Bringing a Vintage Homelite 7-21 back to life.

[whitedogone]

The Tank

Although the tank is not serviceable according to the IPL, I am concerned that the oil and gas were getting mixed together somehow. And I found it next to impossible to clean/strip paint around the screw heads holding the thing together. I also had concern that the strippers and solvents I've been using might be softening the glue.

This thing was glued together with some strange stuff. It was like contact cement that foamed up everywhere. It was globbed up in spots in the tank nearly 1/2" thick.

No gasket was used. I'm thinking Yamabond here. What do you all think?

 

[Jacob J.]

I mean no disrespect to Randy or JacobJ but I disagree with flipping the reeds. As turtle561 said the holes are offset for this reason. Reeds should not be flipped as they are designed to operate in only one direction and if flexed in the opposite direction may metal fatigue and break. If this happens you will have one very pretty but real broken Homelite. I would go for Boyzen or other synthetic reed replacement. They work better than metal and if they break and get ingested do not ruin your motor.

I don't know a lot about reeds in chainsaws but having been born and grown up on an island off the coast I have a lifetime of experience with outboard motors which are still mostly reed motors to this day. Flipping nonsealing reeds in an outboard is taboo, not done, NADA!!!! A broken reed in a 150 horse 2 cycle is an expensive problem. Like new powerhead time!! Not to mention they NEVER break AT the dock!!! If you break a little reed 25 miles offshore you had better have a good radio!!

Do yourself a favor and either don't touch them or replace with NOS steel or as turtle said go with synthetic Boyzens or equivalent. Do not take a chance and bend or flip reeds.
They are cheap and not worth the risk. Again IMHO....(but not only mine!!)

My old man ran reed-valve saws in the woods cutting timber professionally for the first fifteen years of his career and flipped over many, many sets of reeds on his saws without any issues, running them for hundreds of hours afterward...

(I think you make some very good points though.)

 

[whitedogone]

The Short Block

This is all the farther I was going to go. But, I wonder if I should pull the jug. I could decarbon the exhaust, polish the piston up a bit, clean the ring grooves And check the ring end gap. Or should I just start paint and reassy?

 

[little possum]

Sealant looks like Indian Head, I use a bit of it on fuel tanks for when I accidently rip the gaskets :censored:


Are you going to strip anymore of the paint? Most everybody starts with bare magnesium parts, but I know not everyone has or has access to a blaster

 

[turtle561]

what's the compression like (lbs/sq.in.) might as well do the rings and set the cylinder down on some yamabond.

 

[whitedogone]

Sealant looks like Indian Head, I use a bit of it on fuel tanks for when I accidently rip the gaskets :censored:


Are you going to strip anymore of the paint? Most everybody starts with bare magnesium parts, but I know not everyone has or has access to a blaster

I will be stripping what I can. I wanted to make sealing plates first. Didn't want to get stripper in cyl.

 

[whitedogone]

what's the compression like (lbs/sq.in.) might as well do the rings and set the cylinder down on some yamabond.

135.....where the heck would I get rings for this dino?

 

[lesorubcheek]

I will be stripping what I can. I wanted to make sealing plates first. Didn't want to get stripper in cyl.

Seen the same stuff in a few tanks of some older Homelites I've played with. Acetone seemed to soften the stuff up pretty well and make it easier to peel off. Carb cleaner helped also.

Dan

 

[little possum]

10-4 WDO.

So is it done yet


I thought 135# was alright for the older saws? but Im not expert, where did JJ get to? lol

 

[Cantdog]

My old man ran reed-valve saws in the woods cutting timber professionally for the first fifteen years of his career and flipped over many, many sets of reeds on his saws without any issues, running them for hundreds of hours afterward...

(I think you make some very good points though.)

Yes Jacob I'm sure that this has been done and not saying it can't, but it's kinda like Russian roulette. It's probably one of those things that used to get done regularly with few failures on saws but as I said it is not the correct method of repair. Of course the stakes go way up with multi cyl motors that as I said may operate at WOT for an hour or more at a time. It could mean not just lost work time, as on a failed saw, but perhaps an actual life threatening situation on the water. My point is that if the saw is current why not replace with stock reeds? If the saw is obsolete and new parts are NLA why risk it if for $25-$30.00 you can replace old warped steel reed with nice new flat synthetic reeds? I doubt that you can just buy synthetic reeds for this old Homelite but you can buy the materiall and make them yourself. Again I'm coming from a different place but it's been drummed into me to not risk flipping or bending old reeds. Replace or leave them be.

 

[turtle561]

for rings try ringspacers.com they may have some in stock or can make just about anything

 

[RandyMac]

HAHAHA!!! You're welcome here any time Randy. But be forewarned I do have a pony tail and don't take to bein' shot all that much especially by a new acquaintance. However I certainly do like sippin whiskey!!!
You come, I'll buy!!!! I ain't much on tree huggers and socialists either maybe after few ol #7s we can have some target practice!!!!Plenty of transplanted ones up here and their slow too!!LOLOLOL!!!

Pony tail? I have my neck covered, protection from all that nasty solar radiation. What am I saying, I work nights and we haven't had more than a few hours of direct sunlight in weeks. I'm lazy, hate barbers, just snap a band on it, call it good.
I think I would rather have someone I know, shooting at me, than a stranger. I'll bring the whiskey. The injunction is lifted in early 2012, I'll be able to cross the Rockies again.

 

[whitedogone]

Cleaning is dwendling down

Did I say how much I hate clean parts? Most major stuff is finnally cleaned. Prime, paint, and reassy is a whole lot more rewarding.
Tank was cleaned of goobs of foamy gas soaked glue. Paint stripper cleaned it up well.
Tank Yamabonded together:

The short block vac tested to 9 psi:

First color:

 

[RandyMac]

Yamabond, I love that stuff, I put it right up there with JB Weld and silver duct tape.

 

[whitedogone]

OK, you hommie guys: Is the model plate suppose to look like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Antique-HOMELITE-7-21-Logging-Loggers-Chainsaw-/330462698217?pt=US_Chainsaws

Mine was painted the same color (red) as the case.

 

[whitedogone]

The Chain

After a week of soaking the chain in PB blaster and "working" it every couple of days, It still has rust and tight links here and there.

I'm going to try a different approach. Washing soda:

Coffee can, a piece of old angle iron, and a battery charger:

We'll see what this does in a day or 2. WDO

 

[little possum]

Keep it up WDO!

 

[whitedogone]

12 hours later

I checked the progress 12 hours later.

The sacrificial anode was doing it's job.

I took the chain out and scrubbed it with a stiff brush. It's nearly good as new:

I didn't take any closeups of it before it's bath. It was REAL rusty.

 

[Cantdog]

That Worked Good!!!!

Tried to rep ya for that one but I guess I've some speading around to do....

 

[MadMax5578]

This is really a fun project to watch! This thread is usually the first one I check when I log on.