# Cooling Fan Motors



## dave enrico (May 16, 2015)

HELLO EVERYONE
I WORK IN A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP,AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK WE THROW AWAY PERFECTLY GOOD COOLING FAN MOTORS AND BLADES,ALOT OF TIMES IF THE SHROWD IS BROKEN YOU HAVE TO REP[LACE THE ASSEMBLY,ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS HOW TO RECYCLE THEM INTO SOMETHING USEFUL,I KNOW THERE ONLY 12 VOLT BUT MAYBE SOME IDEAS,ALSO SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK THEY THROW AWAY AXLE SHAFTS FROM FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS,I KNOW FROM TIME TO TIME I FIND USES FOR THEM ANY OTHER IDEAS.    THANKS DAVE


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## Dave Smith (May 16, 2015)

Dave--you and I think alike--my advice is to save and store as many as you can--usually good scrap opportunities will go away and you will still have as many as you have storage for---you will always find good uses for them--I am still coming up with good uses for items I've stored for more than forty years-when I use them I keep my costs down---I never have to go to the hardware store--------hope you have lots of room for storage--they are also good for trading for other items--12 volt DC motors are always handy----Dave


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## rgray (May 16, 2015)

I save those axle shafts. The ends have come in handy for seal drivers a couple of times. Made a couple of punches out of the shafting. Always thinking some of the hardened ball races are gonna come in handy for something, but so far haven't used that part for anything.
I do use a few  worn out steering parts on the lathe. Handy for the threads also. right and left hand.
The track bar for the front axle on a 1 ton dodge truck is a nice piece of solid steel. They wear the ball joint out all the time, so seems there's always a few of them around.
Those fan motors should be use full for something.


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## T Bredehoft (May 16, 2015)

Could those 12 V motors be geared down to drive the X axis on a small mill? Y Axis? Do they  have enough torque?


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## kvt (May 16, 2015)

For some reason, I seam to remember someone saying old axels can be used to make some good tools,   Cutters, punches,  etc.   Are the fans single or variable speed.


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## T Bredehoft (May 16, 2015)

Old Axles, yes they are quality steel. Someone on here made a Woodruff cutter from one.


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## dave enrico (May 18, 2015)

the fans are single speed,they run off a temp sensor,when it gets to operating temp the fans come on,i didnt know if it was a stupid question or not,just seems a waste to constantly throw stuff out that could possibly be used,im not much of an electronic guy so im asking the people who know,every day we throw stuff away that could possibly be recycled just need to improve my visions and see if i can find a way to recycle more,we take old plastic fuel tanks and cut them in half and we throw the extra nuts bolts washers etc in them,and about once a year we give them to the scrappers a real waste,i restore antique cars and motorcycles as a hobby but most nuts bolts etc are metric now so no good use for them,    thanks dave


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## cathead (May 20, 2015)

dave enrico said:


> HELLO EVERYONE
> I WORK IN A COLLISION REPAIR SHOP,AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK WE THROW AWAY PERFECTLY GOOD COOLING FAN MOTORS AND BLADES,ALOT OF TIMES IF THE SHROWD IS BROKEN YOU HAVE TO REP[LACE THE ASSEMBLY,ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEAS HOW TO RECYCLE THEM INTO SOMETHING USEFUL,I KNOW THERE ONLY 12 VOLT BUT MAYBE SOME IDEAS,ALSO SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK THEY THROW AWAY AXLE SHAFTS FROM FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS,I KNOW FROM TIME TO TIME I FIND USES FOR THEM ANY OTHER IDEAS.    THANKS DAVE



I like your thinking!   Well, for one thing they would make good small generators if for nothing else for a lighted windmill in the yard or something.  Keep thinking outside the box
and you will find uses for lots of stuff others think is JUNK.  Small DC motors could be used in the shop for projects and are reversible by simply swapping the polarity. 
I'm not sure if those motors are brushless or not.  I see the newer cordless electric drills do not have brushes.  I have been using axle shafts for making tooling with good
success lately so that would be one use if they are solid high carbon material.


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