Hmmmm...
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toploader55
Well-known member
Hmmmmmm....
I spy a D+M Detergent Dispenser maybe ???
And a same color Over flow Float in the left front corner ???
Do I dare say MMMMMMontgggggommmmery WWWWWard ????
I spy a D+M Detergent Dispenser maybe ???
And a same color Over flow Float in the left front corner ???
Do I dare say MMMMMMontgggggommmmery WWWWWard ????
Kenmore, top looks like a rotorack
Time for modern living
David, Roger, and I locked onto this at a local estate sale place. It looked like a cabinet from afar, especially with the bleached oak Formica top. Suddenly, I spotted the door latch.
"You're not a cabinet," I mused. Then, I saw the picture with the door open--no, a cabinet it was not.
David, Roger, and I locked onto this at a local estate sale place. It looked like a cabinet from afar, especially with the bleached oak Formica top. Suddenly, I spotted the door latch.
"You're not a cabinet," I mused. Then, I saw the picture with the door open--no, a cabinet it was not.
First, some amendments
After my miserable luck with seal failures on the last two machines, I started to question the meaning of life. So naturally, I assumed the worst when I found this (and also assumed the dispenser was likely broken).
The universe smiled upon me with radiance, and lo, the dispenser was not broken after all--just peeking out a bit. Nor--after an obligatory hot-water test--did the pump seal leak a drop.
One of the things I noticed in the ad picture, however, was that the lower rack had something attached beneath it. What could it be? Did Sears actually offer a hardware-cloth-like device to prevent items from dropping into the sump?
No, but someone got creative.
After my miserable luck with seal failures on the last two machines, I started to question the meaning of life. So naturally, I assumed the worst when I found this (and also assumed the dispenser was likely broken).
The universe smiled upon me with radiance, and lo, the dispenser was not broken after all--just peeking out a bit. Nor--after an obligatory hot-water test--did the pump seal leak a drop.
One of the things I noticed in the ad picture, however, was that the lower rack had something attached beneath it. What could it be? Did Sears actually offer a hardware-cloth-like device to prevent items from dropping into the sump?
No, but someone got creative.
Like...
...really creative.
They had attached the screen--first with ferrous wire, which rusted away; then, with stainless. Unfortunately, the heated dry melted the hot wire like a knife through the butter of the vinyl coating. Sigh.
They were vigilant, though--the pile to the right is all the attachment points we un-did. Each of the corroded spots on the panel represents a spot where they'd tied it.
...really creative.
They had attached the screen--first with ferrous wire, which rusted away; then, with stainless. Unfortunately, the heated dry melted the hot wire like a knife through the butter of the vinyl coating. Sigh.
They were vigilant, though--the pile to the right is all the attachment points we un-did. Each of the corroded spots on the panel represents a spot where they'd tied it.
So then...
We water-tested outside, and found that everything looks great. Amazingly, on this unit, the pump housing appears to be metal? I thought D&M used bakelite for all of these. Fascinating.
No drips, and no signs of them in the past, either. Yay!
However, when we brought it into the house, I heard a telltale "pssssssss" when the unicouple was attached, and the water turned on. The rubber washer where the unicouple attaches to the water valve was rock-hard and shot; it was lobbing a stream of water toward the cabinet. We broke it into pieces, and replaced it with a new one (after a quick mopping of the floor). Hooray for machines that need a quick tweak to get on their feet!
The unicouple ring is broken--you can see where the plastic contracted over the years, and snapped. The whole assembly will probably need replacement, since--if the crack rotates over the ball bearings--they can fall out.
Still, all that notwithstanding, she just needed a lot of cleanup. She smelled like an ashtray, and was covered in that coveted film of tar and nicotine, which--oddly--seems to act like the world's best metal and finish preservative.
After a thorough detailing with some degreaser, here we have...
We water-tested outside, and found that everything looks great. Amazingly, on this unit, the pump housing appears to be metal? I thought D&M used bakelite for all of these. Fascinating.
No drips, and no signs of them in the past, either. Yay!
However, when we brought it into the house, I heard a telltale "pssssssss" when the unicouple was attached, and the water turned on. The rubber washer where the unicouple attaches to the water valve was rock-hard and shot; it was lobbing a stream of water toward the cabinet. We broke it into pieces, and replaced it with a new one (after a quick mopping of the floor). Hooray for machines that need a quick tweak to get on their feet!
The unicouple ring is broken--you can see where the plastic contracted over the years, and snapped. The whole assembly will probably need replacement, since--if the crack rotates over the ball bearings--they can fall out.
Still, all that notwithstanding, she just needed a lot of cleanup. She smelled like an ashtray, and was covered in that coveted film of tar and nicotine, which--oddly--seems to act like the world's best metal and finish preservative.
After a thorough detailing with some degreaser, here we have...
Money shots
The porcelain is still in nice shape. Although clearly used, this machine appeared to lie fallow for a LONG time. There was an eighth of an inch of dust on the topmost surfaces--underneath, and above. It seems to have just sat, but dig that gleaming top! No hot pans set on it, or crap dragged across the surface.
The build quality is so much better than later D&Ms; the finishing bits of chrome and molding are so nice; the bottom kick panel has an ingenious attachment system, that is much easier to remove than later incarnations that have the screws accessible by the corners of the door.
The porcelain feels nice, and there's not the typical rust-ring at the bottom. I like the thumbscrews to service the wash arms, compared to later generations that needed tools (or at least, a pliers).
