Thread Number: 16162
Maytag Portable washer |
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Post# 269356   3/13/2008 at 01:36 (5,859 days old) by qsd-dan (West)   |   | |
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Never seen one of these oddball machines. What year is this?
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Post# 269362 , Reply# 1   3/13/2008 at 02:19 (5,859 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Was the twin tub battle fought in the United States. IIRC Maytag stopped production before Hoover, but both are still found often enough at estate sales, fleaBay, etc. Maytag's claim to fame was that it had dual propellers that reversed, which supposedly cut down on the tangling which Hoovers and all twin tub washers were famous for. Maytag never had a stainless wash tub however, and IIRC the spin speed of their extractor basket is slightly less rpms than Hoovers. L. |
Post# 269383 , Reply# 2   3/13/2008 at 07:32 (5,859 days old) by countryguy (Astorville, ON, Canada)   |   | |
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Post# 269401 , Reply# 3   3/13/2008 at 09:22 (5,859 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)   |   | |
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Post# 269411 , Reply# 4   3/13/2008 at 10:02 (5,859 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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Post# 269575 , Reply# 6   3/14/2008 at 09:39 (5,858 days old) by laundromat (Hilo, Hawaii)   |   | |
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Post# 269624 , Reply# 8   3/14/2008 at 15:28 (5,857 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)   |   | |
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You're right on, Geoff - intro'd in 68-69 and they ended production in '83. I was always surprised they carried them that long. I have one of the washers now and have had several of the dryers over the years. Maytag made these themselves, they weren't sourced from anyone. Very high quality, but as with all twin-tub washers, you were very immersed in the laundering process! It's fun to use now and then - even if only just for reinvigorating the joys of automatic washing! |
Post# 269746 , Reply# 10   3/15/2008 at 12:31 (5,856 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Twin tubs are fun, but a person has to get one's self worked up to using the thing, especially if used to modern automatic washing machines. For loads of small items they're probably fine to whiz though a vast amount of laundry. Larger items like tons of sheets and such are another matter. It also helps if one is not to picky about "rinsing" totally clean, especially if too much detergent was used. Many of us with modern front loaders that rinse several times until the water is clear, probably go nuts with seeing suds in the rinse water after one or two spin rinses, meaning the thing must be done again and again until clean rinses appear. This of course slows down the convoy from wash tub, to rinse/extractor to clothesline or dryer. If twin tubs ever came back in a big way,would like to see the commercial Unimac units. Agitators mean no tangled mess, even if loosing some capacity, and center post spray rinses give better results automatically than hosing down. L. |
Post# 270013 , Reply# 12   3/16/2008 at 14:45 (5,855 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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According to my vintage Hoover service and repair manual (covers all Hoover appliances), the main cause of tangling is running wash cycles longer than "Heavy", that is resetting the wash timer to do more than one wash for the same load. Manual strongly recommends just the four minute (Heavy) wash cycle, period. One has to remember back when twin tubs and wringer washing machines ruled, detergents with enzymes either didn't exist or were just being introduced. There were enzyme pre-soaks like "Biz", but that was pretty much about it. Enzymes take awhile to work, hence the long wash cycles of today. Though this can be worked around by tinkering with the enzymes and other parts of the detergent formula. Now, using a plain ole strong detergent of old, especially one packed with STPP, would give one great washing results in a very short time. Especially if hot water and LCB were used. L. |
Post# 270038 , Reply# 13   3/16/2008 at 17:15 (5,855 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)   |   | |
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Oh my word how could you say that!!!!, Lovely machine, the Maytag does tangle slightly less than the Hoover!!after all they where nicknamed "The TangleMatics"...the thing I wasnt prepared for on the Maytag twinny was the spin brake 2,000rpm to stop in what...0.1 secs I think...that BANG...heck nearly passed out from shock when I first used mine!!! The only Twinnys that didnt tangle where the Hotpoint, Servis & Speed Queen which used the agitator action....bring back the agi twinny I say!!! Grab this machine, its worth it, Mike |
Post# 270240 , Reply# 14   3/17/2008 at 01:34 (5,855 days old) by launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)   |   | |
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Have found if my Hoover was loaded properly, and wash times not overly long, tangling is not that much of a problem on most loads. If items are whipping about at a good clip in the wash water, one should be fine. It is when the mass stops you know there is trouble brewing. Agiator tubs are fine, but they cut down on already small capacity. Have not compared the wash tub of the Unimac twin tub to say a Hoover, to see if there is a difference. |
Post# 270372 , Reply# 16   3/17/2008 at 18:16 (5,854 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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Here are my tricks. Don't know if they mimic Greg's & Geoff's First you have to bypass the spin can safety switch. The old fashioned clothes pin works great; you just break one prong off and jam the other one into the slot. Of course you must practice a bit since the lid switch and spin can activation are one and the same. The the garden hose with the spray nozzle attached works great for spray rinsing. With high pressure, aiming, and nozzle adjustments (fine spray/harsh spray, etc. you can achieve some really nice rinsing results. If you get sudsed or want to drain without spinning, here's my favorite secret trick: the spin can yields very willingly to your thumb and fore finger. Yes if you grab the can, as soon as you engage the switch (clothes pin;'D), the spinner stays stationary and drains wonderfully without any locking, and then you keeps spraying with the garden hose. These are unusual tricks, but that's me and I'm sorry to be so free and open about my washoholism. Once you see how easily and gently the spinner yields to human touch, you'll have no fear. For my friends who worry, I have not tried to stop the spinner at full speed!!! |
Post# 270379 , Reply# 18   3/17/2008 at 18:35 (5,854 days old) by mickeyd (Hamburg NY)   |   | |
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