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R & M 1604A


James Landry

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https://photos.app.goo.gl/r4ieoKmLw75hLoKn6 

Recently acquired this 17" bladed beauty and will be bringing it back to life. Need to ask the experts: a) what type of paint is appropriate for this model for touchups? b) is that a 2mfd "bathtub" cap under the transformer, and where would I find a replacement? c) looks like an original 7' crumbly rubber cord. Is this correct? d) ancient felt on base is rotted. Was this originally green or black? e) aside from sandblasting, what is the easiest way to clean up the rusty cage for repainting? I am excited about this, as it reminds me of the '28 Westinghouse we had in the house when I was a kid- about the same dimensions and look. I gently lifted the switch and peeked underneath- the contacts all looked great, as well as the cloth covered wires on top and head wire. The detents were not engaging unless pushed slightly upward at the lever, but it looks like that may be remedied. Any info relating to this sweetheart is greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

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Ok then. What would be a good capacitor set up that won't cost $75+ dollars to replace the existing 2mfd @ 330v bathtub electrolytic? Also, head wire IS shot (🤬). Where can I get a 3 wire that looks at least remotely similar to the one I have? Thanks! 

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Get a ceiling fan cap on eBay. You want a 2uf & at least 330 volt, but higher is fine. 
 

as far as the three conductor wire, antique fan parts.com
 

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Thanks for that lead Anthony, but hopefully I can refurbish this one without a parts fan- I can only imagine what shipping would run, though! And yes, Stan. I dropped almost $20 for 2' of head wire at Antique Fan Parts, but well worth it, I think. Also ordered green felt for the base, an antique looking plug and harvested an almost identical looking 7'  rubber cord (the original also was 7') from a true Bally Vegas casino machine a buddy was parting out. Need to order some new electrical connector rings for the new wires (they all seem to be so cheaply made these days. Ugh. Sure wish I could find original style connectors.), and that capacitor. All components- including the motor- are disassembled and on the bench now and I am super excited. Guess I'll start sanding the rusty stuff off tomorrow and get to painting & touchups whilst I wait for parts! 😀

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James, to me these are underrated fans, I have refurbished several 16" ones for the USS TEXAS that prior to drydock, were in use 24/7. I have a 12" one that was in a freebie pile because the rear gearbox is broken off. It has little value due to this, but we take it traveling with us. It will be loaded up next week & will be our hotel fan for Fan Fair. Good luck on it.

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14 hours ago, Stan Adams said:

James, to me these are underrated fans, I have refurbished several 16" ones for the USS TEXAS that prior to drydock, were in use 24/7. I have a 12" one that was in a freebie pile because the rear gearbox is broken off. It has little value due to this, but we take it traveling with us. It will be loaded up next week & will be our hotel fan for Fan Fair. Good luck on it.

Thanks so much Stan! It's funny, but it seems I can feel its spirit, or SOMEthing with each step of the way- it makes me happy just to "touch" it. Lol. I cleaned the switch and "adjusted" the lever, as it had no feel of any detents whatsoever and I recall the old Westinghouse had a very similar slide lever with a nice detent feel. After much perseverance, it functions 100% perfectly with a satisfying "snap" on each speed and "off". Also ordered 2uf cap @ 450v. Cost all of 8 bucks! Nice! Today I removed the center badge, straightened some bent wire on the cage and hand sanded it (FUN!), then primed & painted. Came out decent. If I get "the bug", I may have the next one powder coated! 

Question: how to delicately clean the center cage badge and printed switchplate? Thanks!

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bad news dude.   your Hooked.   There will be many more fans in your future.  (which isn't a bad thing) haha

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37 minutes ago, Anthony Lindsey said:

bad news dude.   your Hooked.   There will be many more fans in your future.  (which isn't a bad thing) haha

I am so excited, I can't see straight!!!

More and more I'm finding that any mention of any pre-1910 fans make me salivate...🤔

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35 minutes ago, Anthony Lindsey said:

it's a great addiction but they do accumulate if you don't watch out. 

Understood. I have a house full of antique radios I've restored. Now I can set the fans on top of them. HA.

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We will be hosting the Lake Houston Fan Meet October 7 & 8. You are not far away, we are at the Northeast tip of Beltway 8. Hope we'll see you here.

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2 hours ago, Stan Adams said:

We will be hosting the Lake Houston Fan Meet October 7 & 8. You are not far away, we are at the Northeast tip of Beltway 8. Hope we'll see you here.

