This is the most durable box fan I've ever seen! The weight of this thing is no joke! Heavy gauge steel construction unlike anything else out there with a reputable 1/12 horsepower Packard motor. General Motors and Packard Electric Motors supplied these heavy duty motors to the Craftsman line of tools including drill presses, saws, and sanders. I've read about this fan running for over 20 years non-stop.
I cleaned up this unit nicely, by removing the grills (easy snap on/off), wiping out all interior dust, polishing the chrome grills, and even applying a coat of carnuba wax to the body! Unique features include a reversible switch where you can change the direction of the fan to push air or pull air. The other switch is a timer so the fan shuts off automatically. How cool! It still has a couple of marks on the body, but for being over 60 years old, it's in amazing condition.
Air movement is strong, even on the low speeds where it sounds like a purring cat. Cord is original and in like new condition with no cracks or deterioration. The motor has a stamp showing 1/57, which I think is the year 1957. It's a weighty 28 pounds and measures 22 x 22 inches.
Some interesting history about how Packard- General Motors- Sears came together on this.
Before Packard became a car company, William Doud Packard and his brother James Ward Packard established the Packard electric company in 1890. They were involved in many businesses, and started the Ohio Automobile Company in 1899, then changed the name to Packard Motor Car Company in 1892. In 1932, Packard became part of General Motors, and continued to make electric motors after the cars stopped production. The company is still around today, known as the Delphi Packard Electric Systems. General Motors and Packard Electric Motors supplied these heavy duty motors to the Craftsman line of tools including drill presses, saws, and sanders.
These beasts are hard to find, and almost never in this clean condition! Make me an offer and lets see it go to a good home!