Abstract: An electric motor includes a stationary stator and a rotating rotor. To assemble the rotor, a grease is applied to at least a portion of the shaft of the rotor proximate a rotor core disposed on the shaft. A liquid varnish is applied to the rotor core and allowed to harden. The grease can be removed from the shaft along with any varnish that had hardened thereon. Later, the same grease can be reapplied to the shaft to facilitate installation of a bearing onto the shaft. The process can apply to the assembly of new electric motors or to the remanufacturing of previously constructed motors.