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Unimatic1140

Unimatic1140

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Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Messages
10,127
Location
Minneapolis
So about four years ago I had a hard drive crash in my old computer in which I had thousands of sounds, images and photos saved from around 1999-2002. I saved the bad hard drive and finally got around to purchasing some hard drive restoration software. Last night I was able to get all these of these files off of the bad drive and successfully saved on a good hard drive. YAY, I'm thrilled, there are 1000s of Washer Pictures I can share again with everyone.

Here is a sound (wav) file that I recorded in Fall of 2000. Who knows what this beautiful sound is?

Can you name the washer brand?
Can you tell us what it is doing?
Can you name the transmission?
Can you name the model?

http://www.automaticwasher.org/TEMP/mystery.wav
 
what this beautiful sound is

ummmmm 1958 Frigidaire? Thanks for the belt info Robert!
Mark
 
It's definitely the beginning of a spin cycle. I'll bet it's a solid-tub. As the spin speed picks up quickly, I'd guess it's either a Unimatic Frigidaire or a '50s Norge, both of which throw water at an amazing rate. No idea which model it might be.
 
Great Sound!
Is it your direct drive GE? I think it was made in 1951, but not sure of the exact year....
Brent
 
Sounds like a solenoid shifts at the beginning of the spin (not sure if it is to control the spin or the speed). Speed wise it sounds like a Multimatic - maybe a 59/60 WCI Multimatic on high speed (850)? I didn't think the Norge/AMP Maytag/Speed Queen spun the water out that fast - but is a solid tub machine. Kelvinator or ABC don't have the shifting solenoid sound either. HUM.....

Ben
 
Mister Tricky Pants

Number One. the spin begins from a pause, ruling out unimatics but not milti-s or rollers.

#2. Every Aworg Brother and Sister knows it's a water throw from a solid tub

#3. Eugene, it's NOT a Norge.

#4. Yes, 2/5's of the way through it sounds very much like a Frigidiare, BUUUUTTTT

#5. The whine is too high pitched for a Frigi, therefore

#6. At that speed it can only be the first GE, and finally

#7. The very first click or shift to spin is definitely not a Frigidaire sound

Did you spend your childhood Sunday's listening to football, or with your ear to the washer like i did?

PS: Loved the Freudian slip of "Fist post" Made my day. Can't wait to see the thousand pics. Thank You. Out to the garage now to check the sounds on the multimatic spin in case I'm becoming hard of hearing, and got all my answers wrong.
 
Hmmm!

Although I cannot place an exact name, model number, etc on this audio shot (probably a Frigidaire or similar brand), it's most definitely one of those early high revving fast spinning types. Great sounding audio! Now that it's in my Vintage Appliance Videos collection, I can eventually rename the file based on what you might reveal of it's identity. Many thanks! By the way, those wavs make for great prank sounds to embed in an outgoing message launched from Outlook Express.--Laundry Shark
 
Robert,

This might be a silly guess, but here it goes:

1947 GE AW6?

Obviously it's spinning, but it sounds like a spin with an empty basket...no clothes but with a finned agitator. (making that whistling sound)

It does have direct drive sounds to it also, but was the 47' GE direct drive? I'm thinking it was.

Oh well...that was my guess!

Jon
 
Cheating or research: your judgment, People

The stress of test situations always alters perception, and when i just replayed both spins from the First GE Automatic Washer stored in the archives, there is nothing in them that sounds like Robert's mystery clip.

So let's get back to what we know: The sound of a Frigidaire motor wind-up for a spin creates an unmistakable audio signature. That is what my ears and mind say I'm experiencing, As for the opening click that MAY be preceded by a pause, and the too high-pitched a whine toward the end of the segment, I can't account for them right now. So if there is another machine whose spin sounds like that of a Unimatic, I haven't heard it before.
 
I'd say...

Its definately not a unimatic, because it's throwing water too long, and a Unimatic empties itself much faster.
 
Well, Whirlpool and Kenmore washers do a neutral drain and then the motor pauses for a few seconds before it stats to spin. The click sound you hear in the sound clip could be the click sound Kenmore and Whirlpool washers make at the end of drain and at the start of spin as the gearcase shifts from agitate to spin. The sound of water trickling is a spray rinse. This is because Kenmore and Whirlpool washers do a spray rinse for 7 seconds right when the motor starts. Then it does a 7 second pause followed by another 7 second spray rinse.
 
cheating?

