Thread Number: 79308  /  Tag: Vintage Automatic Washers
Shed update: progress to date: nearly finished
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Post# 1032372   5/11/2019 at 08:14 (1,783 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        

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Hi guys,

 

I've been working hard getting the shed to a point where it's nearly finished.

 

Some more decoration and placement of advertising material and it'll be finished. 

 

Enjoy the pics.

 

Cheers

Leon


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 12         View Full Size



Post# 1032375 , Reply# 1   5/11/2019 at 08:48 (1,783 days old) by gizmo (Victoria, Australia)        

Hi Leon

that looks amazing!

In photo 8, there is a machine with a low spashback and a knob each side of the lid at the back. I think it is a Kelvinator? Does it have that strange splashy wash action? (There is a name for the wash action but I can't remember it...)

I had a friend in high school whose family had one of those, would have been mid to late 1970s. It was replaced with a Hoover 455 front loader. I think the Kelvinator was a semi auto, one knob to select wash or spin and one knob for the clockwork timer. Is that what this is?

I see you have some Mistral Gyro-Aire fans on the high shelf. You know not to plug them in, don't you?


Post# 1032380 , Reply# 2   5/11/2019 at 10:07 (1,783 days old) by Blackstone (Springfield, Massachusetts)        
Harvest Gold

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In photo #9, that has to be the yellowish Harvest Gold machine that I have ever seen, although it's been quite a while since I've seen a Harvest Gold in person. Blackstone Harvest Gold was not as intense of a color.

Great looking display!


Post# 1032383 , Reply# 3   5/11/2019 at 11:11 (1,783 days old) by golittlesport (California)        

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Hi Leon!

A shed? That looks more like a palace!! Awesome collection and I love your fans on the top shelf!!

Cheers!


Post# 1032387 , Reply# 4   5/11/2019 at 14:29 (1,783 days old) by Joe_in_philly (Philadelphia, PA, USA)        

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Congratulations, it looks fantastic! You have an awesome collection!

Post# 1032389 , Reply# 5   5/11/2019 at 14:48 (1,783 days old) by hippiedoll ( arizona )        
WOWZERS!!

hippiedoll's profile picture
It's coming together nicely and looks GRRRRRRREAT!
:o)


Post# 1032393 , Reply# 6   5/11/2019 at 16:35 (1,783 days old) by mit634 (Sydney)        

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Hi Leon,

Absolutely tremendous !

The signs, advertising, small appliances and vintage advertising all make it not look like a shed but rather a really captivating space. Your hard work is worth the effort.

I love the Mistral Gyro-Aire fans. We had two of them when I was young. I believe they were an award-winning design in their time, and then I remember the scandal when they started causing house fires. The advice if you had one was to smash it before disposing of it so it would be unusable in case someone found it and decided to use it. I occasionally used to find them smashed up and put out for the roadside council clean-up. Despite the danger, I have a soft spot for those fans.

Anyway, awesome work. Congratulations !

Tim



Post# 1032395 , Reply# 7   5/11/2019 at 17:03 (1,783 days old) by DaveAMKrayoGuy (Oak Park, MI)        
Show and telll me (More!)

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What about the Maytag A906 that I see? (It's in Avicado, as well as another washer I can't make out the make of) --Turn it ON!!!!



-- Dave




Post# 1032397 , Reply# 8   5/11/2019 at 17:19 (1,783 days old) by PassatDoc (Orange County, California)        

BONZA!!

Post# 1032404 , Reply# 9   5/11/2019 at 19:00 (1,783 days old) by Washerlover (The Big Island, Hawai’i)        

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HI Leon,

I would hardly call it a shed — Laundry Palace seems more fitting! Great job and thanks for sharing pics!

Todd


Post# 1032412 , Reply# 10   5/11/2019 at 21:39 (1,783 days old) by fan-of-fans (Florida)        

Very nice! Like the fans and the Sunbeams too!

Post# 1032417 , Reply# 11   5/11/2019 at 21:58 (1,783 days old) by gizmo (Victoria, Australia)        
gyro aire fans

Back in the day I had a friend who worked for Brunswick Electric Supply. It was recently after the Coroner's Inquest into the deaths caused by those fans.
They sent a letter out with everyone's electricity bill, with a photo of the fans and text in big bold letters, "KILL IT BEFORE IT KILLS YOU." They advised people to smash them up with a hammer so they couldn't be salvaged.

I still see them for sale occasionally in opp shops, I always tell them it is illegal to resell these fans in Victoria. There was huge publicity at the time telling people to destroy them.

A pity as they were a clever design, a victim of cost cutting I guess.


Post# 1032418 , Reply# 12   5/11/2019 at 22:01 (1,783 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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I'm curious, what's the deal with the fans?


