Coal fired clothed dryer?

A few years ago there were new type residential clothes dryers available from the major American dryer manufactures. They were called dryer cabinets. Much larger than a residential drum dryer. The idea was you hung your wet clothes on hangers and folded items that were to go in drawers and placed them on open wire shelves. It's a common dryer in some Scandinavian countries. See: http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torksk%C3%A5p The dryers were very expensive (~$1000) and they didn't catch on. They use much smaller heating elements and have larger air flows. The only one I know of being sold in the USA is the Staber. See: http://www.staber.com/dryingcabinet?gcl ... GgodyVlCgw
If I were to make dryer, I'd gut a upright freezer and use its metal cabinet with an water to air heat exchanger.

Anyone own or have seen a residential dryer cabinet? BTY I own a Staber washing machine. It's an very unusual design, horizontal rotation axis like a front loader but it's a top loader. Washes clothes with about a gallon of water. Great for people with expensive water rates or have septic system problems and need to conserve water usage.

I like this forum... learn sumthin' new every day! A clothes drying cabinate. Cool as ashaded cucumber.

I hope you have better luck with your Staber than this guy! : http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowne ... tries.html

We've been looking for a new washer. Kinda like the energy savings of a front loader, but don't want a front loader.

Freddy wrote:
We've been looking for a new washer. Kinda like the energy savings of a front loader, but don't want a front loader.

I bought a front loader a few years ago, I carefully considered all options first. It was a wise choice. It's a Kenmore made by Fridgidaire. The only time you can hear it running is during the extract cycle.
All commercial washers are front loaders, that should tell you something about which is the better design, top or front loader.

I've thought of a way to connect the air intake on my electric dryer to a heat collector attached to the hand-fired Harman, however there is a wall and the chimney in the way so I put that idea on the back burner for now.

Freddy wrote:I like this forum... learn sumthin' new every day! A clothes drying cabinate. Cool as ashaded cucumber.

I hope you have better luck with your Staber than this guy! : http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowne ... tries.html

We've been looking for a new washer. Kinda like the energy savings of a front loader, but don't want a front loader.

We have had the Staber a couple of months. So far it's been great. I too wanted a front loader but after reading all the service issues with the front door leaks and bearing failures I realized it just wasn't a good design. The Staber spins on a horizontal axis and has bearings in both front and rear. A much better design. It's well made and very heavy. It must weight 25-50% more than a top loader. I was aware of the negative reports on the Staber. I went to look at one in PA Dutch country, at a dealer who sells primarily to the Amish. I'm convinced it's the washer for me. I can see someone who is all thumbs and has no diagnostic skills will have trouble when it needs service.

Freddy wrote: We've been looking for a new washer. Kinda like the energy savings of a front loader, but don't want a front loader.

we put ours up on elevated platform about a foot high, would have made it higher if there wasn't cabinets in the way. Only reason I can think not to like them is the bending down.

Hmmmm, Yaaa, The Staber can have a shaft & bearing where front loaders have a door. Verrrrry innnnteresting.

The fellow that had bad luck with his..... if you sell enough Mercedes you'll sell to someone that hates them.

I bought a Maytag Neptune about 10 years ago. It's a front loader and very energy efficient, espcially when it's broke and not running. It was $999.00. Practically every part on it has been replaced. Never had a leak issue though. Don't ever buy one of those. Just google Maytag Neptune to see al the class action suits.

I have recently read about a water coil heat exchanger for dryers. I couldn't find the link and when I googled it, I came up with some links, but not the one I remembered. It was a conversion kit that would work with electric dryers to change from heating air to heating the water in the coil. That water coil kit would be a good place to start when building your coal fired dryer. If I ever find the correct link, I'll post it.

A quick note on washers. Vertical shaft washers do not clean clothes very well and beat them up, your clothes will not last nearly as long. Horizontal shafts will wash clothes with less water and soap and do not beat the clothes up nearly as much. They also cost less to run and reduce transmission problems.

coalkirk wrote:I bought a Maytag Neptune about 10 years ago. It's a front loader and very energy efficient, espcially when it's broke and not running. It was $999.00. Practically every part on it has been replaced. Never had a leak issue though. Don't ever buy one of those. Just google Maytag Neptune to see al the class action suits.

I replaced my electric dryer first, I bought a Maytag. Five years later I replaced the motor. I was not impressed with the construction of the appliance when I had it apart.

Based on the reports I'd read I did not buy a Maytag front loader washer, which I was planning to do. I went with the Kenmore. I think it's about 5 years old now, I have not had any problems with it and would recommend it. It's actually made be Fridgidaire.

There are only a few companies that make major appliances in the USA. They are sold under the various brand names. Read Consumer Reports and do the research before spending your hard earned $$$$!

coaledsweat wrote: Horizontal shafts will wash clothes with less water.

I'd imagine the water is a LOT less. Must ake 10 gallons to fill up regular one. I'll bet the one we have uses 1 or 2 gallons per cycle.

The most important component to a good wash is having the clothes hit the drum at the waterline as it rolls (like great grandma did on the rocks). A front loader should not have any leaking issues unless it is overfilling or the lip seal needs replacing as the waterline should be below the door opening.

There are four parts to good cleaning; heat, chemical, time and mechanical action (the clothes hitting the water and drum). They need to be in balance, so if you use less heat or chemical, it will take more time. The mechanical action is critical and you get very poor action w/vertical shafts as it beats the clothes against each other, not the water and drum and they are totally submerged which takes the shock out of it.

coaledsweat wrote:There are four parts to good cleaning; heat, chemical, time and mechanical action (the clothes hitting the water and drum).

I was just about to post the same comment, but you beat me to it! Only I say "Time, temperature, mechanical action, and chemicals".

Commercial washers usually have a low and high water level, the high water level is used for rinsing. That will rise above the door lip, but those machines have much heavier door gaskets and latching mechanisms.

http://www.milnor.com/

Heyyy, that green one, I want one of those! (I may need help fitting it into the closet)

I can set you up with a Knight chemical pump and liquid laundry chemicals for it. BTW, you'll need 3 phase power and a big boiler to supply it.