vitnage kenmore portable washer...

[hippiedoll]

i have a question for those that have the style of portable kenmore washers from the 1960's. i think i've seen messages from a few members who have one;
revvinkevin, jeff_adelphi, cleanteamofny, macboy91si and frontaloadotmy

my question is,
how do these kenmore portable washer work? is the agitation gentle or rough on the clothes? is the washtub a normal size or is it a smaller washtub? are these belt drive or direct drive washers? are these the kenmore washers that some call the "shredmore"??

just to give a specific idea of the washer, it doesn't have any other buttons or water level choices, just the cycle knob on the right hand side of the washer. it looks very much like the ones that revvinkevin, cleanteamofny, jeff_adelphi, and frontaloadotmy have. i think macboy91si has a newer version with more options (water lever & water temps).

i want to know if the older portable kenmore washer is rough on clothes? has a small tub? and a good perfomer? i'm thinking about getting one and wanted to know about these portable washers. here is a picture of it, so that you can see the control knob on it and see which portable it is....

thank you and i hope to hear from you kenmore portable washer owners.

)

 

[yogitunes]

that ain't exactly a tiny portable size....thats more along the lines of a full size machine, with drop down wheels.....traditional belt drive...Kenmores were always gentle on clothing, slow long strokes......

if I recall, its a standard size tub, that particular model most likely has the straight vane or roto swirl agitator, and a manual waterfall filter.....maybe two cycles.....

there are models that have two speeds, and various temps and water levels, and cycles to match....

most likely resembles this machine....video courtesy of our own loveable DREW!

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

Yup as Martin said, it's a <span style="text-decoration: underline;">full-sized</span> portable washer, standard capacity, straight vane agitator.   It's a "one knob wonder" with.... (as I remember)

3 cycles (Regular, Perm-press and knits or delicate - I will look when I get home.)

1 water level

You adjust the water temp @ the faucet because there is only one connection on the inlet valve.

I don't remember if it's one speed or two, but again, will check when I'm home.

And yes.... a manual / waterfall lint filter!

 

Neat machine!

 

The link below is the thread when I brought the 2nd one home.

 

Kevin

Reincarnation of the 1967 KM portable "Mud Washer"

Greetings! You might recall in May 2009 I made a trip to Phoenix, where I met up with Gordon (Kenmoreguy64) and made a trip to the "appliance junkyard". We spent a couple hours wandering around and we picked up a couple treasures, one of which was this 1967 (model) Kenmore full size portable...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[washdaddy]

Christina,
As mentioned above they are great machines to have especially if you are in the situation where you need to able to connect and disconnect it easily because it only has one incoming hose and you control the temp by the faucet. Plus you can put a quick disconnect adapter on it which allows you to snap it on and off the faucet. The other nice feature is that it has the retractable wheels for moving which makes it so much easier.

As far as the term "Shredmore", that is referring to DD machines because of the fast short stroke they have, unlike the BD's which are longer and slower.

For their size you can't beat the old BD portables. I think they may actually hold a little bit more than the current DD machines which look like their tubs are little bit smaller. (But I'm not absolutely sure on that)

Rick

 

[wayupnorth]

Yes, those older ones did work like a smaller capacity model and they sounded identical to their big brothers thanks to the BD. But you could wheel them up to the sink, pull up the wheels, snap the dishwasher connector on the faucet, adjust the water temp and wash away.

 

[kenmoreguy89]

Yes

The older BD Kenmores, both Portable and full sized did have a Great washing action, just the way it "should" be...
Strokes, speed and arc and agitator designs were just perfect, again, the way they should be IMO.
Nothing like the Direct Driven, "shredmore" so the fast short strokes and whirly thingy latest double action ones..
I consider kenmore and whirlpool good just until the last Double action agitator of BD, even though I don't particularly like it among all the "older" styles, the better ones IMO were the super roto-swirl and belly roto swirl and the straight vane of video above, also the vari flex ...after the direct drive...nothing likes me...
for istance, this is the double action agi of the BD one, you can tell it's totally different action of the DB you find today in whirlpool, kenmore etc:

 

[launderess]

Had A Later Whrilpool Version

In harvest gold that one sold on to a member. Mine was sold as a "convertible" in that it you could use a unicouple hose set and control water temps at the sink, or have separate hot and cold water along with drain hoses. The machine itself had various wash and rinse water temp settings. If you were going to use the machine as a "portable" and or used a unicouple set you set the machine to "cold/cold" IIRC.

Overall great little washing machine. That smooth WP BD "Sugilator" agitating action is fantastic to watch. Sold mine on to make room for something new.

 

[kenmoreguy64]

Interesting and funny stuff going on in this thread...

First, the question is a great one about WP/KM original portables. These were produced until sometime in 1972/1973 (John might know better, I've never determined an exact date) when the portable with the highly revised suspension (and smaller capacity) came about.

Anyway, the original belt-drive portables and compacts were indeed a 24-inch full-height machine in a shorter cabinet. Same basket, same tub, same everything except no console on the back, just as Martin and Kevin essentially said. Manual filter models needed a revised four-port pump, and they all got a slightly different motor due to the proximity to the floor, but those are the only differences I am aware of.

Are these machines "full size"? That depends on what you consider full-size. They are not the same basket capacity of a 29-inch standard capacity belt-drive, but not different by much. The tubs and baskets are about an inch more shallow, and about 5/8 of an inch narrower in the 24-inch and portables.

