A new Vintage Fan

[joelippard]

Here is the completion of one of my latest projects. Though I'd share it with the fan lovers here.

 

[qsd-dan]

Nice fan!

How many speeds? Is it thermostatically controlled?

I recently purchased a 3 speed bi-directional Vernco box fan that's thermostatically controlled. Can't wait for it to arrive and play with/put it to work.

Vintage fans rule!

 

[washernoob]

WOW!

Awesome! Looks perfect!

I need some box fans. All I got is a 1925 Dayton 16" desktop, 50s westinghouse 8" and some new lasko junk! Me needs a good metal box fan too!



What are the colors of it? Just wondering as not sure if the camera is giving it a different effect.

 

[supremewhirlpol]

Wow! nice fan! There's just something about these vintage fans that the new ones can't touch.

 

[joelippard]

Oddly enough it is 3 speeds, there is no thermostatic control, but my big Lau fans have that feature. On low it just puts out the smallest breeze, high moves a good amount of air for it's size. The colors are beige (original) and the blades are a very light blue shade. There is nothing like a vintage fan, this one's from the 50's and has oil bath bearings in it. It went a long time with out oil and has been drinking the heck of 3in1.

 

[joelippard]

Coincidentally,

Another very similar to this just showed up on ebay tonight. I don't need another one, so if anyone here likes this one, go to bed and type a search for vintage box fan.

 

[mayguy]

I have not been around these old fan in ages! If I recalled my aunt and uncle had an old GE box fan, and if I recalled the air from these old fan seems cooler than the newer plastic blades... Am I right, or had this thought?

 

[joelippard]

Nope

you remember correctly, the plastic almost always moves less. GE did do a very good plastic blade model in the 70's however.

 

[autowasherfreak]

I don't know if this is true or not might just be me, but I think the older fans with the metal blades move more air than plastic blade fans do.

I like the box fans that were on stands, like this one.

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[washernoob]

My vintage stuff

Here is my mid 1920s Dayton 367 16" desktop fan.

I bought this for $40. Thats about a dollar a pound! This sucker is VERY VERY heavy.

But oh boy does it work like a dream. Well not at the moment as the cord is cut off. But it looks oh so terrible, but runs oh so sweet. Its the most powerful fan I have ever stood in front of.

This is how I bought it. All dirty and unused for years.

 

[washernoob]

After some cleaning

After a wipe down, and Polishing of the solid brass blades.

Brass blades is the only way to go I say. Such beauty when professionally buffed out to mirror like qualities.

Now talk about a finger cuter. :O these fans are quite dangerous!

CURRENT STATE-
The fan is currently dismantled and in my garage being sanded down. The cage is stripped of its paint, next is the base. It will be repainted, and the blades polished out. New cloth cord added from Sundial wire as well.

 

[washernoob]

NEXT

This is a PICTURE of a fan LIKE mine. Its a 50s model westinghouse 8 inch desktop. Yes it has plastic fans but its oh so cute.

Its a pink metallic finish. With chrome vents on the top. Its very streamlined and art deco like.

Mine is not quite as nice. But the paint is mint, I found it in my grandpas garage. Mine also has a cracked blade.

 

[DysonAnimal]

'Yes it has plastic fans...'

I'm curious - does the blade material make a difference in any way to performance, noise output, etc?

 

[washernoob]

Not noise, But the weight I think can affect it. And it doesnt wobble as much.

 

[DysonAnimal]

Ah, ok - you seemed to be referring to the plastic blades as a negative quality of the fan; I just wondered if they had some performance-related or accoustic drawback in comparison to metal blades.

Beautiful fans, anyway - great to see the attention to detail that went into the styling. It's a shame so many modern fans are just boring, generic clones of each other - so few consumer products are engineered with any passion or ambition these days.

I'd love to collect vintage fans, if I had anywhere left to put them!

 

[washernoob]

Lol

Jack, I think they made some hoover fans along the way.

I know ya got the dyson fan, so you are on a roll!

I think the dyson fan is a unique safe idea, but I love the feeling of blades, and the visual aspect.

I dont have anything against plastic blades besides quality. Like my 50s westinghouse, the blade has a crack in it. But some excellent plastic blade fans have been made. Like the old galaxy fans. They are the blue clear plastic blades with the chrome cases, made in the 70s-80s I believe. Great fans!

 

[washernoob]

The problem

There is a HUGE market for vintage fans. unlike vacuum cleaners and washers.

An old 1890-1910 general electric pancake fan (large diameter motor, skinny for the era profile) Can go for THOUSANDS and thousands of dollars.

I have seen vintage fans go for well over $10,000 on ebay.

Most brass winged fans dont go for much less than $100 ever. I got a steal on mine because it has a broken pivot joint. (the neck isn't ajustable anymore, nor will it oscilate)

Keep your eyes peeled on craigslist and in old stores. You might fine one real gem worth MANY thousands of dollars.

Keep your eyes out for old primitive, no cage brass wings, Tesla, or General electric pancake fans!

 

[qsd-dan]

Here's my unrestored 1940 Emerson 77648 in the rare shade of Ivory. Its very large, steep pitched overlapping blades create an incredible amount of airflow at near silent operation. Considered to be the quietest fan on the planet, according to the AFCA.

 

[qsd-dan]

Side shot of the blades