Repainting a 1920s fan

I bought a 1920s polar Cub fan.

It's cute black and small but it needs a facelift. What is the best type of paint to use on these fans to keep them authentic looking?

 

Can you show a photo of it?

 

There are many spray paints available now, certainly in appropriate colors, though you'll probably have to go to a specialty store or a large box store to find them.
Clean well, prime first then use a good paint, not cheap.
~
I have a number of Polar Cubs and have no desire to paint them. Yesterday I was give 2 similar sized fans, one a HANDY BREEZE by Chicago Electric and a BARCOL by BARBER-COLMAN which almost certainly has a Bakelite base and oddly has a blade like a small plane. Not sure I have, or I've ever had, one like this.

 

This is not my fan, but the fan I have.
Mine is currently broken down and the paint stripped off..

https://www.etsy.com/listing/174149...erest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

Someone had let white paint get splattered onto the blades, plus it was beginning to rust in places.

 

Nice one! I have a tiny version of two of that one but not sure it's that old.

 

Ugh, my child.
I cant.

I had all my screws, nuts, bolts, and various other parts in a glass jar sitting in a chair outside.
In a fit of rage he took a bat, swung it at the jar and broke it into a million pieces all over the driveway.

We have been on my hands and knees fighting ants for microscopic pieces for ever!
I dont know how many Im missing and what all Im missing.


I made him go through the garbage piece by piece and we found 1 screw there.

Soooooo, if anyone has any kind of parts list

 

O

oooooooo nooooooooooo....

 

i hate broken glass...

 

So, Is your fan brass or NOT???? If Not, I would never paint, obviously!!! The brass is gorgeous!!!

 

This won't help with parts, really... but gives a little history.
http://www.acghs.org/?p=4118

This video shows somebody restoring a Polar Cub fan, but it appears to be a little later than yours. He doesn't show very many screws and small parts.

 

WOW!
THANKS!!!!!!

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Empire-2...UKoPDx6vb3htsv36B3674BoC49bw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Ha! We had those in the shop.

 

Weird....
Again... That video was not there earlier!!!!!

 

Not brass, I'm not THAT crazy

I put the fan back together with six nuts left over.
I put some olive oil on it just to see if it would switch on, which it does, but it has a slight rattle sound.

The only "date" I saw stamped on it was 1922, but it was on a part inside so who knows if it was a date or part number.

I found other small screws in the driveway, but I dont think they go to the fan.



Ill probably paint it and get my BIL to help me put it back together.
Hes very gifted in mechanisms. If something is missing hell be able to tell me

 

The rattle is either the bearings/bushings are worn or the blade is dirty and out of balance.

 

Let's just hope it has to do with the 6 left over nuts or the blades being out of balance.
It's a delicate process

 

To have any parts left over from such a small device...and for it to still function...is unlikely.
These fans were pretty tough and used a lot so they have earned some audible complaint.
Such motors were very simple and so were their bushings. Few would have actual bearings methinks.
Very interesting that many of these small fans had motors made by A.C. Gilbert Co.
...Yes, some of these motors are Erector set motors!

 

It wasn't? That is weird!

 

I've had this happen with photos too but I do know sometimes people add them later.