Hand Powered Washing Machine Update

With two loads ran through the new Modern Day Hand Powered Washing Machine I can say with confidence it is a success.

Recap:
I came up with this design for a hand powered washing machine using two thirty gallon plastic drums cut three inches above center and a double plunger system. The wringer in the middle makes for a user friendly back and forth motion from the soap to rinse tubs.

The above picture is of the rinse side and the one below is of the washing side.

 The plungers were made from circles cut from scrap wood and attached by all thread to the swivel hangers on the arm. There are two sizes for each side with the smaller one on the bottom. The bottom edges of the circles are routed to lessen the splash when they displace the water.

All assembled and plumed in ready for her first load.

I did not get a picture of it because my hands were soapy, but I did wash board my jeans to aid in removing some of the stains.
After adding the homemade liquid soap, the load of clothes and letting them soak for a few minutes I finally got after my very first hand washing.  I found out there is kinda a trick to the plunging. You get into this rhythmic motion and the plungers start rocking back and forth to were they plunge the ends and middle making it where you do not have to agitate the cloths by hand very much. Even though, I still stirred the laundry around by hand while I was plunging just to make sure everything got a good pounding.
The dirty water indicated I was doing some good.

I kept up the plunging for about 10 minutes or so and then used the wringer to squeeze out most of the soapy water and on to the rinse cycle.

With a cute little paddle I made, I stirred the clothes around until I felt they were rinsed enough.

Then back through the wringer one more time and onto the clothes line to dry.

All and all I had a good time with it. I did have to take a couple of breaks during the plunging cycles but that's okay. I was using muscles I forgot I had and my left shoulder was about to give out but I manned up and plunged on.

Two loads and I bet I burnt a thousand calories. I now have a new respect for the old timers.

So there you go folks, kicking it Pioneer style here at the Mini Farm.

Hand Powdered Washing Machine

I know I have been talking about it for a while now so I finally got around to starting my Old Fashioned Solar Laundry Room with a Modern Day Redneck Twist.

(By the way, how do you like my shade tree shop)

First off is building the Washing Machine. I picked up two 30 gallon plastic drums from a buddy of mine and cut them in half  3" above center.
Then I built a stand to hold both barrels out of scavenged 2X4's and placed the wringer right in the middle between the two.

The side to the right of the wringer will be the wash tub and the left side is the rinse side.
The wringer has fins so whatever way you crank it the water will run back into that tub.

I did as much as I could with wood before heading over to my dad's metal shop to fabricate the pieces that will hold the lever and the plungers all together. All from scavenged material.    

After it was most of the way assembled it was time to eat so I will finish it another day.
The plungers will hang from the Black Smith made "U" brackets that are attached to the handle. They will hang from All-thread and the plungers will be made from stacks of different diameters of wood about 6" thick, you will just have to see it when it's done. It's pictured in my head and hard to explain.

I still need to install the drains and set it in place. The water source will be from the rainwater storage units which is pumped through the Solar Bath house so I can have hot water on demand.

Speaking of which, I need a shower. Y'all have a great week.