Anybody Successfully Refurbish a Sears & Roebuck Farm Master?

[Olive Hill]

I seem to have acquired myself a mid-winter project.

It's a circa 1950-something (I presume) Sears & Roebuck 600 egg capacity 'Farm Master'. The cabinet itself is in fair condition. All of the trays are with it and in fair condition as well, but the heating element/fan definitely needs replacing -- looks fine, but smells HOT and smokes the second you turn it on -- and I'm thinking the wiring should be replaced as long as I'm at it. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but it'll be a fun project either way so I'm wondering, has anyone else here successfully refurbished one of these?

My biggest hurdle is figuring out what everything is. Mechanical / electric is not my strong suit. If you have one of these can you explain to me what all the stuff in the top, front of the cabinet is? The lightbulb and fuse is self-explanatory and from what I can see the thing directly about that is a wafer thermostat set up. But then there are two things, one on either side of the thermostat that I don't quite understand. One is a small rectangular box, the other is another small metal box but this one sticks out further and appears to have something cylindrical inside it and also has a toggle switch just above it. I know pictures would be helpful. I ran my camera battery dead earlier today so can't post any right now though. Any ideas without them?

I'm rather resourceful and capable once I know what things are and can do adequate research on them, but those two things have me stumped.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

The heat element is probably ok but dirty. The smell like burnt hair after sitting. A good cleaning an oiling would probably get the fan back up to par too.

 

[Olive Hill]

It had been sitting in a dusty barn for quite some time. I thought about the possibility that it's just hasn't been used in a while but as bad as it smelled and as much as it smoked... I'm reluctant to turn it on in my house again.

And as much of a pain it was for my DH to get it out of the barn it was and into my house I bet he'd be really happy with me if I told him he needed to move it back outside so I could play with it.

I vaccumed it out and wiped it down. I'll try cleaning the element better and see if it still smokes.