Corley question

[timberfaller390]

Howdy y'all. It's been a LONG time since I've been here. I've spent the last few days digging through old posts trying to catch up a little. Glad to see so many names I remember here still participating. I've been out of logging and milling for a while but I just picked up an old Corley mill and edger and it relit the fire for me. 
My question is how do I tell what model Corley mill I have? I saw one post that said it would be marked on the headblocks but I only found a number on one block and it was 35. I don't see anything about a 35 model mill anywhere. 
It's just a pile of parts right now. I have to build the husk, track and carriage from scratch. I'll be building it out of steel. I'm sure as I start setting this thing up I'll have a ton of questions. 
Anyhow, here's a couple of pics and I'll be much obliged for any help. 

 

 

 

 

     

[maineshops]

Looks like a fun project. I've always wanted to restore an old circle mill.. good luck with it. Dan

[moodnacreek]

You have your work cut out, keep us posted.

[timberfaller390]

I actually called Corley today and the first person I talked to was very nice and said she thought they had some literature. She transferred my call to the parts dept. The person I talked to in parts cut me off as soon as I said "handset" and said "those are not safe and should not be ran and they wouldn't give out any information on the old mills" she refused to say anything further about it. Oh well, so much for that angle.  

[moodnacreek]

I actually called Corley today and the first person I talked to was very nice and said she thought they had some literature. She transferred my call to the parts dept. The person I talked to in parts cut me off as soon as I said "handset" and said "those are not safe and should not be ran and they wouldn't give out any information on the old mills" she refused to say anything further about it. Oh well, so much for that angle.  

Bull, hand set mills are still being made. But it could be like what happened to Chase a real old time builder [older that lane]. When someone got injured with a 1870's Chase sawmill or whatever Chase would get sued  supposedly for supporting dangerous machinery because they where still in business [1980's] so they where told that one day they would lose and be ruined, so they gave up machinery and changed the business name.

[timberfaller390]

Ok so I wasn't happy with the answer the Corley employee gave me so I called back and talked to the nice receptionist again. This time she transferred me directly to Jack Corley. He wasn't very enthusiastic about the idea of running the mill or edger but he was extremely nice and very helpful. He dug through some old records and said my mill is probably a 440 from the late 20's to early 30's. 

[joeb395]

good luck on the corley mill,
i also am starting to help a friend with the rebuild. and like you have a trailer full of parts.  we sill soon start building the husk frame and could use any drawings you might have come up on... looks like we might have a few missing pieces...
joe b.

[beenthere]

joe b
If you are looking for ideas, there is a youtuber in Montana (I think), who is posting some good videos of his restoration of a Corley mill. He's in the phase of restoring parts including cutting the timbers (old electric cobbled-up bandmill cutting logs).  Sorting through parts and painting the timbers to match colors he thinks are authentic, and as well trying to determine location and use of the cast and steel parts. This link will take you to his videos, including other things he does at his ranch. Easy presentation to watch and listen to as well.
Linked here for you to sort through to find the Corley 395 that he is resurrecting:
https://www.youtube.com/@tractorrescueranch3682/videos

Todays video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGwzAIHMIx4&t=302s