Lousy weather today, so I have been inside watching youtube and saw your video. It is interesting how the power head stayed unchanged, but the handles, mufflers, guards, etc. were changed over time. I have only 3 modern era Homelites (1970,s) and the rest are older models. I have used and collected saws for 40 years , but never had an XL 12 or Super till this year. I recently did videos of them, talking about the history, and also show them cutting. Great old saws. The area that I used to live in, had a huge McCulloch dealer, and the Homelite dealer was just an old shack with about a half dozen saws for sale at any one time. I was out collecting VINTRASH recently, and picked up a Homelite water pump, that uses an XL powerhead with the pump attached. It is new in the box with all the hoses etc. and I will put it in a video at some point for the Homelite collectors, an interesting piece.
I saw your video of the Xl12, I love your videos! It's cool to see others like me who appreciate the old stuff! Yeah its crazy, they made quite a few tools with the XL12 power head - Generators, Water pumps, Augers, Brush cutters, Skilsaws - pretty versatile engine! Keep the videos coming!
A friend of mine has a generator for powering a house from the time before rural electrification. It's very old. That's how they got their name- home- lite.
I inherited one from my great uncle. I got it the other day probably hasn’t ran in 20 years. I put some fresh gas in it and some bar oil. It started on the first pull.
I had one of those red ones, put myself through college with that saw. Climbed, topped, bucked and felled with that saw. I sold it to my buddy when I bought a husky 394.
Don’t know if ur still reading comments on this video but i found it helpful, just bought a blue xl-12 that i from your video learned was a super. It is getting shipped today and i am super excited. Bought it for 5$ so i would say a great deal, i live in Norway so these are more rare since their American. The seller said the saw had been sitting in a garage for years so i hope it starts, wish me luck.
@@KainKustomGarage Hello once again, i found out the coil wasnt good, and the throttle lock was missing. Piston and cylinder great shape, i looked online in Norway but no parts. Ebay is expensive with the shipping so that was no option either. Finally a guy sent me a message saying he had a Xl-660 automatic. It is more rare than the xl-12, or so i was told bye some guys on facebook. The saw’s buttom handle was broken. So im wondering is the buttom handle from the Xl-12 a fit to the Xl-660? Thank you😁
On the saw with the 28" bar to pick up a little more chain speed switch to a skip tooth chain , You will pick up a little more chain speed in the cut for that longer bar . I run 24" on the two i have an my old gale ( 1955 Homelite ZIP) has 36" this saw is family it was my grandfathers past down from father to sons an when my time time comes I'll pass it to my son . We were a longing family here in central Pa by Altoona. Loved the video .
Thanks Tim! That's a good tip, I'm gonna have to try it! That's cool you have the old Zip as a Family member! I was handed down a Mercury 2 man saw from my wife's Grandfather, It's considered Family as well! She runs great too! 👍👍
I love your passion for saws, I just picked up my first XL 12. It was my grandpa's back in the day and can't wait to get her running again. Also you have a very Jack Black esque way of talking which makes me laugh. Happy cutting!
Great video, I love the history of these legendary saws. That's a nice collection! I run an 18" MS250 STIHL, but i got a handed down red Super XL12 with a 20" bar. I cleaned, tuned and sharpened it up.
I got an old Homelite Super XL Limited Edition through some work I did for a man several years ago. I was a young man and my uncle and I got it running again and to me it was just my first saw. Come to find out it has some collector value. I didn't know people even collected old saws but I've since caught the bug.
The one thing I really dislike is the 90 degree fuel fitting on the carb. Such a pain to run the fuel line. I saw another channel where they found a tillotson carb with a straight fitting and drilled a hole in the side of the cover and rerouted the fuel line. I have two of these. Lots of torque. Not the speediest of RPMs but they pull pull pull.
I have a xl12 still runs, great saw. It was given to me, it sit on the back porch of a person house out in the weather for 15 Years, I cleaned it up put fresh gas in it. It still has the original plug. Runs great now though.
The square bar is to balance it better so you can put oil in it. A lot of folks don't know that's why it's like that. Other than oil on bottom of xl 12 they're the same creature. I've used em to cut a lot of Rick's of wood and just feel what real saws felt like instead of plastic lol
Congratulations on 10,000 views!!! I may even have one of these ol’ girls. I haven’t had much luck with homelites but if you say they are good I might try again to bring one around😎👍
I have a small collection of XL-12's Two blue, several orange. My Grandfather had a box of XL-12 and Lombard parts. I assembled a saw of many colors and it ran. Many years later my Grandfather passed and I got his working blue XL-12 and an older blue one that he and my uncle and father could not get running. Just needed a carb kit. I have been using the good one for 18 years, and it needs another carb kit, but will still work good. Well, I had told a few people how much I liked these loud heavy little saws, and the next thing I know I have 4 running now, and parts enough to assemble/repair at least three more. They are heavy for the size, loud enough to drown out several new saws running at once, and as old as they are, they are still outlasting new saws. My dad had a brain fart and brought unmixed gas to the woods where we were cutting very large firewood. We both filled up with straight gas :-( He melted his aluminum alloy engine. Destroyed! The XL-12 I was using got hot, and started to smoke a bit around the muffler and started sounding odd. I shut it off immediately. Two different saws failing within minutes? Figured out we used straight gas, so I added a small amount of mixing oil to the gas tank, shook the saw, back to work. My XL-12 saw still works; dad has gone through a few more new saws since. One of mine has the forward oil fill and automatic oilier. I did not know this was a super XL-12, nor that it is more powerful. Clearly though there are differences in performance of all of them, but this explains why a couple go like scared cats and a couple are....more peaceful? They all need some work. One even has electronic spark. No points/condenser. You would find a couple of my XL-12's very strange...having chain breaks! Canadian made. I find it hard to locate parts and Canadian version service manuals. Makes it guesswork whether the parts I have are exactly correct for a particular XL-12. I love these XL-12's but would trade them and parts for a new more powerful/faster Stihl or Echo. Thinking about making a chainsaw mill. Have you noticed how much the Echo saws resemble the XL-12's? Or is it just me? lol
Love your Story Mark! I love these old saws, easy to work on, basically indestructible! A true legend amongst saws. Yeah, alot of companies copied the design for sure! Appreciate you Brother 😊
@@KainKustomGarage Update. My Grandfathers blue XL-12 is back in the game. Didn't need a new kit; thank you alcohol free gas and Lucas. The fuel pump screen was completely filled, over filled, with what looked like fine wood splinters??? How that shit and that weird mud gets in I do not know. Cheap gas filters? I cleaned the carb., gave a little stretch to the needle valves rocker spring, a slight adjustment to the metering, dug up a solid nose bar and nice chain(off of a Remington I think lol), and tuned her up. The diaphragm's if anything, were a bit soft??? She runs nice, again. Now if I can just get some tiny O rings, I may be able to get the oiler working better. OH! My red/orange automatic oiler saw, with the oil fill up front, is not a Super XL-12, nor a Super XL, nor a Super XL Automatic; it appears to simply be an XL Automatic. I just learned that I have most of another Red/orange XL Automatic(not Super), and this one has a chain break and oiler below the spark plug, like the XL-12's. Not unicorns lol, but Canadian versions. I think though there are also American XL Automatic's that are not Supers.
