well, it's not an A806 but......

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hippiedoll

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Feb 12, 2013
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arizona
it's definitely the next best thing to one. i just bought an A608. i drove a total of 6 hours (round trip) to pick up this A806. it isn't one of the funky fun colors, it's just white. but it is in very good condition. the buttons look brand new, there's no pitting to the chrome trimming, it feels so slick & smooth when you rub your finger on the chrome. and there is no where to the bottom half of the control panel's "sunglow" trim coloring. the tub seems to be in very good condition too. the agitator was kinda dirty but the good news is that after doing a "test run" to check for leaks & to make sure that it agitated & spinned, i did manage to pull the agitator off. it wasn't real easy to pull up but it wasn't as tough as the A208 that i have. the lint filter was pretty bad though. i managed to scrub what was on the surface of the lint filter off. now the little tiny holes are what is "clogged". i've been scrubbing with a denture's toothbrush, cuz of the hard bristles. and i have the lint filter soaking in some white vinegar to see if that will soften the hardened clogging of the filter holes.

the story:
the seller had posted this maytag washer on craigslist at the beginning of june. and i text messaged them and asked them questions about the washer. and from i got, they said that they bought it used about a year ago. and that because they had a washer already, they let their neighbor use it. and when the neighbor moved out, they took the washer back and that it was sitting in their garage. and since they already have a washer, they didn't need this one.

so, i asked them if there was any problems with it, like leaks or anything. they said that they didn't think it had any leaks and that it was working the last time it was used by their neighbor. and that the only thing it needed was to be balanced to the floor.

i felt kinda iffy about it, so, i just left it at that, and was hoping that maybe i would find an A806 instead. well, after not being able to score an A806, and looking and looking on craigslist and sending emails and text messages to sellers and not finding an A806 or even at this point, an A608, i remembered about the seller that i was texting with.

i thought about it and i went through my phone and found the text messages. and i thought "for sure, they must have already sold it by now. the way things are going, i DOUBT they are still going to have this A608." and i thought, well, it won't hurt to call & ask? all they can say is "yes or no". so, i called the phone number i had been texting with. and there was no answer. so, i decided to send a text message and i said that i had tried to call but didn't get no answer and that i was the one that had texted about the old maytag washer that they were selling. and that i was wondering if they still had the washer and if it was still for sale.

after about 15 minutes, i got a text back. and they said yes they still had it. and i let them know that i had my cousin in town that could go with me to pick it up. and i confirmed that the price was $40 and they said yes, and asked me when i would be able to go pick it up. and i told them i wanted to go the next day.

i asked for a picture of the washtub and they sent it to me, it looked pretty clean. and they texted me:
"just remember it is old. is in good condition but i had a man decline because it was too old for him."
i told them, i don't care that it is old what is important to me is that it works.

when we got there, i talked a little bit with the lady. she said that the neighbor was using the washer and when he moved out, her & her husband took the washer back and that it had been sitting in the garage, and they weren't using it since they had a washer & dryer that was working. and she said that there was that one man that was interested in it but when she sent him a picture on the phone, he didn't want it anymore cus "oh no that thing is too old". and she said that nobody else called about it or anything. and she thought that they were never going to sell it. so, she called her dad and told him that nobody was buying the washer and if he wanted to come pick it up and take it to the scrapyard to get some money for it, to come and get it. she said that he had just started a new job so he didn't have time to come & pick it up. but that he was planning to come & take it.

so, it's a good thing that i decided to "try" to get a hold of them again, to see if they still had the maytag washer for sale!!!

