Homelite XL Operation manual

FIRSTEDITION PRINTEDINU.S.A. PARTNO.17287
- SuppliedwithProduct
Extra Copies $1
.OO
OWNERS
operating & Maintenance
MANUAL
HOMELITE
Automatic Oiler
CHAIN SAW
WARNING: CHAIN SAWS CAN BE DANGEROUS. TO REDUCE DANGER FOLLOW ALL SAFETY
PRECAUTIONS
IN THIS OWNER'S MANUAL.
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CONTENTS rn
INTRODUCTION
Protection Against Vibration ....................... .2
Hearing Protectors .................................2
SAFEmT*TIP:@ ...................................... 2
Safety Precautions (list) ............................ 3
Your Physical Condition
........................... .4
Protective Articles, Equipment and Supplies ........ .4
Section 1 - PREPARING YOUR NEW SAW
Guide Bar and Chain Assembly ..................... 4
Chain Tension
.................................... .5
Chain Oil and the Oil System ....................... 5
Fueling the Saw
.................................... 6
Section 2- HOW TO START, STOP AND HOLD SAW 6
Section 3 - KICKBACK, PUSH and PULL
What is Chain Saw Kickback?. ..................... .8
How Should You Maintain Control of Your Saw? ..... 9
How Should You Reduce the Chance of Kickback?.
. .9
Section 4 - THE WORKING AREA
Work Area Precautions ........................... .10
Handling and Securing the Saw
................... .ll
................. Unusually Hazardous Conditions.. 11
Section 5 - TECHNIQUES OF CUTTING
Bucking, Limbing and Pruning ..................... 12
Cutting Variations According to Stress Factors..
... .12
Springpoles
...................................... .13
Boring with the Nose Section
...................... 13
Tree Felling Techniques
.......................... .14
Notching..
....................................... .14
Backcutting
....................................... 14
Felling Large Trees
................................ 15
Felling "Leaners"
.................................. 15
Changing Direction of Fall
........................ .15
Section 6 - MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
Hornelite@Saw Chain.. ............................ 16
Filing Equipment
................................. .16
How to File the Cutters
............................ 16
Corrective Refiling..
............................... 17
How and When to Set Depth Gauge Clearance..
... .17
Replacement of Worn Sprocket
................... .18
Guide Bar Maintenance..
......................... .18
Maintenance of Tanks, Caps and Pick-ups
......... .18
Air Filter Maintenance
............................. 19
............................
Carburetor Adjustment 19
Rewind Starter Maintenance and Repairs
.......... .20
Ignition, Cooling and Exhaust System Maintenance .21
Storing Your Saw..
............................... .22
INTRODUCTION
Facts About XL@ Chain Saws
This Owner's Manual tells how to operate and maintain^
your ModelXL@chain saw.You are urgedto readtheen-
tire contents of this manual even before you begin to
assemble the unit. Proper preparation and maintenance
go hand-in-hand with the satisfactory operation of your
saw. So you should keep this manual handy.
PROTECTION AGAINST VIBRATION
Thechain saw modelsdiscussed in this Owner's Manual
are not equipped with vibration reduction features and,
accordingly, are intended for occasional use only.
It has beendetermined that certain individuals, after long
periods of exposure to chain saw vibration possibly
coupled with exposure to cold weather, experience a
restriction of blood circulationthroughthefingerswhich
often has the appearance of Frostbite.This reductionof
the blood supply may result in an ailment sometimes
referred to as
Raynaud's Disease, the exact causes of
which are presently unknown. Permanent damage may
result when early symptoms are ignored.
There are certain measures which can be taken to mini-
mize the risk of this ailment. These are as follows:
1. Wear gloves to keep the hands and wrists warm.
2. Keep the chain sharp so that you do not have
to bear down hard while cutting.
3. Limityour use of the saw to short and occasionalper-
iods.
4. After each period of use, exercise to restore normal
blood circulation.
Your saw hasasparkarrestor screen built intothemuffler
and a temperature screen integral with the exhaust cap.
In certain states where the law requires use of a spark
arrestor, it also requires the owner/operator to keep a
spark arrestor in good condition (intact) in the exhaust
system at all times. The spark arrestor is a very fine
stainless steel mesh. Thus it is subject to warping,
cracking and burning out. Replacement spark arrestor
screens are available in blister packs as #D-93991,
or in kit form as #A-69586-6.
NOTICE
Model XL chain saws are designed for operation using
only conventional guide bars and saw chains. Do not
attempt to adapt this engine for use with a bow guide or
as a powerhead for any attachments or devices not listed
for the model XL in Homelite sales literature.
HEARING PROTECTORS
Long or continuous exposure to high noise levels, such
as involved in the operation of a chain saw, may cause
permanent hearing impairment or other possible effects.
Hearing protection devices are available from your
Homelite dealer or can be ordered through him. When
ordering, specify "Homelite Hearing Protectors #92810."
HOMELITEB
SAFE@T@TIP@ (Pat. Pending)
This Homeliteanti-kickback device is supplied with your
Model XL@at no extra charge. The instruction booklet
(#17067) packed with the SAFEmTmTIP tells you how to
install it properly on your guide bar, and hoyto operate
with a SAFEaTmTIP. When properly installed, the
SAFEmT-TIP prevents chain saw kickback, because it
covers the chain at the upper 90" quadrant of the guide
bar nose where kickback reaction could occur.
2 01979, TEXTRON, INC
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r
SAFETY PRECAUTIONSFOR CHAIN SAW USERS
When you are going to cut wood-DO IT RIGHT!
3
BASIC PRECAUTIONS
FOR PERSONAL SAFETY
Use safety footwear, snug-fitting cloth-
ing,andeye,hearingandheadprotection.
Wear non-slip gloves to improve your
grip. Do not wear scarfs, jewelry, or
neckties which could be drawn into the
engine or catch on the chain or under-
brush.
Always hold the chain saw with both
hands when theengine is running. Usea
firm grip with thumbs and fingers encir-
cling the chain saw handles.
GUARD AGAINST KICKBACK:
a) Hold the chain saw firmly with both
hands. Don't overreach. You cannot
maintain good control of the saw
if
you cut above shoulder height.
b) Don't let the nose of the guide bar
contact a log, branch, the ground or
any other obstruction.
c) Cut at high engine speeds.
d) Keep the chain sharp. Don't operate
with a loose chain. Maintain the cor-
recttension of thechainas prescribed
in this Owner's Manual.
Guard against the effects of a long or
continuous exposure to noise, such as
involved inthe operation of achain saw.
Hearing protection devices areavailable
from your local Homelite dealer'.
Never operate achain saw when you are
fatigued.
Keepallpartsof your bodyawayfromthe
saw chain when the engine is running.
BASIC PRECAUTIONS WITH CHAIN SAWS
Always carry the chain saw with the
engine stopped, the guide bar and saw
chain to the rear, and the muffler away
from your body.When transporting your
chainsaw, usetheappropriateguidebar
scabbard.
Always use caution when handling fuel.
Movethe chain saw at least
10 feet (3 m)
fromthe fueling pointbeforestartingthe
engine.
Keep the handles dry, clean and free of
oil or fuel mixture.
Before you start the engine, make sure
the saw chain isnotcontactinganything.
Shut off the engine before setting down
the saw. Donot leavethe enginerunning
unattended.
Operate the chain saw only inwell venti-
lated areas.
Besure thatthechainstopsmovingwhen
the throttle control is released.
BASIC PRECAUTIONS
IN CUlTlNGMIORK AREA
Do not operate a chain saw ina tree un-
lessyou havebeenspecificallytrainedto
do so.
Keep bystanders and animals out of the
work area.
Never start cutting untilyou haveaclear
work area,secure footing,andaplanned
retreat path from the falling tree.
Use extreme caution when cutting small
size brushandsaplings,becauseslender
material may catchthe saw chain and be
whipped toward you or pull you off
balance.
When cuttingalimbthat isundertension,
be alert for springback so that you will
not be struck when the tension in the
wood fibers is released.
BASIC PRECAUTIONS
ABOUT MAINTENANCE
Never operate a chain saw that is dam-
aged, improperly adjusted, or is not
completely and securely assembled. Be
sure that the saw chain stops moving
when the throttle control trigger is
released.
