For Vornado Fan Collectors

[tomturbomatic]

I sent one of my more modern Vornado fans in for factory service. These are infinite speed models and I like that feature so when one of them stops working, I call Vornado, get a service ticket and send it to the factory. When it is ready, they email me and I call with a credit card and they ship it back.

I asked about a little green one I bought years ago at an estate or garage sale. It has bad bushings so I asked if they could repair it also. Here is the information she gave me. It might be helpful to some of you.

The Vornado Fans you have are models manufactured by the O.A. Sutton Corporation in the 1950s. We are unable to repair those models. I would suggest contacting Richard Raclawski at Crescent Industries as he offers parts and service for the vintage Vornado Fans. His web site is http://www.rcrescent.com/vintagevornado/ and his contact information is
Richard Raclawski
8340 Golden Fields Drive
Oak Creek, WI 53154
Email: [email protected]
414-570-9908

 

[washman]

Vornado is more than a fan

it is a complete air comfort system.

 

[tomturbomatic]

You have obviously owned one and also have partaken of the company punch.

It is amazing how effective they are at moving cooled air from room to room in the summer and moving warmer air to cooler places in the winter, like from my heated basement to the basically unheated plant room/shop in super cold weather.

I am glad to support a company that still services their products and makes many of them in the USA.

 

[washman]

Owned and do own right now

the 783B. Whilst it is assembled in Andover KS, the motor is a Superelectric CM-123 4-pole PSC unit. Sourced from China, no less.

When hmmmm I forgot the chap who started Vornado back up again, but anyway there was a time when they did make all their motors in house.

 

[firedome]

We have an original Vornado

that looks like the new ones with the concentric metal air-foil rings, it still works great after 60+ years!

 

[supersuds]

Mike Coup is the guy who restarted the company. I thought they used Fasco motors, though; I know some of them did. But Fasco is closed now.

Old or new, an excellent product.

 

[robbinsandmyers]

Gilberts attempt or copy

The A C Gilbert Co made a fan in the early 50's called The Windstreamer that was very close to the Vornado design but the prop had tapered thin blades instead. They didnt make them long as I think they got sued but from the ones I have and the Vornados Ive seen the Gilbert had the edge.

 

[iheartmaytag]

The Vornado factory is in Andover, KS, a suburb about 20 miles from here.  I know several people that work there. 

 

They still make some very good quality air movers.

 

ETA:

My Mom still has an original Vornado from 1950.  My dad used to take it apart about once a season and clean the motor and oil it.  The switch gave out sometime around 1969 or so, and my dad just wired the cord directly to the motor feed, always on HI always on unless unplugged.

 

Still one of the best fans we have/had.

[this post was last edited: 8/4/2016-14:31]

 

[gansky1]

I have five Vornado fans, the only brand we use daily.  Three of ours are the new reproduction vintage models, one is five years old, the others I bought last year direct from KS.  In the garage, I use a Vornado plastic modern version of the column-of-air fans, quiet and very effective.   My grandparents had a flip-over window fan in their utility room that could pull air from the upstairs bedroom windows.  Wish I still had that sometimes.  

 

I do have a 12" vintage fan but the bushings are going and need to be replaced.  Thanks, Tom, for the information on parts, I would really love to have that old model working like new again.  It's really nice to be able to point it in any direction and have the air moving in the whole room, it circulates the air without drying out your eyeballs blowing right on you or a ceiling fan flapping around in your periphery.   

 

[sambootoo]

I can attest to Raclawski's work. I got a rebuilt motor from him for one of my Vornados. Good, quality work and he took the old motor as trade in.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I like the look of the new V-fan. It's a very nice fan and seems to be well made.

I read on the AFCA about someone who bought a 1989 Vornado from a yard sale that had a broken switch. Not able to find a replacement, they called Vornado to see if they had one, but when they called, Vornado asked for the serial number. They determined that it was still under warranty after 25 years and though they weren't the original owner it would be repaired, cleaned and shipped back for free if they paid shipping to Vornado. Really good service there. I think they also gave them a big discount or something on any future purchases with the company.

 

[washman]

I dug out the Vornado

Jr, the classic green reproduction. The link is a youtube vid I did years ago when I lived in the condo.

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg-Xdu8cSQE&index=3&list=PL89C593F1F78EA1CB