Author Topic: Anyone remember Barker Saws? (Read 7436 times)

Bro. Noble · « **on:** June 10, 2002, 11:40:25 am »

Barker Rim Circle Saws were produced in Springfield Mo. in the 40's and 50's giving way to Barker Chainsaws in the 60"s and 70's. Does anyone remember them?

Kevin · « **Reply #1 on:** June 10, 2002, 06:38:19 pm »

Can`t say I do because I don`t.

woodman · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2002, 08:42:23 pm »

Why do you ask?

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2002, 10:23:43 pm »

My Grandad manafactured these. I guess most who used the old rimsaws are gone now or at least not as active.

DanG · « **Reply #4 on:** June 15, 2002, 09:30:21 pm »

Noble, can you tell us more? What's a rim saw? Do you have any pictures of this stuff? Inquiring minds want to know.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #5 on:** June 15, 2002, 09:52:18 pm »

I don't have any means of posting a picture but will describe them to the best of my ability.
First the blade, picture a solid tooth, light gage sawblade (they were made in about 4 sizes from 20" to 36") with the center cut out leaving the teeth and about 2" of the saw rim.
The blade was enclosed in a skeleton frame (except for the area that did the cutting and rode on rollar bearings.

A fiber wheel made contact with the blade and was activated by a deadman's clutch which was part of the grip on the frame.

Power was a 4hp Koler engine on the end of a flexible cable about 8' long. Some models had power products engines mounted directly on the frame. The earliest being two cylinder and had to be swiveled for felling.

These things took a "man" to operate them and would have really attracted OSHA's attention. They were especially tricky in felling as the blade was easily pinched. On the other hand they would way outcut the early chainsaws. Grandad used one over a chainsaw until his death in the late 60's.

People bought them and went into the custom woodcutting business. The senior class sponser at Gainesville H.S.(MO.) Bought one and the senior class cut wood to finance their senior trip. Can you imagine that happening now?

DanG · « **Reply #6 on:** June 15, 2002, 10:15:17 pm »

That's an interesting concept. I can see where it would draw some fire from the whackos that think people should keep their limbs for their whole life.

It reminds me of the old "cordwood" saws they used to use around here. Those things spent half their time cutting peglegs for their operators.

I'd still like to see some pictures, if you could ever arrange it.

woodmills1 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2002, 07:08:39 am »

anyone from west virgina ever see a mill set up to cut wedges for the mines. there was a machine that ate fingers and more. every time i delivered wedge blocks to one the hand shake was always a few fingers short.

Paul_H · « **Reply #8 on:** August 05, 2002, 12:08:55 am »

Noble,
I scanned that picture from the paper,with the Barker Rim Circle Saw.It is an interesting old saw. I'd love to see one running

Kevin · « **Reply #9 on:** August 05, 2002, 07:07:31 am »

Yikes!

Does that thing come with an ambulance?

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #10 on:** August 07, 2002, 07:19:37 am »

Kevin,

Those saws were no more dangerous that a chain saw while used for bucking. There is a part that is not shown in the picture. The part you see attaches (at the lower right ) to a bar that hooks over the log. In effect it is a large portable chop saw. You had more control over them than a chainsaw------until you used it for felling, that was a different story. The one in the picture has a 20 inch blade, they were made up to 36 inches.

Paul,

Take your family to Branson some time and come on over.

We can fire up an old saw if you want to, but I can think of a lot of things that would be more fun.

Noble

Jeff · « **Reply #11 on:** August 07, 2002, 02:34:27 pm »

Noble, do you have a camcorder? is there anyway you could take a video and send it to me so we could put it up on the forum? At least send me some real photos by mail and I will get them on.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #12 on:** August 07, 2002, 02:44:42 pm »

Jeff,

I'll send you some pictures of the saws as well as a Mercury Diston saw that was mentioned in an earlier post by someone else.

Noble

Jeff · « **Reply #13 on:** August 07, 2002, 03:53:06 pm »

That will be great. Its hard to tell whats going on in the mimeographed copy that you sent to Paul and I. I'm looking forward to it as I really dont understand the mechanics by looking at the picture available.

DanG · « **Reply #14 on:** August 07, 2002, 08:32:30 pm »

Video, Schmideo! Let's just all gather up at Noble's house this fall, and play with the things.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #15 on:** August 07, 2002, 09:09:18 pm »

Don't wait till this fall, I'm way behind!!

Any time any of you are in this area, I would love to show you the scenic waterpowered mills of Ozark Co.

We do have a bunch of old farming and sawmilling machinery around the place too.

Branson is about 80 miles from here, but I can find a music party about any weekend for free. We can join in on the pickin if you want.

Hootin-n-Hollerin is held every fall in Gainsville. You can go with me and do a little Gospel Singing.

DanG if I don't think I could outsaw an Echo with a 60 year old Rim Saw. I've hooked one with a cable to a tractor pto before. The 540 was too slow, but we have a 1000rpm pto now.

Noble

DanG · « **Reply #16 on:** August 07, 2002, 09:32:24 pm »

Noble, be careful how you speak. I and Sweetie are about to buy a bigger and better motor home, and we gonna be itchin' ta try it out!!

I don't doubt that you can out-cut any chainsaw with one of them rim saws. There's a reason that JeffB and Ron W use circle saws. They are the fastest way this side of dynamite. I also know that a chainsaw with a bow will put a bar to shame, in the right environment. The Barker is just a circle bow-saw, and I wouldn't bet against it with somebody else's money.

Paul_H · « **Reply #17 on:** August 07, 2002, 10:04:43 pm »

Noble,
If I could get away,I would be there in an instant.I haven't been out of this valley for months.It's hard with the new baby right now,but thats OK. They tend to grow fast,and soon will travel well.I have a friend who spent the better part of a year,travelling with his wife through the southern states.He picked up work along the way,and was in no hurry to go home.

I didn't know you still had any Rim Saws around that operate.

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #18 on:** August 08, 2002, 01:54:23 pm »

Paul,

While taking pictures for Jeff this morning, I counted six that appeaar to be in operating condition. Four of them are cable driven and there isn't much to go wrong with them but the blade. They originally used a 4 or 5 hp Kohler engine on the cable and we don't have a good one. A tractor pto is too slow, but I've got a 20hp Honda that would make one humm I bet. The ones with the engines mounted havn't been run for several years but I'm sure would go again with a little tinkering.

Jeff should have the pictures next week sometime.

DanG,

Come on.

Noble

Bro. Noble · « **Reply #19 on:** August 19, 2002, 12:46:32 am »

DanG,

Here is the view across the road from our pine plantation. The Ozark Mtns. aren't very high but some of the hollers are pretty deep. If you get an all wheel drive motorhome, you can park it down at this hollow on Bryant Creek.

Noble

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Author Topic: Anyone remember Barker Saws? (Read 7436 times)