Video of a 1955 Blackstone washer

[revvinkevin]

I shot this the beginning of October while I was in Tucson, AZ visiting Ross (Westyslantfront), Nate (roto204) and Roger (rogera608s). What an interesting machine this is! Thank you Roger for sharing your collection!

Enjoy!
Kevin

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[kenmoreguy64]

WOW Kevin, nice job. That's a great video and an interesting machine to watch. I've always wanted to see a Blackstone in action.

THANKS!

Gordon

 

[chestermikeuk]

Blackstone

Great machine there Kevin, it looks sooo substantial cant understand why there arnt many more around, yet the mechanics look a lot simpler than other TL`s, but perform in a quirky way!!!

What would happen if the powers goes off whilst filling, I guess its a timed fill - would it just keep overflowing??

Love the french doors at the front for easy access & viewing, is that Nate viewing the machine underneath??...Lol

 

[toploader55]

Facinating.

What a unique operation with the pivoting and the tub being a drain valve.

And is that Nate viewing the machine ? LOL

Thanks Kevin. Super Job on the Video.

 

[akronman]

Thank you Kevin

Great video, rare machine. I appreciate the explanations and "heads up" since this machine's operation is so unique to Blackstone.

Thanks

 

[blackstone]

Hey, that looks familiar!

 

[peteski50]

Blackstone!

Kevin - Thank you for posting this video - it is so interesting how the technology was so different. I remember hearing those machines would fill without power. But it is bizzar to see it happening.
Peter

 

[combo52]

ALL MECHANICAL BLACKSTONE WASHERS

WOW great video Kevin, I have not seen one of these run through a full cycle in about 45 years. My younger brother Jeff and I found a Model 250 when he was about 10 years of age and he and I tore it all apart and replaced a broken connecting rod in the transmission that we took from another Blackstone. The machine ran great, it was very well built and smooth in operation. Thanks to Fred in Springfield Mass. I have a 250 again and he sold me a brand new gas dryer that matches the washer you video taped. He also sold me his remaining parts supply for these neat washers, so if anyone needs anything to fix one let me know.

 

[mickeyd]

you can trick

this model into spray rinsing and with the wide fan flume it almost rivals the Easy. Cool the you caught the lift-off of the tub.

 

[supersuds]

Utterly ingenious

...and beautiful! My favorite vintage toploader.

Thanks for the video, K.

Didn't gansky have one of these for sale cheap? What happened to it?

 

[revvinkevin]

Thanks everyone!

Chester Mike & Eddie, Yes that is Nate you see in the reflection as he peers at the under belly of the machine.

Chester Mike, as I noted in the video, if the power goes off while the washer is filling, yes it will just keep on filling and eventually overflow and flood the place.

Fred (Blackstone) Can you explain why that is, why the water does not stop flowing when the power goes out? What type of inlet valve does it use and how does it function?

Thank you!
Kevin

 

[combo52]

BLACKSTONE WASHER INLET VALVE

The inlet valve is a mechanically operated valve that is opened by a cable from the timer control on top of the transmission. It is much the same as turning on a faucet in your home, it has to be closed again or the water will flow forever. On the washer the flow stops when the timer moves ahead automatically or if it is turned ahead by manually turning the timer control knob. If the power is interrupted the timer will stop moving and the water will keep flowing. I can imagine that this is one of many reasons why Blackstone went to an electrically controlled automatic washer designs after the model 350.

 

[blackstone]

Thanks John for answering the question about water valve. I was starting to type a response, after having cleaned my keyboard, and discovered that some of the keys no longer worked. It's hard to type without being able to type an "n". Perhaps best advice is not to clean keyboard with Clorox disinfectant wipes!

John, you could be the designated Blackstone expert.

Another reason for Blackstone changing inlet valves could be cost savings. The 350 valve is a block of solid brass, with machining for inlet and outlet. Much cheaper to make a plastic valve with minor amounts of copper wire coils. The old brass valves make great paperweights.

 

[cornutt]

When the camera panned down the first time, I thought, "Why on earth is the motor running during fill?" I never knew that the motor drives the timer. Sounds like just about everything is mechanical on this machine.

 

[combo52]

MOTOR RUNNING DURNING FILL

Interestingly 1960s Speed Queens also ran the motor durning fill but they didn't really need to as they had a electric timer and fill valves.

 

[washerlover]

Nate, where are you? Can't remember your handle on this website -- are you still in Northern CA?

 

[tolivac]

The Blackstone 250 washer brought back memories-a friend of my Mom had one of these-one time while visiting-I was allowed to watch the equipment behind those double front doors-Now I fully understand what I was watching as a little child-don't think I was tall enough to see inside the top.So the top veiws were fascinating--the tub that drops or rises!And solid brass valves-You got value in those days---But----the timed fill--not good---and the non failsafe fill valves-not good.You would only use this machine while you are at home and awake.

 

[Jsneaker]

Really nice machine!

Kevin, thank you for posting this great video. I am surprised, though, that the spin is only about 550 RPM! I thought Blackstones spun at 850 RPM. I believe the ones in my 1960(?)Blackstone brochure shows the whole tub and drive assembly spin together! I was told that the machines in my brochure spun at 800 or 850 RPM. Can anyone verify this for me? Later machines spun at 550 RPM like the ones in my brother's college dorm, they were just like top-load Westinghouses.

 

[combo52]

BLACKSTONE WASHERS AND DRYERS

All Washers and dryers with the Blackstone name on them were made by Blackstone, I am not sure about the spin speeds of the early 1960s machines but I never got the idea that they were very fast. The one thing that has not been mentioned about the 150-250-350 and 1960s solid tub Blackstones was thier gyroscopic tub balancing where the spin basket was supported at the top of the tub by a heavy rubber collar. This allowed very smooth spinning even with an off balanced load.