Posted: 8/10/2016 2:21:00 PM EDT
| So what do you use on your chainsaw bar when you run out of the good stuff? I had a quart of Rotella that I carried in my diesel pick for 10 yrs. and never needed. I figured that would work If I need some bar oil. |
|
Quoted: So what do you use on your chainsaw bar when you run out of the good stuff? I had a quart of Rotella that I carried in my diesel pick for 10 yrs. and never needed. I figured that would work If I need some bar oil. Reason is the husky oil is thicker. The cheap oil in summer is like water. My saw uses a TON, and I don't feel it does a good job in summer. Conversely, the husky oil is too thick for winter use. I would not use even diesel motor oil, unless it was an emergency situation. |
We always used generic bar oil from our saw shop. Straight in the warm months, cut with 10% diesel in cold weather. My family always did this....I come from a long line of GA pulpwooders. But then again they used Quaker-State 30WT non-detergent as 2-stroke oil, a 6 or 7 oz Coke bottle of oil per gallon of Hi-Test... about 20:1. We didn't need mosquito repellent. 
|
| I run Huskiy oil in my Husky saw and cheap bar oil in my poulan saw. I have only cut in warm months, but during the winter at work we run just cheap store brand winter oil. I feel you need chain oil of somekind I wouldnt run engine oil unless it was a absolute emergency or SHTF just like I do not run engine oil in auto transmissions, and transmission fluids in differentials ect. |
|
Canola oil is fine. Sometimes it's mandated by certain agencies when cutting near creeks and other watersheds. The bad thing about canola is if you leave it sit for a while it gums up the works horrible bad.
Don't use used motor oil. All the fouling and metal deposits will eventually wear out your oil pump. Op since you live in Wi check out your local Menards. Their oil goes on sale for 4.99 all the time. It's decent oil for the money. |
|
Quoted: Rotella or delo should work in a pinch, probably anything better than 10W-40. Some folks use used motor oil but I just can't see that effectively 1) flowing from the stock orifice 2) staying on the chain at speed and lubricating the whole bar. My old mans been doing it for years, filters it and puts it in an old windshield fluid container. |
| I've known several old farmers that only used their used motor oil for bar oil... they would save it in 5 gallon cans and it would settle out the solids (just didn't use the last gallon or two) and some would drench the bar when they gassed up. Myself, bar oil is cheap and a gallon will last for a lot of cords of wood. |
|
I use only full synthetic in all engines in our modest stable.
When it's time for service, I take care to not contaminate the used oil, so I can use it as bar oil for the saws. Has worked great for many years. I will say though that I will not use used conventional oil in the same capacity .... it congeals and will clog the oiler over time. |
|
Quoted:
I use only full synthetic in all engines in our modest stable. When it's time for service, I take care to not contaminate the used oil, so I can use it as bar oil for the saws. Has worked great for many years. I will say though that I will not use used conventional oil in the same capacity .... it congeals and will clog the oiler over time. Used 10-30 or whatever will never be as thick as name brand bar and chain oil unless you are doing like 20k mile oil changes. If so... that routine will be short lived. |
|
Quoted:
Used 10-30 or whatever will never be as thick as name brand bar and chain oil unless you are doing like 20k mile oil changes. If so... that routine will be short lived. Quoted:
Quoted:
I use only full synthetic in all engines in our modest stable. When it's time for service, I take care to not contaminate the used oil, so I can use it as bar oil for the saws. Has worked great for many years. I will say though that I will not use used conventional oil in the same capacity .... it congeals and will clog the oiler over time. Used 10-30 or whatever will never be as thick as name brand bar and chain oil unless you are doing like 20k mile oil changes. If so... that routine will be short lived. 6,000 mile intervals 100 cord over six years on the same bar. Good enough for me. |
|
Quoted:
Tractor Supply puts their store brand oil on sale for $6 a gallon from time to time. No reason to ever run out. Yep! I buy 8-10 jugs each year when they are on sale. For winter, I'll cut the TSC stuff with 20% used Hydraulic oil. Used Hydro has none of the issues of used motor oil, it's clean, filtered, and wont trash the saw's oil pump like used motor oil will. |
|
Having ran an outdoor power equipment store in the great PNW! Where we still log real trees for a living I will only add this. There is a difference between summer and winter bar oil. The guys/old farmers who swore by their used motor oil bought way more bars and chains than the pros who used real bar oil.
Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, all those guys know what there doing when engineering bar oil. |
|
Quoted:
Best sentence in the whole thread right here. Quoted:
Quoted:
Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, all those guys know what there doing when engineering bar oil. Best sentence in the whole thread right here. Yes, by creating a line of supporting products to further increase their market share. Now I'm not saying bar oil is equivalent to snake oil, but metal is metal. and I sure as hell don't think that my bars mind the used synthetic motor oil one bit. In fact, my saws put down a hell of a lot more oil than they do with any heavy, viscous bar oil I've used, which is fine, because i have a shit ton of it saved. It collects and holds far less debri, and is far easier to clean after use. For those that don't, I can understand why it wouldn't be advantageous, but I can guarantee you that my used synthetic oil lubricates and protects my equipment better than any bio bar oil available. |
|
Quoted:
Yes, by creating a line of supporting products to further increase their market share. Now I'm not saying bar oil is equivalent to snake oil, but metal is metal. and I sure as hell don't think that my bars mind the used synthetic motor oil one bit. In fact, my saws put down a hell of a lot more oil than they do with any heavy, viscous bar oil I've used, which is fine, because i have a shit ton of it saved. It collects and holds far less debri, and is far easier to clean after use. For those that don't, I can understand why it wouldn't be advantageous, but I can guarantee you that my used synthetic oil lubricates and protects my equipment better than any bio bar oil available. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, all those guys know what there doing when engineering bar oil. Best sentence in the whole thread right here. Yes, by creating a line of supporting products to further increase their market share. Now I'm not saying bar oil is equivalent to snake oil, but metal is metal. and I sure as hell don't think that my bars mind the used synthetic motor oil one bit. In fact, my saws put down a hell of a lot more oil than they do with any heavy, viscous bar oil I've used, which is fine, because i have a shit ton of it saved. It collects and holds far less debri, and is far easier to clean after use. For those that don't, I can understand why it wouldn't be advantageous, but I can guarantee you that my used synthetic oil lubricates and protects my equipment better than any bio bar oil available. viscosity [vi-skos-i-tee] Spell Syllables Word Origin See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com noun, plural viscosities. 1. the state or quality of being viscous. 2. Physics. the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow. the measure of the extent to which a fluid possesses this property. |
|
Quoted:
viscosity [vi-skos-i-tee] Spell Syllables Word Origin See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com noun, plural viscosities. 1. the state or quality of being viscous. 2. Physics. the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow. the measure of the extent to which a fluid possesses this property. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, all those guys know what there doing when engineering bar oil. Best sentence in the whole thread right here. Yes, by creating a line of supporting products to further increase their market share. Now I'm not saying bar oil is equivalent to snake oil, but metal is metal. and I sure as hell don't think that my bars mind the used synthetic motor oil one bit. In fact, my saws put down a hell of a lot more oil than they do with any heavy, viscous bar oil I've used, which is fine, because i have a shit ton of it saved. It collects and holds far less debri, and is far easier to clean after use. For those that don't, I can understand why it wouldn't be advantageous, but I can guarantee you that my used synthetic oil lubricates and protects my equipment better than any bio bar oil available. viscosity [vi-skos-i-tee] Spell Syllables Word Origin See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com noun, plural viscosities. 1. the state or quality of being viscous. 2. Physics. the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow. the measure of the extent to which a fluid possesses this property. Perhaps you could clarify your overtly vague post? |
|
Quoted:
