antique fan repair

Repair Café may be able to help recommend what is needed if the volunteers there cannot make the repair.  Next one sponsored by SOMA Two Towns For All Ages will likely be in the fall.  Surrounding towns are starting to hold repair cafes too.  Try a search to see if there is one coming up that you can get to.

I remember these old fans had a tiny flip up fitting that you use to oil the bearing/s.  Tried that?

i'm not about to try anything.  its a friend's fan.  he's brought it to a couple places to be fixed, but it keeps breaking.  i didn't notice anything that looked like it would open.

Seems like the bearing has seized up. Antique fans need oil in the bearings. 
Here’s a video showing how to oil them. I would first spray some WD40 unto the shaft that connects the fan to the electric motor housing, that might help get rid of the rust quickly.

the oil canister is missing.....might explain it.....would I just spray wd40 through the holes on the part the blades connect to (that black round part in the middle)

Perhaps One Stop Repair on Burnet in Maplewood could help. They rewired a mica lamp for me. 

jmitw said:

the oil canister is missing.....might explain it.....would I just spray wd40 through the holes on the part the blades connect to (that black round part in the middle)

if you turn it upside down, and you can see the hole where the oil canister is screwed into, then you can add some 3 in 1 oil and let it filter down. Or you can spray the wd40 first also. Try turning the fan blades by hand after doing that. Of course with the fan disconnected. 
If you can turn the blades by hand, and it still won’t run when you plug it in, then the brushes in the motor needs changing. That would be the work of the electrician repair guy. 
Im telling you, I miss that guy who used to be on valley by Columbia, where the pizzeria is now. He was great with stuff like this and antique chandeliers. 
Good luck 

that would be okay short term, but this guy isn't handy and I can't be on him to keep adding a drop of oil periodically.  right now the only place i can find that will look at it is in Georgia and will cost about $150 in shipping back and forth plus a minimum 160 in labor.  I'm looking on ebay to see if I can find the part and waiting for a reply from the place in GA....found a couple, $25, but it would be very hard to match the correct size....

Jaytee said:

jmitw said:

the oil canister is missing.....might explain it.....would I just spray wd40 through the holes on the part the blades connect to (that black round part in the middle)

 
Im telling you, I miss that guy who used to be on valley by Columbia, where the pizzeria is now. He was great with stuff like this and antique chandeliers. 
Good luck 

Gordon Dart!