All chainsaw service, other than items in
the Owner's Manual maintenance in-
structions,should beperformedbycom-
petent chain saw service personnel. (If
improper tools are used to remove the
flywheel or clutch, or
if an impropertool
is used to hold the flywheel in order to
remove the clutch, structural damage to
the flywheel could occur which could
subsequently cause the flywheel to
burst.)
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YOUR PHYSICAL CONDITION
Work relaxedbutstay alert.Take a break fromwork when- serious ailments such as a heart condition, check with
ever you begin to tire. Never operate when tired or under your doctor before doing any strenuous lifting, reaching,
the influence of alcohol or any drugs which may affect pushing,chopping, shoveling, etc. Always doany lifting
your balance,coordinationorjudgement.
If youhaveany iob with vour leg muscles, not your back.
SECTION 1 -PREPARING YOUR NEW SAW
GUIDE BAR AND CHAIN ASSEMBLY
IMPORTANT:
Wear glovesfor protectionagainstthe sharp teeth when-
ever you are working on
the saw chain.
TURN SAW OVER SO
SPROCKET IS ON TOP SIDE
FLAT WASHER
ARROW STAMPED
"FRONT" IN GUIDE
BAR MOUNTING
PLATE SHOULD BE
TOWARD NOSE OF
GUIDE BAR
CHAIN TENSION
ADJUSTING SCREW
ADJUSTING PIN
1. Throw the switch into the "STOP" position to insure
that the engine will not start while you are working on
the saw.
2. Although not illustrated here, the SAFE*T.TlP@ may
be assembled on the guide bar at this stage, or you
may wait until the last step. Follow SAFE.T*TIP in-
structions, booklet #17067.
3. Place engine on work surface so guide bar mounting
pad and sprocket are face up.Turn tension adjusting
screw until adjusting pin is at rear of slot in mount-
ing pad.
4. Remove the mounting nut and flat washer, and the
guide bar mounting plate from the mounting pad of
the engine.
5. Unpack bar and chain. Straighten any kinks in the
chainand layitoutinaloop.Cuttingedgesshould face
in direction of chain rotation which is from bar nose
toward sprocket along bottom edge of bar.
6. Put the chain tangs into the bar groove and pull the
chainsothere isaloopatmountingendof bar.Holding
chain in place on bar, hookthe loopover and ontothe
chain drive sprocket. Fit the bar into place so that the
fixed pinand the mountingstud and the tension pinfit
into the long mounting slot of the bar.
7. Check that the bar is flush against the mounting pad.
Check that the pinfits cleanly intotheslot
- Holdbar
in the flush position and put the guide bar plate, flat
washer and mounting nut back onto the saw.
8. Check that the bar and pinsare still inplace.Thenturn
down the nut with a wrench untilthe bar isquitesnug
ENSION ADJUSTING PIN
TENSION ADJUSTING SCR
PULL UP LOOP HOOK CHAIN OVER
ONTO THE SPROCKET) AND ONTO SPROCKE
IEW
against the pad (andadjusting pincannot come outof
the slot). Leave the bar free enough to slide when the
tension adjusting screw is turned.
9. Turn the tension adjusting screw clockwise to more
the bar away from the sprocket. Keep turning until
nearlyall of thechain slack istakenup.Turnsawtothe
right-side-up position before adjusting the chain
tension.
TURN TENSION ADJUSTING SCREW
CLOCKWISETO INCREASE THE
h CHAIN TENSION.
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CHAIN TENSION
1. Proper tension is extremely important. The mounting
nutshould be loose enoughto permitmovementof the
guide bar tension adjustment. Holdupthe noseof the
barduringtheadjustment stepsand untilthemounting
nut has been tightened completely. This will take up
any clearance between the bar mounting slot and the
mounting pins in the direction in which pressure is
most often applied during cutting.
2. "Snap" the chain to remove any kinks (pullchain away
from bar and let go several times).
Proper cold tension: As tight as possible without
causing binding. Chain tie-straps should remain in
contact with bar along bottom rails.
Adjustment of warm chain: Tighten until tangs move
halfway upintobargroove. Checktensionafterbarhas
cooled, because only a cool chain can be tensioned
accurately.
3. Because steel expands as its temperature rises, you
will be concerned with two conditions.
a) The first is "cold tension". When first mounted on
the bar, the chain is cool and should be "snug" or
taut
- As much tension as possible without your
feeling any bindingas you pull the chain along the
bar byhand.We callthissetting"coldtension."You
should notseeanyclearancebetweenthetie-straps
andthebar railsalongthebottomof thebar.Tighten
the mounting nut to lock the assembly at this ten-
sion. Now you are ready to fill the saw with chain
oil and fuel and make some cuts.
b) ThesecondconditionisUwarmtension." Asyouop-
erate the saw, the chain will heat up and expand,
developing "droop" (too little tension). Operating
with adroopingchain isdamagingtothe chain, bar
and engine. Itisalsodangeroustocutwithadroop-
ing chain which can catch in the wood and pull or
throw you. When wearing in a new chain and bar,
youshouldstoptoadjustthetensionaftereachfour
or five cuts for the first tankful of fuel consumed.
During this period, the droop will be due partly to
warming of the steel and partly to looseningof the
chain joints. After the joints are worn in,the chain
will stretch from heat, butwill returntothe original
tension when it has cooled.
EXCESSIVE DROOP
4. Any time the chain droops to where the chain tangs
hang outor almost outthe bargroove (asillustrated in
the picture labeled "excessive droop") you must shut
off the engine immediately and do the following:
a) Take off your glove and feelthechain.Ifyoucannot
holdchain inyour fingerswithoutdiscomfortwhile
counting to20, the chain is too hottoadjust accu-
rately. If you try toadjust an overheatedchain, you
will fail because
thechainwill becontracting rapidly
as you proceed.Letthechain cooltowhereyoucan
hold it comfortably before making the adjustment.
b) A warm chain should not be adjusted to the same
tension as a coldchain.When chain iswarm adjust
to where the clearance between the tie-straps and
bar rails at bottom, center of bar is about
1/8"
(3,2mm) or to half the depth of the tangs (see
"Proper Warm Chain Tension" illustration).
CAREFUL
Uponcooling, the chain maybecome too tight onthe bar.
Before next use, the tension should always be adjusted
for proper "cold tension" after it has cooled.
5. A chain will get too hot if it is underoiled, improperly
sharpened or dull,or if youarecutting hard,seasoned
wood. Make ita habit to knowwhether yourchain is in
good cutting condition and is getting enough lubri-
cation. An underoiled chain will get so hot that the
joints willstiffenandthechainwillthen bindonthe bar.
Ifthis occurs let barandchaincool,then removethem.
Cleanallsawdustfromtheguidebar mountingpadand
clutch area of the engine. Clean out the oil discharge
hole inthe guide bar pad,and all the sawdust from the
guide bar. Reassemble and tension the chain on the
saw. Fill the chain oiler with oil. Start up and run the
engine for
30 seconds at full throttle. Shut off the en-
gineand examine the chain drive linksandjoints.They
should appear moist with oil. If dry, have the saw
checked by your dealer.
CHAIN OIL AND THE OIL SYSTEM
1. Thechain oiland fuel mix tanks are identified inraised
letters onthe left side of the saw.Thefuel cap isRED.
Thechain oilcap is BLACK. Be suretofill the chain oil
tank with oileverytimeyoufuelthesaw,butalways be-
low the check valve.
CHAIN OIL
PRESSURE LINE
AND CHECK VALVE.
DO NOT FILL TANK
ABOVE VALVE
LEVEL.
NOTE
Constant jiggling ina vehicle, or upside-down storage of
a saw having a full tank of chain oil, can force oil back
through the oilpressure lineintothe cylinder. Thisoilmay
lock the engine hydraulically, preventing cranking. To
avoid this occurance, be sure to fill the oil tank only to
just below the oil pressure line and check valve. This as-
sembly can beseen in the neck of the oil tank. Whenever
the engine refuses to turn over, remove the spark plug to
break the hydraulic lock. Then crank the engine several
times to dispel the oil. Clean the spark plug thoroughly
before you reinstall it.
