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Couldn’t help but notice that in several threads i’ve read – ‘iadom’ mentions how long he’s been in the trade – quote: “28 years” if memory serves me right.
Now’t but a pup! – I started in 1975 & then there’s my father before me ❗
Just wondered how long others have been in the trade ❓
😯 How’s that song go: “one wheel on my wagon but i’m still rolling along” only surrounded by cowboys these days not injuns.
Brian.Re: How long in the trade?
I started in this trade straight from school in 1976, working for a small local shop.
Went self employed in 1988 when that company decided to chuck it all in.
I can’t see myself working for anybody else in the future although I have been offered a couple of jobs in the last few yearsToni
Re: How long in the trade?
Who remembers old favourites like – wash dogs, 3174’s & ordering ocv’s & resillient mounts on a regular basis?
At one point my father had nearly 300 Hoover twin tubs out on rental. But that was when washing machines were built to last, not a micro chip in sight!
Re: How long in the trade?
senseib wrote:Who remembers old favourites like – wash dogs, 3174’s & ordering ocv’s & resillient mounts on a regular basis?
Take a look here, well documented subject for us from the training school for the bewildered.
http://www.ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.p … light=adam
Wait till Martin reads this, he will say You are Nobbut a lad.
Yes 3174’s, superseded by 3314L’s with the spin containers that used to leak on the top deck. They were like supermarket trolleys when you pushed them, would always run off at a tangent, never straight.
3224 & 3226 Sloping fronts, then the 3208, 3221 Clutch driven range, then ultra-modern Matchbox range 3236H & 3243H. 4805 & 4808 D/Washers with the carousel basket driven by a pecker. Then there was their home made one out of Merthyr (November 1974), cannot remember the model, single motor/pump, and a float switch that used to cludge up. Who remembers getting out sequence charts, and following line by line as it progressed? long gone.
If you owned a Foreign Machine, 500 spin was the maximum to expect. Zanussi DL4 & DL6, aka Electra GL4 & GL5.
When I finished a 5 year apprenticeship in 1970, and was left to get on with it, there were at least 10 twin/tubs to every auto, and Monday was always washday.
Over to Martin………
Alex
Re: How long in the trade?
senseib wrote:Couldn’t help but notice that in several threads i’ve read – ‘iadom’ mentions how long he’s been in the trade – quote: “28 years” if memory serves me right.
You misread me, 😉 I have been self employed for 28 years, did almost 12 years at Hotpoint before that. 8)I have actually repaired Hotpoint Empress wringer machines that had no cabinet, huge green monsters on four legs, not even a drain pump on some them, just a tap or a large hose to put down the grid in the cellar.
And as for slow spinning foreign jobs, in the early 70’s Hotpoint’s 1600 machine had an 1100 spin speed, long before Hoover or anyone else had one. Whilst they did some factory rebuilding they imported rebadged Zanussi machines. The 1826 spun at 520 rpm, the 1823 a staggering 370 rpm 😯 . We had thousands of calls from customers saying their machine was not spinning correctly.
Jim.
Re: How long in the trade?
I remember those Hotpoint 1600’s the wiring on those machines was thin to say the least – good machine though! Didn’t the door also shut flush on that model.
Re: How long in the trade?
I loved em, at least after they put back all the bits that the accountants had axed. The timer was always a bit suspect and the PMC’s used to blow up for fun, it morped into the all white 1830 later. Absolute doddle to work on physically, original AC Delco motor lasted years, only one large internal hose for filling and draining plus a small vent hose at the back.
Towards the end they ran out of doors seals so we had to fit the one from the Zanussi machine after cutting away at the plastic clothes guard. The only trouble was you then had to put your feet on the opposite wall and push like hell to close the door, impossible to close for many older ladies. 😥
The only thin wiring was the low voltage wiring to the OOB suspension leg micro switches and some of the wiring links on the module.
Jim.
Re: How long in the trade?
I can even remember some of the old characters we had as customers. One guy, Percy Clough – kept coal in his bath and used the formica work top on the twin tub as a table. Judging by the smell, he had little other use for the bath! When we serviced the machine, we’d disinfect it first then leave it out in the back yard overnight, before working on it next day.
Renting was not a glamorous way of making a living!
Brian.Re: How long in the trade?
Well reading this I am totally lost! I think the oldest machine I can remember working on is a Hotpoint WM….! Oh no, maybe the odd Servis Quartz (only one or two though, and even they were written off)! We do get a few telephone calls occasionally from customers with twin tubs who say they have had them for 15 Yrs or so……. I have to refer them elsewhere 😆
Re: How long in the trade?
senseib wrote:….& then there’s my father before me ❗
Indeed 😀 My father started an apprenticeship when he was 16, and large appliances were just arriving in everyones home! He’s now 55, and is flirting with retirement.
I started working for him between college and uni, and then never bothered with uni! That was 8 years ago 😆
Re: How long in the trade?
washdoctor wrote:…I can remember working on is a Hotpoint WM….!
Even I’ve fixed the old, pain-the-*rse Hpt’s with the purple glass in the doors. I’ve even done a bearing job on one! That was when you could just a blow-torch to remove bearings 😈
Re: How long in the trade?
Started in 1995 when I was expelled from School……… :rolls:
A local firm I did Saturdays for offered me a full time position in the workshop repairing appliances that weren’t fixed on the road, and as the firm were a Zanussi agent this involved many of the early ‘Jetsystem’ ‘Turbodry’ WDT1013 type machines with the dryer corroded out etc. Also the ‘Washcraft’ and ‘Superluxe’ machines came in occasionally with spiders failed, then the motor became obsolete on the Z919 type and i’d find myself rebuilding the clutches, although these machines proved superb in reliability and are a far cry from the plastic tubbed under sized bearinged split cabinet crap we find these days 😥
We also sold Philco frontloaders with the spot welded stainless steel tank, the spot welds fractured and we’d have to change the complete tank through the top of the machine, not to be done without thick gloves!
We used to get ‘Stock 6’ Hoover Classica and Softwave machines come in to be reworked and TF stock Hotpoint Mistrals.
Never a dull moment, one minute brazing a compressor into a fridge, the next scraping the remains of an incontenance pad out of the local nursing homes Miele Sluice valve, lovely.
And when I asked why, ‘Your the apprentice’. Alan Sugar got nothing on my old boss 😉
Steve
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