The muffler guard is part of a west coast logging requirement. It was to keep muffler part that were over a certain temp from touching the ground and starting a fire. It was put on west coast saws in the late 1070s.
Tuesday I scored some mor saws. One is a 64 super Xl 12. So now I have two of the 58 CC XL12 that are auto oiler delete. This one has the wierd spark plug and the wick fuel systen has been converted to a hose & filter.
I have one of the mid 60s regular xl 12 with original bar all origi Al parts amd halfway decent paint, with the straight stack and she runs like a dream.
Yeaaaaaa budddddyyy. Those super xl with the strait pipe stock. Is one hell of a saw. I’m exited to see MAC131 ported in the wood. 💪🏻 Great video. Great gerage. Kindness and love 💙🤍👊
I just found a running XL12 at a flea market for 20 dollars. I had been looking for an older chainsaw since I was maybe 17 and decided on a home lite but I could never find one.
I've been collecting XLs for decades. They're tough, cheap, reliable plentiful and they have mostly steel and copper parts instead of plastic. They're simple to repair.
Just a couple corrections in your post. When a saw has the manual oiler it is not an override to the mechanical oiler. It was an extra to allow the operator to add more flow if they dream necessary...... There are 3 models. Super Xl, XL - 12 and if you happen to come across one they did make a Super XL-12. Guess I can't post a Pic but what you ha e are XL-12's and Super XL's...
Well, according to the Chainsaw Collectors Corner, the earlier saws had only a manual oiler. Later models had automatic oilers but retained the manual oiler for when the going gets tough. They were definitely, positively an override to the automatic oiling. I need to dismantle my saw to see which is the case.
Again, looking right now at the CCC website, the XL-12 had manual oiling, the Super XL-12 also had manual oiling and the Super XL-12 Auto had automatic, worm-gear driven oil pump with the manual override. I hope this helps!
If ur ever interested in parting with one lmk, we don’t have these very often in my part of the country. If we did I would have one. Awsome vid love ur work.
Thanks Jay, I do love my XL12s! Sometimes you see one reasonably priced on ebay. Just depends on if you want a fixer upper or not...Thanks for the kind words !😊
Those old xl 12 will cut circles arond that sthil lol. Worked for small sawmill in the late 70's. All we ran were blue homelite. They bought some stihls and took them all back. Nothing but problems
The metal was magnesium, not aluminum, the Super XL-12 was blue and was a manual oiler, the red one you have is Super XL Automatic which was a auto oiler. You have three differnet saws, XL-12, Super XL-12, and Super XL Automatic
Well now I'm not so sure which all of mine are exactly. I have XL-12's for sure, and you are saying that the auto oiler one, with the oil fill up front, is a Super XL Automatic? With paint labels missing and no Canadian service manuals, how can I tell the difference between a XL-12 and a Super XL-12? Is it just horse power or are there obvious differences? The ones made in Canada are a bit different again, having for example chain breaks on some.
@@markluxton3402 Yes, Mark, the Canadian saws are a little different. Mine has missing decals (it's a well-used saw), although the nameplate is still there and says "type 50003" where you would expect to see "XL-12". I'm doing some detective work right now, but it appears to be of the XL-12 family, built in 1973. But the Canadian Homelites were built by the Terry Corporation in Pointe Claire, Quebec and varied a little from their American cousins. Handlebar shape, location of oil filler, gas cap style, colour of paint, choice of muffler, these could differ greatly from model to model. It makes it difficult for me to exactly identify my saw, but I'm working on it.
@@paulmaxwell8851 I have a few blue and red ones. Hard to find parts. Most online manuals are for US made versions. An old Homelite repair business near me closed several years ago. The owner died. He had Homelite chainsaw manuals; I haven't been able to find them :-( I have some parts, about 5 saws that can be used, and the main bodies of several more. I was cutting some trees on my property just days ago with a red one. DO NOT USE an XL-12 without ear plugs; they are VERY loud. They will make water run out of your ears.
I'm green with envy. That old Frankenbeast is sporting some red parts. Biggest 🌳 I ever cut was with an XL12. I love the kickstand idea! A 24" bar makes even the Super XL nose heavy too. Great video. I love those beauties. A Homelite quartet ➕ 1! A beautiful sound!
I have 7 of the XLs, one might actually be an XL12, but the bar cover plate I think it was changed out, it has the angular handle, which is not par for an XL
It is red with a black air filter cover, but parts of it look like it has been repainted. Oil tank is on the right rear. It runs good and has a 16”, 3/8 inch bar on it.
Nice collection. I've picked up my Super XL at a thrift store awhile back. Runs good as is but I was thinking about putting a new piston and cylinder in it to do it justice. Got a couple E-Z's too and those are little tanks also.
