whatzit eh?

[SwampDonkey]

Used to make all kinds of cedar barrels down the road here 3 miles until the mid 80's. Used white ash for the hoops. Dad has some of thier last barrels and they lasted for ever. Used them for handling spuds in the potato shed. Dad used to get some ash and a draw knife and fix old barrels in the winter months. Hard now to get a nice potato basket, the younger natives aren't interested in working with their hands. I can remember as a kid, they would pound ash constantly. Now they pound the pavement in cars all day. Boredom I guess.

[Ron Wenrich]

Here's a Gerlach barrel saw:  http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=2547

Here's a Baxter & Whitney barrel saw:  http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=3902

Here's a barrel heading saw:  http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=2955

[SwampDonkey]

Thanks Ron.  I gotta keep my eye out for this stuff. I'de like to know where the local machines went. Those fellows that ran it died young, in their 50's. I do think (based on rumours) there are some machines 30 miles from here sitting idle.

I was wandering about their spelling of Barstow on that site. I'm sure it's spelt right, but it seems to be a variation on the name Beairsto. I knew a couple of old timers with that name that we used to fish salmon with on the St John R. One was a pharmacist and the other was a pipe fitter and did the steel and glass entrances to businesses and shopping malls.

[Paul_H]

I'de like to I do think (based on rumours) there are some machines 30 miles from here sitting idle.

tsk tsk tsk.Spreading idle rumours eh?  :D

[Engineer]

No dice there.  I checked OWWM anyway before I asked here.   It's gotta be something for cutting a hole or circle out of flat stock.   Barrel stave saws don't even look similar.

[SwampDonkey]

I recall an aunt always saying 'the devil finds work for idle hands'.   

I never heard my parents or grandparents ever use that phrase though.   smiley_angel01_halo

[beenthere]

I think the closest to its use is the short barrel staves mentioned by Ron. Seems it is near identical to the barrel stave saws 'cept for its depth (or length of stave cut). 
Hope we learn what it is really for, and I can't help but think it may be an 'invention' that never really worked, or something very specific to a very particular application.  ;)

[SwampDonkey]

It hasn't been too many years ago (around these parts atleast) that they stopped making barrels and baskets with solid bottoms/lids. I'm sure someone knows what it is. I'm going to show dad tommorrow and see if he knows. Printing a picture off now.

[Ron Wenrich]

Well, it can't be a hole saw, since there's some parts missing.   :D

[SwampDonkey]

Is that hole of whole?

since there's some parts missing

;D