POD - 3 - 24 - 2020 Waste King Dishwasher

[turquoisedude]

Well, now...  Just as I lament about when I'm going to be able to get into the 'states again to pick mine up.  What a tease.

 

The one in the POD has to be one of the very first - the dial on the one I recently found is not like this one.  What year would this have been?  I always thought 1958. 

 

[chachp]

I can't wait for you to get it

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino;">That machine deserves a glass door so we can see it in action!!!  It looks to be in such nice shape!!!  I'm sure you'll have it before you know.</span>

 

[seedub]

Dewd looks like he's about to push it off that rock ledge they're standing on.

 

[philcobendixduo]

I like how....

......the dial looks like a disposal stopper.

 

[tomturbomatic]

This is later than '58 I think; more like 59 or 60 because I don't think the first year had a model with the buttons. I am only basing this on the BH&G issue that had an article on new dishwashers and I remember the picture of the three cycle buttons on the WK, but it did not show the dial and your dial is different than this dial but the buttons are the same. The article showed the deluxe Mobile Maid with the cycle buttons and that was only available starting in 1960. If any of you have a stash of old BH&G issues, I think the cover has a big picture of spaghetti. If I have time, I will look for it.

To those wondering about the positioning of items in the lower rack, note the pictures of the small plates in those corner tines and the small bowls along the side.

 

[golittlesport]

Interesting to note that in the text description of the full cycle, it mentions that it flushes "suds" away before the rinse. Dishwasher detergents never produced suds, even back in the good old days when washing machine detergent and soap manufacturers touted having a thick layer of suds to ensure clean clothes.

 

[chachp]

Suds Flush

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 14pt;">This is how the manual defines that sequence.</span>

 

[turquoisedude]

Ah, so a fancy way of saying "purge" like the D&M machines of this era would do.

 

 

[tomturbomatic]

The fine holes in the wash arm did produce suds. I have opened the door during this flush and there was a lot of suds, like a layer across the bottom of the tank larger than the filter. The terminology that the water "enters on top of the suds" is achieved by the upward angled fill flume like in KitchenAid dishwashers that threw the fill water upward to make the most of the pre-washing warm up spray. Another possible explanation might be gleaned from the ads for Dishwasher All with the blue-gray mug in the rack and Electrasol where they talk about a formula that reduces protein foam from eggs and meats. This was especially prevalent in machines without a pre-rinse which the first WKs didn't have.[this post was last edited: 3/24/2020-17:02]

 

[appnut]

To this day, I can still hear in my head that 1/2 minute of the water entering the tub while it was still in pump out mode (courtesy of the drain solenoid still being open).  It worked quite well.  I think I also probably opened it up at the end of the main wash when I was old enough to realize what was going on.  I'm a bit flustered right now.  Yes, ours, bought sometime in 1960 or early 1961 (because it got moved to the new house September, 1961 to replace the O'Keefe & Merrit Dual Drench dishwasher that was part of the  O'K&M kitchen).  And in the library list, it was attributed as being a 1961 model.  The 1964 version of this had the reversing motor for draining and dual level wash arms (like our 1968).  The 1964 knob had removed with "wing" used to grasp and pull out the knob.  It was a design that user turned the knob to the start segment and pushed in or pulled out the knob.  The 1964 also had the same red idiot light on the panel as pictured here, where by ours and the one Paul is getting) had the dual pastel-colored emblem light on the panel.  And those little red idiot "on" lights were the same even on our 1968 and friend's 1972 unit.  

 

[appnut]

Tom, I just studied the ad that's the subject of the POD.  The wash arm spray patterns are just like a "typical" wash arm and spray pattern.  Not like the multiple small holes as was shown in Paul's future dishwasher as well as most likely ours.  So, this is a newer model than ours.  

 

[tomturbomatic]

Do you mean the drawing of the wash arm with the six lines emerging upward from it? I don't see a true to life shot of the wash arm in the ad that would agree with the drawing with the six little lines drawn emerging from it because the wash arm is under and behind the lower rack . Mine downstairs has the wash arm with the multiple small holes. It has this front panel and dial. The wash arm did not change during this model run.

 

[appnut]

ok.  thank you.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Bob, I do seem to remember that the jets in the sort of reddish-orange almost Z-shaped wash arms in the WK portable were more like slits in bumps like the KA wash arms so that was a change during the first run. I stand corrected. That machine was so far ahead of its time; it would have spoiled a user for most other machines of the time even if the black lid was like something out of Brutalist architecture. Even that had the neat feature of the timer dial emerging through a hole at the front of the lid. I am sorry that I never got to see one operate.

 

[appnut]

tom, I vaguely remember seeing the top load at the dealer where we got both of our.  I was about 5 or 6.  they turned it on, had a clear demo lid.  I guess they were told I had such a fascination with appliances and turned it on briefly.  the reddish-orange left a lasting imipression.  

 

[chachp]

Photos

 

<span style="font-family: georgia, palatino; font-size: 12pt;">Does anyone have photos of this top load model.  If they have ever been posted I don't recall seeing them.  Thanks.</span>

 

[tomturbomatic]

Ralph, There have never been pictures posted. It is a very rare machine. Steve D. would be the only person here who Might have any info on it since he is the resident treasure trove of dishwasher information. Nobody but Bob has ever said anything about seeing one when I have mentioned it. I don't recall ever seeing a magazine ad for it and before Waste King became Waste King Universal, it was sort of out there on its own with just dishwashers and disposals. Portable dishwashers sort of had their golden moment in the late 50s into the 60s and then builders were installing built-in appliances in their new homes and the market for portable dishwashers kind of diminished. Lots of times families would reach the point where they could buy a dishwasher and they would buy a portable and then after a short time, they would either move to a place with a built in or could afford to remodel their kitchen and install built in appliances. In either case, the portable often wound up in a corner of the basement covered up until it was donated or discovered by John or Jeff and made part of someone's collection.

 

[chachp]

Thank you Tom.

 

I sure would like to see one but I understand.  The more I study the user guide for this machine, read peoples comments and hear about how it was used it sure seems like it was a really nice machine.  I've never seen one in person except from a distance years ago, so it's difficult to comment on how well it was made.  It sure sounds like these were premium machines for their time.  Based on what I know about newer model WK machines I guess I thought these were just as problematic.   

 

[steved]

Don’t have much

Thanks Tom but I have very little info on Waste King dishwashers prior to the mid 60’s. I have this small pic from the back of a brochure but not a lot of detail. I seem to remember something in a builders magazine which I’ll try to track down