Warning: A spin dryer went from abuse hell into heaven in this real life story. If you find it hard to read about destroyed/abused machines dont read. PS: no, i wasnt destroying the spin dryer.
I was looking through some pictures i have taken with my old camera. Not digital at all, instead a manually forwarded one. Then my eyes fell on a picture i had taken in 1998, where you see an really really old lightblue spin dryer. The pic is seen after all text.
I then remembered the memorie of what happened to that spin dryer and felt i should tell it here. Even if it was a sad dryer on the end.
Anyway, here it goes.
In 1996 i moved from my parents to an own apartment. I found a very cheap one that was about 12 minutes drive away from my parents. So i rented an apartment there and began my first year alone. I t was actually quite a big apartment so i was happy.
This was an old building. I think it was build in 1955 or so and in my apartment i had a really old refrigiator from early 60īs or late 50īs. It did work perfect to my luck.
All things was included in the rent (water, energy). In the basement there was a old washing machine room. I had an old machine in my apartment. It was an Matura.
One day in 1998 i had ALOT of laundry. I was in love with a girl and i did her laundry (she couldnt do laundry herself, always mistakes with bra stuck in machines, coins in drum etc). So down i go into the basement and into the laundry room.
There i met my next door neighbour that said goodluck. The last thing she said was that you needed to check the balance in the spin dryer VERY carefully and NEVER put your foot on the brake before you turn it off.
Oh, well i thought. No problemo. In this old laundry room there was this spin dryer. 2 old Wascator machines and one big tumble dryer. Then in one other room there was a line hang up (dont know whats called in english really).
These Wascator machines was from early 70īs or late 60īs. They seemed to work fine. I started both and went up to my apartment. one hour later approx i came down and both machines were finished. Only they spin very bad so it was good idea using the spin dryer first before drying them.
I put the clothes from the first machine in the spin dryer very carefully, making sure there would be perfect balance, closing the top, turning it on.
It started very slowly and was making odd noises. When it had speed up some more, the whole spin dryer began to shake. The sound level was acceptable still, but it increased for every rpm. I thought it was ok to go and empty the other washer while the spin dryer was spinning.
I maked my way to the second washing machine while hearing the spin working its way into a frenzy back there. Suddenly i hear this BAM-BAM-BAM. I turn around and see the spin dryer walking around on the floor. It really jumps around on the floor. I decide its a good idea sitting on it so it wont run around the room by itself.
When i,m trying to get up on the top i accidently kick the brake pedal. Big mistake. Apparently its very sensetive and the machine tries to brake while getting the speed up. The noises become underable to stand and i jump and and cuts of the power.
"the hell", i hear from someone coming into the basement. He gets into the laundry room and just stares at me with bewilderment eyes. I,m trying to explain that the spin dryer is making that much noise he just heard.
Then of course he tries to be the doing-it-itself man and tries to make the spin dryer sound less. He make it powerless and begin screw at the motor and in that location. I waits for him and ask several times if he knows what he is doing. "Yes, i know exactly what i,m doing", is the replie i get.
After a while he says its done. No problem to spin now and a little quiter. Great i think and remove the first load of clothes from it and load the next to be spinned. I checked one extra time if the load was balanced. Turning on the power.
Now it starts even more slower than before. The strange sound i heard the first time is gone. Then suddenly another strange sound appaers. It sounds like "Muvuvuv" or similar. I eybrowse the person who helped me with it. He nods and smiles.
It gets higher in speed but the sound gets also higher with every minute and speed. Just like the first time it starts to shake like theres no tomorrow. I,m thinking again of sitting myself on it.
Then suddenly sparks starts flying from like everywhere and smoke starts billowing from the motor. Quicker than you can say cheese and smile, i,m turning off the power and begin search for anything to put out a fire. The person who helped says only one thing "Ooopps".
Just like the troubles are not over this day, the landlord comes down to check exactly what is making that noise he just heard and why most of the power has gone in the house. He smells the burn smell and come into the laundry room, angry as he can be.
"You are not suppossed to use the spin dryer. Its not working!", he screams at me and the person beside me. I mention there is no mesage on it saying its broken. Then he gets into a frenzy screaming about that and that. Whatever i say. Dont blame ME.
I then him that tell the person beside me helped fixing it. He calms down some and ask just what he did. The person (Egon) tells he fixed the motor and thats that. It was to old to work properly.
The landlord then remove the spin dryer and take it to his "working" room. The power is on again and i countiniue my wash. Some hours later the landlord calls me and ask why i let Egon try fix the spin dryer. It appared he destroyed it totally.
I didnt know what to say about it, so i let the landlord take contact with Egon and solved it between them two.
Not much more happened about this and i belive neither Egon or the landlord remebers it if you dont bring it up again.
I kinda wish you would have heard that godawful sound from it, but maybe then, maybe not.
Comes to the Rescue!
