Mobilaire 16MA 3

[Steve Hankes]

I am not in the habit of creating posts to share completed projects, but thought I would share my joy of having finally completed a Mobilaire that has been gracing my shop for a couple of years. 

The Model is 16MA 3.  I am not certain if the suffix "3" identifies 1953 as the year of manufacture.   This fan has a "round" motor, is a 4 winger and has the round cap can design.  The configuration aligns with the 1953 literature, but I am uncertain as to Westy's MY ID system.

For not having a crazy number of parts I cannot say it was a breeze to pull off.  I can see from past forum exchanges that others have found similar joys in the arduous task of paint prep, with some referring to the radial louvres as the "rings of death".   I will note that the Westinghouse literature identifies louvres as "Air Injector Rings". ... theoretically "rings of life".   I will not presume to project which state the rings represent, but will share that my consideration (while removing the paint with wire wheels) was... "why do I have nothing better to do with my life?"  ... maybe it's kind of a middle ground.

Also in the "pain in the a**" category...   I found rewiring and rebuilding the original Leviton switch to be an hourlong exercise in patience.  One of the leads came loose during disassembly. I really wanted to keep the original switch due to the all-metal construction.  

My thanks to Patrick Ray and Tony Clayton who dug out an Old Forum thread related to the capacitor / resistor values for replacement components.  The thread initiated by a guest in 2015 shared a wealth of collected information / data that was quite well recorded, organized and presented.  While my original capacitor tested fine (3.7 uF measured vs, 3.3 uF rated) I followed the urgings of the contributors to swap it out for a modern cap.  I started with a 3.0 uF, (the value selected as the replacement in the 2015 thread, but ultimately deferred to the 3.5 uF / 450V as the fan seemed to run slow with the lower value in the circuit.

This is now another lovely midcentury air mover with which to stay cool during the (not all that hot) Michigan summer.  

Take care,

Steve

[Patrick Ray]

You did an absolutely amazing job on that restoration Steve! Those are great fans but you rarely see them restored. Ready for many more years of service plus being able to look at it and remember how sad it once looked and how stunningly beautiful it is now. 

[Lawrence Smith]

Someday I’ll get to mine. Yours is fantastic!! 

[Jim Roadt]

Nicely done ...great color choice

[Steve Hankes]

19 minutes ago, Lawrence Smith said:

Someday I’ll get to mine. Yours is fantastic!! 

Thanks Lawrence.  I dig the Riviera pedestal.

 

[Steve Hankes]

10 minutes ago, Jim Roadt said:

Nicely done ...great color choice

I was hanging onto that color... I tested it out on a resto-mod of an Emerson 79646-AT.  It is close to the original color of the Mobilaire, certainly good as a "of the period" color.

[Steve Rockwell]

     Great prep work and painting and resto all the way through...

      I too don't understand how later models received a lower "y number" designation (my seemingly earlier 16MA2 reads part Y 4630)

  but so be it... Maybe a guru will step in with more info. Here's another (clearly later) switch plate (not mine)...

 

 

   With Mobilaire so prominently in the title, I'm thinking this to be a good place to vest a little bit of outside information... don't wish to hijack your thread or detract from the fine job.

   I've not yet located Mobilaire advertising earlier than fan season 1950...

 

     Before Westinghouse offered the 12-inch residence fans with six-wing blades their 8-inch four-wing model was named their residence fan, and advertised as such. In the same manner, the name Mobilaire it turns out was also a reissue, the original being a free-standing air conditioner unit...

     

[Steve Hankes]

5 hours ago, Steve Rockwell said:

     Great prep work and painting and resto all the way through...

      I too don't understand how later models received a lower "y number" designation (my seemingly earlier 16MA2 reads part Y 4630)...

 

Thanks Steve.  Not hijacked at all.  All of the advertising / marketing info is so cool.  Thanks so much for adding all of it.   

[Jim Roadt]

23 minutes ago, Steve Hankes said:

Thanks Steve.  Not hijacked at all.  All of the advertising / marketing info is so cool.  Thanks so much for adding all of it.   

From Colliers June 19,1948

[Steve Hankes]

56 minutes ago, Jim Roadt said:

From Colliers June 19,1948

There is not even a badge depicted in the MA artwork.  Neat fan regardless, but I am thankful that my fan has a badge.

[Tom Zapf]

THAT FAN CAME OUT ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL. YOU HAVE DONE GREAT WORK! . THE HARDEST THING IS GETTING THE REAR GRILLE BACK IN WITHOUT DAMAGING YOUR NEW PAINT... IT LOOKS GREAT ! 

[Juan Varleta]

That is what I call A SAVE!! You sure did bring out its natural beauty. Beautiful job all around.

