What can be made from an old washing machine?

What do you usually do with outdated appliances? There can be many options here. Someone simply takes the old unit to the nearest dumpster, someone takes it to a cottage or garage, hoping that "maybe it will come in handy. Still, you can contact a firm specializing in the removal of bulky equipment - there are hundreds of such organizations in any major city.

However, there is another way to solve the problem, which many people somehow forget. Old, unrepaired appliances can be given a new life. Skilled craftsmen make out of non-working refrigerators, electric stoves and washing machines original and functional things. In this article we will tell you what crafts you can make from the old washing machine. Do not rush to get rid of the failed helper, let it benefit you in its new incarnation.

The washing machine is a complex appliance, consisting of a huge number of elements, most of which can be found a useful use. Almost any part can be used, starting with a sealed body and ending with a drum. Most often, the following parts are used for these parts:

• Engine (motor) - if it is in good condition, it can be the basis for a new device;
• drum - quality metal is always useful at home;
• door of the hatch - shockproof glass is also a useful thing in everyday life;
• the body - you can think of some interesting use for this part;
• Various small parts: springs, counterweights, clamps, bearings, electrical wires - all this will be useful for various household needs, especially in good hands.

From an old washing machine cylindrical shape, which is popularly called "barrel", you can make a compact concrete mixer and use it for household needs. The device is quite complicated, so it is necessary to have at least a basic knowledge of electrical engineering and plumbing.

First, we should remove the activator from the washing machine. Instead of it, we will install paddles, which will stir the concrete. Paddles should be cut and welded from a metal sheet (best if it will be steel). The blades should be U-shaped and about 0.4-0.5 cm thick, you should keep right angle between them.

Next, we weld the blades to the shaft at the place where the activator used to be. After that, we need to decide whether we will keep the old motor or make a new one. If it is planned to mix small portions of the mortar, then the motor does not need to be changed. If the volume of the portion will be quite large, it is advisable to set the engine a little more assistant. Also, do not forget to put instead of a belt drive reducer, which will reduce the speed and increase the torque.

Another useful household appliance in which you can re-equip the washing machine is a juicer. However, it will be very large and will take up a lot of space. For conversion into a juicer only old models of washing machines of semi-automatic type with activator motor are suitable.

The principle of work will be the same as in the previous case: we take out the activator and put in its place self-made knives that will chop fruits and vegetables. Knives should be sharp, so do not forget to sharpen them before installation.

Next, you need to work on the shaft: we apply threads to it, put the knives on, fix them with suitable fasteners. After that, we seal the drain and put a metal mesh with fine mesh inside the centrifuge. First the raw material will be ground in the tank and then pressed in the centrifuge.

An indispensable thing at the cottage is a sterilizer for jars. You will be surprised, but it can also be made from a washing machine. The process of cooking jams and pickles will become faster, because in such a machine you can sterilize several jars at once.

So, to make a sterilizer out of an unnecessary washing machine, you need:

• Put a plug in the hole activator;
• to put a support on the bottom;
• To put a metal grid for jars on the support;
• Drill a hole in the tank for the boiling pot;
• to connect the boiling-hot water heater for 2 kV.

If the washing machine motor is in good working order, you can make from it a sharpening machine for knives and garden tools. In addition to the motor itself, we will need a sharpening wheel. In addition, prepare the base for the machine - for this purpose, a thick wooden die will work perfectly.

On the shaft you need to plant an adapter, on which the sharpening and cutting wheels will be installed. The machine will be attached to the base by means of two pairs of metal brackets. The switch for the device can be borrowed from the same washing machine.

A feather picker is a device that allows you to quickly pluck poultry carcasses. If you raise chickens, ducks, turkeys or other poultry, such a device will be very useful to you. However, to make it yourself, you will have to spend some money. Basic equipment: rubber feather fingers are pretty expensive. In addition, for each type of bird, you need "fingers" of different diameter, as the size of the feather in different breeds can vary significantly.

