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Hi fan friends, I brought this Westinghouse Pancake home from Harrison, Arkansas this past weekend. I’m over the moon. Beautiful original paint and she runs like a top. The flowers were bought just before I got home to distract my wife from the car full of fans that followed me home. It worked hehe. Jack

A great time, as always! Ideal weather made for comfy camping on the grounds as well.

It could be saved. I won't call it perfect, but still has some small evidence of a past hard life. Definitely worth displaying, and the metal is solid. Not all of these can be saved. Sometimes the metal is crystalized and just falls apart in your hand. Probably a combination of vibration, differing metal qualities and previous manipulations. One spoke replaced. No single spoke retained it's original pattern so a tracing was made of an undamaged cage spoke for reference. On to the next one. Cheers, Bill PS. Note viscous guard dog. Chihuahua, terrorist, Chupacabra mix. Cookie. 4 pounds of unlimited energy.

Friends: I recently was looking at Facebook Marketplace and an ad for the fan below appeared with the caption $60 for a 1930's Emerson. There were no other pictures. I guessed that this fan was either a 910 or 1010 so I contacted the seller and was told that I was third in line. So, on a whim, I offered $300 and jumped to the head of the line. The seller was an elderly gentleman located two hours away from me. His late grandmother purchased this fan and after she died he found it in her attic and stored it in his attic for the last forty years. He had no idea if it ran. I figured that the cage and blade were worth $300 so I made the trip. I was correct. The fan was a model 1010, similar (but not identical in one aspect) to the 1010 that I already restored which you can see below. The circular cage opening in my existing 1010 was somewhat smaller than the 1010 that I picked up. I consulted the old forum gallery and noticed that the 910 and P241 sometimes had the larger opening than the 1010. I'm guessing that Emerson used whatever inventory was on hand. Your thoughts? At any rate, I got the fan home and cleaned the solidified oil out of the oiler, installed a new wick and fired it up. It worked perfectly, which surprised me. Below are pictures of the fan that I took when I got it home. One of the brass wing bolts was missing and I had one in my inventory. One of the struts was broken (above right). The fan came apart easily but the stator wouldn't budge, no matter what trick I employed (including the pipe method). I did finally get the stator out but must have introduced a short or otherwise damaged it (which I didn't discover until later when I reassembled it) Below are pictures of the disassembly. One of the struts was broken at the end (in two pieces). That magician, Ron Bethoney of New England Brass, repaired it so that I could not identify which strut it was. The switch end was broken. Seth Anderson supplied that (and a few more as a bonus). What a super nice guy he is and a terrific resource for the club! I cleaned up the switch and installed the new cover from Seth. The brass motor tag needed re-nickel plating so I had that done. Ron did his usual amazing job on the blade and the cage. Unfortunately, when I put the stator back in the case and tested it, it would not start and it began to smoke. That meant a rewind. I shipped the stator off to Mark Olson in LA. Below are pictures that he supplied. The base and the front cover were in need of japanning as there was too much paint loss nor could they be satisfactorily cleaned up. Rick Powell did his usual great work and soon I had the base and front cover back in my hands. I asked my wife to gold leaf the lettering but that turned out to be very difficult indeed. The gold leaf got all over everything - not good. So I cleaned it up and took a stab at hand painting the lettering. I didn't make too big of a mess of it as you can see above. I got better at the technique on the back of the case which you can see below. Today, the newly wound stator arrived from Mark Olson. I ran into a slight issue which Mark kindly educated me about. I couldn't get the front cover to fit over the newly varnished windings so I called Mark. He calmly explained that I could take some clear spray varnish (which I had but never used) and spray it on the new windings. He said that the varnish would soften up the windings almost immediately so I could use a rubber mallet and gently flatten the windings without doing any damage. He was right as rain. The technique worked perfectly and the cover fit on without a problem. Below are pictures of the restored fan. I think I improved my technique for hand painting the lettering but I'll let you be the judge. Thanks are owed to Rick Powell (japanning), Tony Clayton (for the wonderful headwire), Seth Anderson (grommets leather rotor ring and switch cover), Mark Olson (rewind) and of course, my good friend (whom many of you have used), Ron Bethoney of New England Brass Refinishing. I was originally going to sell the other 1010 but the difference in the cage opening made me rethink that. I'd be interested in your thoughts about the different sized cage openings.

