Antique GE Brass-Blade Fan | Restoration: Motor Rewind, Repaint & Polish

[@amberola1b]

it looks and sounds beautiful. I`m so proud of your work.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you!

[@dominiquen2743]

I found one of these on the street in Brooklyn and am looking forward to cleaning it up and restoring it. Thanks for posting I am a new FAN :)

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Amazing find! Hope the restoration goes well! :)

[@Xyspade]

That is outrageously insane. Absolutely astonishing work. I'm highkey jealous, I can solder and spray paint all day but I would never have enough confidence to rewind a motor, or if I did I wouldn't trust it enough to run it while I'm not sitting 2 feet away with an infrared thermometer in my hand LOL. That's a lifetime keeper as a permanent reminder of the first time success it was.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks!! I honestly felt the same way before I decided to give it a shot. I read through some threads on the AFCA forums and they were quite helpful. This fan definitely will never leave my collection! I spent way too much time and money restoring it lol.

[@briantalbott516]

@@TheSuperFanMan This is fantastic work. One of these old fans has been on my list of projects for a few years and I finally got one. Would it be possible that you share a link where you learned about wrapping these coils? Or at least point me in the direction to the forums? I hope mine turns out 50% as good as yours.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@briantalbott516 Thank you! I'm sure it'll be a fun project to work on. The AFCA (Antique Fan Collectors Association) forum was my primary resource for this project. They recently moved to a modern website, but the old site is still up and has amazing information. Old AFCA forum: www.afcaforum.com/category1/ New AFCA forum: new.afcaforum.com/ A couple of threads that were useful: www.afcaforum.com/forum1/31849.html www.afcaforum.com/forum1/31859.html This video was also very helpful. He rewinds a 4-pole, shaded-pole motor, the same type used in my GE fan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpvbfZ96rcyrgck Hope it helps! Cheers

[@briantalbott516]

@@TheSuperFanMan Wow thank you for the info. This will be a great help for me to get started.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@briantalbott516 you’re welcome!

[@SamZarifYT]

You gave that fan a new life! Looks better than it would’ve out of factory! 10/10 work!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Much appreciated!!

[@colin_5839]

AWESOME JOB!! That was some really quality work right there! Amazing how simple it seems to be to rewind a motor! I'll really have to give that a shot at some point soon! I ave a fan or 2 that needs it!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks Colin! Good to see you here! For sure, I was initially intimidated by the thought of rewinding motors, but it turned out to be quite straightforward once I understood how it worked. You should film your motor rewinds when you do them! It’d be cool to see that.

[@Zackthefanman76]

@@TheSuperFanMan these shaded pole motors are pretty straight forward when rewinding. The real pain are capacitor motors with so many windings.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@Zackthefanman76 oh man I’m definitely not ready to tackle those complex motor rewinds. Even the overlapping-winding shaded pole motors (a BMY motor for example) intimidate me.

[@ToxicityAssured]

You did a great job and it was totally worth it. However, those coils were just fine.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! Yes I certainly could’ve gone down a different route and attempted to preserve the original coils. Looking back now, I do think the rewind wasn’t absolutely necessary.

[@ToxicityAssured]

Ya, not necessary, but that fan is now back to zero miles and has another 100+ years! You made it look doable and I will try to fix one of my dead fans over the winter. I can't really do any more harm, it's dead already.@@TheSuperFanMan

[@castironmachines]

Amazing work! Your job honours the term Restoration in the truest way. Very impressive

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you very much! I watched some of your videos and you also do great work on old-but-gold relics!

[@castironmachines]

@@TheSuperFanMan Cheers!

[@osnoila]

Congratulations! It's the first time I've seen a well-explained video with so many technical details about vintage fans! They generally never rewind the stator, much less the speed coil...

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you!

[@noads1035]

Just found your channel. I’m a FAN fan so am pleased to see your work. BRAVO!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you very much! Welcome to my channel!