First I had one red xl 12 like new. I liked it so much I bought 7 more. Why not? They are cheap and good. I'd love to find an xl 400 or 500. Or just a good piston and cylinder to make a "sleeper" xl12.!
..I like picking them up at the scrap yards for scrap price...couple bucks each...they used to turn up there all the time-some of them pretty intact..they still turn up from time to time, but they are definitely getting thinner in numbers....
Awesome video! A friend gave me a blue XL that sat in his barn for 40 years. I don't think it has but 10 hours on it. So, I ran new fuel lines, cleaned and reset the points and rebuilt the carburetor, 2nd pull and off she went! I've got a quick video of it on my channel. I've been working on power equipment since 1974, back when these were a very popular saw. Anyway how can I find out exactly what year it was built? Thanks!
I read that the engineer who designed the XL12 quit homelite and went to work for Lombard. I used a new Lombard for about a hour 50 years ago. Looked like a XL12 but was more powerful and louder. Eny Road a couple weeks ago I scored a Lombard from Ebay. Really crusty looking saw. JB weld on the bottom. No bar. Cost$56 with shipping and taxes. So I put a new fuel line and filter on and it ran. So a new chain and 20 inch bar. Ran like the one I used decades ago. Those Lombards have 68 CC and not one part from a XL12 will fit them. There was a Homelite XL 500 on Ebay this week. They look exactly like a XL12 except for paint. However they are 74 CC. I thought I would bid $50? That saw sold for $417 plus shipping & taxes! In 1964 my Father Bought a band new XL12. First saw I ever used. I still have it. However its a Super XL12 has a 58 CC engine. Wick fuel system. And you fill the oil on top. However its a Manual oil only saw. Doesnt have the automatic oiler. Dont even have the casting & threaded holes for auto oiler behind the drive sprocket.
Wow! That's cool Randall, I had one of those Lombard's years ago, I think There is an old video of it if you look back at some of my older videos. Yes definitely louder and dare I say more powerful? Love all these old saws, appreciate you being here man!❤❤
Nice collection of saws. Do you have a john deere 66sv. It is a 2 cylinder saw. i have one and need a carburetor. don't make anymore. if you know where i can get one please let me know
I’ve got two blue XL-12’s. One was given to me and I found the other in the landfill! Both have the ear cracker mufflers! My buddy has one that I just got going wow what a beast! My father-in-law just gave me two XL-101’s. Do you have any of them or any info about them?
I just scored a real nice low hours super clean XL12 yesterday. Had that beauty running in 10 minutes. It had been sitting for a very long time. The gas was almost syrup in the tank. Pretty sure I will need a few things like fuel lines and a carb kit and fuel cap duckbill to get to 100%. Was going to cut a little with it today to limber it up, but it's been raining for hours.
@@KainKustomGarage Actually Facebook Marketplace. Had to drop a C note but it came with the carrying case, owners manual, safety hang tag, a ratchet, socket, box wrench, grease gun, spark plug socket, screwdriver, original Homelite bar and chain and a Dutch oven minus the lid gifted. And the seller drove 25 miles my direction to meet up. It was a pretty good package all the way around. Bought it from the third generation owner. He never had used it or seen it run.
You referred to the blue saw with the long bar and muffler cover, as a Super XL-12 Automatic. It is a Super XL Automatic. I thought all my Canadian made ones were XL-12's too.
My neighbor just put one of these and an old echo 302 out on the side of the road with a free sign. I took them both home and got them to fire up within a couple minutes.
Great vid! Good little saws...I have three myself. I'm about to tear one of mine down, it needs a new piston and cylinder. Where did you get your piston and cylinder?
I got another one super xl 79 model hasn't run since 1985 my neibor gave it to me wasn't firing and piston scored rings stuck been in the dry I used the carb on one my super xl 79 model just rebuilt the carb it runs awsome
I also have a number of XL12s. I actually use mine cutting firewood ect. Saturday I bought another early 60,s 54 CC chainsaw. However its not a Xl12 its a 101 touted as the lightest saw in the Xl series. It only weighs 10 pounds and the XL 12 weigh 12 pounds.
chain saw @@KainKustomGarage Right on the side of the 101 it says lightest saw in the Xl series. I looked up the specs on cc and weight in the Chainsaw collectors forum.
@@KainKustomGarage those xl 101s are t the first of a long series of saw going up to xl 76. They are high compression and are faster running than the XL12s. 101,102, 103 have a weak spot on the back where the oil tank is glued together. 104 up are screwed together also. I think!
@@wesleycallison2079 I think it was only the early 101's that had the glued tamk. My 101 has a screwed together tank. Yes it does seem to have higher compression and more RPM. I Bought my 101 at a auction sale for $35 and it has the factory carrying case. Needed fuel line & filter to get it running. Had a 20 inch bar. I installed a 12 inch bar and new chain. Used it this week really like it. Its really loud.
I was given one of these and I tried and tried to get it running and couldn't, put it aside for 2 years. yesterday I pulled it out of the garage, put gas in it and it started 2 pull and ran perfect.
..as far as facebook, craigslist, yard sales, flea markets, etc...I have never found any even close to $15.00..usually $25-$30 for a stripped carcass, $50 for a very rough running one, or one that needs work...$75-$125 for a halfway decent one, $150-up for a nice one...way more than that on Ebay...yet another reason I like getting them at the scrap yard :)
@@KainKustomGarage There are variations that have the oil fill up front and automatic oiler, but are not "Super". Understand I am no expert, I just listen to a bunch lol I think to actually be the somewhat rare "Super", it has a bigger piston giving 58cc. If the label or decals are on the saw, it will state Super. I also think the Supers were blue. All my XL-12's and the XL Automatic are Canadian versions but I heard a fellow going through all the models, and he was making good sense. The video was titled something like "If you think you have a Super, you probably don't"
@@KainKustomGarage I now have 4 XL-12's and an XL automatic ready to cut some wood. I have more parts, almost enough to put three more together. I was updating my service notes and realized that my newest red XL-12 which came to me dissembled and missing a couple things, is not in fact an XL-12. It is another XL Automatic, with no mention of Super; however this XL Automatic has a chain break, so the oil fill is like the XL-12's, below the spark plug.