Thank you Geoff, Linda Jean, & Paul for a wonderful fan meet. I know how much work goes into these, but it was a very needed get away to enjoy friends & fans. Weather was spectacular! Lots of fans traded hands, I beautiful Trojan slipped into my truck, thanks Dan. Rick was able to rewind a ceiling fan stator for me, should have a cool(er) deck again. Thank you all who were there for the great time! Friends & fans, doesn't get much better than that! Hope to see y'all in Memphis!

Finally got this done. It was trashed and I found it thanks to some member that tipped off about it. Paint looked ok in photos but it was mostly grease and filth over rust. Got a new collar and oscillator from a couple members. The ones on it were serviceable but cracking. Another repair project for the future if I find another of these missing those parts. Wiring is a nice, flexible jute wrapped I got from Tony a while back. Paint is a Createx Metallic Fastback Green covered with a 2k clear. Photos don't really get the right color and I can't seem to edit the color of the photos to capture it. In warm light it appears more blue, in daylight it is more green. But regardless the camera doesn't pick up the green right. PXL_20250526_230232365.mp4

While dredging for other information I stumbled across this interesting tidbit:

1901 global warming?... How dare you! How dare you!

Unlike in an automotive situation, mixing weights in a fan is not an issue. There is not enough heat & friction to cause any sorts of issues. The only real critical issue is it being non-detergent. I use 20wt non-detergent oil in a squirt can for most of my applications.

This does a good job

There isn't a restoration that I don't learn something new. This time, Mark Olson taught me. The hand painted lettering was new to me also. The best technique is to dot on the paint rather than brush on the paint. My wife describes it as pointilism (whatever that is). She's an art major... Here we are out to dinner last week. It'll be fifty years ago on July 3rd that we met for dinner on the occasion of her 21st birthday. Right now, unfortunately, she's sick getting over pneumonia, poor thing.

I do not like to add a ground wire to an antique fan. If you are concerned about it, use a GFI. Most antique fans have a certain amount of leakage, too often a ground will exaggerate that problem (electricity is lazy & will find the easy path) & if it is used in an area with a GFI, will cause nuisance trips.

I'll let you know tomorrow. Cheers, Bill

Annealing brass is risky business. Unless you know the grade of brass you are using, or are able to work harden it after annealing, chances are the brass will be weakened. Structural integrity suffers. Some brass becomes unusable after annealing. For example, in order to maintain the strength of a 3/16" back ring, round or square, I center drill and pin the ends together before silver soldering. Most 3/16" stock is 360 brass which turns to junk after annealing. Cheers, Bill

Let's toss in some more factors to consider. When researching colors for classic bikes, I've found quite a bit of variation in the same listed colors. The colors were blended by eye in those days, and by different individuals. The factory likely sourced paints from more than one vendor. Also, there's the technique of application which can vary the hue, for example what base coat was used. Lastly, the RAL color standard wasn't really a standard until the 40's or so, so "forest green" to one eye was likely a different color to another's eye. So, I'm a bit lenient when it comes to determining what was original and what wasn't. Cheers, Bill

Thanks to terrific work by RIck Powell, the little 8 inch Jandus that I broke was repaired. Recall that I broke the base trying to free the pot metal pieces that hold the case. Rick not only freed those pieces but he also arranged for the repair of the broken top in a very clever way. You can see the break below. Rick arranged to take this to a local machinist who drilled two holes straight down on either side of the neck and then Rick inserted and glued a pin in each hole to give the repair the strength it needed so as not to break when I tightened the set screw that locks the pot metal pieces in place. Below is the result after three coats of Japanne. Rick is a terrific resource for our club and a very nice person to tolerate all my phone calls no matter how busy he happens to be. Notice the Tony Clayton wire, which was an exact match to the original power cord. And of course, the brass work was done by Ron Bethoney (New England Brass Refinishing).

I’m a fan of the Never-Dull as well.

Congrats! Such a rare Emerson. The 30V making it even more scarce. Agree this one looks to have been found outside after likely losing the one wing or who knows. Amazing even the leather trunion washers appear to still be in place. Look forward to seeing this one restored. ........Dan H.

