My Corley #5

[Corley5]

  We've been sawing with it on and off the last couple weeks between firewood orders, logging, and other issues but have gotten most of the purlins for the side walls, over lays for the trusses and what should be just about enough sheathing for the side walls.  We've sawn some 2X12"s for headers but need a few more.  The jacket boards from those logs should give us a balance for the remaining lumber.  I talked to my builder tonight about what I want and what I've got and we're going to get together one evening this week to go over the plan in more detail and make a sketch.  Right now I'm thinking 36'X72' with 12' sidewalls post frame construction with posts on 8' centers.  I've got 6"X8"X18' creosoted posts from an old salt shed.  I may be short a handful and will have to supplement with green treated ones.  I need to inventory that supply  ;)  There's also creosoted 2" and 3"X12" from the same salt building for the base.  Purlins above that will be 2"X6" aspen and headers will be 2"X12" aspen.  Sheathing will be 1" eastern hemlock of various widths on the north wall and aspen of the same description on the other walls.  I'm planning on two doors on the west end of the building.  One to remove lumber and another.  One opening on the east end of the north side 22' wide to get logs to the deck.  Roof trusses will be 4-12 pitch with a 70lb snow load on 4' centers with 2" aspen overlays and steel roofing.  I've got green steel we salvaged several years ago.  This is the plan right now.  I did a bunch of measuring and thinking last night and more thinking today.  After the initial measurements I had in mind that one end of the build would 36'X44' to house the edger, Cat D13000, off bearing end of the track and husk.  An 18'X24' shed roof using the salvaged silo stave rafters from the old mill would have covered the log deck and track from the stick back.  After some thought today I'm going to try to go with the 36X72.  This will give me much needed storage room for not that many more $$$.  We'll see how it pencils out now ;) ;D
  I measured up both mills too.  Grandpa's has 52' of track, a 16' foot carriage and an 11.5' mandrel.  Bro Noble's Dad's Mill has 60' of track, a 20' carriage and a two piece mandrel.  The husk section is 103" and the extension is 190" with three bearing supports.   Both carriages have three headblocks but the Noble Mill is missing the dog and taper from the 3rd one.  I'm going to take one of the headblocks and put on my carriage to give it four.  My carriage seems to be in a bit better shape :-\  I think I like the setworks on the Noble Mill better.  Both are double acting but it's a heavier model and seems very tight.  Mines getting a bit loose.  I'll use my husk with the mandrels from the Noble Mill to hook to the Cat.  Some of the wood on the Noble husk needs attention.  Mine is fine.  The long mandrel also has the pulleys on it for the saw dust blower and an edger.  We'll find out if it'll work with my edger.  I'm thinking I'll use Sono tubes for piers for the track.  That's what Grandpa used 40 years ago and they're still doing the job.  The husk sits on an 8" wide concrete foundation.  The new one will extend to attach the bearing supports for the long mandrel so the whole husk and mandrel system are supported as one.
  This is the plan.  I'm hoping to start taking Grandpa's mill apart in a couple weeks.  I'd like to wait until I've got a roof to put it under and was really hoping I had until spring.  My aunt has the ground it sits on listed and there have been several viewings by potential buyers.  So it's got to come apart.  I'm not sure when I'll get it set up again.  Hopefully within a year but it'll be under cover until then.  Hopefully my plans come together. 
  Grandpa's been gone 15 years and this move has been under consideration since before he passed away.  I defended the mill from several buyers when Grandpa was alive, tried to sell it myself since then and bought another #5 which I hauled in three trips back to Northern Michigan from the Missouri Ozarks.  I tried to sell it too.  After a couple years of not sawing all the memories of sawing with Grandpa came back.  From him showing it to me the first time when I was 3 or 4 years old to sawing the lumber to build my house and many others in between.  My sons are impressed with it and told me they wanted to keep it when we first started again.  Watching Zander, who's 6, playing in the sawdust as it was coming off the elevator sealed the deal for me.  Here we go into a new chapter.
  I just got word that my Grandma Whittaker passed away  :'( :'( :( :( :( 

[beenthere]

Sorry to hear about Grandma Whittaker. May she rest in peace and her good memories be enjoyed by the family.

