In 1907, Mr. B. F. Barnes was forced out of his company, B. F. Barnes Co., by his partners, and the name was changed to Rockford Drilling Machine Co. B. F. Barnes then founded a new company, Barnes Drill Co. It is now known as Barnes International.
B. F. Barnes is related to the brothers W. F. and John Barnes, and it seems unlikely that B. F. amicably went into direct competition with the parent company. Given that he was later forced out of the company with his name over the door, perhaps he was a difficult man to get along with.
The Barnes Drill Co. claims to have made the first all-geared drills. Starting from the mid-1920s they gradually phased out their drill line in favor of bore honing machines.
Information Sources
- 1907-06-06 National Corporation Reporter, in a list of new corporations.
Barnes Drill Company, Rockford: $100,000; B. F. Barnes, H. K. Welsh, J. E. Andrews.
- The Midway Village museum provided us with information on the connections between the various Barnes companies.
- In the mid-1950s, the Rockford Morning Star published a series on Rockford manufacturers, including the Barnes Drill Co. The Midway Village provided us with a copy of the article.
- Machine serial numbers from 1940 to 1945 may found at the Barnes Drill Co. serial number page.