Thread Number: 33559
Is this 1st whirlpool dishwasher?
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Post# 504886   3/17/2011 at 23:57 (4,759 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        

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Photo from late 58!




Post# 504887 , Reply# 1   3/18/2011 at 00:01 (4,759 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
From older scan!

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does this DW match the above!

Post# 504888 , Reply# 2   3/18/2011 at 00:02 (4,759 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
does this DW match the above!

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next and last!

Post# 504894 , Reply# 3   3/18/2011 at 00:56 (4,759 days old) by bigalsf (Salt Lake City)        
Not the first

But very early in their offerings. This was one of their first spray arm models. I had this model many years ago. It had separate wash & drain pumps; the filtering system was a crude version of what you find in today's machines. It washed really well as long as it was loaded properly. Funny, they abandoned the separate pumps in favor of the combination pump, only to go back to that concept with today's models. The was pump was made by Gormann-Rupp and was very powerful. To operate the machine you "dialed" your cycle like a telephone! Very cool!

Post# 504897 , Reply# 4   3/18/2011 at 01:31 (4,759 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
Whirlpool

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My Aunt had a Early Whirlpool.

I believe it was a Bakelite Impeller Machine


Post# 504898 , Reply# 5   3/18/2011 at 01:32 (4,759 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        

This post has been removed by the member who posted it.



Post# 504961 , Reply# 6   3/18/2011 at 09:16 (4,759 days old) by bajaespuma (Connecticut)        
Pete! You are a hero!

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I've always wanted to see what these machines looked like. Thank you for posting this. The colors are over the top cool.


Post# 504983 , Reply# 7   3/18/2011 at 10:04 (4,759 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Actually, I have seen early WP DWs that were D&M machines.

The strangest-looking on the inside WP DW I ever saw was in a apartment building in Atlanta. Those of you who live or lived there will know it. The address is 130 26th St, NW and it has been a condo since sometime in the 70s. It was near I-75 and the porches had these very strange rectangular green sunscreens. This machine was was a model below the telephone dial TOL model. It used the GE bow-tie impeller and the bottom rack was the octagonal lower rack from the roll out tub GE models. What made it so weird looking was that, unlike other roll out bottom racks, this one had no rails around the rack. It was just open all around. If you wanted to put a baking pan or a skillet in on the side, you had to push the rack in and then place it there. You also had to remember to lift it out before you pulled the rack out or it would fall to the floor. The top rack was a WP with the rows of slanted pins. The racks were a dark bluish color, I think.


Post# 505075 , Reply# 8   3/18/2011 at 19:30 (4,758 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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tom, the dishwasher you described was the exact thing that was in the house next door (the other side had the LK combo & Frigidaire kitchen appliances).  The house's first owners didn't believe in using the dishwasher.  they sold it in 1966.  that family used the DW.  I got to run it a few times.  Was fascinated bgy it because the racks were so unusual.  Was obviously a different builder.  But had the O&M gas wall oven as ours as well ass the same 42" O&M gas cooktop, but instead of the griddle in the middle, it had something like a grill surface.  The fridge was a  gas Norge with ice maker.  Guess that as the fridge form when the house was in the parade of homes and most likely the same fridge that was in our house too for the sow because we had a gas outlet near the fridge.  I always thought it kinda strange the builder those the WP dishwasher instead of the O&M branded version of the Tappan Dual Drench which was what was in our house before we moved in.  That was yanked out and swapped with our old house as wel brought alonng the 1959/1960 Waste King. 


Post# 505096 , Reply# 9   3/18/2011 at 21:26 (4,758 days old) by A440 ()        

I just love the Whirlpool dishwasher with the "telephone dial" dial.

I have never seen on in person but have seen the old ads.

Has anyone every used one of these?  They look very well built.

Does anyone know what the wash arm was made of?  It almost looks cast iron in the picture.

Thanks Pete for the pictures.  Did you take these in person?

Brent


Post# 505102 , Reply# 10   3/18/2011 at 21:41 (4,758 days old) by appnut (TX)        

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Brent, I think the pic of the pale yellow WP appliances was one Toggles took when he was doing his job and encountered this apartment in his journeys. 


