Majestic Cedar Washing Machine

[HermitFlywheel]

So I've been busy with other projects, started taking it apart. I wanted to replace every bolt and nail. Well disaster struck. Luckily I have a spare head and crank that are a different agitator head, but same gears and crank. I'll repurpose the spare crank into a butter churn or something.

So word to others, leave these carriage bolts in if you can

[Bill Hazzard]

I would not use epoxy, the wood won't be able to breathe. I would just clean the wood and use either linseed or Tung oil.

[HermitFlywheel]

Yeah it's clear I need to put alittle oiling maintenance on the tub. I'm just getting lazy in my old age. No permanent seal on wood is the verdict. But it looks like someone put some kind of hard clear on the tub before me?

So I'm in agreement with everyone oil is the way to go. But I gotta ask, linseed(non-boiled is food safe I think), and a possible mix with turpentine, or just tung oil, has anyone actually washed clothes in their tub recently? No skin irritation from oils seeping into washed clothing?

Let's say linseed oil, turpentine, and tung oil would be difficult to acquire where you live. What other oils could you use? Hemp oil?vegitable oil?

[Bill Hazzard]

If you use a couple of thin coats of boiled linseed oil it will harden and will not bleed into clothing. I would not use raw linseed oil as it stays tacky for a long time. You can also get linseed oil based varnish which would give you a hard finish, I got some from here, http://www.solventfreepaint.com/linseed_paint.htm

[HermitFlywheel]

Bill I checked out that linseed paint. I like the idea of that, but I'd like to keep the black lettering on outside, but the inside of tub may be a good place to use that linseed paint.

[HermitFlywheel]

Some more progress.
Re-made the agitator as the old was smoked. But I glued old agitator back together, cut rusty carriage bolts, I'll make a candle holder or something out of it.
I've been avoiding taking the tub apart since I'll need some free space.
Almost everything is sandblasted and primed for paint. The top plate holding wood agitator is out to cerakote, since it was super cheap.
The original shaft was smoked. Whipped up a new one out of 304. Fits great.