Hand-powered WASHING MACHINE

I have probably been washing clothes in this hand-powered washing machine for over 25 years. It has two funnels inside the tank that serve as plungers, agitating the water every time the handle is pumped. The inside dimensions of the tank are: 15" tall, 33" long, 14" wide.

The idea was originally for construction in wood. It came from a village technology handbook. I built mine out of iron and cement, and came up with the funnel plunger idea. The rectangular tank uses a special sheet metal with holes for plastering called Hi-rib. It is sealed with a cement-base sealer.

My method is to soak the clothes in detergent and water overnight, pump them for about 5 minutes in the morning, rinse them twice and hang them up on the clothesline.

It's good exercise, and it consumes no electricity.

Step 1: Inside the Washer

The funnels go up and down. Shape-wise, the funnel is streamlined and cuts the water as it moves upward. Coming down, it creates more churning action because of the less streamlined bottom.

The funnels can be easily replaced if they eventually break, but they hold up quite well. The bright red funnel was recently replaced.

Comments

[oldmantime]

This is pretty simple/ingenious. Laundry is one of those tasks that must happen but we are very tied to power consumption to achieve that end.
I visualize maybe salvaging a front loader and rigging a bike sprocket to drive the drum. Super clean clothes and low ecological impact.

I would like to see you build a bicycle powered centrifuge to extract more water so the clothes will dry faster plus you could get some good aroebics. I got the idea for the centrifuge in Australia. The local laundromat was equipped with washers, centrifuges and dryers. The clothes could be run through the centrifuge extracting almost all of the water and then a brief stay in the dryer and they were ready to hang/fold and put away.
I love your simple and inexpensive building techniques. However,I think most cities in the 'States' are now coding out such things as hanging laundry out to dry. The poles and lines are too 'ugly' and damage 'property values'.

This says nothing of your structures that would send code enforcement officers on a citation writing binge.

[Thinkenstein]

So, they are coding in obligatory energy consumption to dry clothes now? That does seem like the way of modern civilization. Sunshine and fresh air just ain't good enough any more.

[javajunkie1976]

Great idea. I volunteer at a non-profit rabbit shelter and we usually spend about $60.00 a week doing laundry. If this is as easy as it looks to put together, I may have to scrounge the materials to make it. Our laundry is mostly bedsheets and towels. The only modification I can think of right now would be to hook it up to a stationary bicycle and build a rotating drum dryer as we have no ability to hook up a clothes line.

[gnomedriver]

Great setup and a good way of staying off the power grid. I was without a washing machine for six months or so and would wash things in the bathtub. It got a little tiresome and your rig looks much better. Quicker and easer. Have you tried rubber sink plungers instead of the funnels?

[Thinkenstein]

No, I have only used funnels. The funnel plastic eventually ages and breaks, but they are easy to replace. The plungers might last longer.

[DELETED_kage_no_akiri]

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[Thinkenstein]

The wooden disks might even agitate the water more. I chose to use funnels because on the upward movement stage they would not get weighted down with laundry. Being a more streamlined design, they would just push it to the side.

A wringer wouldn't be a bad idea to try, but hand wringing and a good drying day still work.

kenkou chou jumyou Thinkenstein
(Thinkenstein wishes you good health and long life, also.)

[bgentry]

What about those funnel shaped laundry plungers (very reasonably priced at Lehman's) they work pretty well by themselves in a six gallon bucket with a lid (for long term camping)

BTW what is the name of the book? I left mine with a carpenter in Cambodia and have been trying to find another for more than 10 years

[Thinkenstein]

http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/vita/vthbook/en/vthbook.htm

Village Technology Handbook. The above link takes you to an online copy.

[thn]

Download complete book Village Technology Handbook from CD3WD (14Mb pdf):
http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/JF/410/02-64.pdf

[DELETED_kage_no_akiri]

(removed by author or community request)

[Thinkenstein]

Please don't be too impressed. I just saw the similarity in what you said and your Instructables name, so I just repeated what you said and substituted mine. Besides sayanara, I know nothing of Japanese.

[TimmyMiller]

where did you get the tub/tank thingy?

[Thinkenstein]

I made it out of cement. The form was made out of "Hi-rib", an expanded sheet metal with holes in it for plastering. That was then plastered with cement. It weighs quite a bit.

