BLACKSTONERS: Fred, Ben, et. al.--a near miracle

Then central column of my Blackstone has been seized for a long time. Fred gave me a few pointers, but I failed in each attempt. Then today, when I wiped down the garage gallery, I opened the lid of the 350S and tried the spider again. The spider is the six-legged gear on a cylinder that oscillates all the time, yanking itself down for agitation and up for everything else. Today after months of seizure, IT TURNED. I couldn't believe it. How did it ever un-seize?

So tonight after dinner, I got underneath and put on the new belt I've been saving, fired her up only to have the belt pop off after seconds of operation before re-seizing. Tried again, she worked for a few more seconds, seize, belt pops again. Six times of plugging and unplugging the cord, fighting with the belt caught between pulleys, pulling the spider up, trying everything, finally SHE HELD, and after much burning rubber smell, the belt found its groove and rhythm.

So I filled 'er up with hot water, and away she went doing all her wonderful tricks: the giant dial advancing with its inch long clicks every two minutes, the insane agitation, the tub lift-off for the drain. I can't express how delighted I was. But the spin is barely there. Maybe by Sunday after the warm-up and when I get back here, she'll spin.

Any ideas or insight on how to achieve spin would be greatly appreciated.

Understand, I am not a gifted mechanic, and I take my hat off in admiration every day to those of you who are. Tonight I felt like one. My hands were black, I needed a brush to clean under my nails, and my right forearm is scraped underneath. I just couldn't go to bed without sharing this. Maybe, it was Bob's generous email pic of the Easy Combo and Darren's enlightening phone call that brought me great Aworg luck. I am so happy. Here's an old pic of the old gal in her wild turbulent glory.

What a great club full of wonderful people.
I feel so fortunate to belong to it.


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Post# 434991 5/12/2010 at 23:19 (5,096 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes Then central column of my Blackstone has been seized for a long time. Fred gave me a few pointers, but I failed in each attempt. Then today, when I wiped down the garage gallery, I opened the lid of the 350S and tried the spider again. The spider is the six-legged gear on a cylinder that oscillates all the time, yanking itself down for agitation and up for everything else. Today after months of seizure, IT TURNED. I couldn't believe it. How did it ever un-seize? So tonight after dinner, I got underneath and put on the new belt I've been saving, fired her up only to have the belt pop off after seconds of operation before re-seizing. Tried again, she worked for a few more seconds, seize, belt pops again. Six times of plugging and unplugging the cord, fighting with the belt caught between pulleys, pulling the spider up, trying everything, finally SHE HELD, and after much burning rubber smell, the belt found its groove and rhythm. So I filled 'er up with hot water, and away she went doing all her wonderful tricks: the giant dial advancing with its inch long clicks every two minutes, the insane agitation, the tub lift-off for the drain. I can't express how delighted I was. But the spin is barely there. Maybe by Sunday after the warm-up and when I get back here, she'll spin. Any ideas or insight on how to achieve spin would be greatly appreciated. Understand, I am not a gifted mechanic, and I take my hat off in admiration every day to those of you who are. Tonight I felt like one. My hands were black, I needed a brush to clean under my nails, and my right forearm is scraped underneath. I just couldn't go to bed without sharing this. Maybe, it was Bob's generous email pic of the Easy Combo and Darren's enlightening phone call that brought me great Aworg luck. I am so happy. Here's an old pic of the old gal in her wild turbulent glory. What a great club full of wonderful people. I feel so fortunate to belong to it.

Post# 434994 , Reply# 1 5/12/2010 at 23:23 (5,096 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *Good Night, Fred* Good Night, Blackstone

Post# 435066 , Reply# 2 5/13/2010 at 10:42 (5,096 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *They say that insanity is* doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Always had trouble with that saying. I must have tried that belt many more than six times. Six is probably when I lost count. I kept doing the same thing and getting the same result but expecting a different one. Whoever authored that saying never worked on washing machines. ;-O Still can't believe that frozen stubborn sucker came loose.

Post# 435070 , Reply# 3 5/13/2010 at 11:33 (5,096 days old) by rp2813 (Sannazay)
Checkrate/Likes Never give up! What appears to be a lost cause may not be. You proved it! Congratulations!

