Hey guys, I just picked up a rotary iron for 25 bucks and a place that is outside my territory, it heats up but the motor does not spin and I think I might of found the problem
Rotary iron heats up but does not turn
- Thread starter adam-aussie-vac
- Start date
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Update
After clearing out and vacuuming out the motor and oiling the bearings the gearbox it appears to work although it smells like a very old blender or a sewing machine motor that hasn’t been run in years I’ll try and get a video of it running
After clearing out and vacuuming out the motor and oiling the bearings the gearbox it appears to work although it smells like a very old blender or a sewing machine motor that hasn’t been run in years I’ll try and get a video of it running
Found the model in
Museums Victoria collections
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Museums Victoria collections
Rotary Iron - Oprim, Cream, circa 1950
Alternate Name(s): Rotary Ironer Electric rotary ironer, Oprim, cream, bench top. It was made by Aircraft and General Engineering Co. Ltd., Edgware, circa 1950. Patents for this iron were applied for in 1949 and 1950, thus providing a date of manufacture.
collections.museumsvictoria.com.au
Congrats!
What an interesting find, how ever did you come upon the thing?
Yes, if ironer hasn't been used in ages it likely would need some attending to before working properly again.
You'll certain want a new cover. These are easily run up if one can sew, if not look on eBay or elsewhere for rotary iron (or ironer) covers. You'll need to measure length of roller with perhaps a few inches added.
Padding is likely cotton knit which cannot be washed in water (so don't even try), if has a powerful whiff try taking it off and airing outdoors for a few days. That or place in dryer on "Air Fluff" for ten or minutes. This will also fluff the thing up a bit.
Now if the padding has gone as well you'll need to replace. No one makes cotton knit padding for domestic ironers anymore; and widths for industrial ironers are too big. Again measure length of roller and see if something can be found on eBay, thrifts or similar places.
You cannot cut knitted cotton either; it requires a serger/overlock machine that will cut and finish raw edges at same time. If cut otherwise the thing will simply begin to unravel.
What an interesting find, how ever did you come upon the thing?
Yes, if ironer hasn't been used in ages it likely would need some attending to before working properly again.
You'll certain want a new cover. These are easily run up if one can sew, if not look on eBay or elsewhere for rotary iron (or ironer) covers. You'll need to measure length of roller with perhaps a few inches added.
Padding is likely cotton knit which cannot be washed in water (so don't even try), if has a powerful whiff try taking it off and airing outdoors for a few days. That or place in dryer on "Air Fluff" for ten or minutes. This will also fluff the thing up a bit.
Now if the padding has gone as well you'll need to replace. No one makes cotton knit padding for domestic ironers anymore; and widths for industrial ironers are too big. Again measure length of roller and see if something can be found on eBay, thrifts or similar places.
You cannot cut knitted cotton either; it requires a serger/overlock machine that will cut and finish raw edges at same time. If cut otherwise the thing will simply begin to unravel.
I picked it up at a place called “Trish’s trash and treasure For $25, it doesn’t have any sort of wiff And I had a look for a new ironing cover but the ones on eBay are too large, I think that the padding has had it as it doesn’t feel like paddinglland I had a look for a new ironing cover but the ones on eBay are too large, I think that the padding has had it as it doesn’t feel like padding and I’m having trouble taking it off I don’t want to cut it I want to just try and slip it off and throw it in the dryer for about five minutes
How much
Deflection should The padding have? And what other alternatives can I use?
Deflection should The padding have? And what other alternatives can I use?
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
As a suggestion, perhaps measure the length of yours and compare it to current models offered (Miele, etc.) to see if one might match up closely enough?
Chuck
Chuck
Congrats on getting unit working.
Miele and other full sized rotary irons are much larger than this unit. Neither their roller padding or covers will remotely work.
Bosch, Siemens, Beatty Bros. Calor, Speed Queen, and countless others offered these table top rotary irons. Look around eBay or usual sources to see if anything can be had in terms of roller covers or padding.
Cover is easiest thing to make; just get a few yards of good cotton muslin and using old cover as pattern cut out a new one. It's just a length of cloth with edges folded over to make a casing for string.
Roller padding is probably knitted cotton, which is no longer made for domestic use. You can find it for large industrial ironers but that would be far too big for your purposes.
Knitted cotton padding cannot be washed so if it's soiled and has a really bad whiff you'll need to come up with something else. End is likely glued on with "ironer cement", but should come off if gently removed. You can try airing the thing out of doors for a few days, and or bung it into dryer on "air fluff" for ten or so minutes. That will help air it out and maybe fluff up the thing. You may be lucky in that the ironer wasn't used much and padding still has useful service life.