[@triktrak_1451]

So the restoration is gorgeous. But your video is a great accomplishment too. The edits stayed continuously engaging, and showcased your processes concisely. This is a product of 2 sharp skills: one with fans, and one with video production. You're very lucky-- but I'm sure both products took great patience too. Thanks for putting this all together... this video, and your restoration, has almost single-handedly helped me decide that I want to refurbish fans. I sure hope that you'll do more complete restorations like this one! I will watch them over and over. And since I've never done anything remotely like restoring a fan (or anything else), I'll sure need the help. -Patrick

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks so much for the kind words! If you ever need advice on your fan restorations, feel free to leave comments or send me emails; I’d be more than happy to help. I actually have a few antique fan projects, both in progress and awaiting restoration. I plan on posting videos on their restorations!

[@wademanmidwest7648]

I am speechless !! Amazing work !!!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you!!

[@raymondbush1407]

Outstanding job! That is soooooo awesome.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you very much!!

[@hitachifansandmore]

that looks... AMAAAAAAAZING

[@TheSuperFanMan]

THAAAAANKS!

[@TheFanUniverse]

That's one really great job! I'm absolutely stunned by all the effort you put into this fan. It's been years since I last rewound a fan motor, I think I need to get that going again hahaha

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks man! It definitely was a fun project. Make a video next time you rewind a motor! Would be interesting to see that.

[@mrjumaatsamian]

The Fan Universe pls may I see your victory orbit ceiling fan

[@TheBehemothHyper]

Great restoration! The fan looks so sick and cool!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks Matt!!

[@johnfitzgerald4628]

Bravo - well done!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you!

[@mikejohansson6711]

Sweet! excellent job! I have a 1906 GE Pancake fan that one of the two wires of the stater winding is MIA.... major bummer. I have not felt "brave" enough to try and wind it myself. But this gives me hope! Thanks, and God bless.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! The GE Pancakes are absolute gems! You actually might be able to save your original windings. The lead wire that is missing may have broken off close to the winding coil, so it's not accessible for rewiring. You could try gently peeling back the winding tape near where the lead wire would have been coming out of the coil to see if you can retrieve the wire. You can then solder a new piece of wire to the lead and keep the original windings.

[@mikejohansson6711]

Ok, i'll give that a try, after I finish with this Emerson 24666 I just acquired.@@TheSuperFanMan

[@gund2281]

This is amazing! I just came in to possession of an old Hunter Century fan that looks like it's from the 30s or 40s. I don't actually know atm. I was starting to do research on how to restore it myself...not sure I have the skill OR the patience to do THIS though lol.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! I definitely did a lot more for this project than what most other antique fans would typically require upon acquisition. As long as the motor windings are in good physical and operating condition, there is no need to rewind them. If the original paint is mostly intact with little rust, it can often be revived with the typical automotive paint maintenance methods (polish, wax, touch-ups). The AFCA (antique fan collectors association) forum is a great resource, and there is also a Facebook group under the same name.

[@builtbydylan8315]

Looks great! The og paint looked like it would have shined up though.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Yes my initial plan was to keep the original paint, but it was deteriorating. Visually the paint seemed okay, but it was extremely soft and scratched off too easily. Trying to gently buff the paint actually made it duller lol.

[@markrichichi8484]

As other people said amazing work, it might have been easier to use. Paint stripper to get the paint off just a thought next time i've done that and it comes off pretty easy and quickly

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you very much! I do agree that paint stripper would’ve done it more efficiently. I did buy a jug of it not too long ago, and I’ll most definitely use it whenever I tackle another fan project that requires a new paint job.

[@barbaramcintosh4360]

Wow! That’s an intricate restoration! Fantastic work!! My ex collected several antique fans, some with brass blades, but he neglected them - and I have “inherited” them. One is a beautiful coin-insert hotel fan with brass blades that has been restored, although the coin mechanism does not work. I really don’t know what to do with them! Any suggestions as to how at least clean them up?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Very cool, those coin operated fans are quite highly sought after! For the paint, a good wipe with a damp cloth should be able to remove any loose dust. If the paint is dull, gently buff with some automotive paint polish & wax on a microfiber cloth to help rejuvenate it. The brass blades can be cleaned with a damp cloth as well, and polished with a metal polishing paste.

