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| My latest Acquisitions! | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 05:48 pm |
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1st Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member 
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Hello everyone today I got from the same lady on Facebook Market Place that I got my 1937 Gamble-Skogmo "Coronado" Farm Radio from a set of 1930s vintage fans, one of them is a first generation Westinghouse PowerAire fan aka the "Darth Vader" fan and then I got thrown into the deal what appears to be a 1930s Fitzgerald Star-Rite fan from the looks of the blades and the cage (its missing a switch on the back of the fan) and the blade is unfortunately damaged but it appears to be all there except for the ID tag and cage badge. Anyone have any idea what the mystery fan is and or if I'm correct or close to what it actually is? See pictures below.         Thanks for viewing and have a nice weekend!
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 05:53 pm |
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2nd Post |
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David Kilnapp AFCA Member
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Wow, Levi. Those are some unusual looking fans. Are you going to restore them?
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 06:13 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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David Kilnapp wrote: Wow, Levi. Those are some unusual looking fans. Are you going to restore them?Yes, I will be, the Westinghouse PowerAire is actually in pretty decent shape yet and just needs a new cord and headwire and a good cleaning, the mystery fan however needs to be completely repainted as its completely lost all of its paint so I may try my hand at "hotrodding" that one.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 07:58 pm |
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4th Post |
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Sean Campbell AFCA Member 
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Glad you got your Vader. Unfortunately I didn’t see this thread first. 🙄
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:11 pm |
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5th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Sean Campbell wrote: Glad you got your Vader. Unfortunately I didn’t see this thread first. 🙄 Hey Sean, yes I did end up getting it, and the thing is absolutely filthy, as it was sitting in a garage attic for who knows how long (the person I got it from said her brother found it in the garage attic of the house she lives in and she's lived there for 6 years and she didn't know it was there), so that means the fan was probably there for at least 40 or 50 years. I was wondering, how it is that you crack open these old Darth Vader fans? I've been trying to get the motor housing opened up so I could get the headwire replaced and I can't seem to get it open, I've removed all the screws and I've tried opening it up at the top of the motor housing where there was a little bit of a gap with a small flat blade screwdriver and a hammer and it won't budge. Also which way does the oscillator arm mounting screw turn? I've tried turning it clockwise and it won't budge.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:20 pm |
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6th Post |
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Sean Campbell AFCA Member
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I don’t recall which way the oscillator arm screw turns, but under the bullet back is a standard Westy stamped steel motor. The back cover is fastened to the struts by screws. First, remove the cage and blades. Then the screws from the struts. The back cover should slide off. At that point removing the long threaded rods from the rear of the motor will allow the hooked pieces and struts to fall off the front. After disengaging the oscillator arm, you can then open the motor.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:20 pm |
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7th Post |
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Stan Adams Super Moderator 
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Good find Levi, those 16” Vader’s are fairly scarce.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:23 pm |
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8th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Stan Adams wrote: Good find Levi, those 16” Vader’s are fairly scarce. Thanks Stan, I thought it was something worth while getting, I think I might keep this one and sell my 1952 vintage Westhinghouse PowerAire, seeing as those are a lot more common and aren't as cool looking. Last edited on Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:24 pm by Levi Mevis |
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:25 pm |
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9th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Sean Campbell wrote: I don’t recall which way the oscillator arm screw turns, but under the bullet back is a standard Westy stamped steel motor. The back cover is fastened to the struts by screws. First, remove the cage and blades. Then the screws from the struts. The back cover should slide off. At that point removing the long threaded rods from the rear of the motor will allow the hooked pieces and struts to fall off the front. After disengaging the oscillator arm, you can then open the motor. I've already got the back cover and cage struts off, I just need to get the motor housing open and get that oscillator arm removed (the screw that holds it to the gearbox). Also what can I use to remove the old petrified wire grommet from the back of the bullet? It looks like the grommet had turned to goo at some point in time and then it petrified (probably from being stored in a garage attic for years.) Last edited on Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:29 pm by Levi Mevis |
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:41 pm |
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10th Post |
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Sean Campbell AFCA Member
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I usually use a small screwdriver to chip away at those old dry rotted grommets. Usually a bit of that plus a fingernail is enough. There have been times I’ve scrubbed the residue off with a light scouring pad and some dish soup. Once the oscillator arm is free and those rods are out it should just come apart. There will be a wire ring of sorts between the two halves though, so look out for that. My guess is the arm and the the filth are what’s holding it together.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 08:55 pm |
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11th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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OK, thanks, I took the bottom cover off and it definitely is a very different beast compared to my later Westinghouse PowerAire Fan. The speed coil is mounted sideways and is fairly thick compared to the ones on the 1940s and 1950s versions of these PowerAires...