Wipe down the saw if any oil or fuel is spilled on it. Keep
the saw handles clean.
2. Type of oil:
HOMELITEB Bar and Chain Oil should be used just
as itcomes fromthecontainer, as it isformulated with
"viscosity improvers" which render it free-flowing
even at below zero temperatures. It has the property
of clinging to the chain to minimize "throw-off".
Any brand of clean motoroil includingreprocessedoil
may be used as a substitute chain oil. However, inex-
tremely cold weather, SAE
30 weight oil should be
diluted inthe proportionof
1 partkeroseneto4 partsof
oil to restore free-flowing properties. Never use dirty
oil or used oil inthe chain oiler system as itmay dam-
age the oil pump.
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FUELING THE SAW
WARNING
Thisfuel tank maybeunderpressure.Removecapslowly.
1. The redplasticfuel mixcapatthetopof thesaw isiden-
tified inraised letters. Duringfueling, take care that no
sawdust or dirt enter the tank. Donot spill fuel.
CAUTION
Select bare ground for fueling. Donotsmokeor bringany
fire or flame near the fuel. Moveat least
10 feet (3 m)from
fueling spot before starting engine.
2. Fuel to use: This 2-cycle engine is lubricated by oil
mixed with gasoline. Use only oils and gasolines re-
commendedinthis manual.Theamountof oilrequired
per gallon of gasoline depends onthetype of oil used.
Always keep fuel in clean fuel cans. Do not keep fuel
in glass containers (which can break orexplode)or in
plastic jugs (otherthanthose specificallydesigned for
gasoline storage).
a) Acceptable 2-Cycle Engine Oils:
Premium
Hornelite@ 32:l EngineOil, inratioof one
part oilto32 partsgasoline (1/4 pintperU.S.gallon
of gasoline or 3% oil).
Hornelite@ 16:l EngineOil inratioof one part oilto
16 parts gasoline (1/2 pint per U.S. gallon ofgaso-
line or 6% oil).
If neither of these Hornelite@Oils is available, use
any engine oil designated for 2-cycle air-cooled
engines in ratio of 16:l only, as stated above. For
best performance, however, use Homelite Oils in
Homelitee Chain Saws.
b) Acceptable Gasoline Products:
We recommend that clean, fresh regular grade
automotive gasoline, either leaded or unleaded,be
used in Homeliteengines. Automotive "High Test"
premium*grade canbeusedwhen regulargasoline
is not available.
3. Unacceptable Fuel Ingredients:
a) Any fuel madefrom untreated gasoline onhandfor
more than three months should not be used. How-
ever, treating fresh gasoline fuel supplies with
STA-BILe,an anti-oxidant type fuel stabilizer, can
extend the lifeof fuel beyondthisthree monthlimit.
Use according to directions on the STA-BIL can.
STA-BIL is a product of Knox Laboratories,
Chicago, Illinois 60616.
b) Avoid use of multi-grade oil products such as
10W-30, or any other oils formulated for 4-cycle or
water cooled engines.
c) Gasohol. (Collects water, corrodes tank and the
engine.)
4. How to Mix Fuel Thoroughly:
You can get a uniformfuel mixture only by mixingthe
oil thoroughly with the gasoline. Measure out the re-
quired amounts of gasoline and oil accurately. Pour
about half of the gasoline into the mixing can (never
directly intothe saw tank). Pour inthe entire measure
of oil.Agitate contentsbriskly byshakingorbystirring
with a clean paddle. Pourinthe remainderof thegaso-
line. Now agitate until sure of a uniform mixture.
*Leaded
premium high-test may shorten spark plug life.
SECTION 2-HOW TO START, STOP AND HOLD
THE SAW CORRECTLY
PROPER GRIPAND HOLDONSAW
DURING OPERATION
1. Wear non-slipglovesformaximumgripandprotection.
Using the proper grip, hold onto the saw firmly with
both hands when the engine is running.
2. Always hold the saw with your left hand on the front
handlebar, and your right hand onthe throttle control
handle. The grip maintained on the handlebar with
your left hand is of utmost importance.The only grip
with which you can maintaincontrol of the saw inthe
event it should jerk or kick back toward you istheone
(illustrated) where you wrap you fingers around the
handlebar, keeping the handlebardiameter intheweb-
bing between your index finger and thumb.
3. Your
right hand wraps naturally around the throttle
control handle in the correct manner described in
Step
2.
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4. During starting, hold the saw down firmly on a level
surface with the barandchain intheclear.Neverstrad-
dletheguide baror leanacrossthe saw. As illustrated,
put your left knee snugly against the engine just be-
hind the front handlebar to help steady the saw. Grip
thethrottle control handle and depressthetriggerwith
your left hand. Pull the starter rope with your right
hand.
5. Always keep your weight well balanced on both feet
when cutting. Since you will be exerting moderate
pressure tocut,guardagainst lossof balancebybeing
ready to hold upon the saw as itcutsthroughthe ma-
terial. However, throttle uptofull speed before letting
the chain contact the wood. ANDdonotthrottle down
before the cut has been completed. Never cut at part
throttle, because the clutch is not fully engaged at in-
termediate speeds and will slip and burn. As soon as
the cutting load is removed, you should release the
throttle trigger to slow the engine back to idle speed.
Letting an unloaded engine race is harmful to it.
STARTING AND STOPPING
1. Flip the ignition to the "RUN" position.
2. Push the choke lever all the way up (fora richer mix-
ture required for a cold engine).
FULL CHOKE
HALF CHOKE
OPEN CHOKE
3. Holdthe saw down and openthethrottle perprevious
instructions beginning on page 6.
4. Pull the starter rope out a short way untilyoufeel the
starter engage. Then pull rope briskly to give a fast
cranking spin. (Donot pullropetothevery endoryou
may damage the starter.) Hold onto the grip during
rewindingsothe ropewill notsnap back and become
frayed.
5. Crank untilthe enginefires. Normally,an engine that
has not been runfor some time requires three tofive
pulls just to primewith fuel before it can fire. Onthe
other hand,a recently runenginewill usually start up
onthe first or second pull. However,
in coldweather,
initial priming will take more pulls because an ex-
tremely rich mixture is needed.
6. A coldengine will often fire (go pop
...pop...pop) and
thenstop.This isenoughtowarm itsothatyoushould
pushthechoke leverhalfwaydownbeforecontinuing
to crank.
7. When the enine starts, keep it running at half-choke
towarm itup,butflipthechoke leveralltheway down
before it gets so much fuel that it stalls out. Note:
Any enginewhich hasfiredseveral timesatfullchoke
will start at half choke.
8. Nowyouare readytooperate. Grasp thethrottle han-
dlewithyourrighthandsothatyoucan useonefinger
on the trigger to hold the throttle open. Grasp the
front handlebar with your left hand. (Use correct
grip-see page6.) Lettheengineidle.Pickupthesaw
and position yourself for cutting.
9. Flipthe switchto"STOP" position to stopthe engine.
OPERATOR'S
BODY
ENTIRELY TO
LEFT OF
CHAIN
LINE
HARD HAT
EYE PROTECTION
TRIM,
PROTECTIVE ELBOW AS
STRAIGHT
AS POSSIBLE
PROTECTIVE,
NON-SLIP
HANDLEBAR
NO PANTS
CUFFS TO
UNDERBRUSH
10. To restart a warm engine (or any engine which has
firedafewtimes)
crankathalfchoke.Aftershort shut-
downs, the engine may be warm enough to be re-
started with out choking and with thethrottlecontrol
at idle setting.
11. Chokingawarm enginemaybenecessaryafteranen-
gine has been in the hot sun or ina car trunk, or has
beenshut downforfive totenminutesafter beingrun.
These thingscausevapor toform inthe carburetor. it
can be cleaned out and the saw started as follows:
Crankalternately atfullchokeandhalfchoke untilthe
engine fires. Then run at half choke when engine
starts. Allow nomorethan30seconds beforeopening
the choke fully. If required, repeat above sequence
until engine clears itself and runs properly.
IMPORTANT
When you are through using the saw, relieve tank pres-
sures by loosening the
CHAIN OIL and FUEL MIX caps.
Then retighten the caps. For extended periods of non-
use, prepare the saw for storage as recommended in
Section
6.