[@copyright2024]

Looks amazing bud I do feel that you could've buffed the original paint if there's no rust, I've done it many times, hopds a higher value

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Looking back at it now, I absolutely agree. I’ve since learned that the soft and “deteriorated” paint was just how GE’s early paint was, so there wasn’t anything wrong with it. I wish I had kept the original finish but can’t turn the clock back now lol

[@rv6864]

Which forum did you find the most informative! BTW, fantastic job... the windings are incredible!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! I used the AFCA (Antique Fan Collectors Association) forum as a reference. They transferred to a more modern site a few years ago (new.afcaforum.com), and I’m not sure if the old site, which had 15+ years of user contributions and threads, was archived somewhere.

[@colbysmith1398]

Excellent! Stator rewind also looks great. What material did you use to wrap the coils?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! I used 3M friction tape.

[@hernanesteche9654]

Hola Amigo excelente trabajo!!!. Yo tengo un General Electric sin motor, sin ningúna pieza y lo quiero restaurar. Sabes de algún motor en el mercado qué sea compatible con el mismo.?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you! Unfortunately the motors for these old fans are proprietary and there are no modern replacements for them. The best way would be to look for a second fan you can use for parts.

[@hernanesteche9654]

Genial, pude conseguir uno y estoy por hacerle él bobinado cómo lo hizo usted. Muchas Gracias x su aporte 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You’re welcome! I hope your project goes well!

[@erics7712]

Nice work. I’ve done one of these myself. The only concern I have is that the motor without fan blades should be running totally silent. At startup it sounded like it was grinding. Or was that just the mic.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! I didn’t add sufficient amount of oil to the bearings for the first start-up, as noted in the caption at 15:20. The bearings also have a slight play from wear, so that contributed to the rattle too.

[@chrispentecost7734]

Do you do motor work for other people? Rewinding the coils etc?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Not at the moment unfortunately. I’m still pretty new to motor rewinding so I don’t think I’m quite at the level where I can efficiently rewind motors for others.

[@BobbyS1981]

Just picked up this exact model for 10 USD. It is in rough shape and currently does not run according to the seller. Have not tried it myself but the rotor spins by hand. The cage is damaged and may be a challenge to repair. It is also missing the rear bering cap and speed control cover plate. I'm sure I will find replacements eventually. For the cover plate, if I had dimensions I could just model one up and have it laser cut. Anyway, this will become my reference video for when I tear into mine. Is there a way I can contact you with questions outside of this space?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

That’s a steal for $10! It should be a fun project to work on. You can reach me via Instagram or email anytime ([e-mail])!

[@Candyvyorn_]

Would you ever rewind some coils for the exact same fan?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

It's not completely off the table, but it was quite tedious so I'd likely prefer not to, unless a fan absolutely needs a rewind.

[@vanessavieux7283]

I love it super Man fan have a absolutely wonderful day good job have a great day have a cool day have a super day have a awesome day have a nice day super Man fan

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@bennybongosbigolebonanza894]

Really cool! Did you consider doing a clear enamel on top for extra protection? I hate to be “that guy” I’ve just had bad luck when I don’t coat the paint in clear enamel on certain things.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thanks! Yep I did consider it, but ended up not clear coating it to replicate how it was originally painted at the factory: just the colour coat with no additional protective layer. I also didn’t feel like spending more money on cans of clear coat haha!

[@2Gold_Dubloons]

Can you point out the forum that was used for diagrams and also what kind of varnish did you use? I’m gettin ready to do the same thing

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I used the AFCA (antique fan collectors association) forum. A couple of threads that were useful: www.afcaforum.com/forum1/31849.html www.afcaforum.com/forum1/31859.html Those are from the old version of the forum; they recently moved to a new, modernized site: new.afcaforum.com/ In this video, I used 3M electrical insulating varnish for the coils. I now use SprayOn EL600 clear electrical insulating varnish, which is pretty much the same product, just made by another manufacturer. The EL600 is also more readily available, and more popular among fan collectors. Hope the project goes well!

[@2Gold_Dubloons]

@@TheSuperFanMan thank you very much for the info! Love your content keep it up! 🙌🏼

[@TheSuperFanMan]

You're welcome, and thank you!

