Thread Number: 36728
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Post# 546473   9/29/2011 at 16:03 (4,589 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Hello,

This is my first post, and I would like to ask 2 questions about bendix machines;

1 I was reading a site, it says the Fully automatic machine came into play in 1947, so what was the 1937 model, semi-automatic?

2 Where are the dial on the model S?




Post# 546478 , Reply# 1   9/29/2011 at 16:38 (4,589 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Bendix had their fully automatic washer displayed at state fairs in 1937. Their popularity and reputation soared before WW II halted production for domestic sales and shifted to wartime needs. After the war ended, production resumed.

Bendix did offer a semi-automatic model, a more economical option for some buyers who were able to still do their washing "without hands touching water". The deluxe model had controls on the center-top of the cabinet while the economy automatic and semi-automatic had controls in the same location but without the full cabinet of the deluxe model.

This is an ad from 1947 celebrating the 3 millionth (?) washer built, the earlier deluxe machines looked similar but without the gold trims.

Post# 546479 , Reply# 2   9/29/2011 at 16:46 (4,589 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Tell me If I am wrong, but from what I gathered the Round model is the cut down version?

Post# 546487 , Reply# 3   9/29/2011 at 19:19 (4,589 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

Bendix called the rounded tank model the "Standard" machine. It was available as both automatic and semi automatic and was the model used in commercial and institutional applications. The semi-automatic model came with a special fill hose which had an adapter on one end that fit into the soap opening for filling the washer. It also had a line on the door glass to show the proper water fill level. If you cared to modify the wash process to really make the cycle your own, you could probably get better results with the semi-automatic machine than with the automatic.

Post# 546492 , Reply# 4   9/29/2011 at 19:56 (4,589 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

This raises questions;

1 Can a semi-automatic be converted to fully automatic?

2 How much is one of these worth; standard semi-automatic, fully automatic and the full cased model?

3 Where do people find these machines?

Post# 546501 , Reply# 5   9/29/2011 at 21:03 (4,589 days old) by Northwesty (Renton, WA)        
united states

 I've got one if you want it...

Post# 546508 , Reply# 6   9/29/2011 at 21:17 (4,589 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Shot you an email Northwesty.

Post# 546527 , Reply# 7   9/29/2011 at 22:36 (4,589 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Oh, another question, what is the capacity; a set of king sheets, a fiberfill king sized blanket? How much is the correct loading amount?

Post# 546540 , Reply# 8   9/30/2011 at 00:32 (4,589 days old) by alr2903 (TN)        

Greg that is a beautiful Bendix ad you posted.  P.O.D.     alr2903
Post# 546571 , Reply# 9   9/30/2011 at 05:53 (4,588 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

The tub in these is the size of a large mixing bowl. You might pack a pair of king sheets into it, but it would not do much washing of them; one at a time is more like it with the pillow cases washed with the fitted bottom sheet. One of the reasons that these machines did not clean well was that the tub or drum is so small that it allowed little actual tumbling and had no room for actual movement of the individual items, WHEN LOADED TO CAPACITY. Even though they had to be bolted down, the spin speed is so slow that Consumer Reports stated that a wringer removed more water. At the time that was written, people who did laundry were very familiar with the amount of water a wringer left in fabrics. Bendix literature stated that the washer left the proper amount of moisture in fabrics so that, when hung out to dry, there was sufficient moisture to allow the sunlight to do natural bleaching of the laundry. I think that meant that the laundry would be on the line for most of the day. Be that as it may, the early Bendix machines were only only a slight step above the non-Bendix washer-dryer combinations at water extraction so you had a heavy load to carry out to the line and an expensive amount of moisture to evaporate in the dryer.

Post# 546587 , Reply# 10   9/30/2011 at 08:21 (4,588 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

How would a Bendix fare as a daily driver?

Post# 546597 , Reply# 11   9/30/2011 at 09:39 (4,588 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

It would probably aggravate you to the point where you would stop using it before it stopped working. If you are able to bolt it to the floor, it would be a fun toy, but given its less than stellar performance and small capacity, you will probably want something better for a daily driver. While its washing performance would no doubt be improved by today's HE detergents, the rinsing would still suffer and you would need something to do a better job of water extraction before drying. If you have any detergent allergies, the rinsing would definitely be a show stopper or itch starter.

Post# 546609 , Reply# 12   9/30/2011 at 11:05 (4,588 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Well, I'll try it. The worst that can happen is I get (Bad joke alert) Agitated. I don't have any allergies.

I do wonder though, If you put a faster motor in it, would it shake itself to pieces? (That was a joke)

But that one question does remain, can a Semi automatic be converted to fully automatic?

Post# 546610 , Reply# 13   9/30/2011 at 11:06 (4,588 days old) by Jitterbug ()        

Well, I'll try it. The worst that can happen is I get (Bad joke alert) Agitated. I don't have any allergies.

I do wonder though, If you put a faster motor in it, would it shake itself to pieces? (That was a joke)

But that one question does remain, can a Semi automatic be converted to fully automatic?

Post# 546657 , Reply# 14   9/30/2011 at 15:33 (4,588 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

In the case of the Bendix, probably not. If it was possible, you would need parts.


You would have to change the gears for spinning in the tranny to speed up the spin because just having the tranny turn faster would make the tumble speed too fast. Sometime after the war, Bendix did increase the spin speed some, but I don't know if that change was accompanied by a stronger frame.

Post# 546688 , Reply# 15   9/30/2011 at 19:40 (4,588 days old) by Gyromatic (St. Paul MN.)        
Change to an automatic

 It would be easy to change this machine to an automatic.Just put in a timer from any Bendix washer that uses a 2 speed transmission.The connections are easy.Wires only go to a few things,water valve,pump,motor,transmission.I do not know why you would even want to change it.It is a really neat machine.The automatic ones are not as rare as the one you have.You are lucky to have it.Keep it original.

Post# 546706 , Reply# 16   9/30/2011 at 22:08 (4,588 days old) by Tomturbomatic (Beltsville, MD)        

You would also need the float and switch for the automatic water level, if the float chamber is even in the SA machine.

That gold plated Bendix is on display in the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.


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