Order of work:

• make a disc of steel (thickness - 0.3 cm, diameter - minus 1 cm of the diameter of the tank);
• Drill holes in the disk for "fingers" (the distance between them should be about 3 cm);
• Drill the same holes on the sides of the tank, 15 cm from the bottom;
• put the disc with the fingers on the shaft;
• put the feather fingers in the holes drilled in the tank.

Watch the following video to see how the feather duster works.

Where do you usually take unnecessary things? To the country house, of course. Most of us probably have an old washing machine gathering dust in the attic or in the shed. Instead of cluttering up his place, the unit can be adapted for some household needs and make, for example, a washbasin.

Consider other options as well.

It is unknown who was the first to think of making a barbecue out of the washing machine drum, but this idea was quickly picked up by many dacha owners. The idea is really a good one - the grill turns out durable, convenient and compact. For the production of drums use high quality metal, which is well tolerant of moisture, temperature fluctuations and is not prone to corrosion.

The drum should be removed from the tank and installed on the legs. For this purpose, you can adapt metal rods or thin, sturdy pipes - something of this is likely to be found in the garden plot. A suitable piece of metal should be cut into equal parts, and then carefully welded to the bottom of the drum.

You can see the grill that you can make from an old washing machine in the following video.

To cook meat deliciously in nature, you can use not only a charcoal grill, but also a grill. It, too, can be made from a washing machine (namely from its tank), but for this you will have to buy a motor suitable in size and power.

From the bottom of the tank you need to cut a small piece - its dimensions should be ¼ or slightly less of the entire size of the tank. Then in the side - where the drum bearing was - drill a hole, in which then install the motor. The grill will be heated by coals, and the spit will rotate with the help of a motor.

Do not forget about another incredibly delicious way to cook meat and fish - hot smoking. A device that allows smoking in the cottage can also be made from the spare parts of an unnecessary washing machine.

The drum will be the basis of our smokehouse. Preliminarily, it is necessary to plug all the holes in it. You can weld them, but it will be faster to wrap the drum with a thin sheet of metal. It is necessary to cut a door in the drum (if the washing machine with vertical loading is used, the door in the right place is already there).

In the upper part of the tank we cut or drill a hole through which the smoke will come out. For meat, install a metal grate inside the tank.

Those who do not need homemade equipment and inventory for cooking, you can advise to let parts of the disassembled washing machine to make original furniture or places for storage. The body and drum are best suited for design ideas. Read below about how you can freshen up the interior with an old laundry machine.

From the drum of an old washing machine you can make an unusual coffee table in high-tech style. Thanks to the features of the source material, it will turn out to be very strong, but lightweight, and will serve you for many years.

As the basis of the table, we take the drum from a washing machine; to make the product look more spectacular, give it a shine with a special cleaner. As a table top we will take a piece of tempered glass with a suitable diameter. Fix it to the drum, using long fasteners. Table ready!

You can also make a table using the body of the washing machine.

Another interesting piece of furniture that can be made from the drum of an ordinary washing machine is a pouffe that can simultaneously serve as a drawer for things. To make it we need: the drum itself, a thick foam rubber cushion in a bright pillowcase, a sheet of chipboard, a stapler and a pair of furniture hinges.

From a sheet of chipboard we cut a piece that will play the role of a hinged lid of the pouffe. It can be either round or square, depending on the shape of the cushion. Then, using a stapler, fasten the cushion to the cover. Next, hang the lid on the furniture hinges to the top of the drum. To make our pouf look more aesthetically pleasing, you can paint it with acrylic paints.

Another part of the washing machine, which can be found an unusual use is the hatch door. Many people use it as a window - but only in non-residential buildings. The fact that the thick, sturdy glass hatch good pass light, but it is difficult to see through it. Therefore, it is often put in bathhouses, outdoor toilets, garages and even in dog kennels. An additional plus is that such a window does not let water in and can be easily opened for ventilation.