For at least 40 years, I have been a “stuff” collector. I like unusual things that are limited in supply. I also have Maytag, Cushman, IHC, McCormick-Deering, Briggs & Stratton, and Sattley engines along with a lot of stuff that goes with collecting engines.
The Tiny Tiger generator
A few years ago, my wife and I were doing the Friday morning garage sale scene and stopped by an estate sale. I was just looking around and on a shelf was a small cardboard box. I looked inside and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a gas-powered Tiny Tiger generator; I’d been looking for Ohlsson & Rice engines for at least 30 years!
I picked up the box and while there was no price marked, I knew I was going home with it no matter what. I spoke to the gentleman having the sale and asked the price. “Oh,” he said, “that box is free. I’m so glad someone wanted it.” I could hardly contain my excitement.
In the box were some spare parts, a new gas tank, and two recoil starter springs and starter ropes on spools; these parts are new and still in packages with original part numbers. The unit is close to new and only needed some wiping down and a little auto polish to make it shine like a million bucks.
The unit’s specifications are as follows: Ohlsson & Rice 2-cycle .85 HP engine, 115 V AC generator, 250 watt continuous with 350 watt peak, 12 V DC and 6 V DC. The unit is 10 inches long, 7-1/4 inches wide and 8 inches high with a weight of 11 pounds. The pull starter knobs are made out of wood.
The chain saw
About a year later it was almost the same story. I was visiting Friday morning garage sales and about two miles down the road from where I bought the generator, I walked into a garage/shop sale and found a little chain saw. It had the same type of Ohlsson & Rice engine and was priced at $25. I didn’t even try to bargain; I just whipped out the money faster than Billy the Kid could draw his six-shooter. It needed to be cleaned up and painted but it was complete. It even had good compression and a spark, but I must admit the smell out of the gas in the tank would have knocked your socks off. The old man selling the saw said he used it to cut firewood while camping in the late ’50s and early ’60s.
The specifications for the engine are the same as the generator. The chain saw has a 12-inch saw blade and an overall length of 21 inches with an 8-inch width, 11-inch height and weight of 9.4 pounds. The trademark label states Meier-Line, and the oil for the chain is contained in the front part of the frame.
After looking for years, it is strange to find these two units within a few miles of my home. Good luck to the rest of you guys looking for these engines and other stuff.
Contact Jack P. Guerrie at 2630 Mountain View Ave., Longmont, CO 80503 • (303) 772-0873