I'll try to post money shots of two very similar machines, my 1979 Kenmore 500 full-size 29-inch machine, and my 1981 Kenmore 200 24-inch washer, which would be dimensionally the same as the portables.

Do you see a difference? If not, look at the distance between the edge of the agitator fin and the basket wall.

The funny part of all this is the machine (via the magnificent Andy/Drew in Reno)in the video that Martin provided now lives in Charlotte. The second video is mine, also of a machine that Andy originally found. And, the second of my basket pictures, the 1981 200, is also a Reno washer of Andy's. The fourth washer featured in this thread, my '79 500, is one that I rescued from the "pile" myself in 1997 or so.

While the rumor may be that belt-drives come to Charlotte too roost in hiding from the crusher, some (many) come here to work and be used.

Gordon

 

[revvinkevin]

 

 

OK I'm home and have a little more info.

 

My little, green, full sized, belt drive portable (as mentioned above) has 3 cycles and is in fact, a 2 speed washer!   It does agitate and spin at a slower speed.

 

Another note:  This is not a "timed fill" washer, but if I turn the timer past the **FILL** portion, it will dry agitate.

 

Kevin

[this post was last edited: 7/16/2014-21:37]

 

[hippiedoll]

WOW!!!

thank you all so much for your GREAT information & input. i really do appreciate you all replying to this thread and chiming in. i LOVED hearing from everybody and the pictures and the videos!!!

my next question would be, what would be a fair price to pay, for this vintage kenmore portable washer (of course, i know it depends on the condition of the washer, if it works or has any problems, damage, or issues)?
according to the seller, this washer was hardly ever used. but they are not the original owner. they acquired the washer when they bought the house it was in.

thank you all again for your great input and replies.

)

 

[revvinkevin]

Honestly Christina, depends on how badly you want the washer!

Some people are willing to pay more, some people are willing to pay less, but for me probably $50-$100.

It just depends on what YOU are willing to pay for it.

Kevin

 

[tolivac]

I used to live in a townhome in Virginia that had a Kenmore pair of these machines-dated from 1980's-belt drive.The machines weren't "portable" as some say-they were connected to a standard washer hookup in the house-no rollers or wheels on either machine.Think we could call machines like this "compact" machines.Mine did not have the faucet connectors or rollers so you could push them to or away from the sink.Mine were in a closet like space in the hall.The dryer was on a stand that made it sit above the washer.And the dryer worked on 220-240V.These did a pretty good job.The machines still worked when I left the house to move back to Greenville.When I did look at townhomes there -some had the Westinghouse FL pair-others had standard TL washers in the kitchen with the dryer in a closet or under the stairs in a small "utility" room with the HVAC unit and breaker box,plumbing equipment.

 

[cleanteamofny]

Did you know that this washer can do a reverse roll over?
I must make a video of that!

 

[kenmore58]

I had that exact machine for a while in the 1980's. I believe they originally came out in the late 1960's. It was a great machine, and I would love to find another one.

Go for it!

Ron
Kenmore58

 

[hippiedoll]

kevin:
thank you for giving me a "ball park" figure of what to offer. it's in the range the i was thinking and what he was asking.

tolivac:
thanks for chiming in and letting me know that the 1980's model that you used in the townhome you lived in, didn't have any wheels and weren't portable but were considered more like compact machines.

i did ask the seller and he had a guy that was there with him at the time, look under the machine and the guy said that there was was wheels under the machine, but they didn't know how to make the wheels come down, out from under the cabinet/base. so this washer here, does have the wheels to make it a portable. but the seller didn't know how to make the wheels come down (if that makes sense?).
i still have to ask him if and what kind of "hook ups" it has, for regular water faucets or for the sink faucet?

CleanteamofNY:
reverse roll over, huh??? very interesting!! yes, i would like to see a video of that, when you record one!!! keep us posted so we can check it out!!!

kenmore58/ron:
thanks for the vote of confidence. i am planning on checking it out & we'll see what happens....

 

[washdaddy]

Christina-
If the wheels are retractable there's a lever on the back of the washer to control raising and lowering the wheels. Pulling the lever to an upright position caused the wheels to raise the machine onto its rollers. Dropping the lever towards the floor cause the machine to drop to the floor and the wheels go up inside the cabinet.
Rick

 

[DADoES]

 
<blockquote>RevvinKevin said:  Another note: This is not a "timed fill" washer, but if I turn the timer past the **FILL** portion, it will dry agitate.</blockquote> Reason for this is to allow washing with a less-than-full fill on a single-level machine, although the rinse (and Perm Press cool down) will be full.

 

[hippiedoll]

washdaddy/rick:
ah! thank you for letting me know about the lever on the back of the washer and how it works to make the wheels come down and go back inside the cabinet. the seller didn't know that it had wheels or anything. he had some guy, that was there, look under the cabinet to see if there was any wheels. and the guy told him there was wheels in the cabinet. but they didn't know how to get the wheels down/out from the cabinet.

dadoes:
thank you for chiming in & giving the explanation of why the machine would agitate with no water in the tub. that totally makes sense why the agitation would work like that!!! very cool to know that you can actually make this washer a multi-water level for different load sizes.

this is starting to sound like a machine that would be fun to have a figure out!!! thank you's to everybody who is replying. i am really leaning towards getting this machine. i may lend it to my aunt, who is using the hoover twin tub right now, to make washing a little easier on her. although as of right now, i have another "portable" lined up to take her (the one i originally gave to my dad).

we'll see how this works out....

thank you again everybody!!!

;o)