Old Iron Homelite value

[Countryboymo]

I just revived my late fathers old Homelite XL brushcutter. I remember him running it all day long only taking breaks for fuel and lunch and it is a beast compared to brush cutters in this era. I know this is more for saws and splitters but we did a whole lot of clearing out brush and junk before cutting wood back in the day.

It is a XL/Super XL powerhead mated to a brush cutter. It fires up and runs flawlessly on the first or second pull cold or warm.

I have a video of it if anyone remembers these units and would like to see it.

 

[Jags]

Yes - I would like to see this brushcutter.

 

[Clarkbug]

Just missed buying one of those last summer. They look like beasts for sure. Probably a little heavy, but great for clearing brush I'll bet!

Edit: found this video. Does it look like this one?

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[Countryboymo]

Yeah that is it except this one is homelite blue. I am trying to figure out how to upload the video. It is a beast and screams. It is a lot higher rpm than what this guy is running at and will mow down rosebushes and saplings as fast as you can swing and walk.

 

[Countryboymo]

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crummy video and my son had to get a little too excited while videotaping. It is not your run of the mill weedeater. If you have some real clearing to do and are safety minded since this is one of the supplied factory 'guards' that is just enough to keep the blade off the ground they are incredible. factory muffler is a tube muffler like what briggs and stratton used in the day. It is loud, obnoxious and drinks fuel when in the brush faster than the regular XL saw version. This was produced before they started making brushcutter specific blades so from my understanding so any saw for a larger radial arm saw or miter type saw will fit the arbor. I always wanted to put a beaver blade on it or whatever one has the chainsaw cutters but I am not sure if you could see with the spray of wood chips or how long it would take them to eat through your clothing.

 

[kevin j]

Yeah that is it except this one is homelite blue. I am trying to figure out how to upload the video. It is a beast and screams. It is a lot higher rpm than what this guy is running at and will mow down rosebushes and saplings as fast as you can swing and walk.

If it literally 'screams' you might want to check the carb tune. After parked for many years could be an air leak in lines boots or seals.
Be a shame to lean seize a great old vintage piece.
Check for online sound clips for rich lean and correct. Madsens1 used to have a good one.

 

[Countryboymo]

I also had a super xl saw in red that went in for service a few years ago and was 'worn out' per the small engine shop. I noticed after cleaning out the mud dauber nests that the on off switch was a little loose. I did some checking with the ohm meter and revealed a really poor connection. I tightened the switch and after some more cleaning and dumping the fuel which didn't smell too bad I added fresh with a squirt of fresh fuel/oil in the carb two pulls it was running like new. Smooth idle with quick transition and nice even top end just like I always remembered it.

I sold the brushcutter to a co-worker that bought some property that has been untouched for 20+ years for $50.00. He has replaced the shaft in his weedeater with saw blade attachment twice and isn't even 1/4 done so he is excited to have something built to do the job.

I sold the super xl to another co-worker for another 50.00 that if I hadn't messed with it would have ended up sold with the scrap metal pile next week. It was in good shape if I had taken time to shine it all up but the auction will charge 12% on any lot or item selling for under 200.00.

*rant*
The 'saw shop' evidently learned it was easier to hold the saw for a week and call my dad and tell him it was worn out or not worth fixing and sell him a new one. I found a farm boss that was a basket case full of accumulated barn dirt a long with my old 026 and both cylinders looked good with pretty even wear patterns when I rinsed them off out of curiosity but he pistons skirts were scuffed but even wear. I left them as scrap as the parts were all mixed and covered in layers of dirt floor barn dust. Thankfully the saws that were together but 'dead' were left in the machine shed with the good ones but just full of mud dauber nests and dirty from sitting.

One stihl 009 and one 011av were both left to sit 'worn out' and the 011 had fairly decent smelling fuel tank.so I pulled the plug and thought I would check the compression but noticed it was nasty so I replaced it and blew off the saw and cleaned the air filter. Fresh fuel and a little shot in the carb got it back purring with a few pulls. I ran it through a few heat cycles and leveled a small stump for my neighbor and it ran like a top. I haven't touched the 009 since the fuel is sour but have no idea what I might find. I might start with a compression test but no clue what a decent static compression reading might be. The 011 was purchased to replace the 'worn out' 009.

super xl homelite
026 stihl
farm boss
009
011
shelved as worn out

current saws he was running
ms260
036 pro stihl I think
pro husky purchased mid of last winter.

1 operator 80% of the time and time frame of the last 20 years cutting wood on the farm for the wood furnace and cleaning up property so mainly fall and winter cutting.

He always ran non ethanol fuel and checked and verified with an ethanol kit on numerous fuel mixes. He used fuel stabilizer toward each off season and stihl synthetic oil.

If a saw acted up he trusted the saw shop and would take the saw in and let them tune them up and work on other projects around the farm.

I know labor and parts are high but this seems extremely out of line when I have spent less than 10.00 in parts and brought two dead saws back to life that haven't ran in 5 years or more.

Does this seem excessive to you all that run a lot? I used to do a lot of cutting with him but broke my back in 2000 and the vibration really does a number on my fusion and I hurt pretty bad the next day.

 

[Clarkbug]

Yup, its excessive. But if you just try to fix one thing and there are other problems, now you have a comeback and an unhappy customer. Or you put $150 in parts and labor into a saw that you might not even sell used for that amount. Again, unhappy customer.

But if I can sell you a new saw, you are happy, I'm happy, and I didnt clutter my work bench for a few hours with repairs.

Not right, but thats the mindset of lots of places.

Pick that 026 back up and check it over. They are great saws, and even if they are "worn out" plenty of folks would rebuild it.

 

[Countryboymo]

It is in a box that is now combined farm boss 026 that was in a equipment barn with a dirt floor and farm equipment going in and out numerous times a day and mud daubers. I might dump it all out and pressure wash it all and see if I can connect the dots.