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SECTION 3-KICKBACK, PUSH AND PULL
and how to controlthese reactionforces.
WARNING
Also read the instructions (#17067)
whichcame withtheSAFE*T.TIP@: We
strongly urge your protecting yourself
against chain saw kickback by using the SAFE*T.TIP@.
But remember, that for the few types of cuts where a
SAFE*T*TIP cannot be used, you should use the tech-
niques described inthis Owner's Manual.
'Pat. Pending
WHAT IS CHAIN SAW KICKBACK?
In the operation of a chain saw, engine torque is trans-
ferred tothechain.Thisenergyisthenusedtocutwood. If
thechain suddenly hitsasolid object (ortakes too largea
cut) and is stopped for an instant, the engine torque is
transferred to the guide bar and chain saw as a rotation
around the center of mass. The direction of the reaction
force depends on where the contact is made along the
guide bar. Ifmade at the upper
90" quadrant of the bar
nose, the reaction willbeinanupwardarc towardthe op-
erator. This arcing movement of the saw blade is called
kickback.Kickbackisthemostdangerous ofthereactions
which can cause loss of control.When properly installed,
the SAFE.TmTIP@ prevents kickback. Butitisnota gen-
eral insurance against "accidents" with a chain saw.
MOST DANGEROUS
KICKBACK ZONE
WITH SOLID
SAFE.T*TIP PREVENTS CO
SOLID OBJECTS, PREVENT BACK WHEN
PROPERLY INSTALLED SOLID OBJECTS
Kickback Reaction Zones
SOLID OBJECT
I THE SAFE*T*TIP DOES NOT PREVENT OR REDUCE
PUSH AND PULL REACTION.
I
Push and Pull Reactions.
I
HEN INCORRECTLY WHEN NOSE STRIKES IF NOSE TTOM OF SAW CUT
STARTING TO BORE ANY SOLID OBJECT WHEN REINSERTED INTO PREVIOUSCUT
1
Situations Known to Cause Saw to Kick Back Towards Operator
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Besides kickback, the directional reaction forces which
you must control are
push and pull. Kickback, push and
pull reactions are all illustrated on these pages.
HOW SHOULD YOU MAINTAIN
CONTROL OFTHE SAW?
1. Firstof all, youmustkeepthefront handlebardiameter
inthe webbing between thethumband index finger of
your left hand.This grip helps maintain control of the
saw and limits the possibilitythatyour handwill come
in contact with the chain. See the illustrations of the
correct and incorrect grips.
Do not place thumb over top of handlebar because
your hand can slip.
Don'tforget to wear your gloves.
2. Holdthe front handlebar close to the balance point of
thesaw (orwhere youcan bestoppose andabsorbthe
push, pull and kickback forces of the saw without
having it twist out of your grip).
Do not reverse right and left hand positions on the
saw handles.
3. Get a good grip on the rear handle.
4. Maintain your balance on bothfeet, and do not reach
above chest height with the saw engine, or reach so
far forward that you could be drawn off balance by
the saw's reactions.
5. Stand a bitto one side so that nopoint of your body is
behind the chain line (in the line the saw will take if
itkicks back).
HOW SHOULD YOU REDUCE THE
CHANCE OF KICKBACK?
1. Avoid letting the nose section of the saw contact any
object. Note: A SAFE.T.TlP@ (pat. pending), when
properlyinstalledonthebarnose,will preventkickback.
2. Avoid useof the nosesection of thesawforcutting.Cut
well back on the straight section of the bar.
3. Besure to keepyour chainsharpandproperlytension-
ed on the saw, because a loose or dull chain is apt to
increase the chance of kickback.
4. Use extreme caution when cutting brush, hedges and
other "whippy" material.Unlessthesaw hasaproperly
installed SAFE.T.TIP, cut onlyone pieceatatimeand
make sure that the nose of the saw stays inthe clear.
5. Never borewiththe nosesection of thesaw unlessyou
absolutely have to. If you really
must make a boring
cut with the nose, follow our instructions on page
13
for minimum risk of kickback.
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SECTION 4-THE WORKING AREA
WORK AREA PRECAUTIONS
reason. In fact, we advise limiting your cutting to chest
heiaht, because a saw held hiaher than this is difficult to
Cut only wood or materials made from wood; no sheet conltrol against kickback forces. Limbing from off-the-
metal, no plastics, no masonry, no non-wood building ground positions, such as in trees or from ladders, is ex-
materials. tremely dangerous.Ladderscanslip-you canfall.Unless
Do not allow children to operate your saw, EVER. Allow you have had specific training in cutting aloft, leave cut-
no person to use this chain saw who has not read this ting aloft to experienced tree men.
Owner's Manualorreceivedadequate instructionsforthe
safe and proper use of this chain saw.
WHEN LIMBING,STANDING WITH THE
KEEP BYSTANDERS LOG BETWEEN YOU AND THE WORK
DISTANCE FROM TH OFFERS MAXIMUM SAFETY.
Everyone-helpers, bystanders, children and animals,
and other operators-must be kept a safe distance from
the cutting area. During felling operations, the safe dis-
CUTTING ALOFT OR FROM
tance should be at least twice the height of the largest
LADDERS IS EXTREMELY
DANGEROUS.
trees inthefelling area.Duringbuckingoperations, space
buckers and limbersadequately so they cannot interfere
with each other. Only one person should be working on
LEAVE SOME SUPPORTING BRANCHES UNCUT.
a tree.
AFTER YOU HAVE BUCKED UP THE LOG SECTIONS
YOU CAN CUT OFF THESE LAST FEW LIMBS
Inareas near roadwaysor power lines,donotoperate un-
SAFE DISTANCE FOR
ti1 you have permission from the authorities. When work-
SPACING WORKERS IS
TWICE THE HEIGHT
ingnear roads,you must postflagmen to controltraffic. If
OF THE TALLEST TREES.
youaccidentally knock downa powerlineordiscover one
that is down, DO NOT GO NEAR IT,but notifythe power
companyas soon as youareable. A downed power lineis
a good illustration of why woodsmen should pair up and
always keepwithin calling distance of oneanother. Inthe
event of trouble such as this, one man can stand guard
while the other summons help.
OPERATOR HAS POOR
CONTROL OF SAW IF HE
OVERREACHES OR CUTS
ABOVE CHEST HEIGHT.
STAND ON UPHILL SIDE
WHEN CUTTING
BECAUSE LOG MAY ROLL.
Duringbucking operationsalwayscutfromthe uphillside
so that the cut-off sectionof the logwill not rollover you.
You can be pulled off balance if you have your weight all
on one leg, so be sure to stand with both feet on solid
ground. Make sure that cut-off wood will not fall on your
toesor onyour head. Donotcutstraightoverhead forthis
DON'T GO NEAR DOWNED POWER LINES.
SEND SOMEONE TO NOTIFY THE POWER
COMPANY. STAND BY TO WARN OTHERS
TO KEEP CLEAR.
KEEP WITHIN CALLING
DISTANCE OF OTHERS IN
CASE HELP IS NEEDED.
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When the diameter of the wood is large enough for a
wedge tobeinsertedin
thecutbehindthesawchain, usea
wedge to holdthecut openwhen there isa danger of pin-
ching the saw blade. When felling large trees, wedges
should also be used to control the fall. Never use hard
metal wedges which could damage the saw chain. Note:
Remove SAFEoToTIP before using wedge.
Clear your working area of all materials likelytotrip you,
snag the saw, catch fire from the hot exhaust, or block
your safe retreat from a falling tree.
Beforecuttinglimbsorfelling trees, inspecttheareatobe
sure the wood will not strike buried pipelines or damage
property.
Always use a muffler on your saw and keep it ingood re-
pair.A faulty muffler (oropenexhaust) cancausehearing
damage and is also a fire hazard. Be sure to use a spark
arrestor onyour muffler underdry woods conditions,and
always when required by the law or local authorities. In
some states, a spark arrestor is required by law and it is
the operator's legal responsibilitytosee that itis ingood
condition at all times. Check the muffler and spark ar-
restor at regular intervals. Careful! Never touch a hot
muffler.
