Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

[ricky5050]

Hi I’ve got a 1950s swanmaid dishwasher and I was wondering if anyone here knew about them or had parts etc, Im trying to get a working vintage dishwasher for my vintage themed kitchen, I’ve got a kenwood dishmaster ( needs bakelite impeller) a colston turbo jet ( needs door seal ) electrolux dish maid ( motor problem it goes bang! ) and now got a swan maid dishwasher. It needs a motor and drain valve ( mechanical gravity type) but these have been removed ( i think about 1960 according to the previous owner ) long shot I know ! Any help with any parts or if you have a lovely vintage dishwasher that would fit in my kitchen along side a 1950s fridge, 1961 new world 44 gas cooker and 1966 bendix washer dryer LT please let me know

Many thanks

Richard. 😆

[electrofix]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

wow thats a blast from the past remember the cast wash arm. these are built like a commercial washer of today with a seperate boiler tank underneath that heats up during wash

saw a few not seen one for years
last connection i had was a firm in birmingham that used to recon them and supply other catering appliances etc. they went into liquidation dont know if it ever restarted
am now talking over 20 years ago

Dave

[Martin]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

ricky5050 wrote:It needs a motor and drain valve ( mechanical gravity type) but these have been removed

I spotted your post in another forum Richard and the photos SEE THE HERE left me full of nostalgia. Your example is pretty much the mark one version by the looks of it. I have to correct you on one small point in that this model never had a “drain valve” at all only the drain solenoid and mechanical arm that allowed the transparent PVC hose to drop. The water level was adjusted by a small float switch (I can’t see that in the photo though so I guess both that and the motor are the only missing parts?)

The 1/4 hp pump really packed a punch but suffered badly in hard water areas the dead give-away was that the black cast iron spray arm quickly went creamy white. The immersion heater/copper tanks suffered also but rarely needed changing. Apart from that, and the most frequent call-outs I had on those, (in the mid – later ’60’s) was draining problems. Those darn PVC hoses quickly lost their flexibility and wouldn’t fall when the solenoid arm did. Tying them to the arm caused even more recalls with customers complaining of the loud buzzing noises that solenoid would give out. On later models they did away with the drain solenoid and fitted a small white shaded pole pump.

Also heater relays were a commonly used van-stock item, though the mark one (as in your case) had a more robust relay.

Happy Days! 😀

[electrofix]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

have not seen this model as i only saw the later models but very well built and lasted for years which is more than you can say of most modern appliances

Dave

[ricky5050]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

Hi thanks it does have that Perspex pipe I assumed it was a bodge fit. Your right the float swtch pump and motor are missing , when googling it I found a chap on here called Martin from tadley Hampshire a engineer on here was after one. Do any of you guys know him he may have part or even how it should go together .

Would a modern dishwasher motor be any good or are they too weak ?

Richard

[ricky5050]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

Oh dear Martin you are the Martin I was on about sorry just spotted that ! Did you manage to get one of these ? Does it work if you have any pics that would be great

[Martin]

Re: Vintage swanmaid dishwasher

No I don’t have a Swanmaid only happy memories of repairing them and all the posh houses I went to in so doing. I once went on a one day training course to Bulpitts in Birmingham at the time their latest, and subsequently, last model was introduced.

I did have a lady offer me one a few years back when I appealed for one here on this site some years back. Sadly it had been repainted bright red and looked the worst for it too.

I cannot envisage anything other than the original pump being sourced and fitted. It was rather unique after all!

[Author]

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