Solid Tubs from the 50's and 60's

[saltysam]

Hi everyone, I am curious if anyone has taken apart a solid tub from a frigidaire or other solid tub machine? I know the solid tubs had a much thicker ring around the top that had rubber plug where the ballast material was added. Does anyone know what was used as the ballast? Water, glycol mixture, some sort of jel? I know what the ballast does (helps ballance out the tub during spin) but i am curious as to what kind of material was used....
Mark

 

[rickr]

Frigidaire used metal shavings from the shops in the factory.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Frigidaire used metal shavings, Maytag used oil, many others used a solid metal ring mounted near the top of the tub such as this Norge Tub (slightly rusty part).

 

[Unimatic1140]

Maytag Filled the Balance Ring with oil...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Early Frigidaire washers (1947, 1948 and 1949) used a Harmonizer bolted under the double spin tubs, it was made up of a very HEAVY lead ring mounted to spiral metal springs.

 

[gansky1]

Maytag later went to using concrete in their balance ring, like Hotpoint and others. All those DD Whirlpool and Kenmores out there with sea-water in their rings - probably could fill a lake.

 

[rickr]

Those pixs are a trip! Thanks for posting those Robert. Most of us would have no clue what those looked like.

 

[rickr]

The early Frigidaire is really cool! That must have added a few coins to the price of the machine to produce that type of a balance system.

 

[saltysam]

Wow!

Thanks for the information guys.....now i know......i have thought about this many times but didn't dare remove the plug from one of my machines to find out. Robert, those pics are cool! Thanks!
Mark

 

[bajaespuma]

great pictures but you forgot something...

What was inside the GE balance ring? I remember looking at that waxy looking plug and always being tempted to remove it (oh Toggle, I hope you're not reading this thread)but I knew I'd catch hell.

 

[spinout]

Balance rings

My '67 Hotpoint uses a heavy mortar that has been cast into the ring.

 

[Unimatic1140]

great pictures but you forgot something...

Well then, the earliest GE washers used a large cast iron cradle that the wash basket sits in...

 

[Unimatic1140]

Then later on the GE mounted a Cast iron ring covered in thick rubber on top of the tub. After that I believe they molded the ring to the porcelain tub and filled it with metal shavings just like Frigidaire.

 

[christfr]

come on mark show us a pic of the cow.. i know she is up and runnin

 

[jetcone]

NON3SENS3!

Everyone Knows what ALL the manufacturers used for balance material in the 1950's..it was quite common then but getting scarce today.

They used spent uranium from all the missile silos! Cheap germ free and plentiful!

Cast iron yeah right.....

 

[johnb300m]

are you.......serious???

 

[mickeyd]

What beautiful pictures

so that's what a harmonizer is-- my my my !--what a mouthful.

Love the fuscia/mauve of the GE ring & cap. So Easter Eggy

Johnb, Jetcone is a former Merry Prankster from the Ken Kesey 60's, and he is wonderfully radioactive;'D