How to cut the drum of an Indesit washing machine?

The question of how to halve the drum of an Indesit washing machine is often asked by users who are faced with the need to replace the bearings on their washing machine. In fact, the drum, made of stainless steel, cannot be sawed. The plastic non-separable tank, inside of which the drum is located, is subject to cutting. By dividing the reservoir into two parts, you can gain access to the bearings, oil seal and crosspiece.

Craftsmen are familiar with the technology of sawing a washing machine tank, but even experienced specialists spend varying amounts of time on this work. One will need 1-1.5 hours, the other will spend all 3 hours. We will analyze the fastest and most convenient cutting methods that will allow you to complete the work in the shortest possible time.

What tools to use?

The speed at which the work is completed largely depends on the tools used. The simplest equipment is considered to be a hacksaw. Its significant drawback is the difficulty of cutting. Armed with a hacksaw, you will have to spend more than one hour to cut the tank. In principle, if you cut your washing machine at home, then you can suffer once. But craftsmen who carry out repairs every day are forced to look for a more convenient way to cut.

An alternative to a standard hacksaw for metal is a Gross wood hacksaw, equipped with fine teeth.

Thanks to its hardened teeth, it cuts plastic perfectly. The cut turns out to be very smooth, the surface of the tank does not bend or break due to its impact. Compared to a conventional hacksaw, Gross will reduce cutting time by about 1-1.5 hours.

However, this method of dividing the tank is also not the fastest. The best way to cut a tank is to separate it using a jigsaw. To quickly saw a drum you will need:

• standard electric jigsaw;
• two washers and a bearing (for a 4 bolt);
• hacksaw blade.

The stationary jigsaw blade is very wide. Therefore, it is recommended to adapt a thinner blade from an ordinary manual jigsaw. See what one tip of a stationary hacksaw blade looks like. This configuration allows it to freely fit into the hole of the jigsaw. A similar shape should be given to the blade intended for a manual jigsaw.

Now that one end of the thin hacksaw blade is shaped to fit into the jigsaw, you need to secure the structure with washers, a bearing and a bolt. The washers are installed on the sides, a bearing is placed in the middle, everything is secured with a bolt. The design looks quite simple.

The hacksaw blade is inserted into the jigsaw and clamped.

After the structure is securely fixed, you can begin to divide the tank into two parts. You can cut the drum using a hand jigsaw, but then the process will take much longer. It’s better to spend a few minutes and adapt a standard blade for an electric jigsaw.

Sawing time and result

A modified jigsaw will help you spend a minimum of time cutting. Before moving on to the main work, it is necessary to cut off all the “ears” from the surface of the tank, that is, the protrusions present on the welding seam that will interfere with sawing. Next, the blade is placed on the seam, after which you can start the jigsaw.

It is important to monitor the location of the file; it should run almost parallel to the tank so as not to damage the elements.

Also, if you are doing work in this way for the first time, then it is still better to go through difficult areas of the tank (for example, the place shown in the figure above) manually. This will help cut the tank as neatly as possible.

A master who has already become skilled will be able to cut a tank using a jigsaw in literally 45-50 minutes. If you are spending more time dividing the tank for the first time, remember that the work will go faster each time. The cutting method using a jigsaw is very effective and does not require much effort from the “sawing” person.

Connecting the halves of the tank

After the tank is cut, you can proceed to replacing the bearings, installing a new oil seal, repairing the cross, etc. At the end of the work, another important task remains - to assemble the monolithic tank of the Indesit washing machine. To glue the tank, you need to prepare:

• silicone moisture-resistant sealant;
• two clamps for securing the halves (for example, you can use a regular awl);
• screws with nuts.

The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• degrease the seam on both halves of the tank;
• Apply moisture-resistant sealant to the connecting seam.

The surface must be lubricated thoroughly, without missing the slightest area. To glue the tank, you need to choose a sealant that can withstand temperature changes, pressure, vibration, and exposure to water.

• connect both parts of the tank. When placing the lid on the base, press it down lightly;
• To prevent the halves from slipping during further actions, fix them. The clamps (in our case, awls) are installed in two places on the sides of the tank, in the holes located on the welding seam;
• Take the screws and insert them into the holes around the perimeter of the seam. Twist them. Thus, the two halves of the tank will be securely fastened together.

Leave the tank for a few minutes until the sealant is completely dry. Next, you need to attach the drain hose to the tank. The hole for it is also treated with sealant, after which a hose is inserted there. Afterwards, a counterweight, shock absorbers, etc. are attached to the tank. These works no longer relate to the topic under consideration, so we will not focus on them.

As you can see, you can disassemble and solder back the tank of an Indesit washing machine in a couple of hours. The work will proceed especially quickly if you choose a non-standard cutting method. If you cut the tank with a jigsaw, you can save not only time, but also your energy. Using a hacksaw, you will have to press on the seam, constantly work with your hand, but in our case you just need to hold the jigsaw tightly, direct the movement of the file and make sure that it does not go too deep.

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