Post# 435078 , Reply# 4 5/13/2010 at 12:19 (5,096 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)
Checkrate/Likes *"burning rubber smell" .... "spin is barely ther* Maybe the brake pads or clutch? Along with the definition of insanity, don't forget Murphy's Law!

Post# 435086 , Reply# 5 5/13/2010 at 12:52 (5,096 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *Obama's here! --only an hour and he already stopped at D* Fred, your assignments are going to be the death of me LOL or the CURE. Ralph, you made me think of the Titanic and I smiled about Rose and that Dude... got it... Jack! I will never give up!

Post# 435179 , Reply# 6 5/13/2010 at 21:04 (5,095 days old) by wiskybill (Canton, Ohio)
Checkrate/Likes *stuck things...* Mike My older brother was here from Arizona for a visit for Mother's Day. This brother is ALL about cars. Conversations about other things always end back at cars. It's a good thing that we get along. Anyway, one of his tips for loosening all things stuck is this formula, 50% acetone and 50% auto transmission fluid Now, living in Arizona, he doesn't often encounter a rusted bolt, but he claims this will work better than anything else he's tried.

Post# 435207 , Reply# 7 5/13/2010 at 22:51 (5,095 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *Thanks Bill-- I remember the grand time we had in Canton at* Tempted though I am, I better ask Fred before I go throwing chemicals at the main Cylinder in the Blackstone. Surrounded by a giant corkscrew spring, it looks like it might become airborne with just the right fuel and fumes. ;'D Nice to hear from you; hope you're fine and dandy.

Post# 435381 , Reply# 8 5/15/2010 at 00:15 (5,094 days old) by Supersuds (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Checkrate/Likes It would be so great to get another Blackstone working. We NEED these machines. I think there's a kindhearted gremlin somewhere sneaking in to help loosen things up. ;)

Post# 435454 , Reply# 9 5/15/2010 at 11:50 (5,094 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *I hear you Super Suds* They are amazing washing machines. Every thing's smooth except for the spin, thanks to the gremlin ; ) and I'm so tempted to try Whiskeybill"s moonshine--mix it up in a spray bottle and shoot the cylinder-- but I'll wait to hear from Fred.

Post# 438067 , Reply# 10 5/28/2010 at 14:44 (5,081 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *I did it....but Holy Haysus* acetone is nasty. I did my measuring in a paper cup and it DISSOLVED right thru the bottom of the cup. Thought I was seeing things. Or, OH! it must be a bad cup, so i tried it agiain. Oops, not the cup! Luckily, I did my moonshine outside, finally using a plastic third cup measure. Waited for the garage to get nice and humid. Picked up the acid on my bike ride. Sprayed the cylinder, after concocting. Now to finish the bike ride and wait, hope, pray, as I go on with the day, until this evening when the Blackstone dial moves to "15 WASH." Pretty excited. Please keep your suds hoses crossed for me.

Post# 438116 , Reply# 11 5/28/2010 at 22:37 (5,080 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)
Checkrate/Likes *Shucks! ~ Still no spin* but thanks to Bill's brother's cocktail, it's as smooth, easy, and quiet as a yo-yo. So, thank you, Bill. I'll use it as a permanent press, drip-dry, no spin, etc, machine until I figure out how to make it spin. I'll probably have to go to the Maryland Washer Clinic, the only place I know with Blackstone parts. When is the next opening?

Post# 438204 , Reply# 12 5/29/2010 at 08:27 (5,080 days old) by wiskybill (Canton, Ohio)
Checkrate/Likes *My bad....* Hey Mike, should've warned you about acetone. I'ts a very potent solvent. My brother said it works by getting into(or through) almost everything and carrying the lubricant with it and then the acetone evaporates. Not sure but I would guess that you need to be careful with it around seals and gaskets. I used it recently on some parts on a Frigidaire 1-18 that I recently saved from the crusher. A local member, Multicycle, to whom I am indebted for his generousity, helped me get it running. It was missing it's spin clutch and he had saved one from a machine he had scrapped. I'm sending good vibes your way in hopes that your Blackstone will spin again as it is meant to. I don't know anything about the mechanics, but really like the machine. Bill