P.O.D. 01.18.11 A rare treat!

[blackstone]

Responses...

Jon: The picture shows us unloading Blackstones delivered from the factory, sometime in the 1960s. It was definitely before 1969, since the flow of traffic on the one-way street was at that time reversed, due to nearby highway construction. Not sure of the particular models, but it was later than the 350s.

Leon (mayfan69): I noted a few differences between your Hoover and the Blackstones I know. Blackstones did not have the sliding motor mount; did not have the selenoid on the left; had a different agitator cap; and I had never seen a white plastic pump, only black.

I've been following the floods on the Courier Mail website. Hope you made it through OK.

Tim (macboy91si): The Blackstone heating elements (gas or electric) were on the right side. The red button that you had to press in to light the pilot was on the front of the valve, squeezed in between the valve and the inside front cabinet. Hopefully, the pilot remained lit before the pain in your thumb became too extreme.

 

[macboy91si]

Fred

What was your favorite thing about the Blackstone's?

 

-Tim

 

[gansky1]

Here is the Hoover washer we brought back from a dealer's stash in Iowa back in '04.

 

[gansky1]

Money shot of Hoover washer

 

 

[gansky1]

Hoover Dryer

 

 

[gansky1]

Dryers can have money-shots too...

 

 

[gansky1]

Looking into the Hoover - right before he broke it.

 

 

[mayfan69]

Broken??

May i ask how it was broken??

Leon

 

[gansky1]

Well, he didn't break it actually

The mechanism on this machine was seized up tight and trying to get it free, we broke a key on the drive pulley.  The washer was really pretty far gone when we pulled it out of that warehouse.   The pair was later traded to John L (combo52) in Maryland.

 

[bajaespuma]

What John said! Hear hear! LOL!

Those Hoover control panels alone deserve an award for design in and of themselves. I've always thought that Hoover's emblems and the industrial design of their early products were wonderfully designed both with the color palette they used and overall simplicity. The innards of those machines obviously belong to Blackstone or to whoever owned the Blackstone design.

 

In what year did Blackstone fold?

 

[blackstone]

I seem to recall that Blackstone stopped manufacturing appliances around 1975. We received them directly from the factory to our store. There might have been a few leftovers after that time. The company itself remained in business, making ultrasonic cleaners, etc.

 

[macboy91si]

KEN!

Jesus man are you trying to induce a heart attack!

 

That last photo was almost too much!

 

Thanks for posting that!

 

-Tim

 

[macboy91si]

Hoover Set

I wonder what happened to it after John Lefever ended up with it.

 

-Tim

 

[launderess]

Never Thought I'd See One

Though my Hoover service/parts manual covers those rebadged automatic washers and dryers, hadn't seen what they look like until now. Well outside of diagrams, and so forth. Thanks.

L.

 

[supersuds]

"The company itself remained in business, making ultraso

Would this be it?

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www.bbei.com

 

[blackstone]

Must be--still in Jamestown, NY, and the map shows them located right next to Allen St., which is their street address that I remember.

 

[jetcone]

wow last time I talked with someone

at the Factory circa 198- they told me they were making truck radiators. Hmm

 

[supersuds]

On further review

The person you talked to was telling the truth, Jon! Here is the local paper giving a history of "TitanX Engine Cooling." Highlights:

1934: Purchased stock and interest of Blackstone Manufacturing Company; began production of washing machines.

1962: O’Connor Machine Company of Sheffield, Pennsylvania was purchased; became Ultrasonic Division and moved to Jamestown

1970: Truck radiator production began

1977: Appliance Division sold

1989: Sale of Blackstone to Valeo/Named changed to Valeo Engine Cooling

1991: Split of Valeo Jamestown into Automotive and Truck Divisions - Machine shop sold/Press room shut down and sold to Stolle - Ultrasonics Division sold to Blackstone Ultrasonics of Sweden

2008: Valeo sells U.S. Truck Division in Jamestown and Mjallby and Linkoping, Sweden plants to EQT

On the previous newspaper page, the article explains that:

"TitanX Engine Cooling Inc. is comprised of three manufacturing sites, including the Jamestown location, and two others in Mjallby and Linkoping, Sweden. Overall, the division employs around 900 people, with 352 of them in Jamestown.

It supplies engine-cooling modules and other powertrain cooling components to leading manufacturers of large trucks, buses, off-highway equipment and industrial diesel engines. According to a statement released by EQT, the division generated sales of $274 million in 2007."

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www.post-journal.com

 

[supersuds]

The plot thickens!

But then there's another company, Blackstone-Ney Ultrasonics.

"From small beginnings in the early 1950’s as Murdock Laboratories, we have pioneered the development of practical applications for ultrasonic technology. In 1958, the Blackstone Corporation purchased Murdock Laboratories, and attempted to use ultrasonic technology in its high quality laundry equipment. Although ultrasonic technology did not revolutionize the laundry industry, ultrasonic techniques were refined for use in industrial, medical and other applications. Blackstone’s credits include the development and patenting of the first rugged, highly efficient piezoelectric transducers; ultrasonic devices for use in urology and cardiology; the first large scale ultrasonic solder pot; and auto-tuned, solid state ultrasonic generators.

Blackstone-NEY Ultrasonics, located in Jamestown, NY, is a recognized leader in ultrasonic generator technology. Starting with the introduction of sweeping frequency in 1988, there has been a continuous stream of development and patents covering new ultrasonic generator and transducer technology from Blackstone-NEY Ultrasonics. Entire families of generators meeting the specific needs of a growing list of applications are now available."

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www.ctgclean.com

 

[supersuds]

So where "Blackstone Business Enterprises, Inc.," the sheet metal fabricator, fits into all this I don't know, but I bet there IS some relationship to the old washing machine company!