Thread Number: 15251
Hamilton Washers & Dryers 		[Down to Last]

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Post# 257123   1/1/2008 at 14:54 (5,953 days old) by 3-ring ()        

Happy New Year everyone. I've read plenty of posts here but have never read anything about Hamilton washers and dryers. My grandmother had a set in the late 50's early 60's that I remember. Don't know how old they were at the time (it was an automatic washer though), and have never heard of them since. Anyone have any information they can share? Thanks!!




Post# 257124 , Reply# 1   1/1/2008 at 15:18 (5,953 days old) by goatfarmer (South Bend, home of Champions)        

goatfarmer's profile picture
Hamilton's were built in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

Post# 257128 , Reply# 2   1/1/2008 at 16:51 (5,953 days old) by tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Phil, There has been a lot of discussion of Hamiltons in the past, but more about the dryers than the washers. I guess it was a benefit of growing up in the North that you had experience with a brand not everyone saw. If you search the AW.org archives and check out the consumer magazine articles in the AW library, maybe you will find some of the information you want. Some of us have early Hamilton dryers. The Hamilton washers appeared much later and, for the first years, were built by Norge. Unfortunately, because of distribution and the fact that Hamilton marketed only washers and dryers, they were rarely seen in the South and then mostly it was the gas dryers sold by the gas companies. The only pair I ever saw was in 1954 or 55 in a neighbor's basement when we lived between Ottawa, and Streator, IL. Her SQ wringer washer died and she bought the pair. We were invited to see them and I still remember the pinky-purple light inside as the towels tumbled past the window. They were very well built dryers and were almost silent in operation. Hamilton's "Carrier Current" method of drying produced very soft results, matched only by some other very early dryers, many of which either borrowed heavily on Hamilton's design or were built by Hamilton. With the "Carrier Current," the majority of the air that was drawn into the dryer did not pass through the load. While some of it was drawn up and over the heating source, the larger part moved under the drum where it drew the heavier, cooler, steam-laden air out of the drying chamber while letting the fabrics tumble in the steamy air higher in the drying chamber. There is something about the fabrics giving up their moisture in steam rather than in dry air that produces this effect, but I do not know why. With towels, it might be that the tips of the terry cloth do not dry out faster than the rest of the towel since they would all be in a decreasingly steamy atmosphere until they were all dry. In the Frigidaire Filtrator dryers, it is easy to see the path of the air in the Hamilton design, although in the Filtrator, the incoming air is pulled across the Filtrator cartridge, an air-cooled condenser, as it travels across the bottom of the cabinet. The water dryers made by Hotpoint, Maytag and, briefly, by Westinghouse and the no vent electric washer-dryer combinations which used cold water condensing in the drying process produced similar results, but they generally took more time than the Hamilton to dry a load.

The "Carrier Current" drying process required a perforated drum and an outer tub or enclosure inside the dryer cabinet. As dryer technology moved forward, non-perforated dryer drums took over and allowed dryers to become lighter, cheaper to build, use less steel, sell for less and operate at lower temperatures which became increasingly important as synthetic fabrics began to replace or be blended with cottons.


Post# 257140 , Reply# 3   1/1/2008 at 18:26 (5,953 days old) by northwesty (Renton, WA)        

I had one and at one time there were three for sale at the same time on Craigslist here, all in working order and all about 60 years old. Amazing you really could not get the things to quit, only bad thing was mine vented out the front.

Post# 257155 , Reply# 4   1/1/2008 at 20:40 (5,953 days old) by 3-ring ()        

Thank You guys for your response - Phil

Post# 261792 , Reply# 5   1/26/2008 at 15:42 (5,928 days old) by trainguy (Key West, FL)        
Here's A Newer Hamilton Washer

 trainguy's profile picture
in beautiful Harvest Gold!

Post# 261793 , Reply# 6   1/26/2008 at 15:43 (5,928 days old) by trainguy (Key West, FL)        

trainguy's profile picture
interior shot

Post# 261802 , Reply# 7   1/26/2008 at 17:07 (5,928 days old) by timonator ()        
Harvest Gold!!!

 You SURELY must be saving this for Jimmy LOL

Post# 261806 , Reply# 8   1/26/2008 at 18:37 (5,928 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

STRANGE BUT TRUE! Actually Tim, Rich is saving that for me!

Post# 261810 , Reply# 9   1/26/2008 at 18:59 (5,928 days old) by timonator ()        
Oh My!

 You must have "other" Plans for it Tell me your NOT..going to make it into something else! lol I cannot imagine a GOLD appliance in your house!

Post# 261812 , Reply# 10   1/26/2008 at 19:04 (5,928 days old) by filterflo (Chicago Area)        

I guess Im slipping Tim.........Perhaps there is something to this "HarvestGold" color after all! NOT!!!! But it is a Hamilton which Ive wanted for years, and there is always the ability to change the color! Now let me see, where DID I put that paint roller?


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