HOT ENGINE
EXHAUST PARTICLES
SPARK ARRESTOR
\ A
SCREEN
. ..'. .
- .-_a
ONLY SMALL, QUICK-COOLING
PARTICLES CAN GET PAST
THE SCREEN.
HANDLING AND
SECURING THE SAW
ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE SECURED
IN VEHICLES WITH STRAPPING OR
TIE-DOWNS. PERSONNEL SHOULD NOT
BE TRANSPORTED IN THE SAME
COMPARTMENT AS EQUIPMENT AND
FUEL SUPPLIES.
A SPARK ARRESTOR IS ONLY ABOUT
90% EFFICIENT IN PREVENTING FIRES.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES MAY CLOSE THE
FOREST DURING EXTREMELY DRY PERIODS.
Inspectyour saw every day before use. Keep the fuelcap,
oil cap and air filter cover ontightly. Check condition of
thefuel line, spark plugand spark plugwire. DONOTOP-
ERATE IF THE ENGINE BACKFIRES OR THE SAW
LEAKS FUEL. Have your saw serviced by an authorized
serviceman. Besuretokeepyoursawchaininproper con-
dition on the saw. Remember that a dull or loose chain
snags moreeasilythan asharp,snugchain.Touch upthe
chain after two hours of steady cutting and sharpen it
thoroughly after
8-10 hours of use. (See Chain and Bar
Maintenance in Section
6.) If chain is damaged by abra-
sives or hits a stone or nail, put onaspare chain immedi-
atelyand havethedamagedchain repairedandsharpened.
If there isanything wrong with thesaw haveitfixedbefore
further operation. The idle speed adjustment should be
maintained so that the chain stops moving after the en-
gine is brought back to idle. Adjust the idle speed when-
ever necessary (see Section
6).
NOTE
Do not disassemble the rotor (flywheel). Special tech-
niques are required (on a dealer level) for safe removal
and installation of the rotor. Never start up your engine
unless the guide bar and chainare installed. Without the
guide bar in place, the clutch can fly off or explode.
UNUSUALLY HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS
Do not fell trees or go underneath them during periodsof
highwind or heavy precipitation.Take nochancesduring
periodsof extremehazard.Youcanwaittodoyourcutting
after the hazard has ended.
Donot use saws tocutdowntrees havinganextreme lean
or largetrees that have rotten limbs, loose bark,orhollow
trunks. Have these trees pushed or dragged down with
power equipment. Then you can cut them up.
Work onlywhen visibility and lightareadequateforyouto
see perfectly what you are doing.
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SECTION 5-TECHNIQUES OF CUTTING
When you are going to cut wood--DO IT RIGHT!
BUCKING, LlMBlNG AND PRUNING
Foryour first cutting experience, set upasmalllogsothat
oneend isoff theground. Practiceyouroverbuckingtech-
nique by cuttina firewood lenath sections off the raised
CUTTING VARIATIONS ACCORDING
TO THE STRESS FACTORS
-A
SAW BLADE PINCHED
end. (see illustration.)
-
When the pieceto becut issupportedontheends,butnot
along the point where you want tocut, itwill bendas you
makeyour cut. If you areoverbuckinga log that will bend
downward at the cut, your saw will be pinched if you cut
more than 1/3 the log diameter. So overbuck 1/3,then re-
move the saw and finish with an underbucking cut from
the bottomof thelog.This1/3-2/3cuttingtechniquehelps
to avoid pinching of the saw and splitting of wood that is
1. Positionyourself and the saw for cutting. Holdthe saw understress.withsmalldiameterwood,youcanmakethe
whole cut byunderbuckingas longasyoudon't careifthe
nearthe logand throttle UP tofullspeedjust beforelet-
wood splits, The reverse of the above is true when the lie is
ting the
touch the wood' Then exert moderate
such that the logwill bend upward at the cut. Inthis case,
feed pressuretohelpthechaincutthe wood.Thechain underbuck 1/3through, and then overbuck sothat thecut
must always be running atfullthrottlespeed when itis
will open up instead of closing on the saw blade,
contacting the wood, or you will burn out the clutch.
2. If desired you can pivot the saw blade back and forth
FINISHING CUT STRESS
duringcutting.Thisoften helpstospeedupthecutting
a bit.
PIVOT ACTION MAY BE USED
IN CUTTING
1
1st CUT 1/3 dia.
3. You will notice a slight amount of pull reactionduring
cutting. So be ready for the moment the saw breaks
through the wood and
pull ceases. You mustbe ready
tostop pushingdownonthesaw andholdthesaw nose
up. The moment the chain breaks clear, release the
throttle trigger so the engine will not overspeed.
OVERBUCK UNDERBUCK
4. When you have mastered the overbucking technique,
try underbucking to see what it feels like.
Placethe saw blade under the log.Throttle upandex-
ert upward pressureto cutclear through. Now you are
ready to learn when to overbuck and when to under-
buck inorder to avoid pinchingthe chain inthe wood.
FINISHING CUT
WEDGE INSERTEDTO
HOLD CUT OPEN
Sometimes it is impossible to avoid pinching (with just
standard cutting techniques) or difficult to predict which
way a log will bend when cut. You can do this to prevent
pinching: If the wood diameter islargeenoughfor you to
insert a soft bucking wedge without touching the chain,
you should use the wedge to hold the cut open. Some-
times a pocket inthe ground will allow the cut section of
logtosettle, resultingina pinch.The wedge isalsouseful
here,butinthiscaseyoucancutonaslightangle(asillus-
trated) so that any settling of the logwill result inincreas-
ing the gap between the cut log sections.
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IF CUT-OFFSECTION IS
LIKELY TO SETTLE AND BIND
AGAINST CHAIN, BUCK ON
NGLE SO CUT OPENS UP
NOTE
A wedge cannot beused with aSAFE*T*TIP@ (Pat. Pending)
onthe bar, unless you are sure thatyoucaneither remove
the wedge or rollthe logso the saw canberetrieved from
the cut.
When pruningshade trees it is important notto makethe
flush cut nexttothe main limb ortrunk untilyou havelop-
pedoff the limbfurther out toreducetheweight.Thispre-
vents stripping the bark from the main member. Unless
the branch to be pruned is supported by another branch,
the stress will bedownward (seeillustration).Underbuck
the branch
1/3 through, then overbuck todropthebranch
off. Now make your finishing cut smoothly and neatly
against the main member so the bark will grow back to
sealthe wound.Don'tforgettopaintthe wound withatree
preservativeto prevent insect attacks and rot.
WHEN BRANCHES ARE TRIMMED NEATLY
FLUSHWlTH THE TRUNK AND THE WOUND PAINTED
WlTH A PRESERVATIVE.THE BARK CAN GROW
BACK TO SEAL THE
WOUND
SPRINGPOLES
A springpole isany log or branchor sapling which isbent
under tension by other wood so that itwill spring back if
the wood holding it is cut or removed. Watch out for
springpoles. They are potentially dangerous.
THIS IS A SPRINGPOLEBENT
DOWN UNDER HIGH STRESS
BORING WlTH THE NOSE SECTION
KICKBACK DANGER
There is a great possibility that the saw will kick back
during the start of the boring cut.
Boring should be attempted only by experienced oper-
ators because it requires extreme care and attention to
proper technique. Do not bore unless there is no other
way to makeacut. Boring isusually resortedtoinorder to
avoid an obstacle or when it is necessary to make blind
holes such as cut-outs for log cabin windows. The
SAFE*T*TlP@(Pat. Pending)must be removedfor a bor-
ingcut. Boringincreasesthe chance of kickbackandalso
wears the chain and bar at an accelerated rate.
Study the panel illustrating aboringoperation.As shown,
the dangerwill be minimized if you can makefirst contact
onthe underside
of the baras far back from the bar nose
as youcanget.Then cutdownwardinto the wood untilthe
tip isburied inthe cut. Gradually bring the saw level,then
borethrough the wood to the full lengthoftheblade.Now
you cancuteither upwardordownwardthroughthe wood
as shown in the panel.
