Figuring out when that old Homelite was built

[sweepleader]

Yeah, I think you guys are right. Terry probably built some later. I think there is another thread discussing this point.

[mingo]

I have an old Blue Terry XL12 S/N 1666555 , I believe it was from the sixties can anyone help with the date

thanks

[sweepleader]

Welcome to the House of Homelite.

Using Joyce's records listed a few posts back in this thread, I would say it was likely built in May or June of 1964.

[mingo]

thanks sweepleader

[1975 Super XL]

I would like to know what year and day my Homelite Super XL Automatic was made. The carburetor is a Walbro SDC, with the numbers "8 74" cast into it. The saw is red and black with a black hexagon fuel cap, and does not have a UT number. The manual oiler shaft is metal, and the air filter is plastic with raised Homelite lettering. I have found the number "5" cast into several parts of the saw. I think it was made around 1975. The serial number is 04520176. According to the 8-digit decoding method in the service bulletin, this saw would have been made on the 452nd day of 1980, but that can't be correct. How is this serial number decoded?

Thank you

[sweepleader]

Welcome to the House of Homelite!

You have one of the trouble makers there. 8 74 might be the date for the carb but those dates are usually stamped in, on the edge of the carb, not cast in. A stamped in date with the carb model would be the date the carb was made and the saw would likely follow in a couple of months.

Are there any other numbers on the ID tag? Can you post pictures of the ID plate and the saw? Color or other features sometimes give clues.

If there is a lot number that may reveal the date.

[1975 Super XL]

 Looking at the carburetor again, the number is stamped and not cast. There is no lot or UT number, just a model name.
Here is a picture of the serial number and the saw:

DSCF2654 by Elijah J, on Flickr
DSCF2640 by Elijah J, on Flickr

[Deleted]

Wow that's a head scratcher! it would appear to be a 1980, but that cant be right, the date number should go over 365.

[1975 Super XL]

Here are a couple more pictures:

DSCF2654 by Elijah J, on Flickr
I currently have the saw completely disassembled for cylinder removal, these are the only photos I have of it all put together. 
A couple more things that might help determine the year; this saw has a Wico points ignition system with a felt seal in the stator. The choke knob/rod is plastic with a cotter pin retaining it, and the throttle trigger is also plastic. The muffler looks like it was originally painted black, and it does not have a spark arrestor. The fuel line has grommets where it passes through the air filter box and fuel tank. Most of this saw resembles the one in the first revision parts diagram, except for the starter grip and the saw's color.  Please let me know if there are any other details you would like to know about.
There is a sticker on the front handle support that has the number "5279" on it. Does this number mean anything?
DSCF2728 by Elijah J, on Flickr


Thank you for your help

[jerseyhighlander]

Numbers stamped on the carb are a pretty good indicator. The fact its a points ignition... I think 1974 or 75 would be pretty accurate.

Wouldn't 1980 be a 9 digit number by then and also likely a UT number at that point?

Interesting the small print in the center of the label between model & serial, about patents.

[sweepleader]

Those patent numbers on another saw referred to the pyramid reed block and the centrifugal clutch, well, on that saw anyway. I can't read these so it is a guess that they are the same. If that is what they are, they would not help much dating a saw, the patents were active for many years and were pretty early, like 1965 or so.

[1975 Super XL]

Sorry about the poor quality picture. The tag reads:

                        
HOMELITE ^{(R) a division of Textron Inc.}
                    _{PORT CHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A.}
MODEL NO. SUPER XL AUTO
PATENT NO'S. 3,367,465; OTHERS PEND.
DES. PAT. 204.124
SERIAL NO. 0452176
SEE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS _{MADE IN U.S.A.}


The first patent number is from 1966, for a centrifugal clutch.
I don't know what the DES. patent is. 

[5terrysupersaws]

This saw is one of those mid 70's SXL's where the serial number will be of little help in accurately dating it's build date.

There are numerous examples on Joyce's sales records of SXL's with similar serial numbers that were sold from 75-77.
(4513565..11/17/75) ..( 4541000.. 05/12/76) .. (4586990.. 09/27/76)..etc.

The date stamped on the carburetor 8/74 ,will be as close as is possible.

[1975 Super XL]

Thank you for all the information. I think 1975 is pretty close to when this saw was actually built.

I have a theory for the serial numbers: maybe, prior to the decode-able 8 and 9-digit numbers, all the Homelite serial numbers were sequential production numbers, and the zero was added in the 1970's in anticipation of the serials reaching tens of millions. But then Homelite decided to make the serial numbers a code.

[sweepleader]

Well, that is pretty likely I would say, but the only thing we know for sure is they changed their procedure and it makes dating tough during that time. The 6 and 7 digit numbers are no more help so these are really not much different, just confusing with later 8 digits being decipherable.

[jerseyhighlander]

Sept 4, 2018 14:46:31 GMT -5 1975 Super XL said:

Thank you for all the information. I think 1975 is pretty close to when this saw was actually built.

I have a theory for the serial numbers: maybe, prior to the decode-able 8 and 9-digit numbers, all the Homelite serial numbers were sequential production numbers, and the zero was added in the 1970's in anticipation of the serials reaching tens of millions. But then Homelite decided to make the serial numbers a code.

Just FYI, it's roughly among the first of the Super XL's turned Homelite Red. They were blue up until 73-74 ish.

IMG_6584 by Kyle, on Flickr

For those of you with eagle eyes, I know, the starter cover decal says XL-12. My recoil spring broke, so being pressed for time, just put a whole spare xl-12 recoil/starter housing on it, for now.

[1975 Super XL]

I was cleaning off the crankcase of my Super XL today, and I found two "date wheels" cast into the crankcase. Inside one of them is the number "75". This wheel is divided into twelve parts, and there is a dot in six of them, so I think this crankcase was made in June of 1975. There is another twelve part wheel next to it, but it is blank, with no numbers or dots.

[sweepleader]

Your interpretation of the date wheel is likely correct. Those are put in the mold used for casting the parts so the use of the mold can be recorded. A punch mark is easy to add to change the date of use. The molds wear out over time, assuming they are used regularly. Sometimes the wheels denote number of parts cast for better control. Either method gives the bean counters an idea of when they are going to have to pay for new molds.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2018 13:17:48 GMT -5 sweepleader said:

Your interpretation of the date wheel is likely correct. Those are put in the mold used for casting the parts so the use of the mold can be recorded. A punch mark is easy to add to change the date of use. The molds wear out over time, assuming they are used regularly. Sometimes the wheels denote number of parts cast for better control. Either method gives the bean counters an idea of when they are going to have to pay for new molds.

The drive case covers on the Super EZ and I think the XL-100 series saws too had those date wheels as well and some of those covers were not the same and had to by modified to fit if you couldn't get the correct part.

[1975 Super XL]

Here is a picture of the date wheels on the crankcase and the clean serial number tag:
1975 Homelite crankcase date wheels by Elijah J, on Flickr
1975 Homelite serial number by Elijah J, on Flickr