Corley

[Bjt]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I found out from my friend, that a man and his wife inherited a Corley sawmill from her dad that passed 10 years ago that they are wanting to sell. The mill has been non working  since he passed. The carriage is steel but will need new bearings in the wheels, the setworks will advance but will not recede (has the spring),  and the taper/push outs work. The husk and ways will need new wood or steel and probably new belts also. It comes with the hardware for dust/drag chain but will need new chain. The power unit is a ford 6cylinder diesel that we  didn't know the size of. The owner said his wife wanted 5000 for it all and I don't feel it's worth that to me but it is worth something. Could y'all help with how much? 

[Iwawoodwork]

That price seems high given wood husk and that you will have to dismantle. I have purchased a similar (not Corley) mill dismantled , without blade for $1500.has a wood husk needing replaced and  all steel 12 ft carriage. would not offer more than $2500.

[moodnacreek]

Looks like it's all there.  Depending on the locale, these mills are worth almost scrap prices. To rebuild it is quite straight forward, just copy but it is a lot of work.  When you try to run it often hidden, expensive problems appear like warm bearings or bad collars. Although it would be well worth rebuilding you should not pay much as you will need considerable $ to make it right.

[reride82]

BJT,

I bought a Corley and a Belsaw this summer for $1500. They came with a 60", 56", two 52", and 48" blades. There were power units, but I wasn't interested as the newer of the engines was a 1942 McCormick Inline flathead 6 cylinder. That one appears to be in better shape, but as it is not running there could be issues. I'd offer in the $2000-$2500 range. If they want $5000, have them get it running and operating first.

Levi

[Bjt]

Thanks fellas. Any idea what size the ford engine is and if the mill uses Babbitt bearings? 

[Bandmill Bandit]

I am not sure what Ford engine is being referred to here but I do know of 2 Corley mills that were repowered with 300 I6 fords and one that was repowered with a 361 Ford V8 running on natural gas. All work very well. All 3 had added hydraulics to their mill in the repower to power most of the previously manual mechanical things.
  

[moodnacreek]

The ford could be a 300 or 240.  On a sawmill this would be considered 60 hp. The saw should not have  many teeth for light power say 36.

[bandmiller2]

That Ford diesel looks like mine, if it has a Simms in line injection pump its a british Dagenham diesel approximately 95 hp. Before band mills the going price for circular mills in fair usable shape was $5000.00. Today most folks want the band and old handset mill around $2000.00 or a little less. Frank C.

[Bjt]

Thanks everyone for the advice. It does have a injection pump. This is a bad pic I know but it may help. 

 

  

[bandmiller2]

Yup that's an old Dag. Their early diesel technology but are simple rugged and will almost run forever. Frank C.

[moodnacreek]

Whoa, that is a diesel, same air cleaner and hood as 6 cyl. gas. Dagenham , never saw one before, 360 cu. in. ?.  That would be before the 401 from Brazil.

[bandmiller2]

Many of the parts on that Dagenham diesel are the same as the Fordson Major tractors although most of them are 4 cyl. Frank C.