rootabaga
Android Expert
I saw the "current affairs" section, but I didn't see the "old school" one. 
Earlier today a friend on FB was talking about her new washer and dryer and one of the comments mentioned the difference between cleaning ability in the "front loader" versus the "wringer washer." It cracked me up because I realize that most people under fifty, perhaps a bit older, really have no idea what a "wringer washer" is.
Back in the olden days, before there were automatic washers, people used washtubs, usually with washboards. Someone invented the wringer (think of two rolling pins mounted close together with a gear joining them and a handle), you'd feed the wet clothes through and that would "wring" most of the water out. Then you could hang them up to dry.
Later someone invented the washer, which was really a big tub with an agitator in the middle. No cycles, you filled it from a hose, dumped in the clothes and soap (and bluing, let's not forget bluing) and ran it for a while. Then you stopped the motor (early models you unplugged it, no switches near that tub full of conductive water!), lowered the drain hose, when it was empty you raised the hose, filled it and rinsed the clothes, then wrung them out by swinging the wringer over the washtub (again, a crank handle) and hung them up on the clothesline.
Along the way someone stuck a motor on the wringer so you didn't have to crank the handle. Later someone invented the PTO off the washer motor and a nice pivot for the wringer, so it could be swung into position over the tub and power-wring the clothes out after the agitator was disengaged. And yes, people were sometimes seriously injured by wringers.
(This was before there were lawyers, of course. )
Below is a picture of a wringer washer. I've used this as well as the older "manual" wringer type, my grandma used them and my uncle Day as well. He later did get a modern dryer, but he always used the wringer washer.
Anyway, that was a bit of reminiscing and it was quite enjoyable. I hope some of you get a kick out of it.
Earlier today a friend on FB was talking about her new washer and dryer and one of the comments mentioned the difference between cleaning ability in the "front loader" versus the "wringer washer." It cracked me up because I realize that most people under fifty, perhaps a bit older, really have no idea what a "wringer washer" is.
Back in the olden days, before there were automatic washers, people used washtubs, usually with washboards. Someone invented the wringer (think of two rolling pins mounted close together with a gear joining them and a handle), you'd feed the wet clothes through and that would "wring" most of the water out. Then you could hang them up to dry.
Later someone invented the washer, which was really a big tub with an agitator in the middle. No cycles, you filled it from a hose, dumped in the clothes and soap (and bluing, let's not forget bluing) and ran it for a while. Then you stopped the motor (early models you unplugged it, no switches near that tub full of conductive water!), lowered the drain hose, when it was empty you raised the hose, filled it and rinsed the clothes, then wrung them out by swinging the wringer over the washtub (again, a crank handle) and hung them up on the clothesline.
Along the way someone stuck a motor on the wringer so you didn't have to crank the handle. Later someone invented the PTO off the washer motor and a nice pivot for the wringer, so it could be swung into position over the tub and power-wring the clothes out after the agitator was disengaged. And yes, people were sometimes seriously injured by wringers.
(This was before there were lawyers, of course.
)Below is a picture of a wringer washer. I've used this as well as the older "manual" wringer type, my grandma used them and my uncle Day as well. He later did get a modern dryer, but he always used the wringer washer.
Anyway, that was a bit of reminiscing and it was quite enjoyable. I hope some of you get a kick out of it.
