Bar oil

[Page]

anyone using something other than bar oil to oil bar? interested in an alternative, something more environmental maybe, preferable free. here's a few idea's to get the ball rolling...used veg or motor oil, drippings from the hydro lines on my chipper that I collect in one of my many chipper diapers.(she's old)

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Which oil you ask......??

That all depends

 

[MasterBlaster]

I use the Poulan bar oil from WalMart.

 

[emr]

Been using Canola oil from Walmart for a while now. No problems at all. Use in in everything from our climbers to our MS660 with a 32" bar.

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[Pelorus]

Will canola flow ok when it is cold?
going down to -6C tonight. Yecccch.

 

[sawinredneck]

Three problems here with the Canola oil, it thins in the heat, gels in the cold and coagulates if left too long. Not a bad option for daily use in mild temperaments.
Used motor oil, HELL NO! It's already full of crap and metal shavings so it will just wear things out that much faster!
Hyd oil, NO! It's way too thin!
Bar oil has special tackifiers built into it just for this purpose, it's "sticky nature" is designed so it stays where it's needed and doesn't fling off the bar and chain like the lighter oils.
Now, I'm not proud with it, like Butch said, I'll buy the cheapest I can, but I always make sure I run "bar and chain oil" of some sort!

 

[emr]

Our saws get used daily... Not every saw every day, but we use saws daily. Canola is definitely thin, especially in the summer but we have not noticed any wear above what we had with normal bar and chain oil.

We use it for the environmental and health factors. I think we pay as much or slightly more than we would for cheap bar oil but we like it so we will keep using it.

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[sbtree]

Been using the Stihl bio chain oil since September, had to buy a case for a big job we did on an island and the people wanted everything done environmentally friendly as possible and a lot of the work was done along the shoreline. I must say I will be using this for now on. It's $3 more a gallon but chains seem to be cleaner also.

 

[sbtree]

Will canola flow ok when it is cold?
going down to -6C tonight. Yecccch.

Yeah I just got in Dave and brrrr chilly! Had a long day, crane job first thing this morning then a 5 tree backyard removal, a lot of climbing today!

 

[woodworkingboy]

I used to use vegee bar oil, better for the environment I think, and washes out of clothes. Then when it became mandatory to use it for the prefectural falling contracts, they absurdly jacked the price way up. It used to be actually cheaper than petroleum based. Standard oil used to make a great product that I bought from one of their depos in Sonoma County. It was a petroleum based oil that had a tack agent in it, I think the anti sling oil was designed to be used in certain types of machinery. It was sold in like twenty gallon buckets and was super cheap, not a reclaimed oil either. I have tried to get the number of that product, no name just a number, to recommend to you guys, but can never come up with it searching on the web. I wish that someone could ask Standard oil about it, which of their oil products has a tack agent in it? Who knows if they still make it, but it worked so well. Maybe if you can just get a tacking agent substance, you could add it to canola.

 

[Pelorus]

Yup, it's cold, Devon.


It would be interesting to add some starch or guar gum or other goodies to some veggie oil and see what happens.....mad scientific experiment. Will make sure to use a disposable Husky saw in case the results are unfortunate.

"LUB<>LINE Biodegradable tackifiers are principally used to provide adherence in saw-guide Oils in environmentally sensitive locations. Low temperature properties can be improved. The treatment levels for a chain lube are 3-10 %. This level will bring a vegetable oil to ISO 46 to ISO 68 grade, these are good viscosities for all weather saw chain oils in most climates. The polymers themselves are not readily biodegradable, but permit the formulation of tacky lubricants from biodegradable base oil systems. These products are approximately 90% readily biodegradable."

 

[SimplyArbor]

Been using canola all summer without any negative effects. Temps standard are mid-80's and some 90-95 deg days. Plan for winter is to use stihl bio/canola mix. Cost equals out to normal bar oil cost in that case...

 

[Nate a Surveyor]

I use used motor oil. Let it SETTLE down, and pour off the top. Don't use the dregs. It's a bit rough on pumps, but I tighten the chain less, than I did with that regular stuff. (OK string me up!)

