Thread Number: 46158
Thor Automagic Washing Machine & Dishwasher (1955) |
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Post# 674382   4/21/2013 at 11:12 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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I had a call last year from a gentleman in the midlands who had this Thor Automagic washing machine, it had been in his family since new and he remembered it when visiting his gran, at christmas it was his job as a child with his dad to lift out the washtub and drop in the dishwasher attachment, the one day of the year he could remember the dishwasher being used -
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Post# 674384 , Reply# 1   4/21/2013 at 11:17 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674386 , Reply# 2   4/21/2013 at 11:21 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674390 , Reply# 3   4/21/2013 at 11:45 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674392 , Reply# 4   4/21/2013 at 11:47 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674393 , Reply# 5   4/21/2013 at 11:49 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674394 , Reply# 6   4/21/2013 at 11:50 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674395 , Reply# 7   4/21/2013 at 11:53 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674396 , Reply# 8   4/21/2013 at 11:54 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674397 , Reply# 9   4/21/2013 at 11:54 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674398 , Reply# 10   4/21/2013 at 11:55 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674399 , Reply# 11   4/21/2013 at 11:56 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674401 , Reply# 12   4/21/2013 at 11:59 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674402 , Reply# 13   4/21/2013 at 11:59 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674403 , Reply# 14   4/21/2013 at 12:01 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674404 , Reply# 15   4/21/2013 at 12:02 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674405 , Reply# 16   4/21/2013 at 12:03 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674406 , Reply# 17   4/21/2013 at 12:04 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674407 , Reply# 18   4/21/2013 at 12:06 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674408 , Reply# 19   4/21/2013 at 12:07 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674409 , Reply# 20   4/21/2013 at 12:08 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674410 , Reply# 21   4/21/2013 at 12:10 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674411 , Reply# 22   4/21/2013 at 12:11 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674412 , Reply# 23   4/21/2013 at 12:15 (4,015 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Post# 674414 , Reply# 24   4/21/2013 at 12:16 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674415 , Reply# 25   4/21/2013 at 12:17 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674416 , Reply# 26   4/21/2013 at 12:18 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674417 , Reply# 27   4/21/2013 at 12:22 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674419 , Reply# 28   4/21/2013 at 12:23 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674420 , Reply# 29   4/21/2013 at 12:27 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674421 , Reply# 30   4/21/2013 at 12:28 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674422 , Reply# 31   4/21/2013 at 12:29 (4,015 days old) by RevvinKevin (Tinseltown - Shakey Town - La-La Land)   |   | |
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Post# 674423 , Reply# 32   4/21/2013 at 12:30 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674424 , Reply# 33   4/21/2013 at 12:31 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674425 , Reply# 34   4/21/2013 at 12:32 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674426 , Reply# 35   4/21/2013 at 12:34 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674427 , Reply# 36   4/21/2013 at 12:35 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674428 , Reply# 37   4/21/2013 at 12:38 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Kevin, yes you will enjoy the brit gang was-in, and a mega thanks to all who worked on the Thor, offering solutions straight out the box, with Mathew and Austin being repair guys it helps with all the wisdom needed on getting some of these oldies back into action, but you know that I`m sure!!
Cheers, Mike |
Post# 674435 , Reply# 38   4/21/2013 at 13:10 (4,015 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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How white the whites are even without your usual boil-wash :'D
Loved the shots of the water spinning out of the holes, so intimate and satisfying. Drooling for cowpie snap, no matter what the filling LOL (meat pie, a family fav.) Loved the pouffy poodle looking so chief inspectoresque in the yard. Nice to see Jack again, still lookin' good five years later. Love the shot of your " beautiful blue vitreous enamel tub!!" in # 35 & farther up. Happy Sunday to you and the lads and many thanks for a lovely Photo-story and movie to accompany to my own "Pims O'clock" time Best of luck on the Dishwasher Venture to come. And a great big Yankee Hello & Hug to you and all. |
Post# 674438 , Reply# 39   4/21/2013 at 13:20 (4,015 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hey Mike, when I edited that water spinning out the holes I knew that would get ya!!, yes 5 years since riding in the red!!
