Sarge
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 113
- Location
- The Summit City
I love old electric fans from the 1920s through the 1940s. We run ours year round. They were built to last and as long as you keep the bearings oiled they will pretty much run forever.
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Some of my old electric fans
- Thread starter Sarge
- Start date
1930artdeco
Practically Family
- Messages
- 673
- Location
- oakland
We have a few as well and love them for the amount of air they move. I have an oscillator style fan that no longer moves. So I need to dig into it some more, as I think the worm gear is toast.
mike
mike
- Messages
- 10,939
- Location
- My mother's basement
How long have you been building this collection?
Sarge
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 113
- Location
- The Summit City
I started collecting old fans about a year ago.
Bugguy
Practically Family
- Messages
- 570
- Location
- Nashville, TN
I went through my fan collecting phase a few years ago. I kept to the smaller fans and had a nice collection. I really enjoyed the guys at the fan collectors site - friendly and helpful. My wife, however, couldn't understand why I needed more than one fan. So in the interest of maintaining the marital bliss I've become accustomed to, I unloaded all but one fan.
This is an 8" blade, 3-speed Trojan. Its body, basket and blades are all brass. At one time it was shiny, but someone in my household preferred the dark patina. Nonetheless, I still have it and use it.
This is an 8" blade, 3-speed Trojan. Its body, basket and blades are all brass. At one time it was shiny, but someone in my household preferred the dark patina. Nonetheless, I still have it and use it.
- Messages
- 10,939
- Location
- My mother's basement
While I can’t recall accounts of anyone in my circles actually losing digits (or at least suffering serious injury) to the types of electric fans we had way back when, it’s not such a stretch to imagine it happening.
As with all vintage electrical gizmos, the old wiring itself may present a hazard. I mention this not to rain on anyone’s parade (I have a bunch of old lamps and radios and whatnot myself), but rather to get some clarification from the better-versed on such matters as to what a person ought be on guard against.
I recently called in a trusted electrician to assess the safety of a ’60s-vintage ceiling fixture (one of those retractable pull-down kind typically positioned over a dining table) prior to installing it. I figured that the cloth-wrapped cord on the thing could be wrapped around that spool only so many times before wires broke. I suspect that’s why that type of fixture hasn’t been made in a half century or longer.
As with all vintage electrical gizmos, the old wiring itself may present a hazard. I mention this not to rain on anyone’s parade (I have a bunch of old lamps and radios and whatnot myself), but rather to get some clarification from the better-versed on such matters as to what a person ought be on guard against.
I recently called in a trusted electrician to assess the safety of a ’60s-vintage ceiling fixture (one of those retractable pull-down kind typically positioned over a dining table) prior to installing it. I figured that the cloth-wrapped cord on the thing could be wrapped around that spool only so many times before wires broke. I suspect that’s why that type of fixture hasn’t been made in a half century or longer.
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- Messages
- 10,939
- Location
- My mother's basement
Seeing how we’re in the dog days I figured it’s as good a time as any to ask who else around here is using old electric fans and might offer their impressions as to how practical they are for regular use.
Some electric fans are more than a century old now. Are they safe? Are they noisy? Are they reasonably energy efficient?
As items of industrial design some are splendid indeed.
Some electric fans are more than a century old now. Are they safe? Are they noisy? Are they reasonably energy efficient?
As items of industrial design some are splendid indeed.
Bugguy
Practically Family
- Messages
- 570
- Location
- Nashville, TN
I posted this 1st time around - 11/2021.
This is an 8" blade, 3-speed Emerson Trojan.(c. 1911). Its body, basket and blades are all brass. At one time it was shiny, but someone in my household preferred the dark patina. Nonetheless, I still have it and use it.
I had it rewired and lubricated. The bearings are worn due to age (~110 yrs.), so its not quiet. Energy efficient? - no way. Safe? - like a sink disposal, lawnmower, chain saw.... keep the kids fingers out of it.
The small, all brass fans are not common. Buffed out, they're really pretty. Definitely a keeper!
This is an 8" blade, 3-speed Emerson Trojan.(c. 1911). Its body, basket and blades are all brass. At one time it was shiny, but someone in my household preferred the dark patina. Nonetheless, I still have it and use it.
I had it rewired and lubricated. The bearings are worn due to age (~110 yrs.), so its not quiet. Energy efficient? - no way. Safe? - like a sink disposal, lawnmower, chain saw.... keep the kids fingers out of it.
The small, all brass fans are not common. Buffed out, they're really pretty. Definitely a keeper!