Yard sales and junkyards. If you have a Habitat for Humanity REstore in your town try them. I found a parts XL12 there once for $5. Also, check contractors in your area. One near me was getting rid of old saws. Got an XL12 for $3 out of their trash.
@@characterdevelopment2361 OK, so I talked to Andrew @ Butler Outdoors Canada and He said In the first movie it is an XL12 and the second movie an XL2 which is a smaller saw...feel free to ask him about it, He knows all the Horror movie saws!😁
@@KainKustomGarage dude thanks so much. I introduced kids to the movies last nite. And saw them and fell inlove again. The way they idle and rev its so different.
I love the old homelite saws 👍
Lousy weather today, so I have been inside watching youtube and saw your video. It is interesting how the power head stayed unchanged, but the handles, mufflers, guards, etc. were changed over time. I have only 3 modern era Homelites (1970,s) and the rest are older models. I have used and collected saws for 40 years , but never had an XL 12 or Super till this year. I recently did videos of them, talking about the history, and also show them cutting. Great old saws. The area that I used to live in, had a huge McCulloch dealer, and the Homelite dealer was just an old shack with about a half dozen saws for sale at any one time. I was out collecting VINTRASH recently, and picked up a Homelite water pump, that uses an XL powerhead with the pump attached. It is new in the box with all the hoses etc. and I will put it in a video at some point for the Homelite collectors, an interesting piece.
I saw your video of the Xl12, I love your videos! It's cool to see others like me who appreciate the old stuff! Yeah its crazy, they made quite a few tools with the XL12 power head - Generators, Water pumps, Augers, Brush cutters, Skilsaws - pretty versatile engine! Keep the videos coming!
A friend of mine has a generator for powering a house from the time before rural electrification. It's very old. That's how they got their name- home- lite.
The company had a long and interesting history.@@wesleycallison2079
I inherited one from my great uncle. I got it the other day probably hasn’t ran in 20 years. I put some fresh gas in it and some bar oil. It started on the first pull.
That's Awesome, Can't kill those things!😁
Really nice collection of fine ol Homelites . Not so much a fan of new Stihls but that was hardcore eye candy !
Thanks man!👊👊
I had one of those red ones, put myself through college with that saw. Climbed, topped, bucked and felled with that saw. I sold it to my buddy when I bought a husky 394.
That's Awesome, good old workhorse saws😁
Don’t know if ur still reading comments on this video but i found it helpful, just bought a blue xl-12 that i from your video learned was a super. It is getting shipped today and i am super excited. Bought it for 5$ so i would say a great deal, i live in Norway so these are more rare since their American. The seller said the saw had been sitting in a garage for years so i hope it starts, wish me luck.
That's Awesome man! Glad I could help, good luck with your saw Buddy! They are good old saws!😁
@@KainKustomGarage Hello once again, i found out the coil wasnt good, and the throttle lock was missing. Piston and cylinder great shape, i looked online in Norway but no parts. Ebay is expensive with the shipping so that was no option either. Finally a guy sent me a message saying he had a Xl-660 automatic. It is more rare than the xl-12, or so i was told bye some guys on facebook. The saw’s buttom handle was broken. So im wondering is the buttom handle from the Xl-12 a fit to the Xl-660? Thank you😁
The old home lot as are my favorite . I have a xl 12 and a super 2 great saws
Awesome, love the XL12s!😄
Pretty cool all the different variations of the same saw. Sweet how they had the super version.
I know right, that's why thier so cool!😁
When I was a kid (I'm 40 now) I remember seeing my dad slang a few homelite chainsaws through the woods.
Nice! Old School 😉
On the saw with the 28" bar to pick up a little more chain speed switch to a skip tooth chain , You will pick up a little more chain speed in the cut for that longer bar . I run 24" on the two i have an my old gale ( 1955 Homelite ZIP) has 36" this saw is family it was my grandfathers past down from father to sons an when my time time comes I'll pass it to my son . We were a longing family here in central Pa by Altoona. Loved the video .
Thanks Tim! That's a good tip, I'm gonna have to try it! That's cool you have the old Zip as a Family member! I was handed down a Mercury 2 man saw from my wife's Grandfather, It's considered Family as well! She runs great too! 👍👍
I love your passion for saws, I just picked up my first XL 12. It was my grandpa's back in the day and can't wait to get her running again. Also you have a very Jack Black esque way of talking which makes me laugh. Happy cutting!
Thanks Anthony, I appreciate the kind words man! That's awesome, A family Heirloom..👍👍😊
Great video, I love the history of these legendary saws. That's a nice collection!
I run an 18" MS250 STIHL, but i got a handed down red Super XL12 with a 20" bar. I cleaned, tuned and sharpened it up.
Very cool!😁
My father just passed away leaving me 4 homelite chainsaws never used. Xl. Sxl. I4050 20 inch. Can wait to cut the winter fire wood.
That's Awesome Brother, Great saws, great Family Heirlooms..😊
That's FN AWESOME!!!! Don't sell them Dude, keep them in the family!
@@donmayberryjrsOPE yep going to do that .going to source spare parts and use them every winter. Just love the xl and sxl great saws.
I got an old Homelite Super XL Limited Edition through some work I did for a man several years ago. I was a young man and my uncle and I got it running again and to me it was just my first saw. Come to find out it has some collector value. I didn't know people even collected old saws but I've since caught the bug.
That's Awesome Avery! I know right, when I first started collecting I had no idea it was a thing, but here we are!😉
The one thing I really dislike is the 90 degree fuel fitting on the carb. Such a pain to run the fuel line. I saw another channel where they found a tillotson carb with a straight fitting and drilled a hole in the side of the cover and rerouted the fuel line. I have two of these. Lots of torque. Not the speediest of RPMs but they pull pull pull.
Thanks man, yes very good old saws, built like a Sherman tank!😊
rebuilding my super 2, love this video. it's awesome to see folks amped up over 50 yr old saws
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Brother!
