Question on vintage desk fan maintenance

[ScionPI2005]

Hi all,
I tried doing a search, but couldn't come up with anything specific for my question, so hopefully this is the place to post this.

I have a mid 1940's vintage Emerson desk fan which I have been using pretty heavily for the past several months. I recently started wondering if I should oil it at some point; it is an oscillating fan, so the mechanism probably needs lubrication. Can anyone tell me if the tiny hole at the top of the motor housing is designed as the place to add oil to lubricate the motor? If this is the case, does anyone know if any specific type of oil is preferred? If the fan is not supposed to be oiled through this hole, are there any other recommendations on how to oil it?

Thanks!

 

[The Wingnut]

Photographs would help.

I've rebuilt a desk fan, I found that automotive grease meant for bearings(specifically disc brake cars, the grease is meant to withstand high heat applications) works best on the motor's shaft. Oil has a tendency to run out/off of the friction surfaces, and go places it shouldn't.. If it runs hot(housing / shaft /motor gets hot), it's probably a good idea to pull the fan apart, clean the commutator and clean out any accumulated dust.

 

[M Tatterscratch]

Just SEEING a thread with a name like this makes me happy.

T.

 

[Vintage Betty]

I'm no expert, but I also wouldn't assume that the hole in the top of the fan is meant for oil; many times it was a fabrication of the steel or else I've also heard that it helps to prevent overheating of the internal unit.

There are a variety of oils available for gear lubribication, smooth operation, and maintenance. There are also a lot of oil dispensers available (many of which you can get for a song at your local auto supply in a plastic and easy to use dispenser vs buying the oil in a fancy jar at the hardware store - hint hint). Also, sometimes, standard grease meant for lubrication of machined parts works better than oil on the parts as the grease melts as the unit needs the lubrication.

Before adding "any oil" you need to find out the exact weight and type meant for your unit. Too heavy weight of oil might actually slow your unit down and also 'stick" to the mechanism accumulating dust; too light of an oil might dispense too quickly, and I've seen it thrown out of the fan spokes onto the fan blades and into the room.

I'd suggest you consult some of the experts here and search the internet for your particular unit and manufacturer. I'm sure there are maintenance threads around which can give you some idea of a proper maintenance schedule.

Good luck-

Vintage Betty