vacuumguy99
Well-known member
I'm looking at this machine and think it's a kenmore but want to know if anyone can give me anymore information on it. Thanks!
What is this Washer?
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mayken4now
Well-known member
A Norge?
oldskool
Well-known member
Kenmore
I think. Have one that looks just like it. Says "Visimatic" across the push bar to release the wringer.
I think. Have one that looks just like it. Says "Visimatic" across the push bar to release the wringer.
I like the easy chair by the washer with the shift lever right at arm's height. The wringer looks like a WP design.
e2l-arry
Well-known member
It is a WP design. In those days Whirlpool made ALL Kenmores. Automatics and Wringers so this is one or the other.
vacuumguy99
Well-known member
If it is a Kenmore..
How well do they wash? Are they gentle on clothes and how much water does the tub hold? Any tips and tricks to get the best performance? Thanks
How well do they wash? Are they gentle on clothes and how much water does the tub hold? Any tips and tricks to get the best performance? Thanks
Depending on which model it is, since the front is not visible to tell, it may have a 2 speed motor, lint filter and roto swirl agitator. My '48 Kenmore washes just fine. Closer look, it does have a lint filter in the top of the tub.[this post was last edited: 1/14/2017-16:59]
bobbi
Well-known member
I have a Whirlpool wringer washer. It only has one speed, and it is pretty aggressive and has no lint filter. I'd much prefer a two speed version with a lint filter. Looks like a nice machine from what we can see. Please post more pics if you get it.
Most certainly a Whirlpool (built for Kenmore) machine
But without model number would be nearly impossible to tell features.
WP produced two speed wringer washers for both their own and Kenmore brand.
Going by the chrome wringer head and drain hose am going with it is a late 1960's "Visimatic" like the one shown here: http://www.instappraisal.com/appraisal/lady-kenmore-wringer-washer-1967
IIRC Kenmore was the second best selling conventional/wringer washer brand in the USA after Maytag. Speed Queen was second however much probably depended upon what was on offer from local dealers. The others such as ABC, Dexter, Philco, Philco-Dexter, rounded out the rest of sales.
By the 1960's the market for wringer washers was pretty much dominated by Maytag, Kenmore/Whirlpool, and SQ as they really were the only large players remaining IIRC.
The chrome head wringers were TOL for Kenmore's Visimatic wringers of the 1960's. You got two speeds for both the wringer *and* agitator. Kenmore's claim to fame with the open top wringer (Visimatic) was that it was the most safe such washer on the market at that time. In theory you were able to stop bunching and things being gathered/roll over the wringer before things got out of hand.
All this was important because by the 1960's Consumer Reports and others had ratcheted up their game calling for the demise of *all* wringer washers as patently unsafe and downright dangerous. While CR seems to have tolerated wringer washers in previous decades when automatics were expensive and or difficult to find, by the 1960's they obviously felt there was no longer any excuse to own such things.
But without model number would be nearly impossible to tell features.
WP produced two speed wringer washers for both their own and Kenmore brand.
Going by the chrome wringer head and drain hose am going with it is a late 1960's "Visimatic" like the one shown here: http://www.instappraisal.com/appraisal/lady-kenmore-wringer-washer-1967
IIRC Kenmore was the second best selling conventional/wringer washer brand in the USA after Maytag. Speed Queen was second however much probably depended upon what was on offer from local dealers. The others such as ABC, Dexter, Philco, Philco-Dexter, rounded out the rest of sales.
By the 1960's the market for wringer washers was pretty much dominated by Maytag, Kenmore/Whirlpool, and SQ as they really were the only large players remaining IIRC.
The chrome head wringers were TOL for Kenmore's Visimatic wringers of the 1960's. You got two speeds for both the wringer *and* agitator. Kenmore's claim to fame with the open top wringer (Visimatic) was that it was the most safe such washer on the market at that time. In theory you were able to stop bunching and things being gathered/roll over the wringer before things got out of hand.
