Be sure and carry it up right when you take it home.  Laundress what else should he do.

Wow, those are rarer than hen's teeth in this part of the country.  Looks like a nice one. Where did you find it?

tackacedon, Go to the link below I have copies of the Ironrite Service manuals and several of the owner's manuals posted at that site.  The webmaster has scanned the items in that I had sent him and they are available pdf. 

I think you will find that they are very helpful.  The Model 88 that you have is a Model 85 that was placed in a wooden cabinet (most likely mahogany veneer on your unit). This was the way that Ironrite marketed the Model 85 making it more attractive to place in a dining room or other living areas where a white pink or ecru unit would be not as acceptable.   I think I would agree with sudslock about sanding and painting your 88

If you are planning on using the ironer there are several  excellent aftermarket pads and covers that are being made by a small outfit in Montanna.  Ebay is where he sells the items.  He also sells the "oil" but really, again, sudslock is correct it is nothing more than 50W (non detergent) motor oil.

Remember,  if you are planning on using this as an ironer, these get HOT you have to be careful with buttons on shirts, tags on shirts and tags on linens etc.  In years past the garment or linen may have been made of all cotton or linen, the tags and buttons were sewn on with all cotton threads.

Now, many times that is not the case and you will find that the buttons may be still made of a material that can withstand heat and pressure....the thread will not. Tags will melt on linens and garments. 

The shoe is the cast iron chromed part that actually heats.  One thing that is seldom mentioned is cleaning that part.  If by chance you do melt something on the iron it will adhere to the shoe (just like a hand iron that has been run over something at too high a temp), get some Faultless Iron Cleaning Cream (grocer, Walmart, Target, near the spray starch), heat the ironer up and raise the roller.

Take an old towel and place some of the product on the towel...carefully place this on the hot shoe.....it will smoke like crazy (and this is normal for this product)...you will feel the drag on the towel from all of the gunk at first, but it will dissipate and leave the shoe nice and slick.  Make sure you then run a clean towel over the shoe to remove any of the residue before ironing.  It is a good idea to do this every so often anyway just as you would on a sole plate of a hand iron.  Rowenta makes a version of this creme as well.  It is expensive and frankly I think it is identical in composition (most likely a rebadge of the Faultless product).

Waxed paper will NOT work on an ironer, Salt will Not work on an ironer.

You will see the elements inside the shoe when you turn it on, they will glow red.  I try to limit the amount of product that I place on the cleaning towel so it does not run down into the area where the elements are located.

Also I noted that you are going to change the plug / cord...I believe there is advice on the Jitterbuzz site for that as well.

When you get your ironer cleaned and set up, please let us know how your first ironing session went!

tackacedon,

So glad I could give you some pointers.  Remember that about the non cotton items that can adhere / melt on the shoe.  It will really make a mess if you then try to iron something after that has happened.  I try and clean the shoe often as I use my primary ironrite a good bit.  Also the older manuals from the 1940s give detailed pictures of the use of the ironer.  The video that was mentioned above is a BIG help.  Skip the blindfold (once you watch the movie you will see what I mean).