POD 3/11/2016

[brucelucenta]

These are the Speed Queen washers that were in most laundromats back in the 60's, 70's and 80's. They were incredible work horses!!! They made these machines right up until 1979, if I am not mistaken. The Speed Queen washers designed for home use had changed to the reversing motor with no solenoids to operate the agitation and spin, but not so for the commercial machines. They were terrific machines that seldom broke down or needed to be serviced at all. That all changed in about 1980 when the new design came out and replaced these machines with the perforated tub models. I am not exactly sure of the exact date when this happened. I do remember that Frigidaire had already been sold to White/Westinghouse and the last commercial Frigidaire coin op washers were being sold off in about 1979 too. That was the last of the solid tub machines in laundromats.

 

[vacerator]

Speed Qeen;

the photo of the day transmission looks very durable and simple.
With a Bridgeport milling machine, a broach, a screw machine, and a bench arbor, it could be done again.
Unfortunately, these machining skills have mostly become a lost art.
There are some machines out there, and a few who know how to refurbish them, and at least two suppliers of carbide cutting tool holders and bits.
After machining the gears, proper heat treating is necessary for durability.
As for forging them out of cast iron, that may have to be set up all over again.
Presses for stamping aluminum are also out there, mostly moth balled.

 

[combo52]

Last Of The Speed Queen Solid Tub Washers

Yes these were the last of the famous SQ commercial washers and we usually found in a busy coin laundry store these machines would usually put in around 10 years service before they got changed out and junked. The interesting thing was in home use this style SQ washer also usually only lasted 8-15 years before they were no longer practical to keep running.

 

ST SQs were an old 50s design and suffered from having too many cast pot-metal parts exposed to water which really limits the life of a washer. { there were no stamped aluminum parts in a SQ washer ] Weak areas included the water pump, agitator post and shaft, the fluid drive assembly and main motor.

 

By the 70s SQ really started to lose out to the more durable Maytag washers in laundromats, the easier to repair GE FFs and even Whirlpool Belt Drive washers were really giving SQ a run for its money by the 70s.

 

John L.

 

[a440]

There are a few Laundromats in the Atlanta area that still have this SQ front loaders.  Such a fun machine to use!

 

[vacerator]

John L.,

The gear case looked like aluminum to me. Is it cast?

 

[combo52]

SQ Gear case

Yes it is cast

 

[philr]

Cast Aluminum...

I guess that explains why we almost never see SQ and Simplicity solid tub washers here anymore. They used to be quite popular around here.

 

Hopefully I'll find one of the last solenoid machines to match with my dryer!