Sounds of the Hoover Keymatics..

chestermikeuk · Feb 2, 2016

Now we have all the Hoover Keymatics styles together (a world first) I made a video of them on "Selection Spin" showing off their unique Clicks . Whirrs, Clunks and Spins as the keyplates engage with the timer modules and sequence through to the right programme !!

The models range from the first model 3224 from 1961 following with the widebody 3203 from 1966, the matchbox series 3243 from 1970, the smooth sleek 3008 from 1975, the New Magic 3062 from 1978 and up to the last of the production the Smoother 3112 in 1980.

stainfighter · Feb 2, 2016

A symphony

Sounds wonderful

whirlpolf · Feb 3, 2016

Wie geil ist das denn!

This is just bril, I listened to it 3 times in a row.
Makes my day!
And I did not know how many styles the Keymatics have. (I love the one with the blue light best)
What a fantastic setup.
Thank you 1000 x

Joe

jetcone · Feb 3, 2016

GASP !!

Do it again ! Do it again !! Do it again !!!

alanlondon · Feb 4, 2016

Sounds wonderful!

Brings back a lot of memories Mike. Thanks very much for the video. Cheers Alan

mikeymatic · Feb 4, 2016

Fab !

Really fantastic Mike. What a brilliant collection.

Would love to see them for real one day.

Mike.

vacbear58 · Feb 4, 2016

Keymatics

Mike
They are just on the other side of the Pennines from you, all set up and ready to go so give ChesterMike or myself a shout if you would like to visit some weekend. Bring laundry and have it washed the Keymatic way
Al

mikeymatic · Feb 4, 2016

Keymatics

I'd love to !

Thanks for the invitation - I'll take you up on that in March or April.

Will be in touch.

Cheers,
Mike

a440 · Feb 4, 2016

Great video Mike!

Awesome Sounds!

Thanks for posting.

electron1100 · Feb 5, 2016

Hoover Magic

There has always been some thing magical about these machines to me, and to see and hear them all together is just icing on the cake Mike.

I am so glad this project got off the ground

All the best

Gary

keymatic3203 · Feb 5, 2016

Gary

you've said it all, wonderful.

triumphdolomite · Feb 5, 2016

Gary and Mathew

I'll second your comments. Fantastic.

I'd never noticed before the 3112 has the Programmer and Store the opposite way round to all the others!
Ian

maytagbear · Feb 5, 2016

Thank you for sharing! A few questions.....

I remember someone showing the open back of a slant-front, and how the mechanism looked all Heath Robinson. Was it ever simplified? Were the later ones generally reliable?

Were they always the most expensive Hoover full automatics?

I may have asked this before, but do not remember.....were the wash plates interchangeable between series, or not?

Lawrence/Maytagbear

chestermikeuk · Feb 6, 2016

Sounds of the Hoover Keymatics

Hi Robert , they certainly have a sound of their own, like a rapid advance timer on steroids, the engaging cams in the timer give the start / stop fill, wash, pump, spin sounds!!

Morning Joe, Yes "How cool are they" glad you enjoyed them, more to come, the model with the Cool Blue light is Mathews (Keymatic3203) Hoover 3243 keymatic, the lights look great in the dark, and this style was the first lighted series.

Hi Jon Jetcone, Nowthen are we nearer identifying the model you used in the Isle of Wight all those years ago, was it the widebodied model, the 3203 RHS with soap dispenser on top??

Morning Alan, glad you enjoyed them, now to get yours up and running and hear those sounds yourself.

chestermikeuk · Feb 6, 2016

Sounds of the Hoover Keymatics

Hello Mike, as Al says you are just over the hills, will drop you a line and work out some dates out with you, nothing like a Keymatic wash action for a nostalgic washday.

Morning Brent, glad you enjoyed, do you remember any US washers with rapid advance timers making the same type of energising sounds?

Hi Gary, thought you would enjoy and it was thanks to you that inspired us to get the project started, many hours of searching and tinkering from you paid off in the end. ( ps. Mathew changed the heater to short version in A3112) no more rattling!!

Morning Mathew, and thanks to you for all your hard work with the tweaks n fixes to get them all "Smoother Hoovers" ha ha priceless, but great to see the line up working!!

Hi Ian , yes the Programmer slot is underneath the store slot on this last 3112 incarnation, it was to do with the timeline, which was introduced again after the 3203, the next 3 series all had lights for the programme status. The arm comes off the timer and aligns with the timeline for movement hence it needing to be lower down and in line.

sesteve · Feb 6, 2016

Clickerty click

Great video Mike. Hoover seemed to maintain their unique sound all the way through the decades. My favourite has to be the A3112 - just love that styling. They really do speed through to the program start too. The brown fascia Bendix 7 series where you hold the start button in take ages to get to the right part - if you only want to spin something, the machine is half full of water by the time it gets there. They could of learnt a thing or two from the Hoover lads!

Who better indeed

chestermikeuk · Feb 6, 2016

Sounds of the Hoover Keymatics

Morning Lawrence, the first Sloping Front Keymatics where a marvel of over engineering and complicatedness, BUT when working did a great job, the amount of mechanicals, hoses and wiring is testamony to a purely "Engineered" washing machine rather than "Electronics" used in todays machines.

Here is the Keymatic 3224 from 1961 open back showing the drum, pulsator drive and big induction motor and gearbox..

chestermikeuk · Feb 6, 2016

Sounds of the Hoover Keymatics

"Was it ever simplified?"

The next style change came in 1966 and produced the flat front Wide Bodied (27 inches) Keymatic, now using a stainless Steel drum and no pulsator, the drum hung on four large springs from the top chassis and used a large plate clutch to move the drum from wash / distribution to Spin. The top was hinged for quick access to dispenser , timer and timeline controls. Far less working parts than previous slope fronts so was more reliable. The clutch tendered to be the most problematic.