Post# 1032421 , Reply# 13   5/11/2019 at 22:33 (1,783 days old) by mayfan69 (Brisbane Queensland Australia)        
Questions answered:

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Chris: Yes, that is a Semi-automatic Kelvinator in Photo #8 with the splashy 'orbital' action. As to the Gyro-aires: yes, was always aware you were not supposed to use them after the recall: they're for display purposes. I've always liked the design.

 

Fred: The 'Harvest Gold' machine you see is an Australian made 'Wilkins Servis' 506: essentially a copy of the US Maytag with the Pitman drive transmission.

 

Glenn: I started collecting electric fans long before washing machines: so the idea is to show all my collections: fans, washing machines, Sunbeam mixmasters, Kenwood Chef's and associated laundry memorabilia.

 

Cheers

Leon


Post# 1032435 , Reply# 14   5/12/2019 at 05:19 (1,782 days old) by DADoES (TX, U.S. of A.)        

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No, I mean what's the danger issue on the fans that are of concern?


Post# 1032437 , Reply# 15   5/12/2019 at 06:53 (1,782 days old) by eurekastar (Amarillo, Texas)        

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I love your shed!


Post# 1032440 , Reply# 16   5/12/2019 at 07:32 (1,782 days old) by combo52 (50 Year Repair Tech Beltsville,Md)        
Wow Leon

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I can see why you have been so quite lately, you have made incredible progress, I can't wait to see it in person again some day.

 

All the appliances look so happy including the ones we shipped from the States, it looks like they have blended in very well.

 

I hope you Dad & Mom are as impressed as we all are and I hope David is excited about it as well.

 

John

 

 


Post# 1032444 , Reply# 17   5/12/2019 at 08:55 (1,782 days old) by gizmo (Victoria, Australia)        
more about those fans... (what is with the fans?...)

Glenn

Gyro Aire fans (certain versions) were made with a speed controller that was bought in from another company. The controllers weren't up to the job long term, and tend to fail and possibly catch fire. The big difference with the Gyro Aire is that the whole body of the fan was also manufactured with the wrong grade of plastic, so if a component overheats/smoulders/catches fire, the plastic bursts into huge flames. Electrical appliances are required to have all plastics made from "self-extinguishing" plastic, that is plastics that may smoulder when under flame attack, but will self-extinguish when the source of flame goes out. The plastics may burn in a fire but must not increase the intensity of the fire.
If they were made of the correct plastic, the failure of the speed controller should have resulted in some smoke and possibly tripping a circuit breaker, but not a house fire. These fans are so "eager" to burn once ignited, by the time a breaker trips, the room the fan was in is probably already ablaze.

there was a TV current affairs show that covered the issue back then, they said that even the showroom/office of the Singapore distributor of the fans was burnt out, as a fan was left on overnight and caught fire.

It does make me wonder about some of the really cheap junk appliances available these days. how many are made of "burny" plastics?

Any way, sorry to hijack Leon's story.
I agree with other comments, much more than a shed, more of a true museum.


Post# 1032446 , Reply# 18   5/12/2019 at 09:35 (1,782 days old) by swestoyz (Cedar Falls, IA)        

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Leon - your shed is more than a storage shed, it truly embodies the essence of this wonderful hobby. The work you’ve accomplished is remarkable. Enjoy in good health!

So happy to see a few US washers in the lineup, as well as those from a little town in central Iowa. :)

Ben


Post# 1032448 , Reply# 19   5/12/2019 at 10:02 (1,782 days old) by peteski50 (New York)        
Washer Shed!

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Leon Congratulations - this is such a beautiful place
Many Best Wishes,
Peter



Post# 1032644 , Reply# 20   5/14/2019 at 17:45 (1,780 days old) by pdub (Portland, Oregon)        
Amazing!

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Leon,

 

Your vintage washer and appliance collection looks absolutely beautiful. You've done an excellent job!

 

Cheers, Patrick


Post# 1033020 , Reply# 21   5/19/2019 at 04:40 (1,775 days old) by chestermikeuk (Rainhill *Home of the RailwayTrials* Merseyside,UK)        
WashaRama

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Wow, you have ben busy Leon, great work, all those sleepless night spaid off, now to sit back and enjoy !!

Is the Wilkins Servis Supertwin fully working ??


Post# 1033178 , Reply# 22   5/20/2019 at 05:16 (1,774 days old) by sesteve (London, UK)        

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Wow leon

Looks stunning and love the set-up you have their at the front with the kitchen unit and table. Lots of hard work I'm sure but totally worth it

S


Post# 1033264 , Reply# 23   5/20/2019 at 21:54 (1,774 days old) by 79maytaga106 (Texas)        

Wow! That is amazing! Nice job.

Post# 1033294 , Reply# 24   5/21/2019 at 07:09 (1,773 days old) by jmm63 (Denville, NJ)        

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That is just AWESOME!!!! and I love your vintage fan collection too !!!

Post# 1033418 , Reply# 25   5/22/2019 at 21:08 (1,772 days old) by tnmike (Knoxville, Tennessee)        

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Awesome man! Congrats.


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