All this was important because by the 1960's Consumer Reports and others had ratcheted up their game calling for the demise of *all* wringer washers as patently unsafe and downright dangerous. While CR seems to have tolerated wringer washers in previous decades when automatics were expensive and or difficult to find, by the 1960's they obviously felt there was no longer any excuse to own such things.
brucelucenta
Well-known member
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I think ya'll are nuts! Why would anyone want to use a wringer washer in the first place? Lots of extra work.
Well it is a free country, you are entitled to your opinion
But calling collectors or others "nuts" for their preference does seem a bit harsh. But am going to go with you meant this as a tongue and cheek response, not literally......
Wringer washers do offer many benefits over top loading and or even H-axis automatics.
They are the only washing machines besides twin tubs that I would seriously consider doing any sort of laundry with pure soap. Wringer washers also handle large bulky items like blankets or quilts quite well.
But calling collectors or others "nuts" for their preference does seem a bit harsh. But am going to go with you meant this as a tongue and cheek response, not literally......
Wringer washers do offer many benefits over top loading and or even H-axis automatics.
They are the only washing machines besides twin tubs that I would seriously consider doing any sort of laundry with pure soap. Wringer washers also handle large bulky items like blankets or quilts quite well.
Its fun to play with and regress back to our childhood Bruce, as my mother had a similar, but not quite the equivilent of this pre-Lady Kenmore I have now. Its not my everyday go to washer but something to relax and go back to when life was so much better. I can get a full load started and hung on the line in less than a half hour if I want, but heck, I'll watch it washing again after restarting the timer. Relaxing to watch that '48 Kenmore of mine.
vacuumguy99
Well-known member
It's a Lady Kenmore!
Two speed motor,timer,pump, lint filter
. Unfortunately the drain hose was dry rotted so I put a new gooseneck drain hose on and my pump doesn't seem to work but just from the few minutes under the machine switching hoses it looks like a pretty simple part to pull out and look over.
Two speed motor,timer,pump, lint filter
. Unfortunately the drain hose was dry rotted so I put a new gooseneck drain hose on and my pump doesn't seem to work but just from the few minutes under the machine switching hoses it looks like a pretty simple part to pull out and look over.
You can dowload service manual for Whirlpool wringers
From the library, and from there find information regarding troubleshooting and or repair/replacement of pump. Downloaded a copy and it is a treasure trove of information.
If you are lucky the pump is just seized up from disuse and or caked up with solids such as dried detergent/soap residue along with lint and hard water minerals. If so taking it apart and giving a good cleaning should solve the problem.
Try filling the tub part way with hottest water possible (boiling would be good), and let it sit for a bit. That could help loosen things up a bit.
From the library, and from there find information regarding troubleshooting and or repair/replacement of pump. Downloaded a copy and it is a treasure trove of information.
If you are lucky the pump is just seized up from disuse and or caked up with solids such as dried detergent/soap residue along with lint and hard water minerals. If so taking it apart and giving a good cleaning should solve the problem.
Try filling the tub part way with hottest water possible (boiling would be good), and let it sit for a bit. That could help loosen things up a bit.
vacuumguy99
Well-known member
I might just have to look into getting a copy of the manual, right now I can gravity drain the tub but hopefully I can get the pump running because I was going to try to make a grey water system so I could use phosphates and not turn the local lake into a swamp lol
I dont know about that year Kenmore, but my '48's pump problem was a rubber friction wheel that disintegrated after all these years so when you switched it to drain, it could not engage, it was gravity drain or not. Thanks to a Canadian member with a similar model that had the same problem that fixed it using a vacuum belt and ran like new again.
vacuumguy99
Well-known member
I'm also having trouble getting the wringer to work in both directions when it's off you can feel it engage in the working direction but there is no resistance on the other direction, when it's running the broken direction does give a little kick back on the lever like when you try to engage the agitator too slowly. Any ideas what it could be?