i forgot to mention that when me & my cousin were unloading the A608, i was wheeling the dolley with the washer on it, to the tailgate of the truck and my cousin was going to "guide" it down to the ground. well, the wheel jerked the dolley forward but the washer didn't move and the dolley pulled my hand and fingers under the washer and my fingers got squeezed under the weight of the washer, against the dolley. my fingers hurt so bad, i really felt like crying. and today, they are so sore. my middle finger's nail is 1/2 dark purple and i have spots of dark purple on my ring finger's nail. and when i flip my palms up, you can see the tips of my middle finer & ringer finger have bruising.
but i finally have my extra large capacity, vintage, center-dial, maytag washer!!!
and according to the serial numbers, it was made in march of 1979. my 208 was made in march of 1978. so, i guess you could say that i really "upgraded" to a newer, larger model.
hm hm hm.....

here are a few pictures i took:

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_1.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_2.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_3.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_4.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_5.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_6.jpg

hippiedoll-2014062904404402032_7.jpg
 
Very Nice!

I've been following your posts for a while, and must admit you've been busy!

 

This is a nice example. I assume its functioning more or less 100%?

 

Tip for the lint-filter: You might try something like white vinegar to try and dissolve the stuff while scrubbing (not too hard!) - probably hard water deposits and lint all clumping together to make a nice bristly formation in the filter. 

If you're feeling adventurous, then maybe some CLR will help - but thats a pretty harsh chemical, and probably isn't good for an older machine. 

 

However - if you use the machine regularly with good, hot washes and some nice detergents at reasonable dosages (Plus STPP for posterity!), you may find this clears itself up gradually over time. 
 
Wonderful story!

That's a great story Christina! I've enjoyed your posts, especially your enthusiasm for your favorite machines. I'm so glad that you got something that you wanted, and glad too that an "old washer that nobody wanted" could make someone so happy.

Good luck with it!!

What are you going to do with the 208 now?

Gordon
 
 

Christina what we do for and bad fingers and all for our washers.

I hope the feel better.

Very nice Maytag washer !

Now you have a manual one and a automatic yaaa.

I saw a center dial the other day at a second hand store here in Germentown Ave in Philly, for 125.00 but its gone .

They have another but not a center dial.

I did get a pictures of them.

I hope you have a great time and get it as healthy as possable ..nothing like the strong sturdy sounds of a Maytag.

Best to you!

Darren k
 
Now that's a great washer!

 

 

Congratulations Christina! Aren't Maytags awesome?
smiley-laughing.gif
 
Christina-

Congratulations on a great score! Sorry to hear about your poor fingers and hand. Hopefully they will heal quickly. May you get many many years of happy service from your new toy.

ENJOY!!!!!!

Rick
 
 
Ohh, I overlooked the detail about smashed fingers.  :-(

I get damage of some ilk every time I work on a machine ... usually a couple cuts or nicks at minimum.

Your new find looks like quite a winner from the pics.  :-)
 
YAY!

Congratulations, Christina!  This is a great find indeed, can't wait to see more.  And you've just earned your first 'battle scars' from the move too... Those are bragging rights for later acquisitions.. LOL 

 

Enjoy your new treasure!!
 
THANKS FOR SHARING CHRISTINA....

I too have seen your posts and appreciate
your enthusiasm and support you show other
members. I'm glad you got your Very Cool
center dial Maytag (they are my favorite,
in the earlier models:)

Good Luck, and Enjoy.

RE: Purple under the nail. This just
happened to my friend. If you're feeling
pressure under the nail, a nurse we know said
to, heat up a paper clip and put a hole in
the nail to relieve the pressure. It will
release the blood, and will feel much better.
My friend said it worked like a charm.

Hope it heals quickly.

Best Washes,

Louis
 
I'd be perfectly happy with that machine.   It can hold and do anything an 806 can, except mixing & matching wash & spin speeds.  For an outdoor application, I think a machine without a lighted panel is the better way to go, too.

 

Congratulations!  Well worth the trip and the mishap with your finger.  I'm looking forward to reading about (and maybe seeing and hearing?) how it performs for you.

