POD 10/5/13 WP Suds-Miser & laundry tub

[tomturbomatic]

The tub full of hot wash water in this picture is probably made by Mustee. I have a newer one and the tub inside the metal cabinet is made of some type of soft plastic. If I have to wash anything large and delicate like a glass dome or a control panel, I put folded towels in the bottom of the sink, swing the faucet out of the way and wash such things in it. A laundry sink is a wonderful thing to have.

My question is what would the sink inside the cabinet have been made of in the early 1950s?

Thank you.

 

[turquoisedude]

It may have been fiberglas... I have an old Do-It-Yerself book from the late 50s extolling the virtues of 'lightweight, durable fiberglas'.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Many thanks

That's probably what it was. I did not think that they were metal, but was not really that interested in them when I was a kid, just the washer. Up north, we had concrete set tubs and then down south, most houses did not have basements, let alone laundry tubs. A few older houses I was in down south that did have basements had old fashion double concrete tubs for a wringer washer. These Mustee tubs must have come along about the same time as automatic washers strictly for saving suds. The early ones I saw in the Sears catalog had hidden connections in the back for the suds and drain hoses, or at least one of them.

 

[wiskybill]

Duratub from E.L. Mustee

This unit was given to me a couple years ago by the man I
bought my 1960ish Easy Spindrier from in Cleveland.

It sat in the garage until a few weeks ago and I'm in the process
of installing it in my house new house, along with the plumbing
and electric for my machines.

I took it apart to clean it up and repaint the cabinet. The tub is
fiberglass and I love the color. When the plumbing's all done I'll give
the tub a good cleaning and it should look pretty good.

 

[polkanut]

The suds tub I have is metal (steel?) inside & out.  Mine was made by the W.P. Johnson Co. of Des Moines, IA.  Bill, I love your tub, especially the green fiberglass and storage compartment underneath.  I wish mine had that feature.

   Mustee still sells suds tubs, check the link.  Does your tub have a cover?  Some models did, and still do.

[this post was last edited: 10/6/2013-07:56]

E. L. Mustee & Sons - Laundry + Utility Tubs

 

[toploader55]

OMG !!!

That DuraTub is the one I grew up with.

I would think FiberGlass would insulated and Not conduct the heat our of the water as the cast iron, metal or concrete would cool the water down more quickly.

 

[yogitunes]

that lid probably helped keep the water warm....not a bad idea, but one wonders about getting the hoses in and out....

on one model they show a spout to drain the washer into the tub and conceal the drain hose....but doesn't quite work for the suds saver return hose...

still, these are really nice to have....

 

[gansky1]

I would love to find one or two of these Dura-tub units for the laundry rooms here, they are pretty scarce now.  I have two newer laundry tubs I put in while outfitting the rooms for rows of washers and dryers.  They aren't the BOL plastic, but a step or two above with the washboard ribs on the slanted front that have come in handy more than you'd imagine.  

 

When I was shopping for tubs, I tried to find some that were the dimensions of the Dura-Tub but came up with nothing.  I wouldn't gain enough space to add a couple of machines if I had smaller tubs, but it would give some of the space-piggies in the collection a little more room.

 

Last week, I saw a cool Montgomery Ward Signature double tub unit, a pretty splash of color in an otherwise boring white room.

 

 

[gansky1]

Label

 

[tomturbomatic]

My tub has the white reinforced plastic cover with a hole in the center rear over the drain hole. There is a gray plastic pipe with an O ring that seals into the drain in the bottom so the rinse water can drain while the wash water stays in the tub. I rarely used it to store suds, though, because by the time I got it, I had enough top loaders so I could just drain wash water from one machine to another. I had a 25' length of drain hose that went from the 806 on one side of the basement to the GE and KitchenAid on the other side.

 

[limitededition]

HOMART LAUNDRY TUB

I have a 1956 Homart laundry tub purchased at Sears and the tub is fiberglass.

 

[polkanut]

The first suds tub with a cover I saw was at an estate sale many years ago.  It looked very similar to the Mustee tubs.  Rebadged perhaps?

 

[magic_clean]

Mustee

laundry tubs are still available in many configurations.

E. L. Mustee & Sons - Laundry + Utility Tubs

 

[Mandles94]

duratub laundry sink

I have a duratub laundry sink with top cover that I would sell if someone was interested. Currently has been in use since installed in house. Good working order.

 

[polkanut]

I looked more closely at our suds tub and have determined the tub section is aluminum.  Still wish we had a cover and storage section for it though.

 

[lamont]

There is one of these for sale in Canadagua, south of Rochester NY. 50.00

http://rochester.craigslist.org/hsh/4700907064.html