The Westy Space Mates

[randycmaynard]

I have been running the Westy Space Mates washer over the last week off and on and I really think it does a better job cleaing laundry than does my big 2008 GE front load machine.
I have really enjoyed running this little machine and once I get it leveled correctly on firm footing this thing is probably going to be sharing time regularly with the GE. I use the big GE for the really large loads I need to run and large items such as quilts, comforters, linens etc. I find the Westy just does wonders for the rest - daily work clothing, undies etc.

Think my wife is ready to kick my A$$ for not using the expensive GE as much now - even with getting the GE set at discounted prices we still ended up paying aroung $1500 for the washer and dryer together as a set. I use the GE dryer regularly even for the Westy washed items - it's larger and the only vent set up I have is for it - the Westy dryer will have to wait awhile before it sees any use and it needs a good cleaning before anything is done with it anyway.

Well, that's the update for now on the Westy's Will plan on videos of the Westy, and the Kenmore 600 as soon as I finish cleaning the area where they will be permenantly. Boy, this is going to be one fun washing place when it's all done!

 

[randycmaynard]

Clarification.........

Guys, my wife is not mean or anything like that.... the kicking my A$$ thing in the previous was reference mainly to her concern of us having spent, for us, a small fortune for the GE set and my using the vintage machines about as much as the GE washer now. As I said the GE dryer is the dryer of choice at the moment and does all the machine drying so, all is not lost!

Bottom line - that GE washer will continue to get quite a workout as will the vintage machines.... there is more than enough laundry to go around for all the machines to have a go at it on a regular basis plus it depends, sometimes, what mood I'm in as to which one of the machines I use.

 

[turquoisedude]

Hey, it's fun to have the choice between a vintage and modern washer! You can run the 'easy' loads in the vintage machine and the really heavy stuff in the modern one! It is the best of both worlds!! Besides, your wife will get used to the Westys - don't sweat it.

 

[randycmaynard]

You're right Paul.......

She will get used to them..... I wouldn't change a thing though whether I had the machines or not! She's my one and only and these 14 years have been most enjoyable and I look forward to another 14 years and more! The response to this odd hobby has been interesting and amusing at times - wonderful lady she is.

Actually in time, I think she will like the variety - both the Westy and the Kenmore take much, much less time to do the job. As you well know these modern FL machines have extended times for cycles compared to the older machines plus they go through that balancing thing before each spin and that can happen on some loads several times for each spin.

Well enough for now - these machines are fun and I've already enjoyed having and using them even in their temporary placments.

 

[tomturbomatic]

It was Consumer Reports' lingering animosity toward tumbler washers and some flaws in controlled suds detergent technology that kept their cleaning ratings at average in the 60s ratings. New HE detergents should bring great cleaning from these machines which use enough water to do the job provided you supply them with the modest amounts of hot or warm wash water needed for good laundering practices. Be sure also, to leave the door open for the machine to dry out between uses. I love the way they go about their business in an uninterrupted way. I do wish that Westinghouse had found a way to provide a spin between the 2nd and 3rd rinse without running afoul of Bendix patents, but that came later with the Dual Tumble.

 

[randycmaynard]

Tom, I agree on the spin between the 1st/2nd rinse.......

That would be my only complaint - that spin really needs to be there. Normal cycle runs as follows:

Wash (up to 16 mins).
Drain.
Spray Rinse - Tumbling at regular wash speed/drain open.
Spin.
1st Rinse.
Drain.
Final Rinse.
Drain.
Final Spin.

I do like the deep water wash and rinses and it cleans like
no other and the HE detergent works great as well. Like I said, this is one fun little machine and will see its share
of laundry over time along with the other two.

One additional thing is remembering to put the fabric conditioner (sofener) in the final rinse - no automatic dispensers on this machine. This one will run with
the door open so when the final rinse fill begins I open the
door and pour in the conditioner. Kinda neat to have it
run with the door open..... just don't try it with high water level - water everywhere when it gets full!

