OWNER’S MANUAL EL12 and EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAWS ® WARNING ICON Man Reading Icon G 001 G037 FIRST EDITION PART NO. 17957-A Printed in U.S.A. Price $1.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING ICON G 001 WARNINGS IMPORTANT: Make certain you read and understand all Safety Warnings on pages 2 through 4. Improper use of this chain saw can cause severe injury or death from fire, electrical shock, body contact with moving chain, or falling wood. BEFORE OPERATING CHAIN SAW 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Read and understand this owner’s manual before operating chain saw. Use chain saw for cutting wood only.
OWNER’S MANUAL SAFETY INFORMATION • Continued • WARNING ICON G 001 WARNINGS IMPORTANT: Make certain you read and understand all Safety Warnings on pages 2 thru 4. Improper use of this chain saw can cause severe injury or death from fire, electrical shock, body contact with moving chain or falling wood. • • • fingers must wrap around saw handles. Keep all safety items in place on saw. Make sure they work properly. Do not overreach or cut above shoulder height.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW SAFETY INFORMATION Continued WARNING ICON G 001 WARNINGS IMPORTANT: Make certain you read and understand all Safety Warnings on pages 2 through 4. Improper use of this chain saw can cause severe injury or death from fire, electrical shock, body contact with moving chain, or falling wood. 5. placement parts.
OWNER’S MANUAL CHAIN SAW NAMES AND TERMS Saw Chain (Chain) Loop of chain having cutting teeth for cutting wood. The motor drives chain. The guide bar supports chain. Bucking Process of cutting a felled tree or log into lengths. Spiked Bumper (Spike) Pointed teeth at front of saw body beside guide bar. Keep spiked bumper in contact with wood when felling or bucking. It helps maintain position of saw while cutting. Felling Process of cutting down a tree. Felling Cut Final cut when felling a tree.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW ASSEMBLY WARNING: Cutting edges on chain are sharp. Use protective gloves when handling chain. IMPORTANT: Do not clamp chain saw in vise during assembly. The plastic hardware bag should include: • two guide bar bolts • two guide bar nuts • one Phillips-head tapping screw 1. Lay chain out flat. 2. Install front hand guard onto saw body. Do this by pressing two mounting stand-outs on hand guard into hexshaped holes in saw body (see Figure 3).
OWNER’S MANUAL SAW CHAIN TENSION ADJUSTMENT WARNING: Unplug chain saw from power source before adjusting saw chain tension. WARNING: Cutting edges on chain are sharp. Use protective gloves when handling chain. WARNING: Maintain proper chain tension always. A loose chain will increase the risk of kickback. A loose chain may jump out of guide bar groove. This may injure operator and damage chain. A loose chain will cause chain, guide bar and sprocket to wear rapidly. 1. 2. 3. 4.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW OPERATING CHAIN SAW WARNING: Read and understand this owner’s manual before operating this saw. Make certain you read and understand all Safety Warnings. Improper use of this chain saw can cause severe injury or death from fire, electrical shock or body contact with moving chain, or falling wood. OILING CHAIN 5. Always check oil level before using saw. To oil chain, press oil cap. Oil will feed onto guide bar and chain. Press oil cap at least once before each cut.
OWNER’S MANUAL Retreat Path OPERATING CHAIN SAW Direction of Fall Continued Direction of Fall 3rd Cut Felling Cut Hinge FELLING A TREE (Cutting Down a Tree) 2nd Cut Upper Notch Cut 2" • • • • WARNING: Avoid kickback. Kickback can result in severe injury or death. See KICKBACK, page 3 to avoid risk of kickback. Do not fell a tree without ample skill or expert help. Keep children, animals, and bystanders away from area when felling a tree.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW OPERATING CHAIN SAW Continued LIMBING A TREE WARNING: Avoid kickback. Kickback can result in severe injury or death. See Kickback, page 3, to avoid risk of kickback. WARNING: When cutting limb that is under tension, use extreme caution. Be alert for wood springing back. When wood tension is released, limb could spring back and strike operator causing severe injury or death. Limbing is removing branches from a fallen tree. Make sure your footing is firm.
OWNER’S MANUAL OPERATING CHAIN SAW Continued Log Supported On Both Ends 1. 2. Make first cut from above log (see Figure 15). Cut 1/3 through diameter of log. This cut will keep section from splintering when cut. Make second cut on underside of log, directly under first cut. Use top of guide bar to make this cut. Cut up to meet first cut. This will keep log from pinching guide bar and chain. 1st Cut TRIMMING A TREE (PRUNING) CAUTION: Seek professional help if facing conditions beyond your ability.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE Guide Bar Groove 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 Guide Bar CLEANING SAW BODY WARNING: Unplug chain saw from power source before servicing. Severe injury or death could occur from electrical shock or body contact with moving chain. WARNING: Cutting edges on chain are sharp.
OWNER’S MANUAL CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE Continued SHARPENING YOUR HOMELITE® DUAL RAKER SAW CHAIN WARNING: Unplug chain saw from power source before servicing. Severe injury or death could occur from electrical shock or body contact with moving chain. 4. Sharpening Cutters Use file holder for 30° filing. 1. Adjust chain for proper tension (see Saw Chain Tension Adjustment, page 7). 2. Clamp guide bar in vise to hold saw steady. Note: Do not clamp chain. 3.
HOMELITE EL12 AND EL16 ELECTRIC CHAINSAW CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE Continued Filing Cutter Depth Gauges The cutter depth gauge clearance is reduced as cutters are sharpened. After every second or third sharpening, reset cutter depth gauges. 1. Place depth gauge filing tool firmly across top of two cutters. Make sure depth gauges enters slot in depth gauge filing tool (see Figure 21). 2. Use medium flat file. File depth gauges level with depth gauge filing tool. 3. Remove depth gauge filing tool.
OWNER’S MANUAL TROUBLESHOOTING WARNING: Unplug chain saw from power source before servicing. Severe injury or death could occur from electrical shock or body contact with moving chain. OBSERVED PROBLEM POSSIBLE CAUSE REMEDY Saw runs, but does not cut. 1. Chain assembled backwards on guide bar 1. See Assembly, page 6 Saw does not cut unless heavily forced. Cutting produces only sawdust with few large chips. 1. Chain is dull 1.
SYMBOL DEFINITIONS THIS SYMBOL INDICATES DANGER OR WARNING. AVOID BAR NOSE CONTACT. READ YOUR PRODUCT LITERATURE. WEAR HEARING AND EYE PROTECTION DEVICES. HOLD SAW PROPERLY WITH BOTH HANDS. DIAGONAL LINE ACROSS A SYMBOL “PROHIBITED” OR “TO BE AVOIDED.” G 001 THIS SAFE•T•TIP DEVICE ON YOUR BAR NOSE PREVENTS KICKBACK Man Reading Icon G037 DO NOT USE ONE-HANDED. G 018 WARNING ICON DANGER! BEWARE OF KICKBACK.