[Corley5]

Thank You beenthere 

[Corley5]

  As I've been sawing I've noticed that even if the mill was going to stay where it's at the building would need some serious work.  The poles are white cedar and rotten to the point that the building is settling.  It wouldn't stand for many more winters left untreated.  The G403 Minnie Mo power unit has gotten sicker.
  It's always been a smoking oil burner but I've put 8 gallons of forty weight through it in 16 hours or so of sawing.  I just bought a five gallon bucket to finish up.  Costs more for engine oil than gas to run it  :D

[Corley5]

I've had my camera in my pocket every day we've sawed but haven't taken pics.  I'll get some.  I've got a load of 2X 4s and 6s on the gooseneck to unload in the AM.  I'll get some pics of something  ;)

[customdave]

Sorry to hear the sad news, my condolence to you & your family


                   Dave

[thechknhwk]

My condolences on your grandma.  I would love to see some pictures as well.

[sandsawmill14]

sorry about grandma :(  but i to would like to see some pics when you get time

[Corley5]

I thought we were going to be almost done sawing today.  We had a half dozen large aspen logs to turn into 2X12s and a dozen or so smaller black cherry to run into 1X.  The saw just wasn't running right.  It looked good as far as being sharp but was drawing a lot of power.  Grinding didn't make much difference.  The bits were getting short so I replaced them and it really didn't make difference.  I had noticed a sharp pop coming from the engine now and then.  No pattern.  Just now and again.  Then the tone changed completely and the power level dropped even more.  I thought the exhaust manifold had broken but I could see fire flashing from the back of the engine.  We shut it down to investigate and the head gasket on the back head is absolutely blown at the back of the engine.  Old Minnie almost made it.  She was sick when Grandpa got her 40 years ago. 
  One of the benefits of a left hand mill is being able to attach a PTO shaft directly to the mandrel and have it turn the right direction.  Grandpa used to run it this way with his W-6 McCormick Deering, same engine as an M Farmall.  I can't say for certain that I remember him running it with the tractor but the end of the shaft that attaches to the mill has been hanging on the same brace in the mill shed for as long as I can remember.  We tore some boards off the building at the end of the mandrel, took the shaft down, cleaned up the mounting bolts and hooked it up.  I had to track down a female shaft.  Grandpa used the one from his corn chopper which was sold 15 years ago and I sold my implements a few years ago but a neighbor had one that he used to run his Belsaw.  It works.  We got the 706 Farmall fired up and hooked up and sawed a couple cherry logs.  I didn't realize just how sick the old engine had become.  It was getting late by this time and my friend had to get going as his grandfather passed away this morning.  It's been a rough week for grandparents in the neighborhood :( :( :(  Thank you for the well wishes 
  We're ready to run again with 10 or so of the cherry logs to cut first.  I'm almost done with the cut list for the new shed.  I figure we need 12 14' 2X12's and some more 2X4s.  A few more 100" 2X12"s wouldn't hurt.  We need to go to the log job and cut some trees to get them.  I did take some pics today but left the camera in the crummy.   

[bandmiller2]

Nothing better than being awash in power on a circular mill. Occasional use the tractor is fine but keep your eyes peeled for a good stationary diesel. Frank C.

[Corley5]

There's a Cat D13000 already for it at it's new home  ;D 8)

[mesquite buckeye]

Sorry for your loss. :(

[bigred1951]

So sorry to hear about your grandmother. I stay with mine and take care of her. How's everything going. I'm patiently waiting for updates and pics :)

[Corley5]

  Thank you.  I've got some pics but the family misplaced my card reader that I bought after the puppy chewed the camera cord.
  We sawed the few remaining cherry logs and the 706 did well.  We've got a few more logs to saw for the cut list which I'm thinking we'll do Thursday. 
  I down sized the building back to the size it is now.  It'll be 36' wide by 32' long with a shed roof 18' by 24'.  The 36'X72 was going to cost more than I wanted to spend and after a call to my insurance company the deal was sealed.  I can't get insurance on a building with a sawmill setup in it or the building's contents on my farm policy.  I'd need a different policy for it which according to my agent probably wouldn't have been cost effective for a hobby.  Additional storage was the reason for going bigger.  So I downsized it and we're going to reuse the silo stave rafters as was the original plan and saw some 20' 2X8s for rafters to make up any shortfall.  I met with the builder and he's going to get started later this week.  The plan is to dismantle the building after we finish sawing while hoping the weather holds for us.  We'll have a bit of time while he gets the posts set etc.
     