At 60 miles, it's only a hop, skip & a jump away! I might arrange that, as I need to break this "rut" I'm in, with all work and no play. Have to see if there's a Hilton near there...

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3 hours ago, James Landry said:

At 60 miles, it's only a hop, skip & a jump away! I might arrange that, as I need to break this "rut" I'm in, with all work and no play. Have to see if there's a Hilton near there...

I volunteer at the USS TEXAS, so make that drive down to Galveston too often.

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1 hour ago, George Durbin said:

MY FAVORITE FAN IS THE NEXT ONE I BUY!!

Lol. INDEED!!!

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32 minutes ago, Stan Adams said:

I volunteer at the USS TEXAS, so make that drive down to Galveston too often.

Have a sister in Galveston, about 15 miles from here. LOTS of fan action was aboard that vessel, I suspect. Didn't know you could volunteer for that sort of thing. COOL! 

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A little advice, take pictures while dissemble the fan. Also make sure know which wires go from the motor to the switch. Mark them with tape or something.

 

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15 minutes ago, Steve Sherwood said:

A little advice, take pictures while dissemble the fan. Also make sure know which wires go from the motor to the switch. Mark them with tape or something.

 

YES! By the time all is said and done, I will have taken probably close to 300 pics, with many multiples of the same images at different angles. I do that with all my projects. I need to take care to NOT show a single image to my sister, though. I get a big sigh and the ol' eye rolling bit: "IT'S JUST A FAN"!!!!! I'm glad I can share them on this platform, 'cause there seems to be zero interest by anyone around here for anything I ever do, be it radios, fans, jukeboxes, antique cars, coins, or ANYTHING AT ALL. LOL. Glad y'all are here!!!!! 😀

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Disassembled this unit and cleaned it a bit. It appears the stator won't come out without much angst, as it would seem to have been brazed in two places. YAY! Regard:20230722_004730.thumb.jpg.7d41c87f2a4160d02fb69ef926121f64.jpg

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*So, other than a light dusting with a vac/brush, I guess it's best not to do anything at all to the stator? 

*I have 3 in one oil for 1/4hp and larger motors. Ok to use in the oil wicks?

*cleaned the gearbox. Can I use grease from my chassis grease gun for the box? 

Got new base felt. Does it need to be glued to the bottom, in addition with using the big spring retainer? 

 

20230722_225552.jpg

20230723_010608.jpg

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Yes, Blue Can 3-in-1 Oil is A-OK to use in your fan, (or any other kind of non-detergent oil at that.)

As for the stator, unless it measures open on the wire leads just a light dusting or spray down with a can of compressed air is all it should need, these stamped steel fans are notorious for being hard to get the stator out of without risking damaging the housing, if the housing was cast iron you could of used whats called the pipe method where you stick a 2 or 3 foot length of PVC pipe that is the same diameter as the inside of the stator and then hit the end of the pipe against the ground which dislodges the stator from the housing, but since your fan is stamped steel you can't use that method without risk of deforming the housing, I learned that the hard way when I tried to use that method on an old Westinghouse "Darth Vader" fan.

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Oh, one more question, please?

I have a nice modern grounded cord (came off a Las Vegas casino machine) that looks very similar physically to the original in length, diameter and wire gauge. In the interim, I purchased a cheap, but old time looking 2-prong plug. Q: do I keep the 3 prong plug and ground the green lug to the fan frame base, or keep the 2 prong, non-polarized (but original looking-I like that) plug? Thanks 

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1 minute ago, Levi Mevis said:

Yes, Blue Can 3-in-1 Oil is A-OK to use in your fan, (or any other kind of non-detergent oil at that.)

As for the stator, unless it measures open on the wire leads just a light dusting or spray down with a can of compressed air is all it should need, these stamped steel fans are notorious for being hard to get the stator out of without risking damaging the housing, if the housing was cast iron you could of used whats called the pipe method where you stick a 2 or 3 foot length of PVC pipe that is the same diameter as the inside of the stator and then hit the end of the pipe against the ground which dislodges the stator from the housing, but since your fan is stamped steel you can't use that method without risk of deforming the housing, I learned that the hard way when I tried to use that method on an old Westinghouse "Darth Vader" fan.

Oohhh! GOOD INFO TO KNOW! It never struck me about the problems "stamped steel" as opposed to casting methods would pose!!! This stator housing is DEFINITELY welded/brazed in two spots. I suppose that, among other reasons, tend to put these type units at the "bottom of the list"(?) Thanks for the input

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