BORING
- - . - .. - -
TECHNIQUE
1
MAKE FIRST
CONTACT ON
LOWER
QUADRANT
2
CUT DOWNWARD
TOBURYNOSE
OF SAW IN THE
WOOD AND ALIGN
SAW FOR THE BORE
4
CUT UPWARD OR
DOWNWARDAS
REQUIRED
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TREE FELLING TECHNIQUES
CAUTION
If the saw gets caught or hung up inatree during felling,
leavethe saw andsaveyourself. The saw can be replaced
and you cannot!
1. Pick your escape route (orroutes incasethe intended
routeisblocked).Cleanthe immediateareaaround the
tree, and make sure there are no obstructions in your
planned path of retreat.
CLEAR PATH OF
SAFERETREAT
2. Consider the factors of wind directionand speed, the
natural leanand the balance of the tree, and the loca-
tionof largelimbs.Thesethingsinfluencethedirection
inwhichthe tree will fall. Donottrytofell
a treealonga
line different from its natural line of fall until you have
hadconsiderable experience infelling treeswhich pre-
sent no problem as to where they will fall.
3. Take intoconsideration whether the trunk issound or
so rotted inside as to snap and crash while being cut.
Also lookfor brokenordeadbranches (widow makers)
AND don't go below any widow makers.
4. In tight situations where a mistake in the direction of
fall could ruinother trees or destroy property,attach a
tether line to the tree as illustrated.
IN DIRECTION PLANNED
ROPES USED
TO CONTROL
DIRECTION OF FALL
5. If the tree is not badly out of balance,cutanotchabout
1/3 the diameter of the trunk.This notchwhetherstan-
dard or "Humboldt" ismadeinthesidethetreeistofall.
And the cutsof the notchare madeso they intersect at
a right angle to the line of fall. This notch should be
cleaned out to leaveastraight line. To keepthe weight
of the wood off the saw always make the lower cut of
the notchbeforethe uppercut.We illustrateacommon
notch made with a horizontal cut and an angular cut
above it.
AUHumboldt"notch,withthe horizontalnotch
on top, is made when trees are to be cut for saw log
processing.
UNCUT
BA DIRECTION OF FALL
COMMON NOTCH HUMBOLDT NOTCH
6. The backcutisalwaysmade leveland horizontalandat
a minimum of
2 inches (51mm) above the horizontal
cut of the notch. As a guide to placing the back cut
abovethe notch, figure
10°/o of theface diameterasthe
proper height.Be very careful to makealevelbackcut,
as a slanted back cut can cause the tree to split or
"barber chair" (see illustration).
7. Youmustnever cut through to the notch. Always leave
aband of wood uncut betweenthe notchandbackcut.
This is called "hinge" or "hingewood." It controls the
fall of the tree and prevents slipping or twisting or
shoot-back of the tree off the stump. If the tree starts
over inthe wrong direction, or ifthesaw getscaughtor
hungupduring thefall, leavethesaw andsaveyourself!
MAKE BACKCUT 2" OR MORE
ABOVE HORIZONTAL CUT OF
NOTCH
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8. Onlargediametertrees, itispropertostopthebackcut
before it isdeep enough for the treetoeitherfall orset-
tle back on the stump. Then soft wooden or plastic
wedges (nothardmetal)areinsertedbehindthesaw so
they donottouch the chain.Thewedges canbedriven
in, little by little, to help jack the tree over.
WHEN WEDGE IS -
NEEDEDTO HOLD
CUT OPEN, REMOVE
SAFE*T.TlP@
9. Trees larger than the saw can cut in one cut, can be
both notched and back-cut inaseries of cuts,as illus-
trated. Start the notching cutsfrom one side and draw
the saw throughtotheothersideofthe notch.Startthe
back cut on one side of the tree, pivoting the saw
through to form the desired hinge on that side.
Then remove and reverse the saw for the second cut.
Insertthe saw inthe first cut,very carefullysoasnotto
cause kickback, and cut back toward and around the
back of the trunk.Completethe back cut bycuttingto-
wards the notch to complete the hinge section.
NOTE
Insert your felling wedges in the back cut. Remove the
saw before tree is ready to fall anddrive thewedges into
fell the tree.
NORMAL SEQUENCE USED TO FELL VERY
LARGE TREES
(UP TOTWICE BAR LENGTH
IN DIAMETER)
1st CUT-USE
PIVOT ACTION
2nd CUT-REINSERT
SAW AND DRAW IT
AROUND THE BACK
FELLING
CUT-INSERT
#FELLING
WEDGE
BEHIND
BLADE.
CONTINUETO
CUT FORWARD
TOWARD
NOTCH
DRIVE WEDGE
INTO BACK
CUT TO HELP
FORCE TREE
OVER. REMOVE
SAW
FELLING LEANERS
This variation isdesigned to prevent splitting and "barber
chair" of leaners.
All standard felling techniques apply to leaning trees ex-
cept as follows:
1. Makethe directional controlface notchshallower than
usual.
2. Make shallow notcheson bothsides of the tree to cut
through the outer layer (sapwood).
3. Now make your back cut to leave a parallel hinge.
WHEN CUTTING LEANERS, AVOID
SPLITTING AND BARBER CHAIR BY
MAKING THE FACE NOTCH (1) AS
DEEP AS IS SAFE. THEN MAKESlDE
NOTCHES (2 AND 3) TO CUT
THROUGHTHE SAPWOOD BEFORE
STARTING THE BACKCUT
(4).
CHANGING THE
DIRECTION OF FALL
(from the natural line of fall)
1. Where you would leavea parallel hinge (hingewoodof
equal thickness on both sides) the hingeisleftthicker
on the side toward which you want the tree to swing
(away from the natural line of fall).
2. Place your wedges inthe back cut between the back-
center and the narrowside of the hinge. Drive in the
wedges toforce the tree over in the direction desired.
SlDE NOTCH
FELLING
WEDGES
BACKCU
THIN END OF
HINGE
NATURAL LINE OF
FALL INDICATED
+
---A
BY LEAN AND
BALANCE
THICK END/. FACE NOTCH \J1
OF HINGE
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SECTION 6-MAINTENANCE 8 ADJUSTMENT
HOMELITEBSAW CHAIN
LEFT HAND DEPTH GAUGE
/
RIGHT HAND CUTTER
CUTTER
- /
\. / RIVETS /
TIE-STRAP
Saw chain is identified byanumberstampedoneither its
tie-straps or its drive links. You may select any chain
stamped"375" or "37." Do not usechainsof other number
series such as "25" or "38" as they will be of either the
wrong pitchfor your sprocket,orthewrong configuration
for your saw. The original chain supplied with your saw
was either Type 37 Saw Chain or 375 Saw Chain.Which-
ever of these chains you choose in replacement, be sure
to use our sprocket and drum assembly #A-70221-A
which fits both types.
FILING EQUIPMENT
Purchase our assembly #DA-92617 which consists of a
file holder and a 5/32" (4mm) diameter "fast-cut" round
file (#92604).When about half to5/8 of the tooth steelhas
beenfiled away, you should switch toa 1/8" (3.2mm)di-
ameter file (#92605).The 1/8" diameter file fits into the
same file holder.The reasonfor switching to asmaller di-
ameter file on "short-filed" teeth is that they are reduced
in height due to their tapered top plate configuration.
You will also need a depth gauge tool (.020" or 0.5 mm,
#D-92630)and a flat file (#92609).
HOW TO FILE THE CUTTERS
If you do not have a chain filing vise you can do a satis-
factory job "on the bar" if you tighten the chain tension
enough that the chaindoesn't wobble. And, doall of your
filing at the mid-point of the bar. Wear gloves for protec-
tion. Be sure to file all cutters to the same length. This
must be done because of the taper of the teeth; if some
cuttersareshorter than others only the longercutterswill
get achance tocut.Also becareful tofile allcutterstothe
specified angles, as fast cutting can be obtained only
when all cutters are uniform. Each cutter then gets a
chance to cut.
1. Holdfile against cutter faceat a35O angle.(Itismarked
on the holder.)
2. Keepthefile levelwiththetooth topplate.Donotletfile
dip or rock.
3. Fileinonedirectiononly
- towards front cornerofthe
tooth. Move file away on the return stroke.
35" GUIDE MARK
ON HOLDER
CHAIN TRAVEL
4. Use light but firm pressure, mostly towards back of
tooth. Avoid heavy downward pressure.The holder will
keep 10O/0 to 20% of the file diameterabove the cutting
edge IFYOU LET IT.This will produce the desired bev-
eled hollow-groundunder-edgeautomatically.