[Steve Rockwell]

 

 

Same Price as 1950

[Aaron Hardy]

@Steve Hankes Amazing job and great looking fan! I just (finally) picked up one of these yesterday. It's missing the badges, so I don't know exactly what model it is. From the motor design (round motor housing, cylindrical capacitor/wiring housing, and nickel rotary switch), I'm pretty sure it's in the same model category as yours. If you don't mine, I have a few questions:

1. Where did you get your color? The robin egg blue is the original color on mine. Whatever you used looks damn near spot on!
2. Are your blades metal or fiberglass? Mine are fiberglass and appear to need some polishing. Wondering if you had the same issue.
3. The rear grate on mine has a rubber gasket around the housing perimeter. Looking at your pictures, it appears yours had the same, and you left it off when you reassembled. I figured that would be irreplaceable, but did you have to do anything to hold the rear grate in? 

[Paul Carmody]

You do really nice restorations.I hope to see more of them!

[Arjun Saini]

I have one that I’m waiting to restore!

[Steve Hankes]

On 9/11/2023 at 1:15 PM, Aaron Hardy said:

@Steve Hankes Amazing job and great looking fan! I just (finally) picked up one of these yesterday. It's missing the badges, so I don't know exactly what model it is. From the motor design (round motor housing, cylindrical capacitor/wiring housing, and nickel rotary switch), I'm pretty sure it's in the same model category as yours. If you don't mine, I have a few questions:

1. Where did you get your color? The robin egg blue is the original color on mine. Whatever you used looks damn near spot on! The paint is a Rust-Oleum rattle can color in the 2X Ultra Cover (Paint+Primer line.  The color is Gloss Winter Gray (249089).
2. Are your blades metal or fiberglass? Mine are fiberglass and appear to need some polishing. Wondering if you had the same issue. The blades on my fan are fiberglass.  A couple of wings were nicked on the tips. I rebuilt them with a little filler.
3. The rear grate on mine has a rubber gasket around the housing perimeter. Looking at your pictures, it appears yours had the same, and you left it off when you reassembled. I figured that would be irreplaceable, but did you have to do anything to hold the rear grate in?  I really tried to save the original rubber gasket that was still on my fan.  It was completely gooped up with whatever seems to happen too that rubber material with age.  I de-crudded it, but there remained discoloration that I was not able to correct.  It was Ray Hayne that (correctly) encouraged me to toss the thing and reinstall the rear cage without it.  The cage is oversized (diameter) compared to the radial channel / groove and really bites into the steel housing when finally installed.  I had to swat it a time or two to get it permanantly quiet, but it hasn't made a peep since.

Thanks Aaron!  I really like the way mine turned out.  Wishing you all of the best with your Mobilaire. 

I have inset my feedback to your questions in your original post above.

 

[Steve Hankes]

On 9/11/2023 at 4:57 PM, Paul Carmody said:

You do really nice restorations. I hope to see more of them!

Thanks Paul,  Nice encouragement to post a little more. 

[Chris Wimberly]

On 9/13/2023 at 10:01 PM, Steve Hankes said:

Thanks Aaron!  I really like the way mine turned out.  Wishing you all of the best with your Mobilaire. 

I have inset my feedback to your questions in your original post above.

 

Steve,

Can you elaborate on what you meant when you said you had to "swat it"? This is referring to the rear cage gasket.

 

Also,

How exactly do you get the cages off?!?

 

Thanks!

[Chris Wimberly]

So, I figured out had to get the cages off. Now the next question...

 

How the heck did you get these things off (in the picture).

 

Also, do you know of what the value of the resistor is supposed to be?

 

Thanks!

 

 

[Steve Hankes]

Ahh... the joys of Mobiliare restoration. 

I am glad that you were able to remove the cages... one of the wrestling matches involved in a MA rehab.

I was not able to remove those T-bolt collars from the leg tubes of the fan.  The collars may have an internal thread, but I elected to not run the risk of marring them in a forceful disassembly attempt.  Ultimately, I buffed them and masked prior to painting.

[Steve Hankes]

Regarding the resistor; I selected a 100W / 25 Ohm, Wirewound resistor with an aluminum housing.  It still gets good and warm, but seemingly not as hot as the original  Nichrome wire.

[Chris Wimberly]

Steve, do you have a link to the resistor?

 

Do you think a 50W 25ohm resistor will work?

Thanks!

[Larry Hancock]

Beautiful sir!  You have a talent. 

[Chris Wimberly]

Another question... my Mobilair is missing the pipe(?) That goes between the two wheels.

 

What is this pipe made of? Is it metallic? Plastic?