Some more fan pics for your viewing pleasure

[Farah]

oh it was in the fifth photo. I was wondering if that ge vent fan was a casablanca or just a regular ge vent builder fan.

[newtonehunter]

When many people hear "Hunter" regarding ceiling fans, they think of fans built like the Original. Today, that isn't the case. New Hunters are not built like the old Hunters. So people will buy a new Hunter thinking that it is some great fan like the old ones, but a new Hunter isn't any better then anything else found at the lumber yards(i.e., the "junk")

Besides, if Originals were so great anyway, then why are they no longer being made? Look at the facts.

[newtonehunter]

Whoa…calm down… just, take a deep breath. This wasn’t meant to be taken personally by any means. I was just stating what I have observed. I love old fans. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t spend a lot of time on here. It’s not worth my time to piss off a bunch of fan collectors. But you also have to realize that I also like new fans. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one who cares for both. Therefore, I take into consideration the kind of fans that are still on the market today. Times have changed, and not enough people cared enough to buy an American made fan. We are not living in 1909, the 40’s, or even the 80’s for that matter. And if you think that it is assanine to buy an imported fan, more power to you. But this is 2006, and the reality of the situation is that our country is changing. Why do you think that more Americans buy Toyotas then GM cars nowadays? This would have not been the case during the hey-dey of the Original.

We can still hold on to our old treasures, and I can appreciate them for what they are. But with my job, I have to focus on new fans, too.


On a lighter note…
When I first started to putz around with fans, I wasn’t used to the increase in size of the Original. This was a hindrance, but I got over it. But then, even after I got used to them, I always had some issue with one. For example, I ALWAYS spilt oil, and I had one with a rusted downrod that frustrated the hell out of me. Granted these were trivial, but I was young at the time and quite stupid. But never the less, my first associations with Originals were not good. Then, as I got older, I had a friend stiff me over on a fan that I installed for him. And guess what it was? An Original. And every time I would try to salvage an Original from a remodel or whatever, I was NEVER able to get it. Even last year, I tried to get six brown/brass adaptaire caned Originals from a gutted restaurant. But nothing materialized there, either.

Also, a few years ago, I took an Original down from another friend’s porch. It was early 80’s, but the motor was seized and the blades were cracked and broken. Maybe it was just the position of the fan?

We all have touchy-feely found memories of fans from our childhood that make us like them. With Originals, it was the opposite for me!!!

[ulkesh54]

Just to add on to what Brian said earlier about the durability of Originals. I have three Originals that hang outside in damp and wet Florida weather. Two of them are 20 years old, the other is seventeen. I haven't put oil in them for at least 5 years and they run perfectly. Those fans were really made to last. We didn't buy the fans because they were the "sports cars" of ceiling fans or prestigious (wouldn't that be Casablanca) but because they are workhourses that can take serious punishment and last forever.
Another famous example is Antoine's Restauran in New Orleans, where they've been running their Originals since the 1920s (not sure what happened during the hurrican though).

[newtonehunter]

Hey, no arguments... after I saw the dilapedated Original on my friends porch, I just quesitoned the durability. Although the Florida climate is much worse(salt, humididty), then Ohio, so I don't know what to think

Also, my apologies on the over-generalization of Originals. It is neat though, to have someone on the board who actually purchased fans twenty years ago!

I will leave the topic of ceiling fans lost in Katrina for someone else to start, as it may come off as a little crass at this point in time.


PS. Despite that today's generation probably does not realize or car, I agree with you, Brian. Originals were obviously made of much better material then anything of today... there is no arguing that.
So let's drink up!

[Deleted]

I had some friends that went to New Orleans during their spring break, to volunteer tearing down and rebuilding homes that were destroyed. I told them to save any fans for me, but they both said, "you wouldnt want these, all mouldy and completely destroyed".

As for Originals . . . I'll let Brian handle most of that, but I maintain that they are among the best running, most powerful, and longest lasting of any fan made since the 1970s. They should be oiled regularly, but even if they are not they will still perform. Hunter designed an excellent fan and it is quite the shame it is no longer made.

Chris, I REALLY WISH you could have got the cane adaptaires from that restaurant, we both could have learned to appreciate them!

[newtonehunter]

Trust me, I would have liked to have had them. Supposedly they were going to be sold at an auction, but I checked the dumpsters as well. I did see some light fixtures in the trash, but obviously not the fans.