THOR Dishwasher Tub

[Unimatic1140]

when did you get the Thor Automagic Washer ?

Hi Mike, great video too, thanks for doing that! This Thor machine was never used when I got it, so finding the DW never used was amazing too. Here is the original thread from a few years ago...

A 1947 Thor Washer - Never Used!

A big thank you goes out to my friend Shane who found this never used 1947 Thor on Craigslist and quickly forwarded the link to me. The ad had only been up for 2 days. It was located about an hour south in the town of New Praige, MN. We drove down last week and got the machine. Apparently it...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[tomturbomatic]

Robert, is the pan in Reply 17 a piece of West Bend Flavor Seal Cookware? What brand of detergent are you using in it? Do you add it through the water fill opening?

 

[Unimatic1140]

Tom, that's "Queen" brand waterless cookware. And I'm using Cascade Platinum packets. However I'm a bit worried, I went to the supermarket today for the first time in two weeks and they were completely out of dishwasher detergent, I haven't seen empty dw detergent shelves before. I love using this Thor machine, but it's not efficient to use those tablets in it when I'm not sure the next time I'll be able to get more considering the capacity is minor to say the least! I don't put the packs in the detergent slot because I'm afraid it's going to block the water hole into the tub and spray water everywhere out of the lid.

Of all times to not be able to get DW detergent!!!!

 

[spiralator60]

Dishwasher Detergent

Robert,

Did Thor recommend or suggest a particular brand of detergent to use in the instruction manual?

Thanks, and congratulations on your find!

 

[bigalsf]

Congratulations Robert! That's a very interesting design; i'm sure you're having fun with it! I have a question, does the spray arm oscillate back and forth? Tom described it as "percolator washing." Does that mean it does not spray continuously? I can't quite tell from the video.

Thanks so much for sharing this (& to Mike as well for the video)!

 

[tomturbomatic]

Big Al, The spray arms only spray when they move the open end that's down in the water against the direction of the swirling water so the back stroke of the agitator arms that hold the spray nozzles causes the pause in spraying.

 

Robert, I thought that the detergent was poured in through the fill opening. You are adding the detergent after the pre rinse by stopping the water fill and lifting the cover to throw one of the packets in while the machine is drained? I thought that the directions I saw showed the detergent added via a little scoop that channeled it in through the fill hole, but that was a long time ago and I am probably foggy on it. I would have thought that this machine would be a candidate for Bubble Bandit because of its relatively short wash cycle. If we ever reopen, I will have to check the consumer magazines to see if they ever tested this dishwashing process.

 

So this Queen Cookware, does it say Regal or West Bend anywhere on the pan?  The handle and the knob on the lid remind me of the trim on those brands. The limited capacity was probably why Hotpoint and KitchenAid, among others, used to advertise that the machines would home a whole day's dishes for a family of four. Of course, if they were not pre rinsed, the short wash cycles, especially of the KA, would not clean them very well. 

 

[Unimatic1140]

You are adding the detergent after the pre rinse by stopping the water fill and lifting the cover to throw one of the packets in while the machine is drained? I thought that the directions I saw showed the detergent added via a little scoop that channeled it in through the fill hole, but that was a long time ago and I am probably foggy on it.

You're exactly right Tom, my worry is that channel in the lid is relatively thin as it was designed for powered detergent, if I try and stuff one of those detergent packets down it, it may back up as the water is flowing in and splash back out the top of the lid down onto the walls and floor. See the image of that channel below...

As for the cookware, I just looked it doesn't say anything but "Queen" on it. [this post was last edited: 4/5/2020-21:37]

 

[circlew]

It's a good bet that Queen cookware was made by either Regal (who now owns West Bend) or Vollrath.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Tom, That's what I think, too.  Hans will know for sure. The awful thing is that I found the name AMWAY associated with the cookware. I know Robert did not buy it new so somebody else fattened Amway's coffers originally. Is it pronounced kween or KA ween?

 

Robert, when I mentioned adding the detergent through the lid, I did not know that you were using the pods. Yes, expensive for the small number of items washed per load. What is the material used to make the black top? I guess it has to have some weight to avoid being dislodged by the water.

 

[mickeyd]

When I saw this for sale, I wanted--but forgot-- to ask if anyone in the club either owned or used this fascinating, unique and very "green" dishwashing machine.

Great Video, Michael B. De Mille, as usual. Raindrops on the lake--that's what the surface of the lake looks like from underwater when I'm swimming in the rain.

Got the answer. Thanks.

Wegman's was out of dishwasher detergent Saturday night. Out of dumb luck and impulse, I actually squatted to the floor and found two boxes of their house brand powder on the bottom shelf all the way in the back. I took one, never having used it before and assuming they'll have the usual suspects back soon.
Worth a try, people, to squat and seek.