Vornado B24C1-1

Vornado  B24C1-1
Vintage Electric Fan

9" Stationary Desk Fan

Antique Electric Fan Specs
Manufacturer	Vornado
Model	B24C1-1
Serial No.	B5315210
Size	9"
Housing	Steel
Cage	Steel
Blade	Bakelite
Wings	3
Speeds	2
Switch	Rotary
Mode	Stationary
Type	Desk
Year	1953

Vornado B24C1-1 Fan Pictures

A Journey of Buyer's Regret to Restorer's Joy

I purchased this Vornado fan via eBay in April 2018 and it sat in my spare bedroom, among the other projects. This fan was a mess - the blades were caked with so much dirt that they were literally hairy. The switch had been replaced with, of all things, a pull chain style switch.  Soon I posted the pictures on social media, and like clockwork, my fan collecting friends chimed in on the topic. I quickly learned that the fan was wired incorrectly and should be two speeds, not the one speed on which it ran. Well, drat. The buyer's regret was starting to set into my being.

In June, I sold my house of eighteen years and purchased a new house with my soon-to-be wife. So, the regretted fan moved from the old house's spare bedroom to the new house's basement, and it just sat on a shelf. Admittedly, I was in a fan slump. My eyes, heart, and wallet had gotten ahead of my brain. I had purchased too many projects and I hadn’t tackled any of them. There they sat, on the shelves, as reminders of what I should be doing with my spare-time. Some people might flourish in the multi-project chaos, but to me it is overwhelming, and I tend to retreat.

Despite my reclusion, I hosted a fan meet in March 2019 called Fan Flock at a UW Health Sports Factory in my hometown of Rockford, IL. The Sports Factory is a first-class sports complex that is a renovated factory that was once the John Barnes Company.  The John Barnes Company was established in 1869 and their campus sat on the banks of the Rock River. They specialized in foot-power machinery for cabinet makers and metal workers. In the 1930s their business had transitioned to automotive assembly machinery. Later it became the site of Ingersoll Milling Machine, which was the parent company of my current employer of 25 years, Ingersoll Cutting Tools. I had been in the building when it was filled with enormous automotive transfer line machines and parts were moved with a crane that had an operator seated in a cab near the ceiling. So not only does this building have a long Rockford history, I also have a long history with it.

The Sports Factory has terrific views of the Rock River, which at the time of Fan Flock, was rolling at a very quick pace with the rapid spring melting and flooding. Fan Flock amassed nineteen collectors from five states and had a total of 43 people in attendance. Although a basketball and volleyball complex might seem unconventional for a fan meet location, the bleachers worked wonderfully for displaying the fans in tiers.

I invited some non-collectors to attend as I wanted to expose them to the club and to potentially grow the hobby among others.  At the meet, I met many AFCA members that I had only virtually met through the AFCA forum or social media. I had many members thank me for hosting the meet and the non-collectors were amazed at the variety of manufacturers and styles. Even a couple non-members walked away with fans that they either purchased or were given by members.

During Fan Flock, my wife and I hosted a fan collector from Missouri, Brett Vaughan. Brett and I had communicated for over a year on social media and exchanged some fan parts in the process. We hit it off, and if I go a week without chatting with him, it feels odd. We opened our home to him, wined and dined, went to a local antique store, and Brett even tried his hand at pickleball in my cellar.

I walked away from Fan Flock with a near mint original 12" 1951 Emerson 77648-AS fan, and the meet rejuvenated my enthusiasm for working on fans. Through Fan Flock, I met a fellow fan collector, Pat Pattison, who not only lives in the Rockford area, but he lives just two miles south of me. Pat has been a great mentor for me. He has spent time explaining mechanical and electrical items, sharing his knowledge of fan brands, as well as showing me techniques of soldering, shimming shafts, and general machine maintenance. Pat has even been generous enough to loan me books and share some of his duplicate tools with me. Pat has been a machine mechanic for 30 years and currently works for an international fastener company.

I felt a lot better with Pat in the neighborhood. Having him nearby gave me the confidence I that needed to tackle some of my old projects. Now, this wasn’t to say that I wouldn’t botch things like I have in the past. But it felt like a bit of a safety net - if indeed, when I got in over my head.

I decided it was time to tackle the Vornado. The furry little monster that was sitting on the shelf and glaring back at me with its green dome. I started to disassemble it and literally vacuumed the blades because they were so dirty – I think most collectors have done this a time or two. The previous owner had bypassed the speed coil, but Pat was able to help me with correcting the wiring. Honestly, if it wasn’t for his help, the Vornado would still be sitting on the shelf. I still need to put one finishing touch on the fan; I have the badge that needs attention. But overall I am very pleased with the outcome and currently I am emotionally attached to the little fan because it forced me research and learn.

Another reason I was able to complete this project is due to the knowledge shared on the AFCA forum. It's a great source of information at all hours of the day. I was able to locate a two-speed, new old stock switch and grommet kit. You wouldn't think these two-speed canopy rotary switches would be that difficult to find, but they are no longer manufactured, like so many other items of this hobby.

I also found an awesome local powder coater, Seven Five Customs, owned by Pat Raupp. Pat R. started this business when his son was racing four-wheelers in the American Motorcyclist Association. His son was District 17 champion for several years and went on to compete all over the nation. The business name, Seven Five Customs, is dedicated to his son’s racing number, 75. Pat does excellent work, is very reasonably priced, is thorough with the parts, has a very short lead time, and always answers my technical questions.

We are all members of the AFCA, and if we want the club to continue and the hobby to grow, I want to express the importance of attending regional meets. This is where you meet fellow collectors, gain tips, and extend your knowledge to help others. If there isn't a regional in your area, please consider hosting one. This can  help you connect you with your community as you research potential meet sites and a meet can showcase what your city has to offer. It doesn't have to be fancy, just a space where people can gather, buy-sell-trade-tell, and nibble on some snacks. Invite friends and family to attend your first meet. They can see you shine, and feel the joy that you have for the hobby.