homelite "wiz" anybody?

[jnsn]

I was just over at a farm I help take care of and the son is moving out to Cali. He is 65 and has done many odd jobs( and is an odd fellow . He is getting rid of much jetsam and I noticed a big box of sheaves, blocks, and other rigging ware. I told him that if he was geting rid of it I would be interested. He directed my attention to a corner with about 5 chainsaws, all homelights, the biggest being a blue "WIZ" which he said was gear driven . It has a 36" bar and skip chain and he had been milling with it lo these many years ago. There is a big stickered pile of oak slabs in the barn that attest to this. Does anybody have any opinions or knowledge of this beast? "They all ran when I parked them" he said , smiling.I looked on Mike Acres site and it didn't seem to say that it was gear driven.(?)I'll get the rest of the model numbers tomorrow when I feed the horses. Thanks for any info-John

 

[eric_271]

I have a wiz 55 and it is blue and also gear driven. The wiz 55 was built between 60 and 1967.

 

[jnsn]

Do you use it ? What's your impression of the saw?

 

[eric_271]

The guy I bought my place from gave it to me. That was 11 years ago. I just ran it for the first time about 4 months ago and its so loud it will give you a headach. I used to hear him sawing with it when I was a kid and I remember it being loud way back then. It weighs a ton and I have not used it to saw with. It would take a bigger man then me to run that saw all day. It has a big narly chain on it, I dont think i could even find that type of chain around here, havent even seen a chain like that befor and there is no chain brake on it. It is a neat looking old saw but to me it is just a conversation piece. I have newer lighter and safer saw's that get my nod. I will say the 55 wiz was well built to last as long as this one has but than again as heavy as they are it might not have been used to much.

 

[Lewis Brander]

To jnsn:

HI, sent you an email, did you get it? Sure would like to see the pictures, if you have taken any. Thanks. Lewis.

 

[Proj Eng]

I finally got mine back from the old man's place. I don't know exactly what year or what model it is but I know it's a WIZ. Blue in color with a 9XXXXX serial number. I tried starting it, until I realized it wasn't getting any fuel so I dug a little deeper and found the rubber fuel line in tank to be twisted 180 deg. and dried out. Replaced that and got it to fire by pouring a little fuel into the carb(it has good spark, checked that out). Didn't run more than 4 or 5 putt-putts until it died. Then I wore the skin off my finger on the old starting handle that was falling apart. Must have pulled it about 50 times. Plumbed the fuel line into my gas can and flooded it to death. I know it's getting gas but the carb settings must be wayyyyy off. Anybody know some base settings for me to start at? L, H with number of turns?
And for reference, it says J-6-J spark plug, gapped at 0.025", 3/4 pint of oil to gallon of gas (10:1 mix), and it is a gear driven saw.

Also, I got it and a 3/4 HP gas drill for free about 10 years back. Didn't know enough about them then, still probably don't know enough about them now. But that is why i visit this site so regularly. Will post some pics of them in a day or two.
Thanks for any help/advice given.
-Scott

 

[eric_271]

Mine sat for 10 years and would fire when I primed it but that was it. I took the carb off and it was gummed up real bad. I got a kit and cleaned the carb and that fixed it. I may be wrong but I dont think its just the needle settings that need tweaked. With the kind of oil and mix rate that these saws ran if it was not drained out when put away I would bet the needle is stuck open with gum. Ray Benson can give you the needle settings. PM Ray, thats where I got my information. Be ready when you get it running these saws are loud.

 

[Proj Eng]

Cool, thanks.
I heard how loud it was just when it puffed at me. That's why I want to get it running! I think it will be good for summer time sawing in the woods (plenty of smoke to keep the mosquitos at bay) until my arms vibrate apart.

Any suggestions for improving the cheap rubber bushing/vibration mount for the bar handle? Perhaps a wrap for the aluminum (like on tennis raquets or golf clubs).

That also brings me to another thought... there isn't much for a muffler on these, in fact, it isn't even a muffler so much as a spark arresting screen in a small square metal box. i wonder how it would sound if tuned a little.

 

[Lewis Brander]

Handle bushings:

Hello Proj Eng. A suggestion to the Homlite handle bushings. I've taken some 3/4" black hearter hose and cut off a piece the right length and slipped it over the handle to use. Just a suggeston. Take care. Lewis Brander.

 

[ray benson]

Scott , hope the settings work out. I have used 7/8" water discharge hose on a handle, got it from the hardware store.
Ray