Will have to confess the "whites" where courtesy of the now working Hoover keymatic on a boil wash...ha ha Yes meat and tata pie with carrots and onions, served with roasted potatoes peas and gravy!! This was from last year am so behind in my editing so getting sorted, next one is the F & P Gentle Annie top loader from Aus.... Cheers for now, Mike |
Post# 674439 , Reply# 40   4/21/2013 at 13:31 (4,015 days old) by bradross (New Westminster, BC., Canada)   |   | |
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Hey Mike...like Kevin said earlier, great that another vintage machine has been given a second life!
How is the "roll-over" on that machine? The vanes on the agitator look so shallow. We had a Thor wringer washer in the early '60s (it was a model from the '30s) and it had a similar agitator. Wish I could have been there for the party as well! |
Post# 674442 , Reply# 41   4/21/2013 at 13:45 (4,015 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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Indeed you did. No one's ever gotten that close for so long on the fabulous hole-hurl shots. Dazzling. Thanks.
I thought they looked a little too white without a boil LOL. Your dish....Mmmm....mmmmm. Meat pie is big in our family with whole pearl onions, and then for overkill, mince pie for dessert. Totally British Isles. Couple times a year. Next time, I tell them cowpie snap is the proper term, straight from the Queen Mum's lips to Chestermikes's ear. They'll go, "Oh My My. How famous!" Can't wait to see what you do with the F&P. Watched a few vids theother day. Really cool machines. Crazy agitation. I think John is planning to have the museum and an international washin in soon. For us half-century plusers, that means about two years. Will you and jack be coming over then? Nice chattin' with ya, Off on the bike now. We got Sunshine today! |
Post# 674456 , Reply# 42   4/21/2013 at 14:50 (4,015 days old) by keymatic (London / UK)   |   | |
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Hi Mike...Nice machine and welcome to the Thor club !! Mine is stuck at my parents, and all being in "Kitchen" condition :( one-day i may get to the somewhere where i can use it.
Did yours come with the original lid with the glass porthole ? That blue tub is from the later 244 model with pedals, the grey speckled one was the original. Welcome done on reviving it !! Cheers Keith |
Post# 674481 , Reply# 43   4/21/2013 at 16:14 (4,015 days old) by kenmore58 (Rhode Island)   |   | |
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Post# 674596 , Reply# 44   4/22/2013 at 05:58 (4,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Bradd, thanks, yes the roll over in this load was fine in the wash a little slower in the rinse, but it was 2 king size duvet covers so we where pushing it a bit, having looked at Austins and Rons videos they have good roll over with smaller items, I bet with the vanes wider at the top it would go some! - But for its day over a wringer it must have been a housewifes dream!!
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Post# 674597 , Reply# 45   4/22/2013 at 05:59 (4,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674598 , Reply# 46   4/22/2013 at 06:01 (4,014 days old) by ozzie908 (Lincoln UK)   |   | |
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Post# 674599 , Reply# 47   4/22/2013 at 06:05 (4,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Keith, yes it was a great joint effort to get it working, now this year will see it at the renovation spa and the galvanising (or would chroming work?) done and filmed.