Hey that video will never get old......I've got a xl 12 exactly like that last one you talked about....got it from my old man too!!!!
That's Awesome man! I appreciate that!😄
Been cutting wood with a blue xl 12 for 12+ years. Was a dumpster find!
That's Awesome! Bulletproof old saws!😉
Homelite's are freaking sweet, old school cool!
I know right! The Square Body Chevy of Chainsaws!😄
I have a xl12 still runs, great saw. It was given to me, it sit on the back porch of a person house out in the weather for 15 Years, I cleaned it up put fresh gas in it. It still has the original plug. Runs great now though.
That's Awesome Tommy!😁👍👍
The square bar is to balance it better so you can put oil in it. A lot of folks don't know that's why it's like that. Other than oil on bottom of xl 12 they're the same creature. I've used em to cut a lot of Rick's of wood and just feel what real saws felt like instead of plastic lol
Thanks for the info Clovis! Yes the old XL12s were a good ol saw for sure!😊
Thanks for the explanation! I hadn't thought of that.
Those birds are totally pumped for the vintage Homelites!
I know right!
Neat ol’saws! Ya did a good thing there with that kick stand mod👍
Thanks Man! Love those XL12s!😉
Congratulations on 10,000 views!!! I may even have one of these ol’ girls. I haven’t had much luck with homelites but if you say they are good I might try again to bring one around😎👍
I ran the XL brushcutter on trail jobs in 1970 and 1972. I have a Super XL now, along with three Super EZ Autos. Good saws!
Very Cool! Those brush cutters are hard to find now!
That's Awesome Scott! I just acquired a Super EZ with a bunch of saws, gonna have to fix er up!
Nice Chainsaw.... Greetings from Germany Peter
Thank you Peter!😁
I have a small collection of XL-12's Two blue, several orange. My Grandfather had a box of XL-12 and Lombard parts. I assembled a saw of many colors and it ran. Many years later my Grandfather passed and I got his working blue XL-12 and an older blue one that he and my uncle and father could not get running. Just needed a carb kit.
I have been using the good one for 18 years, and it needs another carb kit, but will still work good.
Well, I had told a few people how much I liked these loud heavy little saws, and the next thing I know I have 4 running now, and parts enough to assemble/repair at least three more. They are heavy for the size, loud enough to drown out several new saws running at once, and as old as they are, they are still outlasting new saws. My dad had a brain fart and brought unmixed gas to the woods where we were cutting very large firewood. We both filled up with straight gas :-( He melted his aluminum alloy engine. Destroyed! The XL-12 I was using got hot, and started to smoke a bit around the muffler and started sounding odd. I shut it off immediately. Two different saws failing within minutes? Figured out we used straight gas, so I added a small amount of mixing oil to the gas tank, shook the saw, back to work. My XL-12 saw still works; dad has gone through a few more new saws since.
One of mine has the forward oil fill and automatic oilier. I did not know this was a super XL-12, nor that it is more powerful. Clearly though there are differences in performance of all of them, but this explains why a couple go like scared cats and a couple are....more peaceful? They all need some work. One even has electronic spark. No points/condenser.
You would find a couple of my XL-12's very strange...having chain breaks! Canadian made.
I find it hard to locate parts and Canadian version service manuals. Makes it guesswork whether the parts I have are exactly correct for a particular XL-12.
I love these XL-12's but would trade them and parts for a new more powerful/faster Stihl or Echo. Thinking about making a chainsaw mill.
Have you noticed how much the Echo saws resemble the XL-12's? Or is it just me? lol
Love your Story Mark! I love these old saws, easy to work on, basically indestructible! A true legend amongst saws. Yeah, alot of companies copied the design for sure! Appreciate you Brother 😊
@@KainKustomGarage Update. My Grandfathers blue XL-12 is back in the game. Didn't need a new kit; thank you alcohol free gas and Lucas. The fuel pump screen was completely filled, over filled, with what looked like fine wood splinters??? How that shit and that weird mud gets in I do not know. Cheap gas filters?
I cleaned the carb., gave a little stretch to the needle valves rocker spring, a slight adjustment to the metering, dug up a solid nose bar and nice chain(off of a Remington I think lol), and tuned her up. The diaphragm's if anything, were a bit soft??? She runs nice, again. Now if I can just get some tiny O rings, I may be able to get the oiler working better.
OH! My red/orange automatic oiler saw, with the oil fill up front, is not a Super XL-12, nor a Super XL, nor a Super XL Automatic; it appears to simply be an XL Automatic. I just learned that I have most of another Red/orange XL Automatic(not Super), and this one has a chain break and oiler below the spark plug, like the XL-12's.
Not unicorns lol, but Canadian versions. I think though there are also American XL Automatic's that are not Supers.
Very cool collection. I just got my first old homelite. A blue super xl ao.
Awesome Brother!😁
Awesome old saws there’s something nice about simplicity. 👍
Thanks man! That's why I love the old saws!
Yes an well thought out design for reliabity an ease of svc time
The muffler guard is part of a west coast logging requirement. It was to keep muffler part that were over a certain temp from touching the ground and starting a fire. It was put on west coast saws in the late 1070s.
Thanks Steve! I was wondering about that, makes more sense now...I apologize the feedback!😁
Thanks Steve! I was wondering about that, makes more sense now...I appreciate the feedback!😁
Homelites are becoming very desirable with the porting community. Cool saw
Thanks TC, yeah, they were well built saws for sure!😊
Tuesday I scored some mor saws. One is a 64 super Xl 12. So now I have two of the 58 CC XL12 that are auto oiler delete. This one has the wierd spark plug and the wick fuel systen has been converted to a hose & filter.
Man, how many saws you need Son?🤣🤣
I have one of the mid 60s regular xl 12 with original bar all origi Al parts amd halfway decent paint, with the straight stack and she runs like a dream.
That's Awesome! These things are built to last for sure!😁
Yeaaaaaa budddddyyy. Those super xl with the strait pipe stock. Is one hell of a saw. I’m exited to see MAC131 ported in the wood. 💪🏻
Great video. Great gerage.
