My old top loader washing machine developed a serious unfixable leak in the tub, so had to scrap it. It did OK, lasted about 30 years. Maytag. Back when you could still get good American Iron for appliances.
Well, of course, I wanted to save the electric motor and the perforated inner tub for a firepit. Got those. Yea!
It turns out it was quite the task to take it all apart. You'd normally use a couple of specialized tools, and of course much was seized, like the 2 giant nuts on the main shaft. Had to chisel the nuts open.
Nevertheless I managed to take it completely apart and got the gear box out. Fun actually.
Well, here is the more interesting part: have you ever thought about how a typical electric motor can get the agitator to rotate back and forth? After all, the motor only spins continuously in one direction, right?
It turns out it is very interesting if you like mechanical contraptions. There is a weird gear box and a brake. Turns out if the motor spins one way, the inner tub spins fast (to centrifugate water out, of course), but if it spins the other way, the agitator will go back and forth (to wash the clothes), this thanks to the gear box / brake combination.
There is nice video on YT that shows the gearbox inners operating.
Of course, I had to make a spaceship out of some of the parts:
(hmmm... wonder if the boss would let me show it off on the coffee table in the living room until launch... )
Well, of course, I wanted to save the electric motor and the perforated inner tub for a firepit. Got those. Yea!
It turns out it was quite the task to take it all apart. You'd normally use a couple of specialized tools, and of course much was seized, like the 2 giant nuts on the main shaft. Had to chisel the nuts open.
Nevertheless I managed to take it completely apart and got the gear box out. Fun actually.
Well, here is the more interesting part: have you ever thought about how a typical electric motor can get the agitator to rotate back and forth? After all, the motor only spins continuously in one direction, right?
It turns out it is very interesting if you like mechanical contraptions. There is a weird gear box and a brake. Turns out if the motor spins one way, the inner tub spins fast (to centrifugate water out, of course), but if it spins the other way, the agitator will go back and forth (to wash the clothes), this thanks to the gear box / brake combination.
There is nice video on YT that shows the gearbox inners operating.
Of course, I had to make a spaceship out of some of the parts:
(hmmm... wonder if the boss would let me show it off on the coffee table in the living room until launch... )
