How to Package & Ship Antique Electric Fans

 Due to the fragile nature of the antique electric fans we buy and sell, understanding how to properly package and ship them is crucial.  There are many ways to properly ship a fan; here we will describe the method that we found yields the best success rate for us. 

This beautiful 8" GE All Brass was black-oxide coated and beautifully restored by White Glove Fans' Tim Marks. Continue reading to see how to properly package this fan to ensure the new owner receives it in perfect condition.

First step of any proper packaging job is to disassemble the fan by carefully removing the blade and cage from the front of the motor. You should also remove all of the struts which hold the cage onto the motor. The small parts such as struts and screws should be packaged within a small plastic bag.

The blade should be wrapped carefully. If the blade is highly polished then you should use cotton or a microfiber towel. If the fan is an unrestored fan then bubble wrap will be just fine. The reason is that bubble wrap will mar or scratch the highly polished finish of the brass blade.

After the blade is wrapped within the cage, the whole cage/blade assembly should be wrapped with bubble wrap. This assembly will then be packaged into its own box.

Next the cage/blade assembly is packaged within its own box. Don't forget to label it clearly for the new owner! 

The "motor stump" should be carefully wrapped in bubble wrap. First focus your efforts by wrapping the bubble wrap around the neck. 

Shown is the "motor stump" completely wrapped with bubble wrap to fully protect the fan.

The bubble wrapped "motor stump" is now placed within a cardboard box fully lined with styrofoam for added protection. Extra bubble wrap is added to the box to ensure that the motor stump cannot move around within it. Note that ONLY the motor stump is packaged within this box. The blade and cage have already been packaged separately.

After the motor stump is packaged within one box, and the blade and cage packaged within another box, these two separate boxes should be packaged within a single large box. In this image you can see the appropriate sized outer box to safely contain the fan. 

Once the packed boxes are inserted into the outer box, you should add packaging peanuts to prevent the movement of anything within. Make sure to ensure that the peanuts completely fill the box. You don't want anything to shift around during shipping!

And when you're all done you can button up the box and slap the all important shipping label right on top. Safe and sound, ready to head to its proud new owner.