Hotpoint Aquarius WML520P Welded Drum – Replacement Bearings

I was recently gifted a Hotpoint Aquarius WML520P washer and I was told the reason the people that gave me it was because it was noisy “like a helicopter taking off” they said. “aha!” it thought, Just needs new bearings. And ordinarily I would have been correct. However , after some ringing around to find the part, it soon became apparent that the bearings on their own could not be replaced.

What possesed Hotpoint to make a machine with a welded drum? I could have replaced the whole unit, which would have Cost £150 to £200 which for that I could easily get a used washer of a similar quality.

So now I have a scrap machine. Were hotpoint banking on people buying a new drum to earn them more money?

I have now dismantled the machine to get it in the car, do you think i’ll get much for the scrap metal at a yard or should I just take it down the local tip ?