12
100803
ELECTRIC CHAINSAW
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16
Figure 18 - Guide Bar Maintenance
Flat File
Burr
Oil Slot
Cleaning Groove With
Putty Knife
Guide
Bar
Keep saw body clean. Use a soft cloth damp-
ened with a mild soap and water mixture.
Wipe saw body to clean.
CARE OF GUIDE BAR
Uneven bar wear causes most guide bar
problems. Incorrect sharpening of chain
cutter and depth gauge settings often cause
this. When bar wears unevenly, it widens
guide bar groove (see Figure 17). This causes
chain clatter and rivet popping. Saw will not
cut straight. Replace guide bar if this occurs.
Inspect guide bar before sharpening chain.
A worn or damaged guide bar is unsafe. A
worn or damaged guide bar will damage
chain. It will also make cutting harder.
CLEANING AND
MAINTENANCE
NOTICE: Below are instructions
for servicing your chain saw. Any
servicing not mentioned below
should be done by an authorized
service center.
Guide Bar
Groove
Guide Bar
Normal Guide Bar
Guide Bar With
Uneven Wear
Figure 17 - Guide Bar Cross Section Showing Uneven Bar Wear
Guide Bar
Groove
Guide Bar
WARNING: Unplug chain saw
from power source before ser-
vicing. Severe injury or death
could occur from electrical shock
or body contact with moving
chain.
WARNING: Cutting edges on
chain are sharp. Use protective
gloves when handling chain.
WARNING: When cleaning
saw body,
• do not submerge saw in any
liquids
• do not use products that con-
tain ammonia, chlorine, or
abrasives
• do not use chlorinated clean-
ing solvents, carbon tetrachlo-
ride, kerosene, or gasoline
CLEANING SAW BODY
Normal Guide Bar Maintenance
1.
Remove guide bar from chain saw.
2.
Remove sawdust from guide bar groove periodically. Use putty knife or wire.
3.
Clean oil slots after each day of use.
4.
Remove burrs from sides of guide bar. Use flat file to make side edges square.
Replace guide bar when
• bar is bent or cracked
• inside groove of bar is badly worn
Note:
When replacing guide bar,
See Replacement Parts and Accessories
, page 14 for
proper bar.
