46 replies to this topic

[eds]

jasserEnv, on 01 January 2012 - 11:50 AM, said:

Sure they can do this if they are not too far from the water. The problem is that when I was in Africa, the walk to the water was 1.5 hours in some cases. You do this 4 times in a day and a significant amount of the day is consumed in walking and washing clothes. I was personally completely astonished by just how much so of these people had to walk for water for washing clothes. In The West, we generally just don't get how much these things affect people living in these conditions.

A bucket of water on the head, can carry about 5 Gals. weight 22 Lbs.
while a Hippo-Roller can carry 24 Gals. Weight 200 Lbs.

They are being used in these Communities in Africa.

[kate]

eds, on 31 December 2011 - 07:37 AM, said:

Sew.jpeg
Treadle sewing machine's work the foot muscles.

But don't give up, here's a Popular Science Nov 1916 page 738
Rocking chair washing machine

LOLOL!!  My grandparents both worked their treadle machine ceaselessly.  Even as a kid, I was amazed at how deftly my grandfather could keep that machine going just so precisely.  We're very excited to have this one!  Now if there was just some way I could operate the wring washer using the same foot-power I use to operate the sewing machine!!

[eds]

kate, on 02 January 2012 - 07:41 AM, said:

Now if there was just some way I could operate the wring washer using the same foot-power I use to operate the sewing machine!!

 books.jpeg   4.82K   0 downloads

The Human-Powered Home: Choosing Muscles Over Motors

Look under "Excerpts" for the "Table of Content" page 188

[jasserEnv]

eds, on 01 January 2012 - 12:28 PM, said:

A bucket of water on the head, can carry about 5 Gals. weight 22 Lbs.
while a Hippo-Roller can carry 24 Gals. Weight 200 Lbs.

They are being used in these Communities in Africa.

I am not saying that they aren't using the roller, just that the design could use some tweaks to save many people an additional trip. As far as carrying water on their heads, I never saw people carrying water to use for washing clothes. They had long since figured out that it was easier to carry the clothes to the water. That's why I am saying that a design that enabled both washing and rinsing would be a valid enhancement.

[eds]

Swirl . . . . . . . . Hippo-Roller

. . . The "Colored and Underlined" words above are "LINKS" If you "CLICK" on them,
. . . they will take you to articles and pictures, that show two different devices
. . . for carrying large amounts of water.

Edited by eds, 04 January 2012 - 07:10 PM.
add information

[msterees]

Here's a portable washing machine that doesn't require any electricity at all and uses very little water:
http://tinyhouseblog...ashing-machine/
Sounds like it would be ideal for washing a few clothes at a time and you could even use it during a power outage.

[greenking]

Awesome washing machine! I think that's priceless! =)