ones all along, we have seen and had many Hamilton electric dryers including one that was built before WW-2, [ the oldest home dryer I had ever seen ].
There is generally not much speed difference between gas and electric dryers of the same design except for the few makers that made extra high BTU or high wattage models that could really speed things up.
Early gas dryers were overwhelmingly electric ignition designs, We have this style Hamilton Dryer in gas with electric ignition at the museum. All MT GDs were electric ignition till the HOH design came out, also nearly all WP-KM, Norge, Easy, Blackstone and ABC-Kelvnator gas dryers were electric ignition, it really wasn't till the mid 50s on that some makers started making gas dryers with constant burning pilot at the urging of gas companies so they could sell more gas once they convinced reluctant housewives to buy a dryer. That way once the dryer was in the home they were guaranteed constant gas sales even if she still hung the clothing outside, LOL.
WP-KM gas dryers were nearly all electric ignition from the start through the present, only a few cheap low end models ever had constant burning pilot lights. MT was the last holdout in converting to electric ignition, MT didn't convert till 1976 when California banned the sale of dryers and gas ranges with constant burning pilot lights, it would be interesting to figure out the billions of cubic feet of gas California saved Californians and Americans overall with this simple regulation, this is a great example of the Government working for the general good of all people.
John L.
While Hamilton certainly pioneered Gas Dryers they made electric ones all along, we have seen and had many Hamilton electric dryers including one that was built before WW-2, [ the oldest home dryer I had ever seen ].
There is generally not much speed difference between gas and electric dryers of the same design except for the few makers that made extra high BTU or high wattage models that could really speed things up.
Early gas dryers were overwhelmingly electric ignition designs, We have this style Hamilton Dryer in gas with electric ignition at the museum. All MT GDs were electric ignition till the HOH design came out, also nearly all WP-KM, Norge, Easy, Blackstone and ABC-Kelvnator gas dryers were electric ignition, it really wasn't till the mid 50s on that some makers started making gas dryers with constant burning pilot at the urging of gas companies so they could sell more gas once they convinced reluctant housewives to buy a dryer. That way once the dryer was in the home they were guaranteed constant gas sales even if she still hung the clothing outside, LOL.
WP-KM gas dryers were nearly all electric ignition from the start through the present, only a few cheap low end models ever had constant burning pilot lights. MT was the last holdout in converting to electric ignition, MT didn't convert till 1976 when California banned the sale of dryers and gas ranges with constant burning pilot lights, it would be interesting to figure out the billions of cubic feet of gas California saved Californians and Americans overall with this simple regulation, this is a great example of the Government working for the general good of all people.
John L.
Hamilton.
I believe that is the only dryer I want to own that I do not already have. I've only seen one once, but I was very impressed with it. I would not want to use it all the time, but that's why I have other dryers anyway
Davew
I believe that is the only dryer I want to own that I do not already have. I've only seen one once, but I was very impressed with it. I would not want to use it all the time, but that's why I have other dryers anyway
Davew
mardieinmi
Member
Hamilton Dryer for sale
I've decided to sell the Hamilton. I have no idea what they are worth. So, just make me an offer.
I've decided to sell the Hamilton. I have no idea what they are worth. So, just make me an offer.
brucelucenta
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2013
- Messages
- 1,924
I had kind of wondered why many of the gas dryers I saw from the 50's were not electronic and had a constant burning pilot light. That answers my question about the reasoning for it. Even my parents old '57 Norge time line set that were TOL had a constant burning pilot. Weird, since whirlpool/kenmore TOL models were all electronic. I know that some of the electronic ignition dryers had the electronic fingers that sparked in the 60's and then later on the glow coils, like they do today. I don't think I ever saw any of the old Norge time line gas dryers with electronic ignition. I really didn't know there were early dryers that had it. But then it's only because I never saw one that I can recall. I do remember that General Electric in the 60's would not put their name on gas dryers. My parents dryer that matched the GE washer was a "Premier" dryer. I also remember that when homes were built here, some were "totally electric" which gave you a big break on the bill for the electricity and there were blue star gas homes, which I assume gave you some kind of break on the gas bill. I remember the advertising for the gas company was to have everything gas except those things that you had to used electricity for. I also remember gas air conditioning and refrigeration used to be rather common place too. That did require the use of electricity to operate too though.[this post was last edited: 7/1/2016-04:30]
I want this, but it's not a good idea.
I would love this dryer, but I'm just so busy right now I don't know when I'd be able to get it. (I'd also like to get the new floor put in my laundry room before adding more appliances to it) I'd say to keep me in mind if nobody else steps forward and I can be a backup buyer and figure something out if necessary.
I hope someone gets this dryer who can take good care of it and enjoy it!
Hamiltons are lovely.
Dave
I would love this dryer, but I'm just so busy right now I don't know when I'd be able to get it. (I'd also like to get the new floor put in my laundry room before adding more appliances to it) I'd say to keep me in mind if nobody else steps forward and I can be a backup buyer and figure something out if necessary.
I hope someone gets this dryer who can take good care of it and enjoy it!
Hamiltons are lovely.
Dave
mardieinmi
Member
Price
I know very little about these. I know they're rare, but that's about it. So, even if you're not interested in purchasing it, what do you think a good price would be?
I know very little about these. I know they're rare, but that's about it. So, even if you're not interested in purchasing it, what do you think a good price would be?
price
I only paid $12.50 since the last day of an estate sale was half-off, original price was $25. Keep in mind, it's of value to very few folks, really just collectors/hobbyists, who else wants a 60 year old dryer they'll never find repair parts for.
Ask $75 and be willing to come down a bit, maybe around $50, there's just not a huge market for it, but yes it's a great historical machine for someone's collection. It's just not for your neighbor or brother who simply wants to dry clothes daily.
My Hamilton needed de-linting and oil/lube/grease, then also had a motor centrifugal switch problem that required care rebuilding of that switch. Other than that, HIGH heat is pretty high( probably since wringer wet clothes back then need LOTS of firepower to dry in an hour) but MED to MED/LO does a great job. I only use mine in winter since it exhausts right into the basement, these were not very easy to vent outdoors.
I love my Hamilton but would never think of it as a daily driver.
I only paid $12.50 since the last day of an estate sale was half-off, original price was $25. Keep in mind, it's of value to very few folks, really just collectors/hobbyists, who else wants a 60 year old dryer they'll never find repair parts for.
Ask $75 and be willing to come down a bit, maybe around $50, there's just not a huge market for it, but yes it's a great historical machine for someone's collection. It's just not for your neighbor or brother who simply wants to dry clothes daily.
My Hamilton needed de-linting and oil/lube/grease, then also had a motor centrifugal switch problem that required care rebuilding of that switch. Other than that, HIGH heat is pretty high( probably since wringer wet clothes back then need LOTS of firepower to dry in an hour) but MED to MED/LO does a great job. I only use mine in winter since it exhausts right into the basement, these were not very easy to vent outdoors.
I love my Hamilton but would never think of it as a daily driver.
