IHC Corn Grinder

[Arizona Mike]

I'm over at a friends. He has on old IHC corn grinder that I would like to buy from him and he wants to let go of. Can you help us with a fair price. I will describe best I can. Maybe i can get a picture a little later. It stands about 3.5 ' tall and its about 2' wide and about 10 " thick with a flywheel that's about 2' in diameter The grinder is in a wood case that is in fair condition. On one side it has the old syle IHC round logo stamped and pained...about 3" diameter/ On the same side there is a decal that says "Keystone (i think)...Harvest Equipment" and "Grain Equipment". Has a small wood shute. All gears work good. One of the end pieces is half gone but could be cut from a piece of pine. Has some of the original red paint left. Thanks.

[beaconlight]

I have no idea mike but i bet pine is not the answer for the wood unless it ispruce or long leaf yellow pine. Others are too soft I think.

Bill

[Bigdog]

Mike, is it a grinder or a sheller?

[George Willer]

Mike, is it a grinder or a sheller?

Sounds like a sheller to me too. I'll bet it has a hand crank too.

[Arizona Mike]

Here are some pictures. I guess it is a sheller. Are these collectable. I like it but have no idea what it is worth??

Thanks

Mike

[Paul B]

Mike
Corn shellers are very collectable, and depending on the brand and condition, I have seen them sell for $50 and up, with better one's in the $100-200 or more range for the "single hole" models. Like anything else, the area or location will have a bearing on the value. That appears to be a Keystone machine (IH bought The Keystone Co. in 1904), maybe an XL model, that IH built until 1926. There were 1 hole and 2 hole hand cranked models built, and larger 3-6 hole shellers powered by portable engines. You can find some information about them and other IH stuff in C.H. Wendel's book, 150 Years of International Harvester.

[Arizona Mike]

Thanks to all.

Paul B, would you venture what a fair price would be to pay for one in this condition? The missing wood side piece is there just not attached. I would like to restore the wood cabinet and make it work smooth again. It won't last too much longer sitting where its at now.

Also wondering about what the original paint color might have been on the wheel, loading shoot on top, crank handle etc ?? Looks like the cabinet was red w/ black trim.

Thanks again.

[Paul B]

Mike, with the missing wood, were I buying it, I would not offer over $50-60, but it is really depends on what you are willing to pay and he is willing to accept. From looking at the flywheel and chain pulley, it would appear the cast pieces were originally black or a "japanned" finish similar to that found on old hand tools. I don't know that I have ever seen an IH wooden sheller restored to an actual original condition, but most I have seen have the cast parts painted black. Most you find are just like that one and have a "rust" finish which makes me think they may had a japanned finish rather than painted, but that is just a guess on my part. My dictionary defines "japan" as a "black enamel or lacquer of a type originating in the Orient, used to produce a durable glossy finish". Japanned is defined as "relating to or varnished with japan". The original finish/paint/decals adds to the desirability of items like this.

[beaconlight]

Mike what they mean by a sheller it that you feed in dried ears of corn andwith a turn of the crank you have kernals out the bottom and the ears with out the corn out else where. You feed the chickens the corn usually after it is cracked or crushed and can feed the ears to cows or horses. The cobs have nearly the same nutritional value as the kernals on a weight for weight basis. Of course it took quite a few cobs to weigh as much as a bushel of corn.

Bill

[Jim Becker]

I can see from your first picture that the drive belt is missing. When you negotiate with the current owner, be sure to go on endlessly about not knowing where you will find a rubber belt with a round cross section.

[Arizona Mike]

Thanks Jim..

Do you know what the original belt would have been like. Looked like a belt would ride in between those sprocket things. The bottom pully is standard for V belt.

[George Willer]

Mike,

I expect the blower belt was leather with a round cross section. It will shell corn without it, but the corn will contain "fish scales".

[Paul B]

Mike
There is an example of a "2 hole" sheller on eBay, http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 33371&rd=1
although there is no brand name on it. Also not much action, but these thing are heavy and hard/expensive to ship.

[Eugene]

I, also, believe the belt was a round leather belt with a staple type splice. Best I can recall.

Eugene