Here's one for the Bendix fans. Happy new year everyone!
Vintage Bendix front load washer in Lexington KY
- Thread starter d-jones
- Start date
Help Support :
Well, the Bendix was the first automatic washer. It came out in 1937 and was a hard mount. As far as I know, there were two designs: the "Standard" which is pictured above, and the "Deluxe" which had a squared off cabinet surrounding the tub and base. Both were mechanically identical. This hard mount design continued until about 1950. Then Bendix came out with a soft mount washer, and then a combo washer/dryer. There were minor changes in the hard mount washers during their 13 year run, such as changing the fill flume location, but basically it was the same product. It was very popular despite the hard mount requirement, because it was the first fully automatic home laundry system.
Memories
I remember a similar washer in my Grandfather's garage. It was not automatic, but had a switch that had wash, drain, and spin positions. I remember that it was a Bendix, and it was bolted to the slab. If I remember right, the lint trap door was round, and the lint trap was a long half circle piece of metal with holes. Pleasent memories.
I remember a similar washer in my Grandfather's garage. It was not automatic, but had a switch that had wash, drain, and spin positions. I remember that it was a Bendix, and it was bolted to the slab. If I remember right, the lint trap door was round, and the lint trap was a long half circle piece of metal with holes. Pleasent memories.
Ooo
I'm in love.
I'm in love.
Gary, that semi-automatic Bendix came with a special hose that could be secured into the soap chute opening for filling the machine. It eliminated the user's having to hold the hose in place. The instructions were very specific about things like the flush rinse after the wash and before the first spin. Do you remember the water level being makred on the door? This machine would have had that marking.
Does anyone remember the commercial/coin-op versions of these machines that had a red wavy line labeled "suds line" across the bottom third of the glass? We had friends who lived in apartments where I saw machines with this marking.
Does anyone remember the commercial/coin-op versions of these machines that had a red wavy line labeled "suds line" across the bottom third of the glass? We had friends who lived in apartments where I saw machines with this marking.
BENDIX BOLT DOWN WASHERS
It is interesting how many of these keep showing up, but then you also have to consider that they made millions of these washers. And because they were bolted down they often got left in place as most that are found are still bolted down.
I think that it is also interesting that in 1950 Bendix was by far the biggest maker of auto-matic washers the world had ever seen. And by 1960 after an explosive decade of automatic washer sales they they were all but done in the home laundry sales. I think that some of thier biggest mistakes were dropping the bolt down model, it should have been kept as an economy machine and there were millions of satisfied customers that would have replaced with another Bendix rather than switch. Thier other BIG mistake was when they came out with the smaller cheaper to build Duo-Matic in 1959 they should have continued the full sized machine as the premium model. Again Bendix invented the Combo and had a great product better than any other Combo and they downsized the machine and almost every other machine was now a better machine overall.
It is interesting how many of these keep showing up, but then you also have to consider that they made millions of these washers. And because they were bolted down they often got left in place as most that are found are still bolted down.
I think that it is also interesting that in 1950 Bendix was by far the biggest maker of auto-matic washers the world had ever seen. And by 1960 after an explosive decade of automatic washer sales they they were all but done in the home laundry sales. I think that some of thier biggest mistakes were dropping the bolt down model, it should have been kept as an economy machine and there were millions of satisfied customers that would have replaced with another Bendix rather than switch. Thier other BIG mistake was when they came out with the smaller cheaper to build Duo-Matic in 1959 they should have continued the full sized machine as the premium model. Again Bendix invented the Combo and had a great product better than any other Combo and they downsized the machine and almost every other machine was now a better machine overall.
To Combo52
I agree.. If Bendix had continued to make a much more advanced, yet completely compatible model which had the bolt holes align perfectly, Bendix could have marketed the machine as, "The 1950's answer to a 1930's era solution!".
Maybe perhaps the housewife didn't like doing the laundry in the basement and preferred doing it in the kitchen.. bolting the machine down didn't seem like an option for that particular application.
I think Bendix would have survived if they had taken over Easy and focused on building affordable separate washer/dryers as well as combos. They certainly were advanced enough technology wise that they could have outdone everyone.
Imagine buying, in 1960, a front loading washer with an automatic bleach, fabric softener and bleach dispenser.. nobody else on the market would have offered that!
