Have ever wondered how you save more time at the laundry mat? Washing machines today, are viewed by most people as these technological marvels of heavily motorized machines with tons of electronics.
This was not always the case, a lot of people could make and operate their own washing machine. This article will be looking at some of the machines that you can build and operate yourself, with just a few tools. These are effective and you make use of them to save money or power.
Table of Contents
1. Bicycle powered Washing Machines
This uses a bicycle to induce the spinning effect of a washing machine. This device is as close a solution to a well-engineered washing machine as it can be.
The machine also has a bottom plug that makes draining the water much easier. The peddling motion after the water has been drained helps the machine double as a drier.
2. Bucket Washing Machine
This is a lot easier to make, as the materials for it as already widely available. A medium-sized bucket and a plunger are all you need to get your batch of laundry clean in no time.
Make a hole on the lid from which the handle of the plunger protrudes. Add water and detergent, water, and your loads to the bucket and plunge away. This will give you clean laundry after a few minutes of plunging.
3. Lever Driven Washing Machine
This can be easily constructed without the use of electricity or complicated electro-mechanical bits. It also requires little in the way of maintenance.
The washer is made of a container, a net, and a lever. The lever spins the clothes with the washer and detergent, in the container giving you clean clothes. The power is completely mechanical making it a great alternative when there is no power.
4. Hand operated washing machine
This design can be used to clean large loads, and the machine itself can operate for years with little maintenance. This makes it great for use in business, for example, in cleaning motel sheets.
With a drum, some lumber, engineered U brackets, and plungers you can be put together this machine and deliver as close a wash to an electric washer as you can. All the material needed to make the washer can be salvaged.
5. Tumbling off washing machine
With a very simple design and using mostly salvaged materials, you can make a fairly capable washing machine.
Using a drum and a handle, you can spin the mixture of laundry loads, water, and detergent to get a back of clean clothes. It is easy to make and just as easy to use.
6. A non-electric wringer
This helps clean the clothes and dry them quickly afterward. It is made by a crank and two rollers pressed to each other.
By putting your wet clothes between the rollers and working the crank, you can squeeze the dirt off the clothes as well as dry off the clothes in the process making it even more effective.
7. Funnel Power Washing Machine
This washing machine is made from a slab of concrete, this guarantees that it will just about outlast every washer in the market. It is also easy to maintain, having to only replace the funnel, which can be bought for two dollars at most local stores.
The funnel action works to clean the clothes. The funnels are moved by a hand crank, as the funnels move down the suck in water, and the other moves up the push down the water onto the clothes, thereby washing them.
8. Bucket Washing Machine
This simple machine is very easy to build. Its convenience is added to the fact that the materials needed are easy to find. All you need is a medium-sized bucket, some PVC pipes, and hot glue.
Put clothes, water, and detergent in the bucket. Having fashioned the PVC pipes into a crack, you can use your own hands. Cranking it will clean the clothes, all without electricity or having to buy an expensive machine.
9. Using pedal power
This requires very little skill to create. It requires people to recycle an old washing machine and a bicycle. All these can be found at your local yard.
By combining the spinning mechanism of the old washer and the pedals of the bicycle. Put water, detergent, and the laundry load into the washer and proceed to pedal. This will have the effect of cleaning your clothes to satisfaction.
10. Pedal power with a wringer
Like the wringers used in the past, it utilizes rollers put close together but instead of being operated by hand. The crack shaft mechanism is put together with that of the bicycle allowing the use of pedal power.
Since the use of pedal power yields more power when compared to the use of hand cranking. The machine can be used to clean larger loads such as those of a hospital or hotel.
11. Tiny House Washing machine
As the tiny house movement has grown in popularity, there has been a demand for a washing machine that accommodates their small living quarters.
It works in much of the way, hand-cranked washers work. It is effective and cheap making it even more attractive. The small size makes it easy to store when not use opening up even more space.
12. Lehman’s hand washer
This machine is powered by hand. Using a pumping motion to the lever one can move the triangular shaped agitator in the machine. This allowed the clothes, water, and soap in the machine to spin thereby cleaning it.
It can be constructed using iron, and since it is handmade. It is also a lot easier to maintain.
13. Using a Barrel
Through a barrel, you can create a machine that uses no electric power but your physical labor. The hand crank is streamlined to make it easy to use. It also requires little skill to make use of.
As you crank, so it cleans your clothes. It is also portable allowing you to keep it in storage when not in use.
14. Homemade washing machine
This variety is old, like in the olden days it can be made out of wood, however, alternative materials are also acceptable. It also uses no electricity but a lever that is cranked up and down.
As it does it presses on the clothes making them cleaner. All you need is water, effort, and detergent to work this.
15. Harnessing solar power
You can create a washer that utilizes solar power. Attaching the motor to the solar panel allows it to spin. In doing so, it spins the clothes and the detergent, getting them cleaner.
A motor can be bought and an electronic shop. Salvaging a used one could help save money.
16. Simple Washing Machine
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. This washing machine follows this philosophy and just works. Using a bucket, fastening, a platform, and a crank. This washer allows people to clean their clothes with their own energy.
In the case of a power outage, the simplicity and effectiveness of the washer make it a good alternative.
17. Cheap washing machines
Created with just a bucket and most salvageable materials. This washer takes the cake for cheapest to make that does not mean that it is any less effective at cleaning clothes.
Using a hand crank will clean all your clothing in no time. This is a good choice for people on a budget.
18. Using a salvaged electric motor
You can attach the spinning part of the electric motor to the crank of a homemade washer. This will allow you to clean your clothes with relative ease.
This utilizes the same mechanics as a bicycle the only difference being it's motorized. This does require some skills to ensure the people operating it do not injure themselves.
19. Using a drill
The idea here is to use the motorized bit in the drill. By attaching that spinning bit to a larger plate and dipping that plate in a bucket with water, clothes, and detergent.
The effect will one that is similar to a regular washing machine. The spinning motion in the water helps clean it.
20. Foot Powered Washing Machine
You can construct a washing machine that uses your feet for power. This is a lot convenient when compared to the hand crank variety.
The central principles are the same, a bucket of water, detergent, and clothes are spun to make the clothes clean. However, in this the crank is below, allowing you to use your legs to generate the spinning motion. This is a lot easier than a lever or a hand crank.
Conclusion
Washing machines do not have to burn a hole through your pockets. While it true that over the past few decades, these machines have become a lot more motorized and efficient. However, should be strapped for cash there are some effective methods for making washing machines.
With just the help of simple everyday items, you too can manage to create your own machine. Explore just how much you are capable of making with these DIY tutorials. It could also help save some coins and time at the laundry mat.
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