Kindness and love 💙🤍👊
I Know, I can't wait either! Wish I had that guys patience!
I just found a running XL12 at a flea market for 20 dollars. I had been looking for an older chainsaw since I was maybe 17 and decided on a home lite but I could never find one.
That's Awesome! Cool old saws, and plenty of parts on Ebay..good luck man!😊
I've been collecting XLs for decades. They're tough, cheap, reliable plentiful and they have mostly steel and copper parts instead of plastic. They're simple to repair.
Great saws!😉
Nice collection of XL-12s
Thanks buddy!
Just a couple corrections in your post. When a saw has the manual oiler it is not an override to the mechanical oiler. It was an extra to allow the operator to add more flow if they dream necessary......
There are 3 models.
Super Xl, XL - 12 and if you happen to come across one they did make a Super XL-12.
Guess I can't post a Pic but what you ha e are XL-12's and Super XL's...
Thanks Brother 😊
Well, according to the Chainsaw Collectors Corner, the earlier saws had only a manual oiler. Later models had automatic oilers but retained the manual oiler for when the going gets tough. They were definitely, positively an override to the automatic oiling. I need to dismantle my saw to see which is the case.
Again, looking right now at the CCC website, the XL-12 had manual oiling, the Super XL-12 also had manual oiling and the Super XL-12 Auto had automatic, worm-gear driven oil pump with the manual override. I hope this helps!
You can't beat a good XL-12 ,I've got around 5 to 8 of them at various ages. I can get mine out,fuel it up, and it'll fire up on the third pull.
That's so Awesome! Those saws are bullet proof! Don't make em like that anymore!😁
If ur ever interested in parting with one lmk, we don’t have these very often in my part of the country. If we did I would have one. Awsome vid love ur work.
Thanks Jay, I do love my XL12s! Sometimes you see one reasonably priced on ebay. Just depends on if you want a fixer upper or not...Thanks for the kind words !😊
Those old xl 12 will cut circles arond that sthil lol. Worked for small sawmill in the late 70's. All we ran were blue homelite. They bought some stihls and took them all back. Nothing but problems
Thanks William, Its amazing how they just keep running even after 50 years! Why would you buy a new saw? Lol
That is awsome..!!!!....I bet your neighbors just love you!?!
He's got like 20 Dirt Bikes, so yeah, He does!🤣🤣
The metal was magnesium, not aluminum, the Super XL-12 was blue and was a manual oiler, the red one you have is Super XL Automatic which was a auto oiler. You have three differnet saws, XL-12, Super XL-12, and Super XL Automatic
Thanks for the Info man! I was just checking out your Homelite collection, Awesome! 🤩
Well now I'm not so sure which all of mine are exactly. I have XL-12's for sure, and you are saying that the auto oiler one, with the oil fill up front, is a Super XL Automatic? With paint labels missing and no Canadian service manuals, how can I tell the difference between a XL-12 and a Super XL-12? Is it just horse power or are there obvious differences? The ones made in Canada are a bit different again, having for example chain breaks on some.
@@markluxton3402 Yes, Mark, the Canadian saws are a little different. Mine has missing decals (it's a well-used saw), although the nameplate is still there and says "type 50003" where you would expect to see "XL-12". I'm doing some detective work right now, but it appears to be of the XL-12 family, built in 1973. But the Canadian Homelites were built by the Terry Corporation in Pointe Claire, Quebec and varied a little from their American cousins. Handlebar shape, location of oil filler, gas cap style, colour of paint, choice of muffler, these could differ greatly from model to model. It makes it difficult for me to exactly identify my saw, but I'm working on it.
@@paulmaxwell8851 I have a few blue and red ones. Hard to find parts. Most online manuals are for US made versions. An old Homelite repair business near me closed several years ago. The owner died. He had Homelite chainsaw manuals; I haven't been able to find them :-(
I have some parts, about 5 saws that can be used, and the main bodies of several more. I was cutting some trees on my property just days ago with a red one. DO NOT USE an XL-12 without ear plugs; they are VERY loud. They will make water run out of your ears.
Nice. Like the best of saws.
Thank you Dan!!!
No prob Bill!😊
Ive got a few old Homelites also... Great video.
Thanks Buddy! I appreciate it!😁
I'm green with envy. That old Frankenbeast is sporting some red parts. Biggest 🌳 I ever cut was with an XL12. I love the kickstand idea! A 24" bar makes even the Super XL nose heavy too. Great video. I love those beauties. A Homelite quartet ➕ 1! A beautiful sound!
Thank you! They really are a great timeless saw...hard to believe most are pushing 50 years old...like me!
This has to be the coolest video I have seen this year. Way to go fella too. vf
Thanks so much Buddy, you really made my Day! I appreciate you man!!😊
Awsome, chainsaw cacklefest made me laugh out loud. Thanks for sharing this with with us.
No prob buddy!
I love the kickstand!!!!!
Thanks Buddy!😉
Nice collection
Thanks James!😁
@@KainKustomGarage You are Welcome Sir !!
I have 7 of the XLs, one might actually be an XL12, but the bar cover plate I think it was changed out, it has the angular handle, which is not par for an XL
Very cool! Yeah alot of those old xl12s turned into Frankenstein saws over the years, with multi colored and mismatched parts!
The flat sided handle made it easier to fill the oil tank on the back. Flip it on the left side and the opening is the highest point.
It is red with a black air filter cover, but parts of it look like it has been repainted. Oil tank is on the right rear. It runs good and has a 16”, 3/8 inch bar on it.
That's a great old Saw John, I'm still looking for my spec sheet...😊
Nice collection. I've picked up my Super XL at a thrift store awhile back. Runs good as is but I was thinking about putting a new piston and cylinder in it to do it justice. Got a couple E-Z's too and those are little tanks also.
Nice! Thanks Brother 😊
First I had one red xl 12 like new. I liked it so much I bought 7 more. Why not? They are cheap and good. I'd love to find an xl 400 or 500. Or just a good piston and cylinder to make a "sleeper" xl12.!