Post# 505107 , Reply# 11   3/18/2011 at 22:13 (4,758 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
1st whirlpool

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The 1st picture I got was from fliker. Yes the 2nd and 3rd were from another member that I had saved (maybe it was Toggles I cant remember) But I wish we could get more close ups of the control panel and the interior. This would be a great find for someone!

Post# 505130 , Reply# 12   3/19/2011 at 05:59 (4,758 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

The wash arm is Bakelite and tubular in shape. The friends who had the old APEX remodeled their kitchen and put in the telephone dial WP because it was highest rated in the CU dishwasher report. One night after nine of us had dinner, their three boys and my brother and I cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher. I got to poke my finger in the dial and give it the brief turn (less motion than dialing "1" on an old rotary dial pnone) to start the regular cycle. The machine was not reliable and was replaced by a KDS-16. They were kinda pissed about the WP needing a lot of service while the APEX had dependably done three loads a day for a decade. If they had bought a GE rollout, it probably would have given them much better service, but they wanted the best according to Consumer Reports.

Post# 505169 , Reply# 13   3/19/2011 at 10:02 (4,758 days old) by polkanut (Wausau, WI )        

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Paul "Turquoisedude" has a toploading RCA Whirlpool dw as his profile pic.  Is this machine basically a GE Mobile Maid knock-off?


Post# 505217 , Reply# 14   3/19/2011 at 16:46 (4,757 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

No, it's not. Early top loading WP DWs were made by D&M, especially the portables with the Bakelite impeller and ones in the early 60s seem at least partially sourced through D&M. Paul's machine has the detergent cups located in the same place as the Kenmore we have. WP put their Gorman-Rupp pump and wash arm in the machine, but there is stuff about it that looks D&M to me. I could be wrong, but D&M had a lot of the top loading portable DW manufacturing equipment and, like with that Westinghouse top loading portable that we had a picture of because someone was trying to sell it, manufacturers would supply their wash systems, trim, knobs and buttons. I think John said that all of the WH top loading portables were made by D&M. For their first top loading portable about 1959 or 60, WH supplied their own racks and timers and the Power Booster option for 140F washes, but D&M were sort of the "go to guys" for people who did not want to design a machine of their own. I don't know how much was involved in making the tubs and lids and whether it was cheaper to make them or buy them for what was a specialty machine as builtins all became drop door front opening.

Post# 505259 , Reply# 15   3/19/2011 at 19:55 (4,757 days old) by retromania (Anderson, South Carolina)        
Eddie...

...a Bakelite impeller. How well did those hold up?

Post# 505261 , Reply# 16   3/19/2011 at 20:49 (4,757 days old) by toploader55 (Massachusetts Sand Bar, Cape Cod)        
I was very young.

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My Grandparents came to her recue. Bought her a GE middle of the line. "Daily Wash and Rinse and Hold model. Like a KA Imperial Model. I guess it held up well, as we didn't stay in touch that often.


Post# 505276 , Reply# 17   3/19/2011 at 22:39 (4,757 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Most machines with a Bakelite impeller did not wash as well as machines with a metal impeller. The edges are not as hard and cannot be made as sharp to slice into and throw the water. Also food soils and detergents put small scratches in the surface of the plastic which over time leads to further dulling of the surfaces which have to move the water.

Post# 505317 , Reply# 18   3/20/2011 at 06:04 (4,757 days old) by retromania (Anderson, South Carolina)        

Bakelite was the beginning of the plastics craze I believe.  Like now.  The more stuff that could be made out of it the better.  Bakelite could withstand the high temps inside the washer.  I hate plastic for the most part!!!!!!!! 


Post# 505319 , Reply# 19   3/20/2011 at 06:20 (4,757 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Bakelite was the first thermosetting plastic. It did not soften at high temperatures. In the 1920s, it began to be used in jewelry. Because of its ability to withstand heat and the fact that it could be molded into almost any shape, it was used in the booming radio and electric clock industries for the cases that are highly prized by collectors today. Bakelite was the quality material for knobs for stoves and other appliances.

Post# 505375 , Reply# 20   3/20/2011 at 12:53 (4,756 days old) by retromania (Anderson, South Carolina)        

Yes.  Bakelite was useful any many product situations I guess. 



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