Its such a simple design and very quiet in operation, belt squeaks a bit but hey, it looks to be original!! So are you saying the tub is not original? to this model? Catch up with you at Al`s soon we hope!! |
Post# 674610 , Reply# 48   4/22/2013 at 08:58 (4,014 days old) by mattywashboy (Perth, Western Australia)   |   | |
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Looks great guys, always loved the idea of the Thor Automagics :-)
Nice to see the australian detergents are still around :-) Ill be back in the UK in July and August. Must pop down to the bag wash to wash me smalls lol Any requests for any australian detergent do let me know :-) Hope to catch up with you guys when im in the UK :-) Matt x |
Post# 674623 , Reply# 49   4/22/2013 at 10:46 (4,014 days old) by keymatic (London / UK)   |   | |
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Hi Mike,
Oooo cant wait to see that!! that will be fab, I had the skirt sprayed on mine but the enamel tub part was ok, also had the lid done and new glass made. No the tub is from the later machine (model 244) with pedals, the tub for this model should be grey & white speckled..I was had put the blue tub in mine, think it looked nicer :) Yep, hope we can catch up soon..will be fun. Keith |
Post# 674662 , Reply# 50   4/22/2013 at 13:56 (4,014 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Keith, this must be a changeover model as checked with the owner and he said its the same tub....it is a lovely shade of blue, it is missing the lid although it had a replacement one for the dishwasher that fitted perfectly...
Hello Ron, many thanks for the offer of the manuals on pdf, they are fascinating machines, so simple and quiet in action, yours look great in the videos, nice and shiny inside. Was very intreaged to see how the dishwasher worked with the spinning tray and the back and forth spray arms.....you can see how the water wouldnt be cross contaminated etc.. Hey Matty, yes looking forward to catching up with you again, let us know when you are arriving and we will work out dates for a few wash-ins!! Stick a box of Omo in your case, no need to ship, we`ve got plenty here for you to use!! |
Post# 674666 , Reply# 51   4/22/2013 at 14:20 (4,014 days old) by electron1100 (England)   |   | |
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Mike yerr kept this quiet, yah buggah!, what a happy thread to see everyone enjoying themselves and also what a machine!!!! and what a repair!!! Christ that looks so well built, and its wash action everything is amazing......that is one ace piece of kit to own and now use, well done to the tek team for sorting it out great thinking from Mssrs Bogdit an Leggit Ltd.
Thanks for a great thread matey Gary |
Post# 674667 , Reply# 52   4/22/2013 at 14:21 (4,014 days old) by hotpoint95622 (Powys)   |   | |
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Post# 674682 , Reply# 53   4/22/2013 at 14:50 (4,014 days old) by keymatic (London / UK)   |   | |
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Hi Mike,
Yeah must have been when they crossed over from the model 244 to the 260. The machine i have was bought in 1956. The model 260 was launched in about 1958. If I had the space the 260H would be one of my first choices in washers, large load, overflow rinse, sudz saving facility. Did yours come with the hose and a sudz plug ? Will be good to catch up..K :) |
Post# 674895 , Reply# 56   4/23/2013 at 07:10 (4,013 days old) by turquoisedude (.)   |   | |
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Post# 674949 , Reply# 57   4/23/2013 at 12:15 (4,013 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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Custard. mmmmm, but a memory struggled to get through, not custard, but something something something, and finally it came: Ahhh HARD SAUCE on plum pudding at Christmas, made by "Ed"--that's what he insisted we call him--my grandfather. It was so good and our first intro to a bit of the "drop, " in this case rum. It was so damn good.
Mikey, perception is so weird. I watched those two duvets struggle, and it seemd to me that during the overflow rinse, which you made us beg for--oh is it coming, is he going to overflow, oh please, YES, and unless it joy was clouding my vision, I could have sworn the turnover got better as the water rose to max. An air pocket or two, sure, but there seemed to be greater movement. I'll have to watch it again with some hard sauce. ;'D You and the docs were so creative to improvise "with a Hoover Quattro large diameter sump hose, a yogurt carton and some plastic ties!!" Fie on waiting for ebay! Again, a major work WITH dinner, and the pie crust as pretty as the Thor. Thanks. |
Post# 674954 , Reply# 58   4/23/2013 at 12:34 (4,013 days old) by retromania (Anderson, South Carolina)   |   | |
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Looks like it's very gentle on clothes... |
Post# 675100 , Reply# 59   4/24/2013 at 05:01 (4,012 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Morning Gary - soz I thought you knew, it was last july, me and Bob had to lift it onto his Discovery 4 tailgate, never again...its a great mechanical design and I could imagine in a laundry you could get through quite a lot with good results, yes the Messrs Leggitt did a sterling diagnosis thesis!!
