Pulsamatic?

[bobbyd32l]

My Favorite washer of all time is the Frigidaire machines! I have watched all movies that Robert filed from his Unimatic and 1-18 and love them! I love the washing action! But I havent seen a pulsamatic... What is the differnce between the unimatic and pulsamatic? Does anyone have video of a pulsamtic?

Thanks!

 

[Unimatic1140]

The problem I have found with getting the pulsamatic on video is that the agitator goes up and down so fast that the video camera has trouble recording it. It almost looks like its standing still.

The Unimatic goes up and down 330 times a minute where the Pulsamatic goes up and down 630 times a minute.

 

[gyrafoam]

I don't know the particulars off the top of my head, so I'm sure the experts will eventually step in with them. (I have the books----- just too tired to go look up the info. tonight!)

The Pulsamatic was the "economy" machine in the Frigidaire product line-up.
The transmission was completely different from the Unimatic.
The pulsator ran very fast----like a hummingbird's wings. The spin speed was slower than a Unimatic's----I think in the 600rpm range. Anyway I think the Pulsamatic's transmission was the beginnings of the next step into the Multimatic, and a two-speed mechanism.

The first Pulsamatic I remember was a '55. It was pretty kool to watch in operation. I think '58 might have been the last year-----I know it was the end of the line for the Unimatic.

There are a couple of them amongst our club members. PeterH here in Atlanta has a beautifully preserved one. Hope before I die of old age I'll see it up and running.(Ducks and runs)! Robert in Minneapolis has one too, a '57 as I recall.

Hope that answers some of your questions.

 

[bobbyd32l]

Thanks for the replies! I would love to see one in action! Anyone have pics of a Unimatic/Pulsamatic/Multimatic torn apart? I want to know how it works.

Thanks!

 

[mixfinder]

Wash action

Since the Pulsematic undulated at twice the speed, did it tangle clothes twice as badly?
Were tests done to determine if the Pulsematic did a siginficantly better or worse job of cleaning than the Unimatic?
Am I also correct in remembering the pulsematic had the smaller agitator top with no port for adding soap?
Kelly

 

[westytoploader]

To see the tangling ability of a Pulsamatic, you really have to see a Unimatic in action as well and compare the two. Even though I've had limited experience with one, it didn't seem to tangle as much. At the Convention, I threw a couple of loads in the WD-57 Pulsamatic that did have a circulator column you could add soap to (with a spring-loaded cap), and while it agitated twice as fast, the stroke length was only 3/4". The clothes did roll faster than they would in an oscillating-agitator machine, but still not as fast as a Unimatic. I didn't notice any tangling when both were finished and I pulled them out. Robert then switched to the BOL circulator column (the black agitator that resembles something out of the Jetsons) the next day it was ran, with a full load as well if I'm not mistaken. Everything moved with a steady roll that was much slower than the Unimatic so that lessened the possibility of tangling. I didn't see *that* particular finished load, but considering that the other two weren't in knotted ropes, it wouldn't surprise me if that one wasn't either.

I haven't had an "escape rope" from washing in the WO-65-2 Unimatic yet, so for those that don't load it in a circular fashion and use the "four corners" technique, heavy tangling is pretty much a non-issue in my opinion. I do admit I've had some lightly tangled loads, but they were extremely easy to "unwind", so to speak.

Robert, what have you found from washing in the Pulsamatics? I'd be interested to know if one circulator column tangles more than the other; isn't the "ring pattern" slightly different on the Super circulator column versus the Deluxe?

--Austin

 

[peterh770]

You know? I know EXACTLY where Steve Gyrofoam lives! I'm starting now to warm up my hand for tomorrow's Slap-a-rama down yonder in East Pernt, GA.

The action in the Pulsamatic is a much smoother rollover action, very similar to the Philco Automagic rollover without the slight circular action around the tub.

The sight of a Pulsamatic agitating is one to behold. It pulsates so phenomenally fast it is nearly hypnotizing. By far one of the most fun machines to see in operation.

 

[monkeyward40]

pulsamatic

when i was little my mother bought a pulsamatic, but turned it back into the department store she got it from and bought a monkey wards washer, because she said the pulsamatic tied her sheets in knots, ripped the sleeves off of shirts when it tangled, and when she washed jeans in it she said you couldn't get the wrinkles out even when ironing. But I had one and it worked perfectly. infact i could put more clothes in it then a traditional oscilating agitator washer and mine never ripped anything or tangled, or tied anything in knots. If it did start to tangle i just shortened the wash time and everything came out fine.