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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    9
    Country: United States

    Default New member with an old vault and a Corliss...

    Hi, I'm a new member to this forum. I have a Locksmith license but am pretty much a novice, especially with safes.

    I recently purchased a small old Bank building built about 1895. It has a vault and a Corliss Ball Safe in the basement. The vault door is missing parts but I'd like to restore it. The Corliss is open but partially disassembled, although there appear to be pieces inside the safe. I'm hopeful that most of it is still there. I'd like to restore it.
    I haven't had a chance to personally inspect it yet. I'll post a new thread with the few photos I have.

    Thinking of restoring the front room of the bank to a period configuration for use as a small banking museum or possibly as a working office keeping the period configuration. Interested in any blueprints that might help with the design, will post the one period photo I have.

    Regards,

    - Greg

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    And this building is in Indiana?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Hartford CT
    Posts
    190
    Country: United States

    Default Corliss

    Greg,

    Would like to see what pictures you have of the Corliss.

    DH

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    9
    Country: United States

    Default Corliss Photos...

    The photos I have are not very good but they are what is available at the moment.

    I believe what we are looking at is the back of the internal ball, but with all of the back compartments missing. You can see a few parts inside on the bottom of the Corliss.

    This Corliss is in the basement of an old 1890s bank building. It was dropped through the floor so is unlikely to ever come out again.

    Assuming all of the back is really missing, this will be a long term restoration looking for parts or making replacements, possibly using 3D printing.

    If you can help in any way, please feel free to contact me.

    - Greg
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 115 E. Smith St - Basement - Ball Safe (enlarged front view).jpg   115 E. Smith St - Basement - Ball Safe (enlarged side view).jpg  

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    9
    Country: United States

    Default

    I have a little more information on this Corliss. Almost all of the back inner drawers and parts are missing. I'll be looking for parts if anyone has any. This is a long term project.

    An alternative is to fabricate or 3D print replacement parts but I'd need access to original parts to do the drawings

    if you can help, please contact me.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    9
    Country: United States

    Default A Few More Photos...

    I realize this is an old thread, but the old Corliss isn't going anywhere...

    I finally got a chance to take a few more photos. They should give an idea of what parts are there, and what parts are missing.

    Probably the most practical solution is to 3D print the missing pieces. The safe will never be used as a safe again, but only as a display piece. The parts don't need to be exact to original specs, but I don't even know what the components that fasten to the back of the rotating door might look like!

    So I need your help...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_3905.JPG   IMG_3907.JPG   IMG_3906.JPG   IMG_3908.JPG   IMG_3909.JPG  

    IMG_3910.JPG  

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    As fate would have it, what looks to be the exact same model has shown up here in Ohio for restoration. I have disassembled all the interior compartment pieces except for the locks and a few other mechanical parts which you are missing. I know next to nothing about 3Dprinting but I suspect it would require a laser scan of each part to have any hope of duplicating the numerous interior sections. I think a bit of hand fitting was also involved. Add to that the numerous locking components that you are missing, it would probably be cheaper and easier to buy another Corliss and lower it into the basement. So a trip to Matt's outside of Ashland is in your near future if you want to find out what you are up against. I could meet you there on most any day.

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