Miele and other full sized rotary irons are much larger than this unit. Neither their roller padding or covers will remotely work.
Bosch, Siemens, Beatty Bros. Calor, Speed Queen, and countless others offered these table top rotary irons. Look around eBay or usual sources to see if anything can be had in terms of roller covers or padding.
Cover is easiest thing to make; just get a few yards of good cotton muslin and using old cover as pattern cut out a new one. It's just a length of cloth with edges folded over to make a casing for string.
Roller padding is probably knitted cotton, which is no longer made for domestic use. You can find it for large industrial ironers but that would be far too big for your purposes.
Knitted cotton padding cannot be washed so if it's soiled and has a really bad whiff you'll need to come up with something else. End is likely glued on with "ironer cement", but should come off if gently removed. You can try airing the thing out of doors for a few days, and or bung it into dryer on "air fluff" for ten or so minutes. That will help air it out and maybe fluff up the thing. You may be lucky in that the ironer wasn't used much and padding still has useful service life.
perc-o-prince
Well-known member
Launderess,
I didn't look at the pictures well enough to see that it was a table-top model. However, the caveat to measure-before-purchase is always to be followed. If, perhaps, it was easier to buy a roller cover that is too large and modify it with ones Singer.....
I wonder if roller padding from another unit could be cut/stitched as you suggested (serger/overlock) by an upholstery shoppe to make it fit?
Chuck
I didn't look at the pictures well enough to see that it was a table-top model. However, the caveat to measure-before-purchase is always to be followed. If, perhaps, it was easier to buy a roller cover that is too large and modify it with ones Singer.....
I wonder if roller padding from another unit could be cut/stitched as you suggested (serger/overlock) by an upholstery shoppe to make it fit?
Chuck
Back in the day most housewives would have just run up their own new covers for rotary iron. This of course was an era when many women sewed and owned a sewing machine. Then as now ready made covers cost dear for what they are, bit of cloth with strings on either end.
Now knitted cotton padding for roller is another matter. It was once sold as yardage for use as silence cloth for use on dining room tables. Depending upon thickness one would need a pretty substantial overlock or serger machine capable of handling. My Elna five thread can deal with thinner cotton knit padding, but the inch or more thick stuff would kill it any likely any other home serger.
There are other materials one can use as ironer roll padding, cotton flannel, polyester needle felt, even metal mesh. Latter is for commercial/industrial ironers only.
Issue today is both brand name and after market roller covers for ironers are made to suit standard widths the things come in today for home use; 65 - 85 cm
There is also a science and maths involved with both padding and covers for roller of rotary mangle. A commercial laundry supply tech broke it down for one once, but since have forgotten formulas but know it has something to do with circumference and length of roller. This is why one suggested using original cover and padding as patter in making or seeking out anything new.
If one doesn't care how it looks can just use a bit of cloth cut to suit pattern of original cover and "roll it on" leaving edges unfinished. What matters is getting the thing on smooth and tight.
https://www.mangelwaren.de/Rotary-irons-as-domestic-appliance
https://www.mangelwaren.de/2-x-roller-cover-rotary-iron-cover-Type-MWII
Now knitted cotton padding for roller is another matter. It was once sold as yardage for use as silence cloth for use on dining room tables. Depending upon thickness one would need a pretty substantial overlock or serger machine capable of handling. My Elna five thread can deal with thinner cotton knit padding, but the inch or more thick stuff would kill it any likely any other home serger.
There are other materials one can use as ironer roll padding, cotton flannel, polyester needle felt, even metal mesh. Latter is for commercial/industrial ironers only.
Issue today is both brand name and after market roller covers for ironers are made to suit standard widths the things come in today for home use; 65 - 85 cm
There is also a science and maths involved with both padding and covers for roller of rotary mangle. A commercial laundry supply tech broke it down for one once, but since have forgotten formulas but know it has something to do with circumference and length of roller. This is why one suggested using original cover and padding as patter in making or seeking out anything new.
If one doesn't care how it looks can just use a bit of cloth cut to suit pattern of original cover and "roll it on" leaving edges unfinished. What matters is getting the thing on smooth and tight.
https://www.mangelwaren.de/Rotary-irons-as-domestic-appliance
https://www.mangelwaren.de/2-x-roller-cover-rotary-iron-cover-Type-MWII