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| Posted: Sat Jan 9th, 2021 11:38 pm |
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12th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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So does anyone know what the mystery fan is? The Housing is definitely cast aluminum and it seems to be 1930s vintage and its got an Alliance Motor in it (the motor looks almost like the motors that were in the old Barcol fans or the old Microphone fans) and the cage definitely has that Fitzgerald vibe to it, but looking through the archive on here I didn't see anything that looked like it, cage wise, it kind of reminds me of the cage that was on the Fitzgerald Oscillator Fan that looked almost like a space ship.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10th, 2021 05:06 am |
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13th Post |
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David Northam AFCA Member
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The other fan looks like it could be a Chrome-Ever. Assuming it is, I don't know who made Chrome-Ever fans.
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10th, 2021 06:05 am |
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14th Post |
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Russ Huber AFCA Member 
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David Northam wrote: The other fan looks like it could be a Chrome-Ever. Le John?
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| Posted: Sun Jan 10th, 2021 08:25 am |
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15th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Russ Huber wrote: David Northam wrote:I think you nailed it Russ!The other fan looks like it could be a Chrome-Ever. This would be my first LeJohn fan I've ever found in the wild and seen in person.I've only ever seen pictures of them on here. I take it they're cast aluminum? Last edited on Sun Jan 10th, 2021 08:26 am by Levi Mevis |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 02:42 am |
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16th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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OK soI have found some reproduction cloth cord for my Westinghouse PowerAire I just bought. Its a round brown cordset with a moulded on polarized plug, would this be a good replacement for the original Rubberized Round Cordset? See Link Below. Reproduction Round Cloth Cordset And yes I realize the original Cordset for this was a rubberized 2 conductor round cordset with a molded on rubber plug end, but I can't really find any brown colored rubberized 2 conductor round cordsets anymore, unless you go NOS but even then I doubt it would be in very good shape (as this one had dry-rotted). Last edited on Mon Jan 11th, 2021 04:26 am by Levi Mevis |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 06:44 pm |
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17th Post |
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Greg Mangin AFCA Member 
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Levi, I have a 10", 12" and 16" of this model. Nice fans. The stamped steel motor case was such a pain to get the stator out that I didn't take it apart on the 12" and 16". Their headwires were good so I didn't see any need. I use the 16" occasionally, the other two are just on display. Anyway, I like the power cord you found. The molded plug is nice but probably not period correct. I'd use it anyway. ~Greg
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 08:10 pm |
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18th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Greg Mangin wrote: Levi, Hey Greg, I actually went to my Local Ace Hardware Store and found some black rubber cord that looked just like what was on there originally except that this wire is water proof and oil proof. I will put a period correct plug end on there, (one of those plastic bell style plug ends). As for the headwire I contacted Tony Clayton to see if he had any headwire that would work for my fan.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 08:20 pm |
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19th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Anyone have a wiring diagram for the first Generation Westinghouse PowerAires? I'm asking because I forgot to make note of where the wires went on my "Darth Vader" fan and now I can't figure out where some of the wires I had to disconnect for removing the headwire and the power cord goes.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 09:50 pm |
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20th Post |
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Tiffany Bode AFCA Member
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Love the PowerAire. I have a 10-Q-3 in good body shape but it is missing the speed coil in the base and needs new blades. I was able to get the housing open by gently tapping the rotor in the back and it pushed the front of the housing off. Probably not the correct way but it wasn't budging any other way. I did not even attempt to pull the stator out.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 11th, 2021 11:49 pm |
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21st Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Tiffany Bode wrote: Love the PowerAire. I have a 10-Q-3 in good body shape but it is missing the speed coil in the base and needs new blades. I was able to get the housing open by gently tapping the rotor in the back and it pushed the front of the housing off. Probably not the correct way but it wasn't budging any other way. I did not even attempt to pull the stator out. Well on mine I have no choice in the matter, the headwire on mine is completely shot.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12th, 2021 05:26 pm |
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22nd Post |
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Greg Mangin AFCA Member
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Levi Mevis wrote: Anyone have a wiring diagram for the first Generation Westinghouse PowerAires? Levi, John McComas shows a darth vader wiring diagram in the info section.
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12th, 2021 05:33 pm |
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23rd Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Greg Mangin wrote: Levi Mevis wrote:That's funny because I was looking there yesterday and I didn't see it...Anyone have a wiring diagram for the first Generation Westinghouse PowerAires?  I must of not been looking in the right spot?
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12th, 2021 06:12 pm |
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24th Post |
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Greg Mangin AFCA Member
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 http://www.fancollectors.org/info/mccomas/Westy_Darth_Vader.jpg Last edited on Tue Jan 12th, 2021 06:13 pm by Greg Mangin |
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| Posted: Tue Jan 12th, 2021 07:51 pm |
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25th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Greg Mangin wrote: I looked back over there after you said something and then found it. Thanks for your help!
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| Posted: Thu Jan 14th, 2021 02:01 am |
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26th Post |
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Levi Mevis AFCA Member
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Anyone have some Westhinghouse "Darth Vader" Fan parts? Specifically the motor housing/oscillator gearbox and stator? it needs to be for a 12" or 16" model. Last edited on Fri Jan 15th, 2021 03:09 am by Levi Mevis |
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