Video of a 1957 Philco-Bendix Duomatic!

[revvinkevin]

 

 

This stunning machine belongs to John (Gyromatic) in the Minneapolis/St Paul area.   I shot video while I was visiting last May and finally got around to editing it all together last weekend.  

 

By the way, this is an extremely rare gas model!   I believe there are only two gas models knows to exist and I'm pretty confident this the only one still being used weekly to do laundry! 

 

Enjoy!

Kevin 

  

 

 

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=diRkZCQCZbM&list=UUUdeEsT3urdN9eVb7J1w0mw

 

[mrb627]

WOW!

That is the MOTHER of AWESOME!

Thanks for posting the video. I want one.

Malcolm

 

[hippiedoll]

very cool video....

kevin!!!

thank you for posting. i didn't think i was going to sit through the whole video, but i did. and i enjoyed watching it.
and you know me, i love the windowed doors so you can see the action as it's happening.

thank you again for posting that GREAT & entertaining video.
you did a fantastic job of recording this.

)

 

[a440]

Awesome Kevin!

Kevin,

Thanks so much for taking the time to post your video!
What an awesome machine!

Brent

 

[alr2903]

Kevin, Thank You!   This vid is really something to see!  Bendix had some excellent engineering.

 

[d-jones]

Thanks for posting this, Kevin.

It was really interesting to watch. One really has to marvel at the skill and time that must have gone into the meticulous restoration of this machine. If it were possible to go back in time to 1957 I doubt it would look much nicer than it does now.

[this post was last edited: 1/14/2015-00:51]

 

[supersuds]

I love the jittery wash-cam insanity videos, but this one does an outstanding job explaining the wash and dry cycles for us folks who haven't seen one in person. Thank you, Kevin.

 

[gansky1]

That's a wonderful video - thanks to you, and John for sharing it. John's collection is truly awe inspiring.

 

[jetcone]

Nice Video Kevin

it shows all the cycle points very well. That was the first of the "Philco-Bendix" Duomatics. Philco had just bought out Bendix Home Appliances and nothing was moved to Philadelphia yet.

 

The pause after the final rinse was patented by Bendix and was called the "anti-pasting" cycle to prevent clothes from sticking to the drum in dry after the final high speed spin.

 

John does such a great job , his chrome gleams.

 

That model has the earlier "whine" transmission that Jeff & I like, in 1958 they recut the gears and made a much quieter transmission. My 1956 screams like this machine , my 1958 makes little sound.

 

I think this full cabinet model was the best W/D ever made.

 

[combo52]

1957 Gas Duo=Matic

Wow John I would never get tired of watching that machine, as usual your restoration has this machine in BETTER than NEW condition.

I am so glad that Tom and I have three great examples of these 36" Bendix and Philco Bendix combos in the museum collection, and can't wait for John to help me get our 58 gas model running.

These were the first combos the world ever saw and diffidently the BEST combos of the 1950s, the only other combo that was also great was the completely redesigned 29" wide WP-KM combos, built from 61-71. Whirlpool was the ONLY US company that completely redesigned their combos and partly by the advantage of designing something 10 years later the 29" WP built combos are still the best overall combos to me, but that is like comparing a 1961 Chrysler to a 1952 Chrysler, not a fair comparison.

Great job with the video Kevin, did you also do one of Johns 69 KM gas combo ?.

John L.

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Thanks everyone, great to hear you have enjoyed the video!  

 

Major kudos have to go out to John (gyromatic) for the meticulous restoration he's done on all SIX of the 36" Duomatics he has in his basement!   They are flawless and 100% functional!

 

Yes I also shot his '69 Lady Kenmore Gas Combo.   I posted it last June, but here it is again.



 

Also, the link below is the thread John posted info about all six of his 36" Duomatics.

 

Kevin 

[this post was last edited: 1/14/2015-12:04]

THE GIRLS ARE FINALLY ALL HOME AFTER 35 YRS!!!

Thanks to Jon Charles I now have all 6 styles of the 36''Duomatics!The only one that I did not have was the 58 Economy Model.That he gave to me.Thanks Again Jon!!!!!!!These were the only styles that they made in the 36"cabinet.From the first in 1953 to the last one in 1958.These six styles came...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[philcobendixduo]

REALLY enjoyed the video!

Although this Duomatic is an earlier model than the one I grew up with (like the one Robert has in his collection - a 1959 model, I think), it still makes all the same sounds I remember - especially the low speed spin shifting to the high speed spin. I spent many an hour watching that machine in utter fascination (my parents should have sent me to the shrink then!). To my dismay, the Duomatic was dumped in 1963 or so for a Whirlpool top-loader and matching dryer (Imperial models). While I could still watch the wash action, I could only peek under the lid to see the spin before the lid switch stopped it. I wasn't quite clever enough to figure out how to bypass the lid switch back then!

The Duomatic in the video is absolutely beautifully restored - like new!
Video VERY well done with the captions, just the right amount of time for each action, etc.
Thanks SO much for posting it and I hope someone does a video of the 1959 (whatever Robert's is) some day soon so I can REALLY relive my demented childhood.

BTW - the link in Kevin's email to a collection of Duomatics brings up only a blank page.

 

[Unimatic1140]

Love the videos Kevin!!!! These are absolutely beautiful machines.

 

[peteski50]

1957 Philco-Bendix Duomatic!

Kevin this is absolutly awsome - I wish they made machines like this today!
Best Wishes,
Peter

 

[revvinkevin]

Oops.

 

 

Thank you Bill, Robert & Pete, I'm very happy to hear you enjoyed them!

 

OK the other link should work now, I corrected it.

  

Kevin

THE GIRLS ARE FINALLY ALL HOME AFTER 35 YRS!!!

Thanks to Jon Charles I now have all 6 styles of the 36''Duomatics!The only one that I did not have was the 58 Economy Model.That he gave to me.Thanks Again Jon!!!!!!!These were the only styles that they made in the 36"cabinet.From the first in 1953 to the last one in 1958.These six styles came...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[toploader55]

Thanks Kevin

I LOVE that shot of the Burner Igniting on the DuoMatic.

Way Cool and glad you thought of that.

 

[wringingwet]

Fantastic and fun to watch .. Thanks for putting this together Great video
Philippe

 

[revvinkevin]

I LOVE that shot of the Burner Igniting.....

 

 

Thanks Eddie.   Yeah the burner lighting was really a "OH, COOL!" moment for me, so getting video of it was a must!! 

 

Kevin

 

[gyromatic]

Nice Video Kevin

Glad you could take a recording of all the combos when you were over.Keep in mind that the fan is on all the time when the machine is running.The only time the air enters the tub is when the dampers open at the start of the drying cycle.