Bicycle Washing Machine

[tamilee]

Hi Y'all;
Years ago (probably 20) I saw a man on one of those shows like 60 Minutes he was living off the grid and had rigged an old washing machine drum to an old bicycle and he pedaled it to wash his clothes. I've read a few articles on the internet about how human powered washing machines really don't work. I know a lot of Y'all out there are super bright and would be able to tell be me if this is possible or if there is a website which has info on building this.
Have a blessed day.
tamilee

[almostthere]

The closest thing I can think of is something I saw about a family living off grid raising alpacas, if I remember correctly and using a bike to pump water up to the house like once a day or so.

[gspig]

If you want to do it, I would find an old front load washer to convert. They use less water and don't agitate. You probably won't get the drum to spin fast enough to spin the clothes dry, but you can use gravity to drain the tub between cycles.

[mamajohnson]

All I know is, I do all my family's laundry by hand, in a tub.
And I KNOW that doesnt get it as clean (well, depends on how much energy I have!)
I think it would work better than hand washing. (jeans are tough on your hands)
And the front loader idea is great!

[rosehaven]

http://journeytoforever.org/farm_lib...evicesToC.html

Look down the page a bit and you will find it.

God bless,
april

[tamilee]

Originally Posted by rosehaven

http://journeytoforever.org/farm_lib...evicesToC.html

Look down the page a bit and you will find it.

God bless,
april

Hi april;
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
WOW! Such great info and the ENTIRE book is online!
I've been looking a LONG time for the info in that book!
Have a blessed day!
tamilee

[thebeav]

I saw one on Gilligan's Island

[Oggie]

Originally Posted by thebeav

I saw one on Gilligan's Island

I wouldn't try to build one of those.

It looked like it shrank both Ginger's and Mary Anne's clothes!

[hollym]

My then husband rigged one one time, but it was an old wringer washer. So we heated water, agitated it with the bike, ran them through the wringer, heated more, rinsed, wrung, heated more rinsed, wrung. It worked, but it was time consuming and tiring. We used it for diapers mostly, although sometimes our clothes too. We also had a big 20 gallon? flat black rectangular tub? Used to put the clothes in there and walk around on them, lol, that works too, believe it or not.

hollym

[tamilee]

Originally Posted by hollym

My then husband rigged one one time, but it was an old wringer washer. So we heated water, agitated it with the bike, ran them through the wringer, heated more, rinsed, wrung, heated more rinsed, wrung. It worked, but it was time consuming and tiring. We used it for diapers mostly, although sometimes our clothes too. We also had a big 20 gallon? flat black rectangular tub? Used to put the clothes in there and walk around on them, lol, that works too, believe it or not.

hollym

Hi hollym;
The walking around on clothes sounds like a good idea. I've seen those hand plunger type washers on Lehman's website. If that works I then walking would work, actually it would give more psi? of agitation with the body weight vs. the plunging done by the arms. I'm going to try that. DH may think I've lost mind though. Thanks!
have a blessed day!
tamilee