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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 17, 2009 18:05:22 GMT -5
Just got these in today. The 410 is from RBW and every bit as nice as he said. The 540 was a last-minute evilbay snatch. I've always wanted one and now I have it. Seems to be nearly as nice as the 410, and even the chainbrake works. The plastic bar/clutch cover threw me for a loop, though. I'll be stripping them down soon for cleaning and repairs. Oh, I'll be looking for a full wrap for this 540, just in case anyone has one laying around. Here's the pictures. Chris B.    |
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Post by lesorubcheek on Jul 17, 2009 20:19:51 GMT -5
Nice pair Chris! Both look very clean.
Dan
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Post by billg on Jul 18, 2009 0:37:05 GMT -5
Chris,
That is a real nice pair of late model Homelite saws. Those are models I still wish I had. I let mine go and wish I had not.
Bill
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Post by mikem on Jul 18, 2009 9:27:11 GMT -5
Chris...Are the frames on those saws magnesium or polycarbonate ? Whatever they are, they sure held the color well !
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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 18, 2009 17:14:42 GMT -5
Chris...Are the frames on those saws magnesium or polycarbonate ? Whatever they are, they sure held the color well ! OK, all black stuff is plastic. For the 410, everything is magnesium--crankcase, fuel tank/handle, clutch cover. On the 540, the crankcase is mag, but the tank/handle and clutch cover are plastic. Both recoils are plastic. Seems the 540 weighs the same as the 410. Interesting stuff. The 540 is fairly conventional, but the 410 is a oddity with the reed valve setup. Chris B. |
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Post by billg on Jul 19, 2009 1:45:43 GMT -5
Hello Chris,
What little I ran my 540 I liked it. I had heard that they had a heating problem but heck so did many others. I belive Eric Nelson out in Idaho is very knowledagle on the 540 saws.
On a side not I am sorry you were unable to be there today. It would have been nice to have had another guy there that liked the old magnesium.
Bill
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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 19, 2009 14:02:05 GMT -5
Too many plastic lovers there? I'd have brought the SP890 gear drive and 3100G and shown them what a saw was.
Anyway, I had to work last night and I wish I hadn't. The EOT crane for caster went down like a sweet muffin, shut the whole shop down. When I went home, it was 3 hours and counting, with heats stuck in ladles. What a mess...
Chris B.
Oh, I heard that about the 540s overheating, and I was a bit leary. However, the piston looked very, very good and the compression checked out at 162 psi. Very decent. I think I'll drop a set of rings in while I'm cleaning things. This actually seems to be a fairly well taken care of saw.
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Post by farley9n on Jul 19, 2009 17:27:30 GMT -5
Hi CB..... On the 540, with that good of compression I'd skip the rings and just clean the saw up and run it! Could be hard to find the rings as they are the thin ones. As far as the over heating, occassional use no problem but watch how hard you run it and for how long. Homelite put out a kit to convert it to the 8800 that includes a different piston, cylinder, an intake and exhaust adapter kit, a host of inside the covers foam seal parts for better air flow, and an offset flywheel key so you can advance the ignition 3 degrees. I'm going to do it to mine along with some mild porting although they are a strong running saw stock. Just can't leave things alone. .......Bob
PS.... If you want the part number of that kit just PM me and I will sent it along with some photos of the pieces. I have all but the offset key.
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Post by lesorubcheek on Jul 19, 2009 19:53:54 GMT -5
Homelite put out a kit to convert it to the 8800 that includes a different piston, cylinder, an intake and exhaust adapter kit, a host of inside the covers foam seal parts for better air flow, and an offset flywheel key so you can advance the ignition 3 degrees. This info goes a long way to help answer the question of which came first, the 540 or the 8800. I've always suspected the 540 was first, and the 8800 with its thick rings followed after the heat related problems on the 540. Still wonder why they switched from a plastic tank assembly on the 540 to a magnesium one on the 8800? That just seems backwards from what you'd think the trend would be. Dan |
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Post by rharley95ci on Jul 19, 2009 21:29:01 GMT -5
The magnesium might act as a heat sink and with fuel in it would help keep it cooler then plastic. Just a thought!!!!