5. Putafew firmstrokesineverytooth,filingallcutterson
one side,then those onthe other side of thechain.Ro-
tate file in holder occasionally.
6. Examine your filing job in strong light. A sharp edge
will not reflect light and a dull edge will. However,
sharpening does notalone makeagood cutting tooth.
An abraded tooth, for instance, may still not cut until
you have removedthe worn or rounded off portion of
the steel so that the sharp cutting edge is the highest
part of the chain. In other words; the edge and notthe
flat plate of the cutter hastocontactthe woodfirst (see
"Filing Out Skid-Nose Wear Pattern", page 17).
NOW EXAMINE YOUR FILING JOB-
HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD GET:
2. Beveled under edge.
I
1. 35" top plate angle.
LINE OF CHAIN TRAVEL- --
3. Side plate 85" to line of chain travel.
EDGE MUST BE HERE ON KERF LlNE
1(
KERF LlNE
EDGE MUST NOT BE HERE
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FILING OUT "SKID-NOSE"
WEAR PATTERN
EDGED CUTTER BITES
OOD.
"SKID-NOSE" describes the edge area of teeth which
have hit hard objects suchasstones,nails,etc.,orcutdirt,
SKID-NOSE OF ABRADED CUTTER
sand,etc.The"skid-nose" ridesthewood surfacekeeping PREVENTS EDGE FROM CUTTING.
the sharp edges out of the wood.Thefrictionat the "skid-
nose" area overheats the cutter steel, and the chain gets
"soft". Theonlyway torestorethechaintogoodcondition
istofile away all of the "skid-nose" steel. And,then toad-
FILE AWAY ENTIRESKID-NOSE
just allcutters to the same length.As this may be tedious
F TOOTH TO RESTORE.
todobyhand-filing,considerhaving itdone byyour servi-
cing dealer on an electric grinder.
REFILE ANY TEETH HAVING ONE OR MORE OF THESE FAULTS
1
Forward Hook
Chain will grab and jerk.
Producing rough-cutting.
Causedby excessive
downward filing pressure,
or tip of file held too
low on tooth.
Back Slope
Chain resists entering wood.
Scrapes instead of cutting.
Causes excessive heat and
wear to bar and chain. Caused
by lowering handle end of
file or holding file too
high on tooth.
Improper Top Plate
Angles
Blunt angle requires too
much feed pressureto cut.
Too sharp an angle causes
binding. Produces a rough
cut, robs power from saw,
and increasesbar wear.
Causedby holding file at
wrong angle or letting it
drift or rock during the stroke.
Cutters Filed
at Non-Matching
Angles or Lengths
Chain will not cut at its
best. May cut off line or
"run" to one side. Drag will
slow down engine. Caused
by letting filing angle or pressure
vary from tooth to tooth, or
filing one side of chain
differently from the other.
Thin Feathered Edges
When they almost immediately
break off, you have a dull chain.
Usually found on chain filed
with a hook (see "Forward
Hook"). Caused by pressing
down too hard on file.
Blunt Cutting Edges
Although edge is durable, it
won't cut properly. Scrapes
wood, robs power, and pro-
duces dust instead of chips.
Caused by holding file too high
on face of tooth.
HOW AND WHEN TO SET DEPTH GAUGE CLEARANCE
AFTER FILING WlTH
JOINTER, GAUGE WILL
HAVE FLAT TOP
SO ...
Every second orthirdtime the teeth are sharpened,or if a
large amount of steel is removed from the cutters, the
depth gauge should be checked for correct depth. Use a
USE A FLAT FILE
depth gauge tool and a flat file. Fitthe tool over the chain
TO RECURVETHE FRONT
sothat theslottedendpointstowardsthebarnoseandthe
SMOOTHLY
depth gauge pr0jec.t~up through the slot. File the depth
gauge flush with the topof the tool. File all gauges tothis
height. If the gaugesare too high,thechainteeth will not
get a good bite. If too low, the teeth will take too large a
bite, causing the chain to grab and jerk. If some gauges
DO NOT NICK DRIVE LINK
are higher than others, the chain will cutoff line,favoring
WlTH THE FlLE
the side having the lowest gauges.
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REPLACING WORN CHAIN
AND SPROCKET
As the chain and sprocket wear together, they both will
change in pitch. Therefore, it is a good idea to always
change the sprocket and drum assembly whenever you
are installinga new chain.Otherwise the oldsprocket will
wear down the new chain and youwill have lost some of
the life of your new chain. You can tell by the wear pat-
tern whether the sprocket needs replacement. Always
change the sprocket when the wear approaches 1/32"
(0.8mm) deepness, or if you see deep wear marks on
both sides of the sprocket teeth. The clutch drum,
sprocket and clutch should be removed only by an
authorized Homelite serviceman or dealer, as servicing
must be done properly with great care. When a sprocket
and drum are replaced, all clutch parts should be
checked by your dealer. The replacement sprocket and
drum assembly includes a new grease-packed needle
bearing and inner race, and a new retaining ring.
GUIDE BAR
After each day of use, reversethe guide bar onthe saw so
that the rails which were on the bottomwill beonthetop.
This distributes the wear for miximum bar life. The bar
should also be cleaned everyday of use and checked for
wear and damage.
Feathering or burringof the bar rails is a normal process
of barwear. Buttheseburrsshouldbesmoothedwithafile
or stone as soon as they occur, because they slow down
your cutting.Also check that the bar rails are parallel (of
equal height). If not, file or grind them parallel. Pinched
rails can be opened by carefully pryingthem apart with a
screwdriver.
Thefollowingfaultsareeitheruneconomicalorimpossible
to repair (onany XL sizeand type bar)andwill require bar
replacement:
a) Wear inside the bar rails, called "hourglass" because
of its cross sectionshape. Itcomesfromtoolittlechain
tension and permits the chain to flop over sideways.
b) Bent guide bar
- if onlyslightly bowed, the bar might
be rebent straight.Butcompoundtwistsorsharpbends
call for replacement.
c) Cracked or broken rails.
d) Spread rails-peening will not satisfactorily close the
rails of the laminated bar such as any XL bar.
Sprocket nosePowerTipmGuideBarsareoptionalequip-
ment available as XL guide bar replacements. The lub-
ricant in the sprocket nose of a Power Tip bar (inthe XL
length class) is expected to last for the life of the nose
sprocket under normal conditions of use. However, the
grease can be changed by pumping through the small
lube hole inthe bar nose with a needle nose grease gun.
But as long as the nose sprocket turns smoothly, we ad-
vise retaining the original lubricant. Because, once you
changethegreaseyoumust re-lube onadailybasisthere-
after.
BAR NOSE SHOULD STILL BE WARM
WHEN NOSE IS LUBRICATED
NEEDLE NOSE GREASE GUN
LUBE HOLE
We sell a grease-packed needle nose lube gun (as part
#D92680) for sprocket nosebars.Youcanalsouse needle
nose lube gun (#24258-1) with Homelit8All-Temp Multi-
Purpose Grease (W7193) or a good quality lithium base
grease. The replacement sprocket (#A-70239-8) for
Power Tip bars comes assembled and lubricated on a
shaped mount which you can use to slide the assembly
intothe bar nose. When the sprocket is positioned inthe
bar nose, use the rivets in the kit to peen the sprocket
assembly into place.
SLIDE REPLACEMENT SPROCKET INTO PLACE
RIGHT OUT OF KIT PACKAGE
SPROCKET NOSE BAR
RIVETS AND OLD
NOSE REMOVED
TANKS, CAPS and PICK-UP FILTERS
ORIFICE OF PRESSURE-
FEED SYSTEM IS NOT
USED
IN POSITIVE
DISPLACEMENT PUMP
$6
TYPE SYSTEM.
1. Regular maintenance should be performed every 50
operating hoursor once ayear. Itconsistsof changing
the fuel pick-up filter inthe fuel tank, and cleaningthe
orificeand the screen type
pick-up filter inthechain oil
tank.