[Corley5]

  Finished with the mill this morning.  We had 3 16', 2 14', 2 12', and 3 8' logs that we sawed to finish up.  Yesterday we sawed 19 8' in addition to edging a fairly big pile of aspen and cherry flitches first thing.  There wasn't room for anymore of them  We unhooked the 706 and drove it home before lunch and after lunch we edged the flitches from yesterday's session and this morning's.  It's been a nice change sawing with the tractor.  It's not only got much more power but it's outside.  I'm quite surprised at how quite the mill actually is  8) 8) 8)  Now I'm really looking forward to sawing to sawing with the D13000  ;D 8) 8) 8) 
  I'm meeting with the builder tomorrow after morning deer hunting to stake out the new building.  He's planning on getting some poles set Monday if the weather holds and we're going to start tearing down the old building later in the week.  Hopefully the weather will stay decent enough to at least get the roof on the new building and the mill disassembled and stored under cover.
  I did take some more pics but haven't been anywhere to get a card reader 

[Josh3760]

  Finished with the mill this morning.  We had 3 16', 2 14', 2 12', and 3 8' logs that we sawed to finish up.  Yesterday we sawed 19 8' in addition to edging a fairly big pile of aspen and cherry flitches first thing.  There wasn't room for anymore of them  We unhooked the 706 and drove it home before lunch and after lunch we edged the flitches from yesterday's session and this morning's.  It's been a nice change sawing with the tractor.  It's not only got much more power but it's outside.  I'm quite surprised at how quite the mill actually is  8) 8) 8)  Now I'm really looking forward to sawing to sawing with the D13000  ;D 8) 8) 8) 
  I'm meeting with the builder tomorrow after morning deer hunting to stake out the new building.  He's planning on getting some poles set Monday if the weather holds and we're going to start tearing down the old building later in the week.  Hopefully the weather will stay decent enough to at least get the roof on the new building and the mill disassembled and stored under cover.
  I did take some more pics but haven't been anywhere to get a card reader 

Hope he brings his snow shovel!

[Corley5]

We staked it yesterday and got 6" of snow early this morning.  Glad we put stakes in and didn't just use paint  :D ;D

[Corley5]

Little cherry log.


 



 

Lumber trailer.


 



 

Good thing for ratchet straps  ;) ;D 8)  This is hemlock destined for sheeting on the building thus no stickers as it won't be in the pile for too long.



  


  

1 and 2" aspen lumber.



  



 



 

Bobcat with extra weight to unload lumber  ;)   1961 2010 John Deere is in there too.



 

1963 706 Farmall hooked to the mill.



  



 

1941 H Farmall with a load a cherry sawed a couple years ago and the D13000 Cat in the background 



 

The building is underway.  The posts are in the ground with headers and purlins attached.  I doubled up a couple pieces of house trailer frame for a header over what will be the log deck so I'd have a 23' foot opening.  We set that with the forwarder Sunday.  My builder is also a mason and because of the warm weather we've been having he's doing a couple cultured stone jobs that he couldn't pass up.  He should be back in a couple days to start setting rafters  8) 8)  I'll get more pics.  I just finally remembered to get a card reader last night.  Today was pretty dark and dreary for photos.       

[BUGGUTZ]

That is a pretty slick setup. Its been great weather this fall. No complaints here for the lack of snow! Keep the pics coming. Theres not enough circle mill"s on here. Its inspirational!!

[beenthere]

Great pics, thanks Greg

[Bert]

Is your 706 running a D282? Im in need of one for an old wheel loader. This will be its third :'(. I cant seem to keep one together. Appreciate the trip through the mill and very sorry for your loss.

[Peter Drouin]

Nice pics,

[Corley5]

These were taken before Christmas.  It's sheathed and ready for the roofing which has been delivered.  I think it's going to go on tomorrow.  It's going to be bit damp but it's going to be more than a little cold and snowy in a couple days.



 



 



 



 



 



 



 

[Peter Drouin]

Looking good,

[thecfarm]

Thank you the post and the pictures.