 

[MasterBlaster]

Nobody gets strung up here, friend.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I used to use vegee bar oil, better for the environment I think, and washes out of clothes. Then when it became mandatory to use it for the prefectural falling contracts, they absurdly jacked the price way up. It used to be actually cheaper than petroleum based. Standard oil used to make a great product that I bought from one of their depos in Sonoma County. It was a petroleum based oil that had a tack agent in it, I think the anti sling oil was designed to be used in certain types of machinery. It was sold in like twenty gallon buckets and was super cheap, not a reclaimed oil either. I have tried to get the number of that product, no name just a number, to recommend to you guys, but can never come up with it searching on the web. I wish that someone could ask Standard oil about it, which of their oil products has a tack agent in it? Who knows if they still make it, but it worked so well. Maybe if you can just get a tacking agent substance, you could add it to canola.

If you are referring to a depot in Sonoma County California Jay I live here and would be happy to check. By “Standard” are you referring to Chevron? Redwood Oil in Santa Rosa, selling Chevron products?

 

[Burnham]

I think PCTree uses used hydraulic oil and has for many years with good results, if I recall correctly. I'd agree that it seems awfully thin, but I dunno.

I don't use enough to quibble about it, so I go with what's on sale wherever I happen to be.

 

[woodworkingboy]

If you are referring to a depot in Sonoma County California Jay I live here and would be happy to check. By “Standard” are you referring to Chevron? Redwood Oil in Santa Rosa, selling Chevron products?

Thanks Merle! For some reason I have Standard oil in my mind, but it might have been Chevron. There was a depot right when you get off the Freeway heading into Petaluma from the south, The exit is Petaluma Blvd south. I think when you get off the freeway you drive right by the depot, or it is in the immediate vicinity. That was twenty years ago, and with any luck they might still be there. I simply went in there and asked them if they had an oil with a tack agent that could be used for chainsaw bars. They quickly recommended one product and I used it ever since while residing there. I'm going to try and Google map the place, and will let you know if I come up with anything. It is quite possible that they are no longer there, hate to see you go to any trouble if they aren't.

 

[Tucker943]

Hydraulic oil is fine. A little light for long bars. I have friends that have run their tree companies on it for 20 years. Ive used it. You wont know the difference doing residential work. Maybe production falling you might find a little faster bar wear. Not in residential work at all. Might have to adjust your oiler a hair. If you have it, use it.

 

[Burnham]

I wouldn't have to adjust my oiler...they are all set to maximum .

 

[HolmenTree]

From past posts I sound like a stuck record here
Been running canola for close to 10 yrs now and am happy with it. Hot weather it's strong film viscosity works fine, cold down to minus-20 C it gets almost solid so you gotta keep the jug in the truck cab and the saw indoors overnite. It can be 40 below and the saw's warm oil tank will keep it toasty warm.
Tacktifiers only work on cold steel, b/c heats up and the tacktifier flings off along with the bar oil. I can wash my work pants along with my kids laundry and my lungs have never felt better now that I'm no longer breathing petroleum oil mist.
Oh I almost forgot $6 a jug at Walmart

 

[HolmenTree]

If tacktifiers in bar oil was to work like most people who are led believe it should , it would leave a layer of gunk all over the bar, chain and saw.

Number one reason why Stihl and Oregon spent millions on the development of the Stihl "Oil O Matic" and Oregon's "Lubri Link and Lubri Well" sawchain design.

 

[Peter]

Another vote for canola here, cheaper here than mineral bar oil and bio bar oil.

 

[woodworkingboy]

How do most people think tackifiers work? I think the general idea is that tack is supposed to help keep oil attached to a chain, why would it leave gunk all over the saw? If I look at the chain after revving the engine, the chain is coated and it isn't running down the side of the bar (film strength). I think that is how it is supposed to work. Isn't the point of a tackifier better adherence? Without it, it seems like you might be getting more oil where you don't need it, adding to greater waste. I think tackifiers also add to water resistance.

I've used regular machine oil that I put into the gearbox of my metal turning lathe. Like a lot of machine oils it has a tack agent in it. I ran out of other stuff so i used it. I don't know if it is long term good or bad to use, but it definitely seemed to work ok, and cheaper than proper bar oil.

 

[Al Smith]

It's basically STP .Machine way oil has about the same stuff in it .Costs a lot more though .

 

[woodworkingboy]

I'm curious if there is something special about proper bar oil, compared to a lot of other oils sold with a tackifier in them for machine applications? I know that there are a number of different tack agents used in oils and greases, different compatibility and degrees of tack.