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

Rebuilding a Type AOU, Cat 75423, and will be using this video a LOT over the coming weeks. Thought this was going to be a simple rewire, but since it's my great grandmothers, I'm going to need to take my time on this and put it aside for now. Once I get into this, is there any way I can contact you in the event that there's inevitably a hitch run into? I've done a shitload of mechanical work on cars so the grease and gears aren't an issue. If there's a rewind involved, there's probably gonna be questions if you're cool with it; that would be amazing if it ends up needed.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Of course! You can contact me through email in ([e-mail]) or on Instagram (@thesuperfanman). I also posted a 3-part series on restoring a 1930s GE 12" oscillating fan, which is essentially the AOU's successor. These videos go over the restoration process in much greater detail so they may be helpful! Part 1 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5fPq52Dj7KNhcU Part 2 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaOwnKBueaucrLM Part 3 - kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3aVZqBrh9uehpo I didn't have to rewind the motor with this one, and there's a good chance that your fan won't need it either, unless there is a major issue. I believe a resistance value of around 17-18 ohms across the motor (without the speed coil in the base) for a two-motor-wire 75423 is normal. There are some other variants that may have different values though. Hope the restoration goes well, and feel free to reach out if you have questions!

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

@@TheSuperFanMan - Thanks so much. I'm just going to send an email and say hey so that it'll be in there if I need it. It's going to be tricky, so hopefully I won't need to rewind anything. I'll be sending the email through my protonmail shortly.

[@NeverMetTheGuy]

@@TheSuperFanMan - Oh, and if you could mention some forums worth checking out for that fan, I owe you a beer, since we can't get Puppers in the states.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Sure thing! The best (and pretty much only) forum for antique fans is the AFCA (Antique Fan Collectors Association) forum: www.afcaforum.com/ They recently updated to a more modern webstite (new.afcaforum.com/) but the majority of the content is still on the old site, as it has been running for well over a decade. I've gathered most of my antique fan knowledge from there. A useful tip is google searching key words of something you're looking for, followed by a site:www.afcaforum.com. This will narrow down the search results to just the forum contents. For example, "75423 motor site:www.afcaforum.com" on the google search bar. Hope it helps. Cheers!

[@rv6864]

So you placed four popsicle sticks or similar, through cardboard frame to wrap wire around? I have a motor that has eight coils..

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Yes that’s exactly the setup! I wanted to use softer materials that would not damage the enamel of the magnet wires. I measured and punched 4 popsicle sticks through two cardboard end pieces, making sure the wound coil would have the same size as the original. This took some trial and error to get right. I’m not sure what fan model you have, but if it has the same type of motor as this fan (shaded-pole), it should be built the same way, just with twice as many coils.

[@garybedellsr]

How do you lubricate that old GE fan?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

The two brass oil cups (shown at 14:39) should be filled about 1/2 to 3/4 way with oil. The felt oil wicks will dispense the oil to the bearing & shaft via capillary action. In 99% of cases, the original wicks will be hardened with old oil, so they should be replaced. Ensure they sit in the spring and touch the motor shaft. Hope it helps!

[@bunjdawg]

​@@TheSuperFanMan what oil did you use? Is there a particularly suitable oil for this specific fan? And/or do you have one or more go-to lubricants for fans?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I use ZoomSpout all-purpose oil (the same formula is sold with many brand names, but mine is made by Supco) for all of my fans. The ZoomSpout and 3-in-1 electric motor oil (blue&white bottle) are the two go-tos for most fan collectors. I have this tutorial going over my fan motor oiling process, including the oil suggestions: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpWzqaKNf5aJjM0si=eXm38zHedVrhghex Hope it helps! Cheers

[@bunjdawg]

@@TheSuperFanMan awesome--thanks so much!

[@scottware8210]

What did you use to polish the brass?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

I used Mothers Mag & Aluminum polish paste. Manually buffed all of the brass with it and a microfibre cloth, since I don’t have a buffing wheel.

[@lightsfansofthewest481]

Brasso works extremely well, too.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@lightsfansofthewest481 yes it certainly does!

[@fansoffans7756]

How do you know when a motor needs to be rewound

[@TheSuperFanMan]

A motor would need to be rewound if the windings show detrimental damage, deterioration or are burned out. A couple electrical tests and a visual inspection can identify potential issues.

