Aaron, you're asking some great questions. I've pondered similar questions , but never found any good answers. Always been interested in how a saw manufacturer like Homelite dealt with the subs for making components. For instance, Phelon and Wico made ignition components for probably 95% of US manufactured saws back in the day. Question is would Phelon come out with an ignition component and Homelite buid its saw around it, or would Homelite provide a spec to Phelon to build a specific part to fit the saw Homelite already drew up on paper? May have happened both ways in different cases.....
You may ask what's this gotta do with 700/800/900 series cylinders... well point is I imagine Homelite dealt with some sub for the cylinders the same as for other parts. I've seen Alcoa on some cylinders, and I know at least on some later models, Mahle made 'em. You see Alcoa on most older mag castings and Lunt on the newer stuff. Maybe Homelite had a foundry and cast their own cylinders, but I bet everything was farmed out to somebody like Alcoa. Man it's be great to learn the real scoop on this stuff.
Anyways, the question comes up, did Homelite provide all the engineering specs to build cylinder/pistons, or did a sub figure out the details? Did all the changes in the 700/800/900 come about because Homelite designed it, or because a sub changed the details? Again, it may very likely have been a mixing of the minds, but at this point, there's nothing but speculation. Facts would be great, but where the heck to find 'em?
Dan