That's Awesome Wesley! That would be cool to swap in the "Big Bore" XL12s are one of my favorites!😁
..I like picking them up at the scrap yards for scrap price...couple bucks each...they used to turn up there all the time-some of them pretty intact..they still turn up from time to time, but they are definitely getting thinner in numbers....
I know right, I made this video a year ago and even since then they seem to be harder to find...😊
Awesome video! A friend gave me a blue XL that sat in his barn for 40 years. I don't think it has but 10 hours on it. So, I ran new fuel lines, cleaned and reset the points and rebuilt the carburetor, 2nd pull and off she went! I've got a quick video of it on my channel. I've been working on power equipment since 1974, back when these were a very popular saw. Anyway how can I find out exactly what year it was built? Thanks!
That's Awesome, great old saws...It's been a while since I looked but you can go online and find how to decode the Serial number on those...😊
@@KainKustomGarage thanks, I'll check it out!
I read that the engineer who designed the XL12 quit homelite and went to work for Lombard. I used a new Lombard for about a hour 50 years ago. Looked like a XL12 but was more powerful and louder. Eny Road a couple weeks ago I scored a Lombard from Ebay. Really crusty looking saw. JB weld on the bottom. No bar. Cost$56 with shipping and taxes. So I put a new fuel line and filter on and it ran. So a new chain and 20 inch bar. Ran like the one I used decades ago. Those Lombards have 68 CC and not one part from a XL12 will fit them. There was a Homelite XL 500 on Ebay this week. They look exactly like a XL12 except for paint. However they are 74 CC. I thought I would bid $50? That saw sold for $417 plus shipping & taxes! In 1964 my Father Bought a band new XL12. First saw I ever used. I still have it. However its a Super XL12 has a 58 CC engine. Wick fuel system. And you fill the oil on top. However its a Manual oil only saw. Doesnt have the automatic oiler. Dont even have the casting & threaded holes for auto oiler behind the drive sprocket.
Wow! That's cool Randall, I had one of those Lombard's years ago, I think There is an old video of it if you look back at some of my older videos. Yes definitely louder and dare I say more powerful? Love all these old saws, appreciate you being here man!❤❤
I have red one from 1982 Canadian, fantastic quality saw. nOt a safe one but fantastic. Hello from Serbia
That's Awesome! Hello from Washington State!😁
I have three I found at a dump I love these saws
For sure, Great old Workhorses!😉
I love the blue 1 with the kickstand!! Lol
Thanks Buddy! Big Gun has 2 big kickstands!😁
@@KainKustomGarage yea man i cant wait to get that saw an sink it in some big wood.
Nice collection of saws. Do you have a john deere 66sv. It is a 2 cylinder saw. i have one and need a carburetor. don't make anymore. if you know where i can get one please let me know
Thanks James, no, don't have one, that would be cool though🤔
I’ve got two blue XL-12’s. One was given to me and I found the other in the landfill! Both have the ear cracker mufflers! My buddy has one that I just got going wow what a beast! My father-in-law just gave me two XL-101’s. Do you have any of them or any info about them?
That's Awesome Brother, Don't have an XL101 but if you go to Chainsawcollectors website they have info for most models...😊
I just scored a real nice low hours super clean XL12 yesterday. Had that beauty running in 10 minutes. It had been sitting for a very long time. The gas was almost syrup in the tank. Pretty sure I will need a few things like fuel lines and a carb kit and fuel cap duckbill to get to 100%. Was going to cut a little with it today to limber it up, but it's been raining for hours.
Cool! Did you find it at a yard sale?
@@KainKustomGarage Actually Facebook Marketplace. Had to drop a C note but it came with the carrying case, owners manual, safety hang tag, a ratchet, socket, box wrench, grease gun, spark plug socket, screwdriver, original Homelite bar and chain and a Dutch oven minus the lid gifted. And the seller drove 25 miles my direction to meet up. It was a pretty good package all the way around. Bought it from the third generation owner. He never had used it or seen it run.
@@johnnorman7708 Sounds like a great deal to me!
@Schwalbe262 If you mean Spikes, Yes - the site is called Custom Chainsaw Parts...Thanks for watching!
Definitely gotta get the fuel cap duckbill valve fixed. It leaks bad when tilted.
You referred to the blue saw with the long bar and muffler cover, as a Super XL-12 Automatic. It is a Super XL Automatic. I thought all my Canadian made ones were XL-12's too.
My neighbor just put one of these and an old echo 302 out on the side of the road with a free sign. I took them both home and got them to fire up within a couple minutes.
That's Awesome Landen!😊
One of my friends just gave me a blue XL-12. It’s in really nice condition. What fuel:oil ratio do you use in them?
Nice! I run 40:1 in all my Saws 😉
@ cool, thanks!
Great vid! Good little saws...I have three myself. I'm about to tear one of mine down, it needs a new piston and cylinder. Where did you get your piston and cylinder?
Thanks man, I just used some stuff from a parts saw, I think little Red Barn has piston and Cylinders for these, or Ebay😊
@@KainKustomGarage You bet! Thanks Man, I appreciate it!
I got another one super xl 79 model hasn't run since 1985 my neibor gave it to me wasn't firing and piston scored rings stuck been in the dry I used the carb on one my super xl 79 model just rebuilt the carb it runs awsome
Nice the one you're dad got you does that have a power tip bar
Thanks man, Don't think it is....🤔
My family logged all over the PNW with these bad boys back in the day
That's Awesome Brother 😁
@@KainKustomGarage Where are you located.. roughly?
My dad used have a super 12,I had a barker that was a perfect twin.
Thats Awesome Terry, I had a Barker years ago.....😊
I was just given one of these. It has the plastic cover on the filter and of course it's busted.
I know right! The plastic ones are always broke!😒
Whats the name of the company that makes the bucking spike for it? Custom chainsaw parts? Cannot find it
Cheap Chainsaw parts on Ebay😁
I also have a number of XL12s. I actually use mine cutting firewood ect. Saturday I bought another early 60,s 54 CC chainsaw. However its not a Xl12 its a 101 touted as the lightest saw in the Xl series. It only weighs 10 pounds and the XL 12 weigh 12 pounds.
