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Washing Machine Ballast

 Chiropractors aint guna like this one...
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Im going to be moving home again soon, and washing machines are HEAVY !!!
most of it is reasonably heavy, but unsuprisingly the heavy bits are the concrete weights in the base. Why don't washing machines come with a little hatch low in the front panel, from which you can easily remove the concrete weights. Each block could be made to weigh about 4kg & would be long & slender to be easy to move about. This would make lifting the damn thing a hell of a lot easier, ditto "dancing" it into final position in your home. You then simply put the concrete weights back. It would also allow them to sell extra weights for those whose machines dance like a punk.
—mymus, Mar 21 2002

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       <obligatory misreading>I misread this as "Washing Machine Ballet"</obligatory misreading>

Good idea. You could also make the ballast a tank of water so that you could empty it out, move the machine and then fill it up at your destination.
—hippo, Mar 21 2002
   

       yeah, thought about liquid ballast & even about using the rinse water to fill the ballast before the spin cycle. but am getting bit caught up in the dream of actually having one & didnt want something else that could malfuction & flood my home AGAIN !
& blissmiss, can you come round & command mine for me ? please..
—mymus, Mar 21 2002
   

       good points rod,
& stopped my huge suction cup thinking dead in its tracks. how about a skeleton base which you put in place & make fully level. the front of which is a ramp for the main unit whic is on wide wheels, you then push the main unit onto the skeleton base & retract the wheels, which locks it on. you then slide in the concrete ballast blocks. wotcha think as this is some turbo baking.
—mymus, Mar 21 2002
   

       Or drop-down wheels or feet (whichever you prefer).
—phoenix, Mar 21 2002
   

       Washing Machine ballet...hmmm!
—DrBob, Mar 21 2002
   

       Just suspend the thing from the ceiling like a hanging plant and watch it go.
—dag, Mar 21 2002
   

       <Mandatory misinterpretation> Stuff you put in the washer to balance it when you only want to wash a few items that are too light by themselves </Mandatory misinterpretation>
—herilane, Mar 21 2002
   

       19" rack-mounted washing machine? Hmm.
—angel, Mar 22 2002
   

       the problem with drop down feet/wheels is that they would have to be self levelling in order to help out Rods Tiger. also, i'm not a ballet hater, as the optional number of concrete blocks would allow you to "tune" the ballet according to your mood. frustrated housewives take note.
—mymus, Mar 22 2002
   

       It took 4 adult male software engineers* to shift one domestic washing machine up 42 narrow steps. We concure with your removable ballast concept. As far as mounting systems, why dont they use tripods.   

       Another more than halfbaked idea for improving domestic white goods. Put sufficient handhold points so they can be lifted, and improve the ergonomics of handholds so you don't slip or gouge your hands.   

       * == 2 removal men.
—MichaelW, Aug 12 2002
   

       Never heard of concrete ballast in a washer. Guess my ancient Maytag is heavy enough by itself...
—wittyhoosier, Mar 07 2007
   


 

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