Thread Number: 372
Push Button Whirlpool AKA Lady Kenmore
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Post# 47736   10/25/2004 at 07:13 (7,095 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        

Hi Guys,

Look what I found on our Nightly crawl :) A TOL Whirlpool, magic Mix dispenser, Bleach and fabric softener and push button with variable water level :)

I'm thrilled to bits.

What years were the Pushbutton Lady K's made like this? Is this style of control panel early to mid 60's?

I havent powered it up yet, so who knows what'll happen, but although the position selector is cracked, the timer does rotate and stop when you turn the knob.

Unlike most AU whirlpools this lid opens to the back, so I'm assuming that they were being imported rather than manufactured here.





Post# 47737 , Reply# 1   10/25/2004 at 07:14 (7,095 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
Control Panel

Here is an up close of the control panel

Post# 47738 , Reply# 2   10/25/2004 at 07:15 (7,095 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
The Cycles

Sorry for the Flash

I dont know if the origional thermostat is in there, but the cycles show Hot Medium Warm and Cold Temps


Post# 47739 , Reply# 3   10/25/2004 at 07:16 (7,095 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
The Dispensers etc

Bleach, Fabric softener, and Magic Mix

Post# 47740 , Reply# 4   10/25/2004 at 07:17 (7,095 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
:)

As you can imagine, I'm totally thrilled to bits :)

Post# 47741 , Reply# 5   10/25/2004 at 07:58 (7,095 days old) by jasonl (Cookeville, TN)        

Hey very cool. I think those were mid-60s. Looks like it will need some work but hopefully it will clean up nicely.

Post# 47743 , Reply# 6   10/25/2004 at 08:01 (7,095 days old) by appnut (TX)        

appnut's profile picture
The agitator style is what's throwing me off. That style was used in 1958 and possibly 1959, no later than 1960 for TOL here. The control panel reminds me of the 1960-1961 washer down the street from me. A truely awesome fine!! Congratulations!!

Post# 47748 , Reply# 7   10/25/2004 at 08:32 (7,094 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

unimatic1140's profile picture
I agree with Bob, it looks like a machine from the early 60's. I think down under they used the early style agitator cap for quite a bit longer.

Post# 47750 , Reply# 8   10/25/2004 at 08:48 (7,094 days old) by frontaloadotmy (the cool gay realm)        
Thrilled to bits for you!!

Hi Nathan,
That Whirlpool looks pretty fancy to me. The ag does look Wp
50's style, but no doubt early sixties too. Early this summer
another member told me that ymi is part of the serial # on
Wp, maybe the same for exports?
Darrel


Post# 47758 , Reply# 9   10/25/2004 at 12:40 (7,094 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

dadoes's profile picture
It's kind of similiar to the 1964 Mark XII that was in John's warehouse. Very kewl!!

Post# 47759 , Reply# 10   10/25/2004 at 13:00 (7,094 days old) by CleanteamofNY ((Monroe, New York)        

cleanteamofny's profile picture
Great find Nathan!
What I find so fastinating about this washer is that the control has a slight overhang like the Maytag to look flush against the wall!

Have fun with your new toy....


Post# 47761 , Reply# 11   10/25/2004 at 13:07 (7,094 days old) by Unimatic1140 (Minneapolis)        

unimatic1140's profile picture
I just love the fact that is says in very large, fun 1950's style long-script "Push Button" on the left side of the control panel. Because you know how inconvenient dials are! LOL

Post# 47766 , Reply# 12   10/25/2004 at 14:05 (7,094 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
No Rust in the Tub at all

Morning guys,

Thanks for the comments so far, I was assuming early 60's as well. Repair guys that I've spoken to say that the black agitator was around until 63 or so. I dont think the agitator is bakelite its to black and shiney. So far I havent been able to find a model number on the machine, most of the AU whirlpools I've seen, the model was attached on a shiney silver sticker at the back. Because of the way the lid opens, I was thinking that this could be a direct import rather than an Australian Assembled machine.

It appears this was a genuine one old lady owner. I lifted the agitator out last night, and there is now soap scum or rust to be seen at all, the porcelin underneath the agitator is perfect. When you rearrange the dirt in the bowl, there arent any chips or rust spots to be seen. I guess they put the porceline on much heavier then.

The cabinet has some surface rust along the botton, and looking at it from underneath, there is surface rust at the top of the frame (if that makes sense)


Post# 47767 , Reply# 13   10/25/2004 at 14:10 (7,094 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
Removing the Top

Hi Guys,

I'd like to take the top off before I power it up to make sure the dispenser solinoids are attached connected and that there are no loose wires up top.

However I'm concerned about damaging the hose from the fabric/bleach dispenser to where it joins underneath.

Does anyone have any recomendations before I start, on how to lift the lid and disconnect the hoses from the Magic Mix, and Dispensers?