Arrived perfectly. Barely used. Just abused. Hell I ran it. It may reappear at fan fair.

Working on this project for a friend. The short story is this.... They bought a home from the early 1950's which had been remodeled. In exploring the house, they found it had an American Coolair 48" attic fan. The fan was boxed in without any means to draw air from the house nor exhaust it. He painstakingly dismantled the fan and brought it out of the attic piece by piece. He reached out to me after seeing my large custom-built box fans while at my shop for antique fridge repairs. I agreed to refurbish and build a box fan. Unfortunately, the motor was burned out but we are going to take this opportunity to have it rewound for three-phase and then use a VFD to power it so it can be full variable speed. The box and controls are built, but I am waiting on the motor winding to come back from the shop. Sincerely, David

Wow. Absotively posilutely GORGEOUS. Well done!!!! The original badge looks great with it. That’s what they did….custom colors they did for multi fan orders often just got a French gray badge. So…your powdercoat leans more to the ivory hue (yeah there seems to have been a few shades some grayer and some more ivory) but with the painted blades the French gray badge totally works. Now… if you were to go with brass blades, then I think the nickel and French gray badge would look a little odd. I’d leave that one as is and find another. Bravo!!!!

The fan, completed. I decided to leave the cage badge alone as it was still in decent shape after I removed the overcoat; ditto the paint on the switch lever. The rest of the fan was freshly powder coated. I’m kind of on the fence about leaving the PC on the blades, as I really like the patina of aged brass. But for now, here it is!

I don’t know what this fan went through, but I found it a good contender for some love. When I was younger these were “unattainable” I convinced myself, after seeing them in John M. Witt’s collector book. Now here we are. I used to think all brass was too gaudy, too “look at me!” Funny how things change when you get older. It’s not perfect but I’m doing my damndest. More to come! Thanks for tuning in. -Mr. T

Sometimes things just gnaw at the back of your mind. Having plastic blades on this project was one of those. I looked at it again and decided I could make brass wings for it, I just had to be very precise as this fan can rotate upwards of 10K rpm. See pics. The photo shows the gold painted plastic blades and the buck I made from wood to press in the radius on the wings. After trial and error, I settled on surfboard profiled wings. Very careful balancing and it runs smooth. Now I'm using it on very low setting to see how long the battery will last. Cheers, Bill

Better late than never, I suppose. Moments from Fanapalooza III, graciously hosted in early May by Jim Roadt and Rob Schilz. Rick Swanson, Mark Depker, Luke Skelnik, Les Dobbins and Jim Roadt scrutinize a fresh collection appearing on Saturday afternoon.

They just show up on your front porch. Or sometimes you see one that's nearby, practically free, and way too adorable, so you just go get it (only to find out it has health issues.) I've been trying to whittle down my collection for years, but the darn things keep appearing. A friend dropped off the big Gray-Bar a couple of weeks ago, and then this beastly 73668 shows up for a song--and I wanted a country drive in the sports car. It has a blade way bent way backward, and also has a replacement rivet made out of a screw. It is missing the base plate and (4) steel acorn nuts, but otherwise it is complete and in decent condition (it should run -- the guy said it did, until the headwire sparked and tripped the breaker). Does anyone have a source for accurate replacement rivets for stamped hub Emersons? sd

Sorry Russ. It’s no orphan.

That is an early 50’s Standard fan. These were made at the same time as the more expensive deluxe Vortalexs & continued on until replaced by the “strap” fans. These were made for some time, earlier ones were green, then in the 40s went to black. The 50s were the “blue” models like the Vortalexs.

Pick a green YOU can live with in low and bright lighting. 🙂

As is his custom, Tom Zapf once again outdid himself (and did himself in) hosting the NJ event. He was just a whirlwind until after auction and meal and he could finally unwind, relax, enjoy. Many Thanks to you Tom for providing us this opportunity... And general thanks to all who host these events. A tip of the hat to our friends who take on the work, sacrifice time and expense to make Fan Meets possible. Photos of this 2025 NJ Meet can be seen at: https://new.afcaforum.com/index.php?/topic/62094-north-jersey-breezin-pictures/#comment-516621 , courtesy of Arjun Saini...