I think everyone has been making some pretty good guesses so far. I would say Kenmore/Whirlpool is definetly out because they don't throw water and there was no sound of the wig-wag shifting.

Keep in mind that most of us only have this website to work with for clues to these questions. I don't have a basement full of machines below my 1-bdr condo.
 
I'll take a shot at this one!!!!

"Unimatic":

I'm thinking it's either your 1949 Frigidaire, your 1949 GE or your 1958 Frigidaire.

I'm not wrong on neither of these three, am I???

--Charles--
 
ummmmm 1958 Frigidaire?
Nope

It's definitely the beginning of a spin cycle.
Yes

I'd guess it's either a Unimatic Frigidaire or a '50s Norge
Nope

Is it your direct drive GE? I think it was made in 1951,
Nope and it was made in 1947

Sounds like a solenoid shifts at the beginning of the spin
Nope

Speed wise it sounds like a Multimatic - maybe a 59/60 WCI Multimatic on high speed (850)?
Nope, too slow.

but it sounds like a spin with an empty basket
Nope full wash load

I know! It's the Super Unimatic 2.0!
Nope

Cheating or research: your judgment, People
Research is good

MAY be preceded by a pause,
Yes

When exactly did Robert sell his Apex?
I didn’t sell it I crushed it.
1996

Could it be the philco "blades of water" washer, or an ABC-O-Matic?
Nope

Well, Whirlpool and Kenmore washers do a neutral drain and then the motor pauses for a few seconds before it stats to spin.
No they don’t, at least not in the Imperial Forum :)

I would say Kenmore/Whirlpool is definetly
Yes there out by a long shot

I gave one big hint in one of those clues. And 4 speed Multimatics do not Rev Up to full speed like that, they starts on low and shifts into high one increment later (unlike this machine).
 
Well Jon.......

Well Jon:

In the first sound file, it sounded like the washer in question was throwing water as it was going into spin, and from my experience, that didn't sound like a Kenmore.

A Kenmore would drain first, and then after several minutes of neutral activity, a Kenmore would then shift into spin by way of solenoids or wigwags (I grew up with two of them, and have used Kenmores all my life).

--Charles--

P.S.: To me, if it's not one of his Washer/Dryer Combos, then it's got to be an early GE (the 1949 model) or one of his Frigidaires (the 1949, the 1957 tower top or the turquiose 1958 model that he owns).
 
Charles,

You said exactly what I did earlier. Kenmores DIN'T throw water and they neutral drain. I was referring to the sound bit. I grew up with belt-drives and currently have one as well.

I'm assuming the big clue from Robert must be that the spin speed is faster than 850 rpm, but is not a 47 GE or a Unimatic. It also pauses. Hmm...still brainstorming here...

Jon
 
I know the sound. It's so familiar, but so long ago.

The pulsamatics pause before spin, but the full sound of my gram's which is the same as the green dialed one in yr basement has a clean cool rush and flow almost like a waterfall, but I ALWAYS had the lid open (no lid switch on that model) and can't be sure what it sounded like with the top down. Hmmmmmmm

It just won't come.

This is really getting good, but it's frustrating because I really know my washer sounds, or so I thought.
 
To me, if it's not one of his Washer/Dryer Combos, then it's got to be an early GE (the 1949 model) or one of his Frigidaires (the 1949, the 1957 tower top or the turquiose 1958 model that he owns
One big nope to all of that

I'm assuming the big clue from Robert must be that the spin speed is faster than 850 rpm, but is not a 47 GE or a Unimatic. It also pauses. Hmm...still brainstorming here...
YES YES YES, keep brainstorming

Frigidaire.
Pause, then spin.
Pulsamatic.
Nope
 
Frigidaire RollerMatic with the 1010 rapid-dry spin? Although it really doesn't sound like one of those.

Liam
 
AMP

Sure sounds like my Maytag AMP, but it sounds like it ends up faster. But that initial klunk is very AMP like.

Definitly a solid tub spinning the water out.

Martin
 
Gosh...Maytag AMP is about the only thing left to guess with! That is a solid tub machine even though it looks perferated right? The bolts in the tub are connected a solid tub and the basket together? Hmm...I wouldn't think a Maytag would spin that fast, but I don't know much of anything about Maytags. GRRR...
 

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