Ralph's resto

[rp2813]

China/Light

I think the WK/U/T logic for this cycle was to rotate the timer knob to "Short" while selecting the "Regular Wash" button. This is what's instructed by the owner's manual, which by the way, was included! It would be hard to fit "Light/China" in the same space on the timer dial as "Short" takes up.

I've found that if I want to run "Rinse Only" and have the water temp be something more than tepid, it's also best to rotate over to "Short" otherwise the timer will plod through the first half of the "Regular Wash" section before the rinsing even begins. I think maybe it was an oversight in the instructions that failed to advise to rotate over to "Short" for just rinsing. But it's a thorough rinsing. It runs through the entire "Short" wash cycle, which lasts several minutes.

 

[norgeway]

Standing on doors!!!

I have seen little kids stand on there moms oven or dishwasher doors, one day with my late Mother about 30 years ago and I guarantee they would never even consider such a thing again!!!! can you say very sore behind!!!!

 

[rp2813]

Don't think the bent hinges didn't scare me at first (see deer in headlights pose above), but I knew I could put my faith in Nate to correct the things that were wrong with this machine.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Ohhhh a Thermador fancy, I didn't recognize it from the "mystery" picture but I knew the latch look familiar.

That should make for a fun restoration Ralph and Nate.

 

[douglasdc6]

I like that fluorescent

Light fixture - Looks like a 1940`s preheater

 

[roto204]

Ooh!

Ralph must tell you about the fluorescent lights. You should see some of the bizarre, oversize tubes he has around there. We can't figure what they go in. (Probably should start a Super thread over this...)

 

[roto204]

Post-cleaning

The insides...

I always thought Thermador/Waste King machines had both arms joined by the tube that feeds the top arm. As in, they rotated together. But they have their own bearings, and contrarotate!

 

[roto204]

Dispensers

An interesting assembly we'll do a full spread on later in the thread.

 

[roto204]

The sump

The heating element, with its steam generator shroud.

There's no filter--just big holes on the wash-arm and plenty of water changes, like a D&M. This machine moves a LOT of water.

The off-color stripe in the background is the sealant for the tank seam.

 

[roto204]

What your dishes see

...from the top rack:

 

[roto204]

...and...

...from the bottom rack:

 

[roto204]

Door hinges

The door hinges were a problem. I had no basis for comparison, but I suspected they were bent, since, well, you know, most dishwashers don't have 110º door swings.

Happily, eBay offered us a set of springs, tabs, and hinges, and once the replacements arrived, comparing old and new showed just how distorted the old ones were. The new ones were fairly simple to install, and completely resolved the issue.

Honestly, I don't know how I would have worked around that cleverly, so thankfully we were blessed enough to get what we needed. In selecting future machines, I might be more careful if it has a bent door!

The old hinges are so beefy that they would have been hard to fix readily.

 

[douglasdc6]

Roto204

Do they look something like this ?

These are 90T17`s

 

[douglasdc6]

If you would like

E-mail me some pictures I collect vintage fluorescent lights & can answer questions .

Thanks

 

[yogitunes]

Sturdy, built, nice stance, a little polished on the edges, love the silver.... Super Nice.......

that's a nice dishwasher you got there too!!!

 

[bugsyjones]

cabinet fronts

My KitchenAid Custom 21 had walnut-colored cabinet panels when I got it at the Habitat ReStore. It turned out ok for me because the color matches my existing kitchen cabinets, so I didn't bother with taking them off.

 

[bugsyjones]

Matching cabinet panels must have been all the rage in the 80's. I was looking at a Kitchen interior design book from the early 80's at a garage sale. In every picture, there's a KitchenAid dishwasher with matching cabinet panels. Not one dishwasher had normal white, black, or almond panels. They were all cabinet fronts.

~Tim

 

[rp2813]

Martin, you crack me up!

Nate, I guess we'll need to get some detail shots of those big tubes up in the attic for our buddy Roger. And some of the fixtures too.

I guess we'll schedule that for sometime soon . . . ****like when you come down to see your new KD 12!!!!****

 

[appnut]

Matching cabinet panels must have been all the rage in the 8

Tim, I don't think it's that much different today. Modern dishwashers have teh "integrated look" whereby they're trying to disappear while still being there. Couple that idea with the fact one can have custom made panels that match cabinets and it completely goes out of view. that was the same intent back then and has been "the thing to do" since at least the 70s.

 

[roto204]

Large tubes

Indeed! I'd love to know more about those tubes, too--I haven't seen a fixture yet that takes them!