7 Things You Can Do With a Washing Machine Motor
If you call a repair technician to fix your broken washing machine, don’t let them walk away with your old motor! A washing machine motor can serve many purposes.
Many of your old washing machine’s parts are recyclable. Because technology keeps improving, it’s often more affordable to replace the entire machine than wait for replacement parts, especially when you factor in labor costs.
Old washing machine motors have a variety of different uses. You can use your motor for pretty much anything that spins. All you have to do is adjust the speed and ensure you are using it safely.
Here are seven interesting things you can do with a washing machine motor.
1. Build a Rock Tumbler
You can use your old washing machine motor as a rock tumbler. A tumbler shines rocks and knocks off chunks of dirt and sand to reveal unique colors and patterns.
It usually takes several days to shine rocks, so it’s not something you want to do inside. The noise will probably be too loud. If you have to run the motor for several days, we recommend using a separate shop or shed.
Set the motor at a very slow speed. For example, you can set it on delicates or wool clothes. This ensures that the rocks don’t toss around too fast and break.
One benefit to using an old washing machine motor for a rock tumbler is that you can use the whole washing machine without taking the appliance apart.
Simply detach the water connection, and you can begin using it.
2. Make a Homemade Generator
You can use your old motor as a power generator for other devices. A generator is a motor that powers other machines, so your washing machine motor can do the same.
If you have an exercise bike that powers a TV, you can hook a rope or chain from the motor to the pedals and run your washing machine. The pedals will spin and generate electricity.
This may not make much financial sense, since you’re using electricity from a plugged-in washing machine motor to power other appliances, but it is a fun experiment.
3. Make Cotton Candy
Cotton candy machines are big, open tubs that look like a washing machine tub cut in half. A motor beneath the tub spins it around quickly to break up the sugars fast enough to form the candy floss, which then becomes cotton candy.
You can build a makeshift cotton candy maker with an old washing machine motor if you have the right tools. You’ll need to use a fast spin cycle so the tub moves fast enough to make cotton candy.
This is a fantastic project if you have kids at home with you. You can buy sugar powder online and make homemade cotton candy in no time!
4. Mix Concrete
Do you have any outdoor projects you need to tackle? If any of them involve putting down concrete, use your old washing machine motor to build a concrete mixer.
You have to tilt your washing machine on its side and run the motor at slow speeds to make concrete. This keeps it from drying out before the project is finished.
This will certainly save you a lot of energy, because you won’t be mixing small batches by hand. In addition, this DIY concrete mixer will come in handy if you have larger projects that need more concrete.
A great idea is to fasten the motor and the tub to a wheelbarrow frame or anything else with wheels, so you can move your DIY concrete mixer around as you work.
5. Build with Solar Power
You can connect your old washing machine motor to solar panels to power everything from a small robot to a remote-controlled car. This can be a fun project to build with a child at home.
You’ll have fun for years with this, as the motor runs on solar power.
If you are near water, you could use the motor to build a remote-controlled boat.
6. Make a Polisher
Polishers don’t have to be big, but they do need to spin at different speeds, depending on what you’re polishing.
An old washing machine motor is a great way to run your homemade polisher.
The motor is the perfect size for a desk or shop polisher. You can build a casing around the motor and mount it on your workbench in the garage with a small piece of wood.
Then, find the right sizes of drill attachments to insert into the motor. Finally, put your polishing attachments on and get to work.
If you’re not into polishing, you can use the new creation as a sander for wood projects. Again, the different speeds are great for edges and working with different types of wood.
7. Power Your Shop Fan
Old washing machine motors may not be the best to run ceiling fans in your house, but they could be a good option for fans in your garage or shop.
Many people love the rustic look of a larger washing machine motor and don’t mind some unpainted metal casing and wiring showing through.
You can build a fan to keep things cool when you’re working in the shop or the garage relatively easily.
Buy some fan blades online or at your local hardware store. Then, attach them to the motor and mount them on the wall where you want it to go.
If you want to get fancy, you can install a remote control with different speed options, depending on how fast you want it to spin.
There’s no reason to let the delivery company take your old washing machine motor away when they replace your appliance. There are many ways to salvage and re-use your motor.
If the motor still works well, think about projects you want to work on that require spinning. In addition to the uses listed in this article, there are many other things you can do: make ice cream, smoothies, and shop tools, just to name a few.
Be cautious whenever you repurpose a motor. Make sure you stay safe however you decide to use it.