 

Ralph
 
update....

hi all!!!

thank you so much for your replies, congratulations, & good luck wishes.

as you can probably already guess, i was pretty busy yesterday, with my newest toy. i got the lint filter pretty clean. there are a few holes still plugged up. but it is waaaay better than it was before!! and i also moved the 208 out from it's spot and in went the 608 to replace it. and of course, i ran it's first (for me) washload, one of the big furry blankets. and BOY, what a difference the "extra large" capacity makes!!!!

when i washed that blanket in the 208, there was movement, even if it wasn't much. i would say that in the 208, the blanket might have made about 3 complete rollovers, during the 10 minute wash cycle. and i noticed there was little extra water surrounding the blanket, when the washtub was full. the blanket seemed to soak it up and plus, there wasn't much room in the washtub after i got that blanket in there.

but in the 608, that big furry blanket looked like a mermaid swimming around in all that soapy water!!! and of course, i took pictures ;o)

the 608 washed & spun with no problems but i did notice something when i opened up the front panel 2 days ago....
i should of taken some pictures but when i did the "test-run" to make sure that the 608 worked & had no leaks, i was pretty excited to get it back together and wheeled into the house.
i'm not sure what they are called (i'm thinking damper pads?) but it was thin, what looked like padding, on the baseplate, around the stem that comes up the middle through to the agitator. it looked like the pad was moved out of place and the part that was sitting on it had cut into it. maybe it had been running like this for a while??? i will try to take some pictures real soon, so that i can share with you all. i am just going by what i remember.

but for now, all seems to be working good with the 608. but one thing that i did notice is the spray stream. it seems to be coming into the washtub in a different direction compared to the 208??? i took a picture of that too.
the spray, is coming from the same place as the 208 (about the 10 o'clock position) but the direction of the spray in the 608 sprays towards "12 o'clock" and the 208 sprayed towards "9 o'clock". is this "normal"? or could something be wrong??

here are pictures that i've taken....

hippiedoll-2014063014085504323_1.jpg
 
more pics....

the first pic was of the agitator shaft, after i scrubbed that up. not the cleanest but way better than it was.

and the other pictures are of the lint filter and the first wash i did with the big furry blanket

and the last picture is showing the direction of the spray coming when it was filling to rinse...

hippiedoll-2014063014290601438_1.jpg

hippiedoll-2014063014290601438_2.jpg

hippiedoll-2014063014290601438_3.jpg

hippiedoll-2014063014290601438_4.jpg

hippiedoll-2014063014290601438_5.jpg
 
reply to washer111....

thank you :o)

yes, the 608 seems to be functioning at 100%.
and i did soak the lint filter in the white vinegar overnight. at first, i was kinda nervous cuz i didn't want the vinegar to damage the lint filter or anything. but then i thought about it and remembered, "vinegar comes in plastic jugs"!!!
LOL.....

so i soaked the lint filter over night and gave it a good scrubbing with the denture toothbrush. and to clear the little holes, i wiggled the denture toothbrush over the holes as i applied pressure, to push the bristles into the individual holes. and that actually helped me clear out alot of that built up, stuck in, hardened lint & gunk. yes it did take patience but i think i was alot quicker than trying to clear out each hole individually. and i'm pretty happy with how clean the lint filter turned out.

i do have a question for you though....
in your post you say: " if you use the machine regularly with good, hot washes and some nice detergents at reasonable dosages (Plus STPP for posterity!), you may find this clears itself up gradually over time. "

what is "STPP"???
 
sorry about your fingers....we have all been there, cussing up a storm when it happens...they will heal in time, but at that moment.....DAYUM it hurts!

lint filter seemed to clean up real nice...a lot of times I take a power washer to them, works wonders....even if you have to spend 2.00 at the car wash for the power spray....

as for the fill flume, you would have to lift the top, not sure what hookup they have in there, or if it was replaced at one time.....that looks like the fill stream and direction of a model from the late 60's.....one I prefer in fact...

water level, for the blanket, was that ExLarge?....if so, it seemed to low, and you can adjust that up to take full advantage of that larger tub...

Congrats just the same.....good things come to those who wait....and you waited long enough....enjoy!.....keep the pics coming
 

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