Homelite Chainsaw Restoration Information
MORE COMING SOON!
Homelite's paint colors have changed a number of times since the 20MCS went into production in 1953. There are 3-4 shades of red that we have all seen, 2-3 shades of metallic blue, a metallic medium green, plus the white & black accents. I've repainted saws off and on for years, but one of my customers really turned me on to some good products that helped me restore a Homeite 900D for my collection. Roger shared pics of a saw he restored using Spray Max primer & clear coat...it looked so good, I knew I had to try it out. Since January 2016, I've repainted the 900D, a XL-700, a C-9, a 2000 Automatic and a XP-1130 using the "primer, base, clear" method. I'm happy with each saw; each one has turned out better than the last. A friend from House of Homelite suggested that a page here detailing paint codes would be a good idea; Dan's suggestion has morphed into an ever evolving restoration page. I sincerely hope that the information & photos here will help you with your Homelite restoration!
Paint
The above photo shows a NOS Homelite throttle handle cover with the "red-orange" tinge, a drivecase cover with the deeper powercoat red and a fan housing that I repainted using Duplicolor GM Victory Red. It took a low-light photo to show the subtle differences.
The same parts in better lighting look nearly the same. So be careful to judge paint colors in person whenever possible...photos can be deceiving.
|
I've settled on Duplicolor's GM Victory Red as a good compromise. It's definitely too "red" for the 70's saws, but when repainting the entire saw, it comes out looking quite nice. I plan to repaint an EZ Automatic soon and I may experiment with a Ford Orange-Red engine paint. If it works out, results will be posted here. |
This photo shows an age faded XL-923 next to a can of Chevy Orange engine enamel. It's deceiving, as I have used this paint and I find the result to be way too orange. I don't consider it to be a good match, even to the faded paint. It doesn't look bad necessarily, but it's nowhere near an original color.
|
This photo demonstrates two original Homelite parts painted in metallic blue...the air filter cover is the earlier light blue and the throttle handle is the later medium blue. |
|
|
|
Unsurprisingly, this color is not an exact match either, but it is close enough that you can repaint a part for an original saw and it doesn't stand out like a sore thumb. See if you can find what part has been painted on my XL-101 below.
Did you find the repainted part above?
Possibly the most difficult to match is the Canyon Green used on a variety of saws from the 50's through early 70's. Duplicolor's Metal Specks Green comes out several shades darker, but is the closest I have found. It sprays well, with minimal "tiger striping" and is absolutely beautiful with a clear coat finish! It also has the upside of being widely available at auto parts stores across the nation. |
|
|
All of my chosen colors are readily available and relatively inexpensive. The downside is they are not exact, but an exact match will be time & expense at a professional paint store. Like most automotive paints, these colors do not shine well on their own. You've got to have a good top coat to bring out the color and protect your hard work. Spray Max products have proven their worth to me; they are fuel resistant, spraying is very easy and they look great. I use the Glamour 2K because the shine is awesome, but they have a matte product if you prefer less gloss.
|
|
There's nothing glamorous about primer, but you've gotta start out right. Good adhesion is critical and with the magnesium alloy metal parts on a Homelite, this self-etching primer is a great start. This primer sprays smoothly and dries quickly. It is sandable and can be used to fill minor imperfections in the metal. |
|