2. These instructions include troubleshooting because
the pick-ups can become clogged any time sawdust
enters the tank.
a) When asked to cut wood, the saw will falter if the
fuel filter isclogged or the line is kinked.Flushout
the tank with clean fuel. Install a new felt filter if
the old one feels "crusty" or hard when rolled in
the fingers.
b) The saw chain must always be moist with oil inthe
area of the connecting links and rivets. Theflow of
oil may be blocked either at the pick-up or at the
discharge. Flush out the oil tank. Clean the oil dis-
charge hole inthe guide bar mountingpad. Pick or
blow clean the screen of the pick-up filter. And if
the saw has an orifice in the pick-up line, be sure
this is open, but do not put anything through the
orifice that would enlarge its metering capacity.
c) If theabove maintenanceisof noavail,havethesaw
checked by your Homelite Dealer or Factory
Service Center.
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T TO
AIR FILTER MAINTENANCE
CASTING, THEN SNAP INTO PLACE
To Inspect and Clean or Change
the Air Filter
1. Refer to the illustrations.Use the slot at the top of the
The spongy element removes dirt from the air. When it back plastic filter cover to pry off the cover.
clogs up,the saw will smoke excessively and lose power.
2. Clean the area around the filter before removing filter.
The filter should be changed when dirty, but in an emer-
gency, can be cleaned indetergent and water or aclean-
3. Fit clean filter in place carefully.
ing solvent and allowed to dry. The normal life expec-
4. Before operating, reinstall plastic cover as follows:
tancy of the element is lot015 hours of operation. How- Start cover on by putting choke lever through the slot
ever, extremely dirty operatingconditions maycause the and placing tabbed bottom and rear edges into posi-
filter to clog in four or five hours.You should keep some tion. Presscover into place. WARNING: Never runthe
spares on hand for quick-changing. engine without the filter.
CARBURETOR ADJUSTMENT
Thecarburetor isanall-position,diaphragmtypehavinga
factory-calibrated, high-speed mixturesystem for proper
high speed performance. It has two adjustments which
may require adjustment from time to time to achieve the
desired idling characteristics.
Thefirst adjustment isthe idle speedscrew. This screw is
used to adjust the idle speed. Itdoes this by holding the
throttle shutter partly open to let fuel and air be drawn
through the carburetor for idling.
The second adjustment is the idle mixture adjustment
needle. This needle adjusts the amount of fuel to get the
correct mixture required for idling.
Always clean or change the air filter before attempting
any carburetor adjustment.
Adjustment for Starting
-
1. Noadjustments are required for starting acoldengine
at full throttle (trigger depressed) or for operating.
2. Adjustment for proper idle speed and mixture may be
required if a hot or warm engine cannot be started at
idle throttle or if the engine idles roughly or refuses
to accelerate.
a) Turn the idle mixture adjustment needle slowly
clockwise until it gently closes against its seat (do
not force). Then open it 1 1/4 turns.
b) Turn the idle speed screw clockwise 1/2 turn at a
time and keeptrying to start the engine each time,
until it does start and will keep idling.
Adjustments After Engine Is at
Operating Temperature
Thesaw shouldbestarted upandafewcutsmadetowarm
it up.Then idlethesawandmakethefollowingadjustment:
1. Turn idle mixture needle slowly in one direction, then
the other. Leave set where theengine idlesthefastest.
2. If this idlespeed istoo slow, theenginewillfalter.Turn
the idle speedscrew slowly clockwise to increase the
speed until the engine no longer falters at idle.
3. If the speed (inStep 1)is so fast that the chain rotates
rapidly,or takes too long to stop rotating after theen-
gine is throttled back to idle,turn the idle speedscrew
counterclockwise untilthechain stopsturning (butno
slower than this setting).
4. What you have done inthe above steps isto adjust the
throttle for the proper idle setting, and then adjust the
mixture for that setting. Any time you adjust the idle
speed, always readjust the idlemixture needle forthe
best mixture as in Step 1.
Carburetors of saws which bear this circular sticker
have had the standard circuit plate replaced with a
high altitude plate for optimum performance at high
altitudes.
WARNING
At low altitudes this modification will cause lean
operation and overheating. DO NOT OPERATE SAW
BELOW
5000 FEET UNLESSCARBURETORCONTAINS
THE STANDARD PLATE. If changing back to standard
plate, remove the high altitude sticker from the saw.
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STARTER REPAIRS
HOLD ONTO
LIFT PULLEY 112 INCH.
MAKE SURE SPRING IS DETACHED
FROM PULLEY. PUSH SPRING COILS
DOWN INTO HOUSING. LIFT OFF
THE PULLEY.
FLAT WASHER
WASHER FACED
SL. HEX HD. SCREW
Thestarter hasfew partsandcan bedisassembledand re-
paired under field emergency conditions,as when the
rope breaks.
1. Remove the guide bar and chain.
2. Removethe screw through the top of the handlebar
and the four screws through the starter/fan housing
totheenginehousing.Lift
thestarter/fan housingand
the handlebar off the engine. Removethe plastic air
filter cover.
3. TO ADD MORESPRING TENSION: If the grip does
notrewindalltheway tothe housingandstay inplace,
it may needanother turnof tension.Notethe rounded
notch inthe edgeof the pulley.Pulloutthegripabout
onefoot and holdthe pulley from rewinding.Turnthe
pulleyto locatethe notchat the ropeentry holeinthe
housing.Hook upa loopof ropebetweenthehousing
andthe pulley.Grasp the loopand wind oneturnten-
sion (or more if necessary) in a clockwise direction.
Hold pulley from turning. Pull the rope back out
through the hole.
4. To replace starter rope or repair starter spring: Un-
screw the starter screw and remove the flat washer.
WARNING
Put on safety glasses and gloves before removing the
pulley.
5. Grasp the toothed pulley huband pullthe pulley out
of position about a half-inch or the width of your
finger. Using a thin bladed screwdriver, insert it be-
tween the pulley and the housing to free the pulley
fromthespring. Pushthespringcoilsintothehousing.
CAUTION
Ifyouliftthepulleytoofar out beforedetachingthespring,
the coils may fly apart. They are relatively difficult to
rewind.
6. Replacethe recoilspring ifbrokenor bent.Ifthe inner
spring loop has beenstraightened so that itdoes not
engage the pulley, bend inthe whole loop carefully
until it is curved enough that the end can engagethe
pulley.
7. Integrally-banded replacement springs are installed
by hookingouterendinhousing notch(asillustrated)
and pushing coils into housing. Original equipment
springs are unbanded. These must be installed by
hooking outer end, then winding coils into housing.
Be very careful not to let coils fly apart. Tape or tie
coils together before disposal.
8. Clean the pulley post and the pulley.
9. To replace the rope,cut old ropeand removeit.Push
new rope through rope hole and draw the end out
through the pulley slot.Tie asimpleknottightly inthe
other end. Coat it with acetone typecement tosetthe
knotandtrimthe ropeneatly uptothe knot.Whendry,
pullthe ropeto draw the knot through the hole.Run
the rope through the hole inthe housing, thread the
starter grip ontothe ropeand knot thisend. Drawthe
knot into the grip.
10. Grease the pulley post lightly (not too much grease)
and dropthe pulley intoplace over the post.Pullrope
out to the end tostraighten it,then wind pulley coun-
terclockwise to wind rope onto it.
11. Test for spring engagement by pulling rope out and
letting it rewind. If it does not rewind all the way, pull
rope out and hold pulley from turning. Pullupa loop
of rope between housing and pulley (use the notch)
and wind 1turnextra tension ontothe pulleybyhold-
ing rope and using it to turn the pulley clockwise.
Hold pulley from turning, and pull rope out until it
runs straight through the housing hole onto the
pulley. Let pulley rewind. If grip does not rewind up
tothe housing,repeatthis proceduretoaddone more
turnat atime untilgripcomes uptothe housing. Now
add oneadditionalturnoftension inthe same manner.
12. Secure pulley with the flat washer and screw. Press
the housing lightly against the rotorwhile pulling the
starter rope a short distance and letting it rewind un-
til the housing clicks flush against the engine cover.
You may then safely secure it with the four screws
previously removed. Fasten the handlebar to the en-
gine cover with one screw at the top.
Courtesy of ParkinLube.com