I agree.. If Bendix had continued to make a much more advanced, yet completely compatible model which had the bolt holes align perfectly, Bendix could have marketed the machine as, "The 1950's answer to a 1930's era solution!".
Maybe perhaps the housewife didn't like doing the laundry in the basement and preferred doing it in the kitchen.. bolting the machine down didn't seem like an option for that particular application.
I think Bendix would have survived if they had taken over Easy and focused on building affordable separate washer/dryers as well as combos. They certainly were advanced enough technology wise that they could have outdone everyone.
Imagine buying, in 1960, a front loading washer with an automatic bleach, fabric softener and bleach dispenser.. nobody else on the market would have offered that!
cornutt
Well-known member
Suds line
I remember a commercial machine with that marking on the glass, but it wasn't this machine.
I remember a commercial machine with that marking on the glass, but it wasn't this machine.
bendixmark
Well-known member
kitchen bendix
My grandmothers bendix was bolted down in the kitchen and a family friend had theirs in a pantry but when the machine would spin everybody sure knew it I was told.Both of these machines were replaced with very nice kenmores before I was four.Damn it,born too late.The frustration continues...
My grandmothers bendix was bolted down in the kitchen and a family friend had theirs in a pantry but when the machine would spin everybody sure knew it I was told.Both of these machines were replaced with very nice kenmores before I was four.Damn it,born too late.The frustration continues...
Suds Line
Markings on glass doors could be found on all manner and sort of domestic and or commercial front loading washers. Though IIRC the trend continued far longer for the latter.
Rationale was simple: when soap,soap based cleansers standard for wash day foam was the given indicator of proper amount versus soil levels/water conditions. Even later when detergents pretty much shut out soaps one would read directions on packets stating "....use enough product to bring suds halfway up the window...".
Halfway up the window was open to interpetation so to protect washing machine parts and allow for good cleaning (as we all know too much froth is a no-no in front loaders as it cushions the wash and reduces cleaning), manufactureres decided to take the bull by the horns and draw a line in the sand as it were.
For this system to work however there must be a means of dispensing soap/detergent directly to the tubs. Modern domestic and commercial machines by and large have all moved to systems where incoming water flushes dispenser contents down between/into the drum. This largely replaces the "hatch" or other method of simply dumping detergent manually at any time.
Markings on glass doors could be found on all manner and sort of domestic and or commercial front loading washers. Though IIRC the trend continued far longer for the latter.
Rationale was simple: when soap,soap based cleansers standard for wash day foam was the given indicator of proper amount versus soil levels/water conditions. Even later when detergents pretty much shut out soaps one would read directions on packets stating "....use enough product to bring suds halfway up the window...".
Halfway up the window was open to interpetation so to protect washing machine parts and allow for good cleaning (as we all know too much froth is a no-no in front loaders as it cushions the wash and reduces cleaning), manufactureres decided to take the bull by the horns and draw a line in the sand as it were.
For this system to work however there must be a means of dispensing soap/detergent directly to the tubs. Modern domestic and commercial machines by and large have all moved to systems where incoming water flushes dispenser contents down between/into the drum. This largely replaces the "hatch" or other method of simply dumping detergent manually at any time.
More memories
Tom, now that you mention it, I remember the hose and the water level line on the door. Much later, I lived in this house and had a coin-op Bendix "Double Load" washer. It may have had a "suds line" on it also. Great washer! I also had a 30 pound gas dryer that was coin-op also. I made the mistake of removing the standing pilot in it with a high voltage sparking ignition. It seldom worked right. The spark ignition was from Signal Hill (Long Beach) CA. The spark gap was always supplied with power, but when the metal was heated by the gas flame, it changed resistance, and that stopped the spark.
Tom, now that you mention it, I remember the hose and the water level line on the door. Much later, I lived in this house and had a coin-op Bendix "Double Load" washer. It may have had a "suds line" on it also. Great washer! I also had a 30 pound gas dryer that was coin-op also. I made the mistake of removing the standing pilot in it with a high voltage sparking ignition. It seldom worked right. The spark ignition was from Signal Hill (Long Beach) CA. The spark gap was always supplied with power, but when the metal was heated by the gas flame, it changed resistance, and that stopped the spark.
Similar threads
