XL12 chain saw identification

[enginetinkerer]

I just got an orange (Red?) XL12 chainsaw.  From what I've found so far, the red XL12 was manufactured from Aug. 74 to Jul. 86.  The only identification on the saw is  Lot # B6280  (or it might be 86280)   and serial # 44560146.  And, on that data plate is "Homelite   A Division of Textron (?)  PO box 7047 (?)  Charlotte NC  28217 ".  I've looked at a lot of the Parkinlube memos posted on here, and I've not been able to identify this chain saw by a UT number.  I'm going to want to find a manual, parts list, spec. sheet, etc... if it's possible.
Thanks in advance for any information that anybody out there can provide

[riseandrun]

Welcome to the forum. Lots of smart guys here.
Try this link: houseofhomelite.proboards.com/thread/1706
It has the breakdown for serial numbers.
HTH
R&R

[sweepleader]

Just re-read for the umpteenth time the memo linked by risandrun, #185-008 on serial numbers dated 3/85, and noted for the first time that it says the 4 date digits make up the LOT NUMBER. Those it translates into the manufacture date. SO, does that mean that the saw in question above was built on the 280th day(Wednesday, October 6)of 1976 and the serial number of that saw does not tell us the date? Would this apply to all saws with a Lot Number on the tag?

IF that is true, the need for a long serial number comes into question, why not have a simple 4 digit serial number? Of course, there are lots of other reasons manufacturers put long serial numbers on products I suppose and I also suppose that we may never know.

[enginetinkerer]

I appreciate the help guys, but that memo, 185-008 didn't do anything for me. Other than tell me that my saw was built on the 456 th day of the year. or it was just so confusing that I couldn't figure it out. I can't believe that there's not a data base somewhere in the bowels of Homelite that doesn't have the capability of a serial number search.
Thanks anyways,

[sweepleader]

Enginetinkerer, does your saw have a lot number? If it does and that tells the date, then you will be much closer to being able to match it to the data (manual, etc.) that you are looking for. Hang on a bit, someone "older" in Homelites will be along to answer this I am sure.

[riseandrun]

I can see why you are confused ET. Were you wearing your bifocals when you read that S/N?   I wonder if anyone knows when the XL12 went from Blue to red?  There is definitely something missing somewhere....
KW

[sweepleader]

Sorry for my part of the confusion. Try this: contact chainsawlady, Joyce, and ask her if she can help. She and her late husband had a Homelite dealership for something like 50 years and she has been very helpful. I had hoped she might chime in on this one but maybe it had just not caught her attention yet. I have gotten several manuals from her in the past and she has a lot of data on serial numbers for particular models. She can be reached through the "send message" feature on her profile. Go to "Members" at the top of this page, then search for her.

[enginetinkerer]

Thanks everybody for the help. Sweepleader, yep. You're right. I read something somewhere yesterday that agreed with what you just said. The lot number broke down as to location where it was made, in this case, wherever B is, the year, 6, 1976, and the 280th day of that year. So that helped. Still, trying to convert this into a UT number is proving elusive. When I spoke to a Homelite rep on the phone, she said she can't do anything as far as repair manuals or parts list, without a UT number. And, thanks for the tip for chainsawlady. I'll try that. And, riseandrun, I did try it with my bifocals on and it still looked the same. And, I found something on one of the lubinpark memos that told me that the blue was from Nov. 1963 to Aug. 1974 and the red was from Aug. 1974 to Jul. 1986.
Again, thanks folks for the help.

[sweepleader]

Ok, so if the lot number equals the build date for sure, maybe there is a way to get a UT number from another saw that was built on a similar date. Maybe two, one on each side, that do have UT numbers on them, whether or not they are close. Then check those two against each other for similar part numbers. You should be able to tell if your saw matches one of them in important areas. Of course, if they look the same, they likely have a lot in common and you can use the paperwork for your saw. Chainsawlady has 50 years of serial numbers and the dates they sold them on, she might just be able to look up dates, which you have (Oct 6, 1976), and get pretty close to what you want.