Post# 47768 , Reply# 14   10/25/2004 at 14:13 (7,094 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
Suds Save and Pump

The Machine has a metal suds diverter, with a huge fabric wrapped solenoid on top. Most whirlpools Ive seen by this stage have had the diverter valve bypassed as its usually sprung a leak.

The pump has been replaced with a modern 4 port plastic pump at some stage.

Hugs

Nathan


Post# 47773 , Reply# 15   10/25/2004 at 15:03 (7,094 days old) by gansky1 (Omaha, The Home of the TV Dinner!)        

gansky1's profile picture
Very cool - I love the font of the script in Automatic Washer (and Push-Button - too funny!)

Keep us posted on how it works - this is the most deluxe vintage Aus. washer I've seen pics of. Thanks for sharing them!


Post# 47776 , Reply# 16   10/25/2004 at 15:20 (7,094 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
No Power

I vaccumed the dirt outof the inside, it was mainly palm tree seeds, and plugged it in.

No Power. No Inlet Solenoid, no motor, just silence.

Tonight I'll start testing continuity, starting with the cord and see how I go.

I opened the control panel, the mechanisim for the push buttons in pretty amazing if not huge :) The timer thats in there has already been reconditioned once according to the sticker.

I lifted the front, but it doesnt seem to move very far before it runs out of room to move due to the hoses.


Post# 47983 , Reply# 17   10/28/2004 at 04:37 (7,092 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
Why No Power???

Hi Guys,

I've had the control panel off. Unlike any whirlpool I've worked on before, the front unscrews off the control panel case, rather than the back first.

The continuity on the Cord was fine, so I lifted the timer out to have a look.

Where the active wire goes into the timer, and about 2" away an active wire comes out, both of them appear to have either corroded or melted off the connectors that push onto the terminals ont he timer.

The continuity on the Timer is fine, no leaks and if the timer is on vs off continuity is there or not.

Hopefully the tiner is fine and its just oxidation over 40 years.

It could also have been due to water getting in there at some point. There is no seal on the bottom of the control panel, and the connectors on these two active wires when connected are about 5mm off the cabinet surface.

This weekend I'll take some pics of the timer and wiring and post. Then I'll get to see what happens.


Post# 47984 , Reply# 18   10/28/2004 at 05:02 (7,092 days old) by kenmore1978 ()        
no power

Check that the OOB switch has continuity. It's inserted into the neutral side of the line. If it dies (as mine did) there will be no action at all. When the switch is tripped, the neutral line is opened and a coil is put in series with it that only allows enough current to flow to keep the switch open and make it buzz. When mine failed, I could see where the contacts had gotten so hot that it melted the plastic case and trip arm

Post# 47987 , Reply# 19   10/28/2004 at 07:16 (7,092 days old) by Gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)        

Interesting arrangement! The console looks early 60's, the "Surgilator" agitator has the 50's agitator cap rather than the metal one sold on the US models of that vintage. The hinge of the lid is not like the US units (although it resembles the 50's Frigidaires)the hinge of US models having attachment at each rear side. The cap to the "Magic-Mix filters in the US were Metal and Glass in this vintage--- is the cap to your machine missing? It should be a fun machine, congratualtions on your find! -Steve

Post# 48029 , Reply# 20   10/28/2004 at 16:50 (7,091 days old) by scott55405 ()        

I have seen Sears washers from the early 1960s or so that have "Automatic Washer" on the control panel similar to this one. Very nice machine! There was a similar (RCA Whirlpool) one sold here in the states around 1964 or 1965.

Post# 48071 , Reply# 21   10/29/2004 at 01:32 (7,091 days old) by brisnat81 (Brisbane Australia)        
Magic Mix Cap

Hi Gyrofoam,

The Magic mix cap is there, it was just out of the machine so it didnt get lost/broken in the move.

Its a solid chrome surround with a glass insert. Most of the bristles still point down, and it was nice and clean, unlike some of the newer ones I've seen.


Post# 48082 , Reply# 22   10/29/2004 at 06:57 (7,091 days old) by Gyrafoam (Wytheville, VA)        

That is really a nice find. It was so kool to see in action and the little glass window on the "magic-mix" cap just added to the action! But, keep an old fork handy to clean the damn thing, those bristles can be a real pain---for sure don't let the lint dry on them! Have fun! -Steve

Post# 48103 , Reply# 23   10/29/2004 at 12:12 (7,090 days old) by maytagbear (N.E. Ohio)        
Lint filter

My mother had a very similar machine, and she (later I) used a fine toothed comb to comb out the filter.

She used the dispenser part of the filter a few times, mostly to humour me, I think. One time, she used Cheer instead of Tide, and I liked seeing the blue Cheer and water mix.

Ours had the metal cap for the Surgilator, and didn't have a softener dispenser. Did have a bleach dispenser, though.

It was a fun machine, but I am so glad my current Maytag has the "self cleaning" filter.

Did all the little boys in the appliance ads grow up to be members here???!!!

Good luck, Nathan!


Love and laughter

Lawrence/Maytagbear



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