Interesting, I thought the Xl12 was supposed to be the lightest...Love them old saws!
chain saw @@KainKustomGarage Right on the side of the 101 it says lightest saw in the Xl series. I looked up the specs on cc and weight in the Chainsaw collectors forum.
Interesting...I'll have to check it out!
@@KainKustomGarage those xl 101s are t the first of a long series of saw going up to xl 76. They are high compression and are faster running than the XL12s. 101,102, 103 have a weak spot on the back where the oil tank is glued together. 104 up are screwed together also. I think!
@@wesleycallison2079 I think it was only the early 101's that had the glued tamk. My 101 has a screwed together tank. Yes it does seem to have higher compression and more RPM. I Bought my 101 at a auction sale for $35 and it has the factory carrying case. Needed fuel line & filter to get it running. Had a 20 inch bar. I installed a 12 inch bar and new chain. Used it this week really like it. Its really loud.
I was given one of these and I tried and tried to get it running and couldn't, put it aside for 2 years. yesterday I pulled it out of the garage, put gas in it and it started 2 pull and ran perfect.
Go figure, That's Awesome Brother!😉
..as far as facebook, craigslist, yard sales, flea markets, etc...I have never found any even close to $15.00..usually $25-$30 for a stripped carcass, $50 for a very rough running one, or one that needs work...$75-$125 for a halfway decent one, $150-up for a nice one...way more than that on Ebay...yet another reason I like getting them at the scrap yard :)
Yeah, I got lucky on most of mine, they popped up everywhere for a while there! I think they are harder to find depending on where you live as well🤔
Interesting video. By the way the chain was on backwards on the first red one.
Thanks man, yeah I saw that...lol
do the super XL 12's automatically feed oil to the chain ? as the plunger on mine won't go down when pressed.
Hi, yes I believe they are auto oilers as well...good luck man 😊
I think maybe you misidentified a saw. The oil port in the front makes it an automatic oiler. It may be a XL Automatic, but may not be a Super.
From what I understand all the Supers had the Oil fill up front, but I could be wrong 🤔
@@KainKustomGarage There are variations that have the oil fill up front and automatic oiler, but are not "Super". Understand I am no expert, I just listen to a bunch lol
I think to actually be the somewhat rare "Super", it has a bigger piston giving 58cc.
If the label or decals are on the saw, it will state Super. I also think the Supers were blue.
All my XL-12's and the XL Automatic are Canadian versions but I heard a fellow going through all the models, and he was making good sense.
The video was titled something like "If you think you have a Super, you probably don't"
@@KainKustomGarage I now have 4 XL-12's and an XL automatic ready to cut some wood. I have more parts, almost enough to put three more together.
I was updating my service notes and realized that my newest red XL-12 which came to me dissembled and missing a couple things, is not in fact an XL-12. It is another XL Automatic, with no mention of Super; however this XL Automatic has a chain break, so the oil fill is like the XL-12's, below the spark plug.
Where would you say I could find these?
Like perhaps yard sales, estate sales? What do you think about craigslist?
😉
Yard sales and junkyards. If you have a Habitat for Humanity REstore in your town try them. I found a parts XL12 there once for $5. Also, check contractors in your area. One near me was getting rid of old saws. Got an XL12 for $3 out of their trash.
Never had much luck with Craigslist, but others have. Good luck!
Yeah, like Jamie said, found em at thrift shops, Craigslist, Facebook marketplace, yard sales....thanks for stopping by!
Speaking of oil fillers, where can I find the caps for them ? I have several that are cracked or broken, need to replace them
Yeah they're always broke, I'll look and see if I have any extras, otherwise Ebay!
Have a couple of Homelites (one was my grandfathers) I'd like to send you some pictures of.
That's cool, you can email me @kainkustom@charter.net
I got 7 of them and 2 other saws one was sears Ranger and a craftsman saw basicly same saw
Nice!
My XL12 looks just like the one your daddy picked up for you. When was it made?
I'll look it up and See what I can figure out Sir..😊
@@KainKustomGarage my best information is 1980. Thanks.
At 4.39 your chain is on backwards...Whoops
I know right, somebody else noticed that too!🤣🤣
Going restore 6 of mine lol 7th saw i got is a part saw
Which one for sale?
🤔
How bout the C-72?
Those were a good saw!😊
At least one of your saws has the chain on backwards.
Closed captioning says (music) when they are running.
Sweet Music!🤣
Im making you a video of my restored 1968 super XL right now.
Nice!
Nice backwards chain bud
🤣🤣I know right!
Kickstand great idea 💡👍
Thanks man!👊👊
Thanks sawrus Trees-R-Us
Thanks Darrell!😁
V5 homelite sound
Hey sir how are you? Id love to get my hand on the model from evil dead 1 and the ome from evil dead 2. Can you help me with details of them both
Hello! Butler Outdoors Canada did a Halloween video with a few horror movie saws....check that out and I will ask him as well...
@@KainKustomGarage thanks
@@characterdevelopment2361 OK, so I talked to Andrew @ Butler Outdoors Canada and He said In the first movie it is an XL12 and the second movie an XL2 which is a smaller saw...feel free to ask him about it, He knows all the Horror movie saws!😁
@@KainKustomGarage dude thanks so much. I introduced kids to the movies last nite. And saw them and fell inlove again. The way they idle and rev its so different.
Sounds like you were having an allergic reaction to cutting sycamore. That’s how I breathe when I am cutting sycamore too
🤣🤣
GOOD VID WELL DONE Have a look at xlao cutting well good saw i say the same thing box with a chain lol
Thanks Bill!
Groovy
Go Team Homelite 😀😮😮😀
Yessir!😁
Do you do repair orders? I bought one of these it ran but soon failed and leaks gas.
Hi Bob, No sorry, it's just a hobby for me! I got too many projects as it is! Thanks for asking!
@@KainKustomGarage oh I just assumed because this page was a " kustom garage".
The U Tube guy Leons Chainsaw repairs saws. and He specializes in Homelites.