Thread Number: 72195
/ Tag: Wringer Washers
the thor 32 h axis by way of Ohio to N.Y!!! is here!!! |
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Post# 954708 , Reply# 1   8/26/2017 at 20:46 (2,406 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Just this week; wondering whatever happened.....
Now that one has the answer to that question am happy that you finally nabbed a long desired appliance. Have wanted a Thor "cylinder" washer for ages as well, but never could find one in half way decent condition. Closest one has come is a vintage catalog and price list (circa 1925) from Hurley Machine Company for "Thor Washers, Ironers & Vacuum Cleaners". Your model is "Thor #32 - Cylinder Type Electric Washer". Even early as 1925 Thor realized and marketed these machines as "The Reversing Cylinder Principle is the time-proved *CORRECT* method of washing clothes *clean without wear*". Again commercial/industrial laundries in North America, Europe and pretty much world over long had (as they still do today) used H-axis washers. But there you had things operated by "steam" power (that drove machinery which powered belts/pulleys), and or had powerful enough electric motors to run the things. As for construction reason why the lid has not rusted is because it was made from stamped zinc. Body/cabinet of washer sadly was made from steel (16 gauge), which explains all that rust. Inner tub is copper which explains why it hasn't rusted and the various "green" coloring you see. As for the cylinder it was made from a patented substance Hurley Company called "Luminoid". Fact it hasn't rusted and given what one knows and or has seen of other vintage laundry appliances am going with it is made from some sort of Aluminum. Copper though expensive will not rust and is largely immune to harsh alkaline substances which is a good thing given the salts/soda, soaps and other chemicals used for washing in early part of last century. Same can be said of aluminum, though it is harmed by acids. Do *NOT* use any modern cleaner or polish on the cylinder without testing in a small area first. Made that mistake with my Simplex ironer only to have an instant darkening/blackening because the part was aluminum and reacted with the acid pH polish. Not having the wringer/mangle is no huge loss IMHO. Just use the machine as commercial laundries did until the 1950's (or later in some instances); that is for washing and rinsing. Once all that is done move wet wash to an extractor to spin dry. As for the cabinet sadly you have your work cut out for you. The rust must go otherwise it will continue eating away at metal. Maytag company leased or allowed dealers/repair persons to have an entire kit that included special machines that applied spray paint and or buffed/sanded. That however was for *after* rust was removed. To get at that stuff they suggested sand blasting or putting the outer cabinet into a tank of caustic chemicals. If neither was available there was always sanding, sanding and more sanding by hand. The copper will clean up well with any standard copper polish or cleaner. Same for the cylinder. Here is what the machines looked like when new, and have also included a thread we had awhile back on these machines. CLICK HERE TO GO TO Launderess's LINK
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Post# 954712 , Reply# 2   8/26/2017 at 20:54 (2,406 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Post# 955725 , Reply# 5   9/2/2017 at 10:04 (2,399 days old) by dryclean1 (Walton, NY)   |   | |
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so sorry that went on there twice. MY internet service is arhcain here. |
Post# 955726 , Reply# 6   9/2/2017 at 10:05 (2,399 days old) by dryclean1 (Walton, NY)   |   | |
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so sorry that went on there twice. MY internet service is arhcain here. |
Post# 955772 , Reply# 7   9/2/2017 at 16:41 (2,399 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Sorry, but the Thor booklet one has only speaks to capacity rated in number of "sheets or equivalent".
However being as that may eight to ten pounds(more or less) was the capacity of most domestic washing machines early in last century, so would assume your Thor is along that line. Being an "H-axis" washer it will hold more than say one with a central beater. Of course king sized beds were not invented in early part of last century. So "ten sheets..." likely refers to "Twin" or "Full". Glad you have the wringer, what do the rollers look like? You can probably keep an eye out on fleaPay or elsewhere for NOS rollers, but you'd have to make sure they were the correct size. Know you are in the laundry business, so won't try to tell you what is what; but have always felt that capacity measure in pounds is not accurate for washing machines. My Miele or AEG will hold about eleven pounds of washing, but try to fit that much bed linen into the tub; you can't. Depending upon the material and size two to three sheets and several pillow slips is about the limit. This post was last edited 09/02/2017 at 18:00 |
Post# 956555 , Reply# 10   9/7/2017 at 16:36 (2,394 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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USA, that is the models like Thor, Apex, Locomotive, etc... This would have been until Bendix reintroduced the principle with their models.
Can say with Thor/Hurley do not see any sales/marketing information after 1940's for their cylinder/H-axis washing machines. By then the company had a full compliment of standard wringer washers. By the 1940's (or was it 1950's) Thor had their famous "automagic" almost fully automatic washing machine, you know the one that could also be used as a dishwasher. One thing that would have likely downgraded Thor h-axis washing machines by the 1940's was their lack of a pump. Housewives were beginning to demand an easier way to get water out of machine rather than buckets or floor drains. Commercial laundries would not get h-axis washers that could extract/spin until the 1950's. At least industrial laundries had extractors. Housewives in the 1940's and 1950's still largely were stuck with wringers. |