[@peytonlutz1]

How much does it hurt if you drunkenly run your hand into the blade trying to turn it off?

[@peytonlutz1]

I must be confused. The Lasko 19 inch white box fan is a drunk man's friend. It will run for 20 years in fellas beer garage come rain or shine.

[@LesVentilateursduQuebec]

Superbe restoration. C'est difficle de croire que tu n'as aucune expérience et peu de connaissances pour ce qui est de rebobiner un moteur de ventilateur. Tu sembles savoir très bien ce que tu fais. J'imagine que tu as de l'expérience pour la restoration du contrôle des vitesses? Quel produit as-tu utilisé pour nettoyer et polir les pales?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Merci! The speed coil was also my first ever attempt along with the motor. I was pretty surprised myself at how well they turned out. I used Spray Nine to clean the old dirt and grease residue off the blades. They still had the factory lacquer coating, so I used progressively finer sandpaper to remove the lacquer (I probably could have used paint stripper instead), then finished polishing with Mother's mag polish and a soft cotton cloth.

[@CenturyOakWindStar]

What did you use to polish the paint and brass? I've got some fans that I would like to restore myself. No experience, wanting to learn as I go I guess. What a fantastic job you did on that! Wow!

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Thank you very much! For the paint, it didn’t require much polishing as it was a brand new gloss paint job. Generally though, I like to use typical automotive paint polishing compounds to restore the deep shine. Starting with a regular polish (or rubbing compound if the paint is really dull but thick enough) and finishing with a polishing glazing compound, which is a super fine polish that gives the paint a smooth, glossy finish. For the brass, I use Mother’s Mag & Aluminum polish. I did it all by hand, which is tedious but still works great, especially if you don’t have an electric buffing wheel. I apply a dab of the polish onto a soft microfiber or cotton towel, and rub it into the brass. Then buff and wipe off. I also use very fine sandpaper (1000 grit or higher) on some brass parts that have too much build-up for the mag polish to cut through. Once the brass is exposed, I go back to the mag polish. Hope your fan projects go well! Feel free to ask questions if any come to your mind.

[@CenturyOakWindStar]

@@TheSuperFanMan thanks for the advice! What kind of paint do you recommend using? The one here appears to be a standard krylon bottle? Or is it an automotive spray paint? I would think the automotive paint might be better but I have never used one. Do you seal the brass with anything to prevent tarnish or does Mag polish do an all in one with that?

[@TheSuperFanMan]

No problem! I used Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 2X spray paint on this fan, but other popular brands such as Krylon will also yield excellent results. Automotive spray paint will work well too, though I’m not certain whether it will be better or worse than the Rustoleum paint I used, as I’ve never tried automotive paint. I left the brass alone after polishing. The mag polish doesn’t have any sealing properties as far as I’m aware. It’s actually been about a year since I completed this fan restoration (this video was posted later), and the brass parts have built up some patina as a result of it being exposed to air, which I personally don’t mind. If you prefer to preserve the mirror finish of the brass for a long time, lacquer can be applied to seal them. There are a handful of different brands that make lacquer specifically for preserving metal, such as Nikolas and Mohawk. Regular spray lacquer will help preserve the shine too, but I’m guessing it won’t be as effective as lacquer made for metals. Hope it helps!

[@CenturyOakWindStar]

@@TheSuperFanMan ah thanks again for the information! I never knew such great results could be had without fancy buffers, paints etc. Really excited to start my fan projects

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Anytime! It takes some elbow grease to polish it all by hand, but it’s certainly doable.

[@BesthanddryerakaWDA]

15:35 don’t you think that’s a little dangerous

[@TheSuperFanMan]

Perfectly safe as long as I don't stick my finger into the path of the blades :)

[@Mini_Mic]

Hey, um... the GE logo was origonally black...

[@TheSuperFanMan]

The badge was originally polished brass, with the recessed areas filled in with the same green paint as the rest of the fan. I certainly could have replicated that effect but I opted to leave it all bare brass.

[@davids6533]

@@TheSuperFanMan It looks great as is. You did a wonderful job, both mechanically and cosmetically in my opinion.

[@TheSuperFanMan]

@@davids6533 thank you!