[tinker52]

The pdf for this seems to be broken, unless it's my slow connection. Could someone check it? Also where's the wringer to get the cloths ready to hang on the line?

[Thinkenstein]

I downloaded the PDF file OK. Being able to do so might be a perk for pro members, but I'm not sure.

No wringer. I hand twist the clothes to get most of the water out and then just hang them up to dry. It ain't perfect, but it works.

[tinker52]

Thinkenstein,
Thanks for replying, sorry I'm so slow in getting back. My connection which is somehow still legal for my phone company to provide is maxed out at 10-15kbps and wont seem to do the pdf. In the past, once I joined on better connections I had no problem getting them. The link may be good but it's not getting through :( Help! Out here in the 'affordable' land sticks, the internet superhighway is a super toll road that I can't afford, netzero's $10/month is my max. The link may be good, but net segregation isn't.

Thanks for this instructable btw, seeing someone who's actually used the vita washing machine design gives it more credibility to me, even though I'd still like to see a wringer integrated I can certainly understand making do. :) Cool adaptation with the ferro-cement.
~Tinker52

[Thinkenstein]

We seem to make war collectively with massive amounts of our taxes, but we can't use them to give us all a decent free internet connection. Good communication will maybe be part of world peace someday, I hope.

[scmtngirl]

I really like this. But I just can't get over how algae-covered everything is. When I think of laundry, I think stark, clean, white, I guess. This would be a good alternative to the expensive James washer. Great job!

[Thinkenstein]

Thanks.  The inside, what makes contact with the clothes, is relatively clean. 

[timmybam]

Great simple design. Will try and use one funnel and a 20 litre bucket for washing small loads.

[Enrique III]

Smart idea, and it also looks very reliable, and very cheap to build. Thanks...

[rookie1]

I'm thinking about making papercrete for the outside of a sandbag shed. This looks like just what I need to pulverize the paper in water.

[Thinkenstein]

It might work. Someone I once knew mixed paper mache in a cement mixer. She had a piece of loose heavy iron tethered by a chain to the center of the mixer. The iron beat up the paper. I suspect my clothes washer wouldn't be violent enough on the paper fibers.

[Dixiebitch]

I love the idea--I live on mountain and this would be great. I just don't see the diimensions for the actual washing chamber--could you post them? Also, you said the original design came from a book on village technology--could you give me the name? Thanks DB

[Thinkenstein]

The inside dimensions of the tank are: 15" tall, 33" long, 14" wide.

[Thinkenstein]

Gloomy_Goth, below, found an online copy of "Village Technology Handbook". The URL is: http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/vita/vthbook/en/vthbook.htm
Enjoy. Lots of interesting projects in it.

[bob_the_builder21804]

An absolutely awesome instructable. I use a 1940's wringer washer but would love to make something like this. Thanks for posting it Thinkenstein.

[Thinkenstein]

You're welcome, Bob. Glad you like it.

[Gloomy_Goth]

I found a copy of this book "Village Technology Handbook"
http://www.cd3wd.com/cd3wd_40/vita/vthbook/en/vthbook.htm

Enjoy, its got loads of awesome useful stuff!

[Thinkenstein]

Wow, you are awesome to find and share that. Thanks much.

[Gloomy_Goth]

Your welcome! Anytime! It looks like it is packed with valuable information.

[iectyx3c]

This is great. Nice, clearly written Instructable with great photos and illustrations. Do you recall the name of the village technology handbook?

[Thinkenstein]

Thanks. As I recall, the name of the village technology handbook was, "The Village Technology Handbook", or something similar. That was about 25 years ago. Maybe you could find a copy somewhere online.

[Ev]

If you put a lip around the cover inside the tank, spills would be reduced.

[Thinkenstein]

The lid halves would be more difficult to make, requiring additional pieces riveted to them, but your idea would work. As it is, the water level inside the tank is usually low enough that the water sloshing around doesn't escape.

[bruc33ef]

Easier: Get a Yukon Plunger!
http://www.wisementrading.com/washing.htm

[Thinkenstein]

Thanks for the link. Very interesting.

[Tool Using Animal]

But yours does offer mechanical advantage over the plunger.

[Thinkenstein]

Maybe substituting the fancy plungers for the funnels in my design would improve efficiency. Still, the funnels are non-rusting, fairly cheap, locally available, and easy to replace. I'm in no rush to change.