Uses for broken washer or dryer suggestions...

[thegriffiths]

I have 4 dryers and 3 washers that we have accumulated in our garage. I am about to get rid of them to make room.

I was going to just take them to the landfill...but thought there may be something useful in them or that could be made from them. I was hoping to get some ideas from everyone.

Would the motors be useful to remove? Hoses? or other parts?

I am going to keep one of the broken dryers around, it wont heat - but I read that I could use it to "tumble" deer pelts after tanning to make them supple.

Anything else that they might be used for?

Thanks for any the suggestions!

[GrannyG]

We have removed the spinning tubs inside the washer and used it for a planter . Around here, you can take them to the recycle place for a little change...they bring about $5 each for the metal....some guys around here will gladly pick up old ones to take in for a little extra money.....

[Malamute]

Are there any guys around that fix and resell them? That may be the simplest and most green way to dispose of them.

There may be parts in them that could be useful, but,.... like other things in life, how long do you have to hold on to them before you find a use? Like the collection of dead appliances you already have, you have to store things until you find a use for them. I'm getting more in the frame of mind that my space is more valuable than spare stuff. You can likely always find another dead dryer or whatever of you find you really need a motor from one. Motors may not fit another model appliance. Hoses may not work on other models either, and may be dried out or cracked anyway. I'd prefer a new hose if I had to go to the trouble to replace one. Just my way of rationalizing getting rid of stuff I'm not realistically ever going to use, but will have to trip over and curse for years. My peace of mind is worth far more than the potential use of an old part from a______________(fil in the blank).

Good thread, makes me want to go clean out my little shop building and make a dump run.

[rootsandwings]

when we replaced our washer and dryer with the same type, I removed the knobs, some screws, the lint catcher, and a few other small parts that store easily in a box (lint catcher is the biggest) because, while they may not be all that expensive to replace, I have to burn up two hours of my time and 20 bucks in gas to go get the parts from the only place around that has them (or mail order, pay shipping, and wait)

then the delivery people took the old one.

I turned the plastic dishwasher shell into a chicken shelter in the garden. I thought about using the washer and dryer that way, but was concerned they would rust.

[springvalley]

Haul them to the scrap yard, your sittin on about a hundred dollars worth of scarp, or more. They bring good money around here, so they should be there also. Call around for your scarp yards, get the best deal. > Thanks Marc

[CarolT]

We've used old dryers for hen nests. Remove the door, stuff the tub with hay and voila! We remove the motor, fan and anything else. If I use the multi-nest ones, setting hens forget where they're supposed to be, these keep them better organized.

We used a plastic tub from one or the other to build a whiz-bang chicken plucker. Hubby has used parts for all types of things...

[fantasymaker]

The shells make great cabinets and counter tops,work benches etc.
Tubs are usefull to pen fish in or for planters

[big rockpile]

Originally Posted by springvalley

Haul them to the scrap yard, your sittin on about a hundred dollars worth of scarp, or more. They bring good money around here, so they should be there also. Call around for your scarp yards, get the best deal. > Thanks Marc

X2 and I'm sure you can find plenty to add to the load.

big rockpile

[JuliaAnn]

I haven't done it but I saw a washing machine tub made into a fire pit. Looked neat with the fire light glowing through all the holes.

[gone-a-milkin]

At our house we have a mash tun made from a washing machine tub.
That is used for sparging barley grist to make beer.
( Just in case you didnt know) .

[HeelSpur]

Years ago when I helped a friend of mine doing some work, after work he would have me buy some liquor for him and sneak it into his shed where there was an old dryer and hide the booze for him. He was the whooped kind, but liked a snort and had to sneak it. So I guess it could be used for storage or a hiding place.

[Belfrybat]

Put them on Craig's List "for parts" at $10.00 each OR Freecycle them if you just want to get rid of them. The closest scrap yard to me is too far away to benefit from taking things -- costs as much in gas as I'd get, so I tend to Freecycle stuff. It's amazing what people will haul off!

[puddlejumper007]

when i was at a blue grass festival one time. i saw someone had taken the drum inside of the drier and use it for their camp fire. look real nice..

[happychick]

Originally Posted by Belfrybat

Put them on Craig's List "for parts" at $10.00 each OR Freecycle them if you just want to get rid of them.

That's what I was going to recommend! If you don't want to load or haul them anywhere just say on your post 'you load and transport'. Got rid of our old washer in 24 hours with freecycle this summer.

[ET1 SS]

Old washers make fantastic chicken pluckers.

Look up 'Whizbang Chicken plucker' they are DIY devices made from washing machines.

[yikes]

30 years ago I peeled off the metal sides of a washer, straightened it out, nailed on 2 2x8's on the sides with beveled ends. It was used as a mortar mixer for the stucco we put on the house. Since then it has been used to mix concrete and at times soil. It stays by a ravine where it makes a nice home for small animals.

[taylorlambert]

Save them My washer got a leak when filling. I know it was a simple hose or valvel probelm but couldnt fix it right away. I was going out of town and I got a new one. THe computer went out on the new one and was somehow gonn cost more than we gave for the washer. My warrantycovered it though. I have a locl guy that will fix my old one for 50 dollars.

Or build another thing is build some thing from them. I have ome washer drums I use as fire pit liners. THey wont rust out as they are ceramic covered. neat with al lthe air holes in them. One I have is my soil sterilizer for making my own seed starting soil. I buil a fire in the washer tub and fill it with wood. I then have the bottom 2 thirds of a 55 gallong drum I set on top and fill with seed infested compost. I then add water to it till its soaked through the compost and up to the surface. It will cook for about 2 hours and boil through. It makes the best sterile seedling mix Ive found.

My other use for a washer drum is mount the drum on a good sturdy pallet or crate. THen use the washer motor or another one. Then wire it all up. I use this set up to spin Mustard and turnip and salad greens when they leave the washing tank. Im also working on getting another to build a washing tank out of.

The housings make good chick brooders and Ive enven seen some incubators made from them. I also helped a friend make an mini chicken house from one.

[Wayne02]

I've used the drums for small fire pits.

Taken them to the scrap yard for a few bucks.

I removed the guts on a dryer, put a shelf in just below the bottom of the door, then put a hinge on the front panel under the door so it could swing open. Put casters on it, and it now holds my parts washer on top, and the cabinet has all my funnels, grease guns, and oil change stuff inside the cabinet.

[CarolT]

The motor isn't strong enough from a washer or dryer to run the whizbang or we'd be making and selling them all over. And so would everybody else LOL