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Post by billg on Jul 20, 2009 2:18:04 GMT -5
Too many plastic lovers there? I'd have brought the SP890 gear drive and 3100G and shown them what a saw was. ................... Hello Chris, There were a bunch of great guys there. I was the only guy with the old stuff but heck we are all in this for the same reason. We love saws. There were some older Poulans that were running great. It just proves the old stuff still is good. I believe I had the only Homelites. I ran a few of mine and let others run them too. It makes no difference to me I just like saws but I do prefer the old magnesium |
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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 20, 2009 14:58:57 GMT -5
Bill,
I do wish I were there. I just got back to 12hr shifts, so I have every other weekend off and will have a life again. With the 8hr shifts on reduced operations, I was stuck working weekends constantly and not being able to rotate away.
Did Banshee show up with the 070AV I sold him? He sure loves the Contra/090 series saws.
I would have brought the SP890, PP655, and who knows what else. I never thought I could go so I never got involved in the thread.
Chris B.
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Post by billg on Jul 21, 2009 2:10:55 GMT -5
Hello Chris,
Yes Banshee brought the 070AV, He also had a 3120. I brought two Lightings to sell. He wanted one but did not have any cash with him. I thought about telling him to just take it home and mail a check but right now I have quite a bit of equipment "out on approval" and unpaid, I need to rein things in a bit. I think he will end up with one of them soon.
Bill
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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 21, 2009 9:52:26 GMT -5
When I sold him the 070, he was quite interested in the cherry Contra that I had bought from JimL several years ago. I wouldn't let it go, but he did take a bunch of pictures.
Haven't done anything with the Homeys yet. Get to work on brake lines today and then, maybe, go help someone get their 090 running.
Chris B.
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Post by OBR on Jul 21, 2009 19:20:50 GMT -5
Hello Chris, Yes Banshee brought the 070AV, He also had a 3120. I brought two Lightings to sell. He wanted one but did not have any cash with him. I thought about telling him to just take it home and mail a check but right now I have quite a bit of equipment "out on approval" and unpaid, I need to rein things in a bit. I think he will end up with one of them soon. Bill Thanks for reminding me Bill...I still owe you for the 909...I'll get that in the mail... |
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Post by billg on Jul 22, 2009 1:51:24 GMT -5
When I sold him the 070, he was quite interested in the cherry Contra that I had bought from JimL several years ago. I wouldn't let it go, but he did take a bunch of pictures. Haven't done anything with the Homeys yet. Get to work on brake lines today and then, maybe, go help someone get their 090 running. Chris B. Hello Chris, The Lightings I took were not cherry nor were the BLK's but a couple ran good. I believe JimL had a NIB BLK. Did you ever talk hom out of that? Bill |
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Post by cbfarmall on Jul 22, 2009 4:28:33 GMT -5
I doubt anybody could talk Jim out of the BLK, and I don't live that dangerously get into the old 2 man saws, not yet.
That 090 I worked on, it was gregz from AS. It is a nice old 090, real clean. Wouldn't idle to save its life, and after a few minutes trying to adjust it, we took the carby off and found it was full of water and garbage, almost slimy. Looked at the piston and found the intake side lightly water scored, real shiny. He is a little disappointed, but I imagine if you can pick up an 090 by the recoil your compression is OK. He'll probably pick up new piston and have it for whenever. I've got the carby right now waiting for parts. I actually had to lightly pry the needle out of the seat, it was stuck. I don't even know how we had the thing running.
Chris B.
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Post by cbfarmall on Aug 23, 2009 17:08:36 GMT -5
An addendum...surfing around the web and found a 410 for sale on CL. Called the fellow up, got directions, and away I went. Walked away with this, plus an extra bar and 2 spare chains, all for 50 bucks. This 410 is almost as nice as the one from RBW, and a spitting image, too. Only differences I can see are a few more scratches, slightly updated ignition switch, and a different warning decal. Heck, except for the wear, the bar is the same. Hasn't run for a few years, and I imagine it'll need a boot and fuel/impulse lines. Compression feels good. The handle rubber was split at the top, so I wrapped it with some electrical to keep rest intact. Regarding my original 410, I got it apart yesterday for the boot replacement and started putting it back together this morning. Hit a snag when the manual oiler pickup line broke apart in 3 or 4 places. I don't have the right stuff on hand, so I halted the repair till tomorrow. And I need to get a carby kit. Here's some pictures, one with my original 410 (on the right) for comparison. Chris B.    |
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