Current arrivals, active repairs, work in progress and machines recently returned to service. The photographs on this page are the real work, photographed as it moves through the shop.
Current Repairs & Shop Activity
Customer fans that are committed to the shop and currently being shipped or scheduled for arrival. They move to On Deck after they are received, photographed and checked in.
Mid Century GE Fan was working for years, seized up, leaking and is no longer functional. Customer requesting a full clean-up, repair and get back to safe operational condition. Fan belonged to her grandmother, so item is quite sentimental.
Unknown condition c. 1920s R&M Fan being evaluated for customer as it belonged to their grandparents and they would like to have it back in working condition & restored with original patina and styling.
All original non-working seized Emerson fan with rusted blades. Fan hasn't run in 70 years, found in family's old barn. Evaluation, repair & clean-up on the menu. Sentimental item as it belonged to the client's grandfather.
Original Brass blade Emerson Jr (Parker Blades) - Wedding gift for customer (60 years ago!) - wants full restoration & polish. Full rewiring, check and repair.
Original 8" brass blade fan by original by R&M. Very collectable, quiet and powerful little machine. Customer wants repair & preservation work done.
Sears Cold Wave • 3-Speed Oscillating Fan • c. Late 1920s
A wonderfully original Cold Wave Style 1031 SI acquired as a workshop preservation project. Features four brass blades with exposed blade irons, the distinctive serpentine guard, three-speed control and adjustable oscillation. Original finish and hardware will be conserved while the electrical and mechanical systems are carefully evaluated and repaired.
Fans that have arrived at the shop and are waiting for inspection, diagnosis or their turn on the workbench.
Complete four-blade brass oscillator arrived to the workshop for mechanical, electrical and cosmetic evaluation with an emphasis on historically appropriate restoration and preservation of original markings.
More than one machine can be receiving active shop attention at the same time. Each active fan gets its own work-order card below.
The customer’s priority for this sentimental unit is primarily to keep the fan functional, safe, and presentable rather than pursue an expensive museum-grade restoration. Our work includes a complete teardown and deep cleaning, inspection of the motor, bearings, and electrical components, renewal of lubrication where needed, addressing the vibration, cleaning and polishing the chrome as far as the original finish safely allows, and replacing deteriorated wiring/cord components as appropriate. The goal is a dependable, clean, mechanically sound fan that preserves as much of its original character as possible, rather than erasing 70-plus years of history under new chrome.
This 1924 R&M Model 4312 Brass Fan is in the shop for a full mechanical & electrical diagnosis and restoration. The fan arrives in poor condition, completely non-operational for decades. The R&M 4312 was completely disassembled to expose the motor, rotor, stator, bearing assemblies, oscillator components, and internal wiring. Rotor removal proved unusually difficult due to severe binding through the bronze sleeve bearings, requiring careful extraction to avoid damage to the original shaft, stator, and bearing housings. With the motor opened, decades of accumulated lubricant, oxidation, and debris were exposed throughout the bearing and mechanical assemblies. Both bearing bores and rotor shaft journals are being cleaned, inspected, and evaluated for proper running clearance before reassembly. Original hardware and mechanical components have been retained wherever serviceable, with preservation of the fan’s existing finish and patina remaining the priority.
A live diagnostic record of active restorations underway in the workshop. Tracking step-by-step progress from intake disassembly through mechanical service and final run-in testing.
Photograph and document the R&M fan before anything is disturbed. Wiring is highly compromised and unit is completely non-operational; disassembly cleaning, oiling, adjustment and polishing are planned.
The 100yr old mechanical system is opened carefully for inspection and cleaning. Parts are documented before service and reassembly.
Complete teardown of the R&M 4312 uncovered severely restricted rotor movement through both bronze sleeve bearings. Following rotor extraction, the original stator was electrically characterized with individual resistance and inductance measurements across all winding combinations. Results were documented to establish winding continuity and comparative electrical condition before mechanical rehabilitation and rewiring.
TBD - Work in progress!
Photograph and document the machine before anything is disturbed. All three speeds are operational; cleaning, oiling, adjustment and polishing are planned.
The mechanical system is opened carefully for inspection and cleaning. Parts are documented before service and reassembly.
Solvent degreasing of brass worm drive and rear gear casing. Front and rear bronze bearings inspected, flushed, and oil wicks re-saturated with non-detergent SAE 20 turbine oil. Gearbox repacked with light semi-fluid gear grease. Electrical system checked & twisted cloth-covered gold power cord added for safety & originality.
Final operation, speed behavior and mechanical condition are checked before delivery. Brass is hand polished to protect balance, alignment and pitch.
Photograph and document the machine before anything is disturbed. Doesn't run - Hums on all speeds. Check resistance, capacitor, speed coil, stator & check for mechanical drag.
Oscillator assembly is shot - caked on, hardened grease keeping gears and fan shaft/blade from turning.
Capacitance and ESR testing confirmed the factory oil-filled run capacitor remains within specification. Resistance checks verified intact winding isolation, eliminating electrical failure and confirming mechanical drag.
Final operation, speed behavior and mechanical condition are checked before delivery. Tested on all 3 speeds!
Finished work from the shop. Every machine has its own history, its own problems and its own path back to reliable service.
Detailed mechanical & electrical overhaul restoration along with a mindful, deliberate preservation of the all original brass 16" blades to maintain the 93-year old patina!
Comprehensive mechanical & electrical servicing along with conditioning, preservation and careful hand polishing of the brass blades & fan assembly. FAN-TASTIC opportunity! Ready for another 100 years!
After electrical and mechanical evaluation, hardened tar-like grease was found binding the brass worm wheel against the steel armature worm. The gearbox was solvent-cleaned and ultrasonically serviced, then repacked with NLGI #00 semi-fluid grease. Mechanical drag was eliminated, restoring smooth, quiet oscillation across all three speeds.
Comprehensive mechanical servicing and precise gearbox restoration, returning this classic two-speed oscillator to smooth, reliable operation.
A tired early electric fan returned to a clean, coherent presentation while retaining its original character.
Mechanical cleanup, cosmetic restoration and careful reassembly without disguising the century-old engineering.
Send the maker, model if known, a short description of the problem, and several clear photographs. Mail-in work is welcome.