The rat rod of chainsaws

[Dave in VA]

Of all the chainsaws I have owned, one stands out as unusually impressive. It is a Craftsman (Roper) 3.7 c.u. with vertical cylinder. I bought it new in 1980 and have cut many cords of wood with it.
The impressive part is the torque that this saw has. Only saw I have ever run in this size that will start cutting if you have it idling, with chain touching wood, pull the trigger and it starts cutting. It still runs excellent but is old and heavy so I don't use it very often, got many more saws that will do job easier.View attachment 355842 View attachment 355843 View attachment 355844

Yup. It'll pull a 20-22" bar with a custom built chain, the factory chain specs are .325/.050, 74 links. It is a saw with a deceptively small body/case for the punch that it packs.

 

[weedkilla]

A sharp chain and almost any ported saw over 60cc will surprise people who aren't borderline obsessed with saws.
I agree - a less common brand does increase the "wtf" element, but makes parts hunting much more difficult.
Happy to hear the ideas, they're all helping atm.

 

[rmh3481]

You want something that no one else has;

 

[cobey]

wow!!!! too bad the pipe gives it away

 

[1Alpha1]

Okay, so I don't get it. Rat rods, rat motorcycles, or rat saws, they all seem to escape me.

Last week, I saw a small group (5-6) of rat bikes and they were obviously from out of town. The riders and their passengers were also dressed "ratted out" if you would call it that. It was quite a sight. I pointed the bikes and the riders out to my wife. She looked at me as if to say why.

I've seen a rat rod or two over the years, but I suspect that they were the real thing, as I kind of know one of the owners and he hurts financially most of the time. I've seen lots of rat rods and bikes on CL, but that's another story.

Anyways, I'm sure that it's a trend that will come and go, and then some other form of expression will pop up. I was raised to maintain and care for my possessions. I don't live in a rat house, so there's no way I'd ever be caught on a rat bike or in a rat rod.

 

[jughead500]

Mcculloch pm700 or 7-10 or cp70.parts are getting hard to come by though.I got a super ratty 7-10.hadnt had gas in it for 30 years.filled it up pulled it a few times and fired right up.a year later its still pukin out bar oil on the floor.lol

 

[wyk]

I miss my old Rat Rod

 

[bryanr2]

288 Husky

blasphemy..... all 288s deserve to be fully restored to like new.

 

[rmh3481]

Okay, so I don't get it. Rat rods, rat motorcycles, or rat saws, they all seem to escape me.

Last week, I saw a small group (5-6) of rat bikes and they were obviously from out of town. The riders and their passengers were also dressed "ratted out" if you would call it that. It was quite a sight. I pointed the bikes and the riders out to my wife. She looked at me as if to say why.

I've seen a rat rod or two over the years, but I suspect that they were the real thing, as I kind of know one of the owners and he hurts financially most of the time. I've seen lots of rat rods and bikes on CL, but that's another story.

Anyways, I'm sure that it's a trend that will come and go, and then some other form of expression will pop up. I was raised to maintain and care for my possessions. I don't live in a rat house, so there's no way I'd ever be caught on a rat bike or in a rat rod.

Have you ever built anything from scratch? Maybe a computer, a rifle, a porch on the house or maybe even a dog house? Enormous pride comes from successful building. Same thing applies to cars and trucks, chainsaws, motorcycles etc. This is basically what a rat rod is. Something that is built from scratch. Maybe its not painted...yet?

 

[bryanr2]

here's a good one. who knew you could cut wood with a toaster?

 

[Deleted member 83629]

that is a noisy toaster

 

[boxygen]

Ive got a 362xp chassis that was split and built with new bearings, seals ect that has a ported 75cc XPW top end on it. It is 24 different colors of orange with the low top cover. But it scares women and children with a 9 pin rim on it.

 

[Mastermind]

Has to be the saw from Durand.

 

[boxygen]

Sure is.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I think what we have here is a confusion of terminology. What the op wants is a 'sleeper' saw, not a rat saw. A 'rat' anything is one that is put together with bailing twine and duct tape, whether due to limited finances or to look like you have limited finances (aka street cred).

 

[rattler362]

That's a nice looking 257!
Sure wouldn't pick it as being 16.

I actually have a true 257 in much better shape than the hybrid saw.

 

[1Alpha1]

Have you ever built anything from scratch? Maybe a computer, a rifle, a porch on the house or maybe even a dog house? Enormous pride comes from successful building. Same thing applies to cars and trucks, chainsaws, motorcycles etc. This is basically what a rat rod is. Something that is built from scratch. Maybe its not painted...yet?

I have built things from scratch. When they were done, they were well-built. Rat rods and bikes are purposely built to look like a POS when they are finished. The builder goes out of his way to make it look like it's ready to fall apart at any given minute.

Things like hose clamps, zip-ties, rusty nuts and bolts, pieces of metal strapping cut to size, and other items not intended to be doing what they are doing, seem to be the way a rat rod or bike comes together. It has nothing to do with pride, but rather, it has everything to do with slapping something together and making it run. Hard to believe that there actually are people willing to part with their cash to buy a POS.

 

[LegDeLimber]

Haywire Haywood, covers it finally. Once I began to see an actual category for "rat bikes"
at the swap meets, (even bgan to see some real trailer queens, built for show only, no less)
it was pretty much downhill from there.
I really view them as on par (philosophically) with buying an apple store product from an options sheet.


a sleeper is a whole 'nother mindset and way of maintaining the saw.
you'll actually run it and the looks are just incidental to its history.
Not something cultured from a TV show or Catalogue.

Edited for a couple of brain farts in my ramblings.

 

[Homelite410]

My latest. 272 inside a 2145. http://www.arboristsite.com/community/index.php?threads/256598/

 

[boxygen]

I wouldnt trade this for a brand new 372.