Wow, 4 great fan meets coming up! Don't be left out! May 29 - June 1, Pig Pickin, Harrison Arkansas June 14 Rocky Mountain Fan Meet, Colorado Springs (New meet in one of the most beautiful places on Earth) June 20 - 21 CFM Chicagoland Fan Meet, Chicago, IL June 26 - 29 Blow Me Away Fan Meet, Lehigh Valley, PA Don't be left out!

Rust-oleum rattle cans. This stuff stays tender for weeks, but it makes a nice job.

If I had an unlimited supply of extra time and cash, I’d make it to all four. See y’all at Fanfair (and hopefully my meet as well)!

In my experience, I had 3 of those without spring or plastic, the forth one had the spring, my guess is that the owners modified it by adding springs for only one reason, in case the dog wouldn't stay engaged because of the worn slots/edges in it etc. Plastic installed there makes me think of possibly stopping oil or grease coming out which it shouldn’t if lubed properly, also back than there was no plastics as such, only some mixture of phenolic materials, or natural rubber. Hope this will help, enjoy very rare fan.

On the slow drying paints they are usually photo reactive too.After they set up I put them in the bright sun and they harden up quicker.

I renovate houses and one of the higher end ones had a 1970's era Thermador warming drawer. I took it home and decided one day to try using it to bake parts because the top end temp is around 225F. Works great. Mine is deep enough for something like an Emerson base and wide enough to do a 16" cage. I usually spray in appliance epoxy, pop it in there for a few hours and then turn it off and let it cool naturally. Next day the stuff is rock hard. I regularly see these at Habitat and appliance shops for peanuts.

I know for certain he was at a powder coating seminar

I see ice blue. Reminds me of "Mr. Freeze" in the 97 Batman flick. Perfect color for a fan. The color cools you down before you turn it on. 🙂

Outstanding find for your collection. Please keep us updated on your restoration. Thank you for posting.

I actually did have the motor castings stripped and took them home and baked them in the oven for a second round. The bases have pitting from rust on the platforms and the expensive "Lab Metal" powder coating filler I bought shrunk slightly in the pits after baking. Just enough to be unacceptable. The powder coated bases have to be acid stripped. I was considering selling the fans stripped and disassembled but was advised by a friend that knows a guy who can shoot them reasonably in automotive paint. Not cheap, but reasonable for automotive grade paint. These fans have definitely been a challenge. You just keep plowing forward until they're done. 🙂 I did some nice fans with rattle can in past. If you take your time they can turn out nice.

No paint, just polish I think the blades actually look pretty cool with the tips just as they are. Mildly aggressive with nontoxic cleaner and hand brush then polish blades with same Chemical guys wax. They have a nice satin glow

Let me clarify,... I think I already have a "correct" knurl-head terminal screw. What I need is the rest of the parts.

It was not marketed specifically for funeral parlor purpose. That is the fact I have been trying to point out in past, not enforce. If you and whoever want it to be a funeral fan, nicknamed a funeral fan, have at it. 🙂 It is a Cincinatti Victor Luminaire in a hotel, and in a funeral parlor. 🙂

T-minus one month away before the annual Lehigh Valley regional once again! In case you missed the fun last year, this particular meet has been transformed into a power-packed 4-DAY EVENT. See the flyer for the complete schedule below. We are also pleased to announce our new venue for Saturday’s location - the Catasauqua Legion Hall! Complete with kitchen, 30 long cafeteria-style tables, chairs, AC, and, yes…cash bar complete with bartender! My local friend, Melissa Coffield, will be providing lunch for us once again through her mobile food stand, Kitty Kat Koncessions. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, lodging recommendations, logistics, etc. SEE Y’ALL THERE!!!

Any or all fence sitters get off the fence before U get hurt & come on over to hang out with some seasoned ( old ) fan collectors. Famous quote from Will Rogers : "Some learn by reading, Others learn by observation. The rest of us have to pee on the electric fence". So, regardless of which method you learn by, one of the best ways to improve knowledge and skills is to hang out with a bunch of like minded fan geeks who have studied, observed and yes, peed on the electric fence more than once. The meet will be well underway 1 week from today. Don't miss it & be sad that U did. Gonna be a good time in the Ozarks !!!. No fear Tom, there will be plenty... good garlic crop this year

Had a great time! East coast fan collectors are as ate up about fans as we are in the Midwest! 😅🤣😂