How to horizontally prop up a chainsaw bar nameplate

April 27, 2014 6:05 PM

I bought a chainsaw bar nameplate from an artist and am now puzzling over the best way to put it on my desk. It is a relatively short bar (20") but of course is curved, so a traditional nameplate holder is too flat (since the bar is curved), too narrow (the bar is about 1/3" wide) and too short. I want to be able to set this on my desk and not have it be too precarious. Any suggestions on what to use as a holder? Thanks!
posted by stewiethegreat to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

Well...the obvious answer would be to make a wooden holder by cutting a slot in a wooden block using a similar chainsaw. That would potentially give you the same width and the same curve. Little bit of a project, though.
posted by madmethods at 6:10 PM on April 27, 2014

I'd go with something like this
posted by deezil at 6:11 PM on April 27, 2014

Does it have a chain wrapped around it? If so, you could get a piece of 6x6, maybe 8" tall on a base plate, and have a working chainsaw make a dent in the side (nose in) that your name plate could fit into.
posted by notsnot at 6:46 PM on April 27, 2014

Response by poster: I don't have any power tools of any kind, and don't know anyone that does. I bought it because I thought the painting was pretty. It doesn't have a chain on it, it is just a used bar.
posted by stewiethegreat at 7:10 PM on April 27, 2014

I know a professional ceramicist who I imagine would produce a base of some kind; lemme know if you want her e-mail.
posted by mr. digits at 7:19 PM on April 27, 2014

A picture of it might help
posted by jshort at 7:22 PM on April 27, 2014 [1 favorite]

A picture would indeed help.

If your thing is what I'm imagining, then deezil's suggestion would work, or anybody with some basic skills in making things could do something similar.

A board with an angled slot cut in it would do it, which would be a simple job with a table saw.
posted by hydrophonic at 7:51 PM on April 27, 2014

I'd make two little wooden blocks with slots in them, rather than one long one. That would be more stable because the belly of the bar can hang down in-between the blocks, whereas the bar would rock side to side in a single long block with a straight slot. 2 small blocks would also look better IMO, but the basic idea is the same.
posted by jon1270 at 3:28 AM on April 28, 2014

BTW, be careful with your measurements if you order a custom-made stand from someone. I've owned and handled a lot of chainsaws, and the bars have all been substantially thinner than a third of an inch.
posted by jon1270 at 3:32 AM on April 28, 2014

It occurs to me that the quickest, cheapest thing would be to use a couple of short pieces of tree branch with the bark left on. Aesthetically appropriate, and wouldn't even need finish (e.g oil or varnish) to look right.
posted by jon1270 at 4:37 AM on April 28, 2014

Having grown up with chainsaws, the first thing that came to mind was getting a board and pounding in a couple stump vises - they are made to hold the bar while you hand-sharpen the chain with a file. When the bar is attached to saw you only use one, but in this case you could use two. Just google stump vise.
posted by thejanna at 6:01 AM on April 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

Two of the largest size binder clips from a local office supply will work, I just tried it in my shop. They're available in silver or black. Squeeze and place the clamps on the chainsaw bar and then remove the clip handles by squeezing the handle pieces of the clip inward to remove them from the binder clamps. You're left with two flat bottomed supports that will hold the bar securely.
posted by X4ster at 8:10 AM on April 29, 2014 [1 favorite]