Hello Lee, yes the dishwasher attachment is something in action, I couldnt work it out until I had studied and seen it working, you dont need a lot of water, just enough to form a stream and stay on the sides of the spinning pan - and enough to fly into the venturi tubes, rather like the Servis Powerglide pump action. |
Post# 675101 , Reply# 60   4/24/2013 at 05:08 (4,012 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Keith, the waste and fill pipes where on but turned to dust they where thay brittle, for testing we put an "Ooovahh" pipe and a modern cold fill, have just found a "North West Hoses" outlet which makes all sorts of retro hoses and prpbably use a Grolsch stopper when finished at the spa..
Is that the 260H in the picture? how des yours compare to your later Parnall SpinWash? Hello Rex, I bet there have been a few abandoned in their time they are a brute to move... Hi Jerry, how long did it last in your family? was it used a a sudz saver and multiple loads washed in it? |
Post# 675103 , Reply# 61   4/24/2013 at 05:16 (4,012 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Paul, yes when you need a fix its amazing what you can come up with, like the saying goes, never throw anything out...ha ha although it will significantly increase storage space!!
Hi Andy, yes its fair to say its not a shredmore!! But I suppose in its day it was a housewifes boom, especially the sudz save and the spinning!! |
Post# 675128 , Reply# 63   4/24/2013 at 08:08 (4,012 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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What a great find - and the dishwasher parts, too! I've seen them run at Ross' and Rich & Chuck's in MA two years ago when they first found theirs and got it running.
How does the suds-water saving work on these? I didn't know that was an option. I spoke with Ross in Tucson the other day and he's looking for a home for two of these Thor washers. One needs some work and the second could be used for the first machine as a parts-donor. |
Post# 675220 , Reply# 65   4/24/2013 at 15:48 (4,012 days old) by jetcone (Schenectady-Home of Calrods,Monitor Tops,Toroid Transformers)   |   | |
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That is one BOSS THOR! I love that blue tub wahoo!!
And will you make that Cowpie when you come!!!!! Was that video of the dishwash your machine or another's and have you gotten your machine dishwashing? I had one of these MOONS ago but it didn't have the dish attachment with it. I think I gave it away. NEat find- HEY HELLO JON too,nice to see you! jon & artey |
Post# 676175 , Reply# 67   4/29/2013 at 02:15 (4,007 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Jerry, did you ever get to use the family Thor yourself or under supervision? would certainly have been a boom over a wringer and rinse tubs.
Hi Greg, as its a solid washtub and the pump is constantly running, it has a ball stopper on the end of the outlet hose, so when washing the stopper is over the end of the hose and closed, if you want to "Sudz Save" keep the stopper over the drain hose and spin the wash water out of the clothes into the outer tub, after spinning take out the washed clothes then add more dirty washing, then place the drain pipe over the inner tub, open the stopper and it will pump all the water back into the tub, close the stopper and repeat until you need to rinse....we improvised with a wine cork until we can source a more original hose and stopper. |
Post# 676177 , Reply# 68   4/29/2013 at 02:27 (4,007 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Hi Paul, yes lots more work to be done but was great to get it functioning, that spin throw is something coming out of the tub, would love to see Keith`s later version the Parnall Spin Washer, working and in action - after understanding how these work (Oh cue Keith!!)
John, yes cowpie on the menu!!, and the blue tub gleams, even more now after a de-scale, the dishwasher video wasnt ours, I was showing the action, I`m sure its Rich`s - where you there? |
Post# 676178 , Reply# 69   4/29/2013 at 02:39 (4,007 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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