I love the construction of the <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">dil</span> spray tube.
The porcelain is still in nice shape. Although clearly used, this machine appeared to lie fallow for a LONG time. There was an eighth of an inch of dust on the topmost surfaces--underneath, and above. It seems to have just sat, but dig that gleaming top! No hot pans set on it, or crap dragged across the surface.
The build quality is so much better than later D&Ms; the finishing bits of chrome and molding are so nice; the bottom kick panel has an ingenious attachment system, that is much easier to remove than later incarnations that have the screws accessible by the corners of the door.
The porcelain feels nice, and there's not the typical rust-ring at the bottom. I like the thumbscrews to service the wash arms, compared to later generations that needed tools (or at least, a pliers).
I love the construction of the <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">dil</span> spray tube.
Silverware baskets
No, those aren't the original, but I disliked the "off to the side" uni-basket that these had (and this one was MIA). They were perpetually in the way. Now, with the skinny baskets from the Chambers, I can keep the silverware where it belongs--off to the side, so that large bowls and other items can have free run of the rack.
No, those aren't the original, but I disliked the "off to the side" uni-basket that these had (and this one was MIA). They were perpetually in the way. Now, with the skinny baskets from the Chambers, I can keep the silverware where it belongs--off to the side, so that large bowls and other items can have free run of the rack.
toploader55
Well-known member
Gee...
That machine is in beautiful shape. Real Purdy too.
Congrats on your find
That machine is in beautiful shape. Real Purdy too.
Congrats on your find
Wow! Great find, Nate - this has to be a real early version of a spray-arm plus rotorack combination in a Kenmore dishwasher. The control panel as well as the front access panel have a pretty unique style to them. Congratulations!!
Thank you!
Thanks, Eddie and Paul! :-D
This is fun. It's like finding a precursor species. It must be analyzed.
Thanks, Eddie and Paul! :-D
This is fun. It's like finding a precursor species. It must be analyzed.
Intriguing
I'm surprised to see what's likely one of the earliest iterations of the much-hated swing-cup dispenser in this. Robert's Lady K has a metal-lidded cup where the lid panel swings aside--a much better design in many respects (including its capability of holding a detergent pac or tablet--the swing-cup is much too shallow for either).
I'm surprised to see what's likely one of the earliest iterations of the much-hated swing-cup dispenser in this. Robert's Lady K has a metal-lidded cup where the lid panel swings aside--a much better design in many respects (including its capability of holding a detergent pac or tablet--the swing-cup is much too shallow for either).
Very nice!
It does not look to have all that much use.
Everyone can say what they want about D&M Dishwashers being cheap, but I have never used one that could not clean! They really moved the water and got the job done in a small amount of time.
Fun find for you guys!
It does not look to have all that much use.
Everyone can say what they want about D&M Dishwashers being cheap, but I have never used one that could not clean! They really moved the water and got the job done in a small amount of time.
Fun find for you guys!
I believe this is the lowest end of the line of this series I've ever seen. Don't think anyone else in the club has anything similar. Pat on the back for recognizing it as a Kenmore.
Very nice. We'll be expecting the full review, though not much different than other D & M iterations, the top rack is a bit shallower and interesting to load. Thankfully, the tines aren't very high so larger bowls and the like tend to lie down easier than later versions like I have.
Congrats on a fun weekend find - Santa came early.
Congrats on a fun weekend find - Santa came early.
No Monkey business this time around!
Nate, I'm in a state of shock and awe.
That is a really beautiful Kenmore. The early door pull/latch assembly has a clunky elegance about it.
I noticed your posts have not been in upper case. Might this be among the quietest dishwashers to grace a kitchen of yours?
Nate, I'm in a state of shock and awe.
That is a really beautiful Kenmore. The early door pull/latch assembly has a clunky elegance about it.
I noticed your posts have not been in upper case. Might this be among the quietest dishwashers to grace a kitchen of yours?
toploader55
Well-known member
I can keep the silverware where it belongs..
Off to the side.
A long time ago a Commercial Dish Machine Chemical guy told me the side of the rack gets the most cleaning action. It's is strange to write this, but the sides get more of a scrubbing action than the center due to the water passing more vigorously than the center.
I still like the KitchenAid Flatware baskets better than most. Those Chambers Baskets are nice.
Off to the side.
A long time ago a Commercial Dish Machine Chemical guy told me the side of the rack gets the most cleaning action. It's is strange to write this, but the sides get more of a scrubbing action than the center due to the water passing more vigorously than the center.
I still like the KitchenAid Flatware baskets better than most. Those Chambers Baskets are nice.
delaneymeegan
Well-known member
So glad you've found something to redeem your trust in mankind.
It's really a waiting game in finding compatible partners, ah, um, ... machines.
We had a 1968 or 1969 mol Kenmore roto-rack, in avocado, and the pump housing was metal. I've seen several metal pump housings on KMs. It seems by about 1974 they were switched to plastic.
I am amazed to see the fit and finish quality, as you pointed out, of this 60s built machine compared to those later models sloppily thrown together in the 70s and 80s.
It's really a waiting game in finding compatible partners, ah, um, ... machines.
We had a 1968 or 1969 mol Kenmore roto-rack, in avocado, and the pump housing was metal. I've seen several metal pump housings on KMs. It seems by about 1974 they were switched to plastic.
I am amazed to see the fit and finish quality, as you pointed out, of this 60s built machine compared to those later models sloppily thrown together in the 70s and 80s.