 

[tomturbomatic]

We used to reset the machine for the final rinse to use softener so lack of a signal was not a problem. On our first Laundromat, the third rinse had the word STARCH within the portion of the dial marking.

 

[70series]

Kenmore 600:

Randy, can you repost the photos you took of the 600? The threads that showed pictures are now in the archives, but the photos have vanished. I am not sure why this is, but I have noticed this has happened with several picture threads that were recently archived. Your photos were great, and they brought back a flood of memories for many of us.

I can't wait for the next video. I watch the first ones as often as possible.

Have a good one,
James

 

[randycmaynard]

James......

Hadn't realized the photos were not there - hadn't checked archives lately however, I will upload the set again under a new thread rather than updating the old one. Will try to do that this evening (Sat. 04/10/10).

I will get full length vids up on YouTube of both the Kenmore 600 and the little Westy Space Mates washer which is quickly becoming a favorite in the collection. I'm going to try to do the vids this coming Monday (4/12/10) as it's a day off from work for me and I'm not on the road doing pipe organ work so I will try and make a point to get both vids made and posted.

Been a long week too - a good friend of my passed after a short 4 month battle with cancer. If you look at the Stations of the Cross thread in the Super section - the first post about it mentions the blog site Internetmonk.com and it was the guy who created it, wrote it and ran it - Michael Spencer -who passed away this past Monday evening.... memorial services were this afternoon in Oneida, KY where he lived. Great site and lots of good reading.... 10+ years of archived material there - very unique site and readership that follows it.

Thanks for letting me know on the photos of the 600!

Randy from Knoxville,TN

 

[70series]

Thanks Randy, I look forward to seeing them again.

I am sorry about your good friend. I hope he did not suffer, and may he rest in peace.

God bless,
James

 

[jasonl]

One wave of the magic wand...

Updated photos on the 1963-64 Kenmore 600

Hey guys, here's some new photos of the Kemo 600 from this evening while doing a load of towels. Various shots of the control panel, motor and tranny, wash and spin action. Video is not ready yet but hope to have it up on YouTube this weekend but for now, enjoy these photos. Can't believe how...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[randycmaynard]

Jason.....

Checked your link...... the photos did not load up. I think I'm going to need to upload them again and, as I told James, I'll put them under a new thread rather than trying to update the older one and I'll use the new thread for the video links to when I get them made.

There may be some issues as a result of the updates/upgrades Robert has been doing to the site but I'll get things back up and going again for the photos and vids.

 

[70series]

Thanks Jason:

The photos are still missing. This is a guess, but I think something may have happened when the archived threads were re-organized. It occurred with some of the recent threads that contained photos. It's odd.

 

[70series]

Oops, didn't see your post Randy.

Please excuse the redundance

 

[jasonl]

Hmmm

I wonder why they don't show up for y'all. It works fine for me.

 

[jasonl]

I logged out of the site and cleared the cache in Firefox 3.6.3 and the photos still load. Anyway, reuploading the pics will work too.

That is one SWEET 600.

 

[bleacho]

thanks for the memories...

this was the first machine i remember us having. this is the machine thaat hooked me on my obsession with washers...
i can remember the hours i spent watching this machine over and over again.. i often wondered bout this machine and one day,passing through the threads i came cross these pics.. it took my breath away for a moment.. that was the actual machine that started it all for me.. it took me right back to those young years.. thank you so much for that. i remember staring at this machine thinking how beautiful it was- every sound, every program, i knew by heart. again, thanks so much..

 

[70series]

And they're alive once again;

I just checked the archives again, and the photos are back. For the last week they did not show and I checked both picture threads of the 600 several times throughout the week. I just checked them today and in both picture threads all photos show perfectly, so you don't need to upload again.

Have a good one,
James

 

[randycmaynard]

Thanks James.....

That's good to know - I ended up being a bit under the weather this weekend..... didn't even make church service this morning. I've got a ton (or so it seems) of laundry to wash tomorrow and I'm planning on doing vids of the Westy and the Kenmore 600. Hope to be feeling up to it.