Perhaps you could clarify your overtly vague post? Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, all those guys know what there doing when engineering bar oil. Best sentence in the whole thread right here. Yes, by creating a line of supporting products to further increase their market share. Now I'm not saying bar oil is equivalent to snake oil, but metal is metal. and I sure as hell don't think that my bars mind the used synthetic motor oil one bit. In fact, my saws put down a hell of a lot more oil than they do with any heavy, viscous bar oil I've used, which is fine, because i have a shit ton of it saved. It collects and holds far less debri, and is far easier to clean after use. For those that don't, I can understand why it wouldn't be advantageous, but I can guarantee you that my used synthetic oil lubricates and protects my equipment better than any bio bar oil available. viscosity [vi-skos-i-tee] Spell Syllables Word Origin See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com noun, plural viscosities. 1. the state or quality of being viscous. 2. Physics. the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow. the measure of the extent to which a fluid possesses this property. Perhaps you could clarify your overtly vague post? More oil that is to thin doesn't equal the same protection as oil of the proper thickness. |
|
Quoted:
More Less oil that is to thin thicker doesn't equal the same protection as oil of the proper thickness a higher quality . You keep doing what works for you, and I'll keep doing what works for me. We don't cut Conifers up here, Only Hardwoods.... Much of which is dead standing, hard and dry. Elms, Oaks, Ash, Hickory... Not green, not softwoods. To the poster that said if you don't cut for money, or in the NW, you don't cut "real" trees.... That's hilariously ignorant. I know of many guys, myself included, that have been cutting worse shit for longer, with less heavy equipment, up here in the great white north as a means of surviving our bitter 6 month long winters, to swallow that line of Bullshit. So I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. |
|
Quoted:
You keep doing what works for you, and I'll keep doing what works for me. We don't cut Conifers up here, Only Hardwoods.... Much of which is dead standing, hard and dry. Elms, Oaks, Ash, Hickory... Not green, not softwoods. To the poster that said if you don't cut for money, or in the NW, you don't cut "real" trees.... That's hilariously ignorant. I know of many guys, myself included, that have been cutting worse shit for longer, with less heavy equipment, up here in the great white north as a means of surviving our bitter 6 month long winters, to swallow that line of Bullshit. So I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. Quoted:
Quoted:
More Less oil that is to thin thicker doesn't equal the same protection as oil of the proper thickness a higher quality . You keep doing what works for you, and I'll keep doing what works for me. We don't cut Conifers up here, Only Hardwoods.... Much of which is dead standing, hard and dry. Elms, Oaks, Ash, Hickory... Not green, not softwoods. To the poster that said if you don't cut for money, or in the NW, you don't cut "real" trees.... That's hilariously ignorant. I know of many guys, myself included, that have been cutting worse shit for longer, with less heavy equipment, up here in the great white north as a means of surviving our bitter 6 month long winters, to swallow that line of Bullshit. So I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I guess I wouldn't rate used motor oil that's broken down in viscosity, and contains contaminates higher quality than new bar oil. If it's still that good leave it in the engine where it belongs. |
|
Quoted:
I guess I wouldn't rate used motor oil that's broken down in viscosity, and contains contaminates higher quality than new bar oil. If it's still that good leave it in the engine where it belongs. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
More Less oil that is to thin thicker doesn't equal the same protection as oil of the proper thickness a higher quality . You keep doing what works for you, and I'll keep doing what works for me. We don't cut Conifers up here, Only Hardwoods.... Much of which is dead standing, hard and dry. Elms, Oaks, Ash, Hickory... Not green, not softwoods. To the poster that said if you don't cut for money, or in the NW, you don't cut "real" trees.... That's hilariously ignorant. I know of many guys, myself included, that have been cutting worse shit for longer, with less heavy equipment, up here in the great white north as a means of surviving our bitter 6 month long winters, to swallow that line of Bullshit. So I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. I guess I wouldn't rate used motor oil that's broken down in viscosity, and contains contaminates higher quality than new bar oil. If it's still that good leave it in the engine where it belongs. It's rated for 10k intervals. I pull it at 6k, because I only need to service twice yearly. It's more about timing than viability of the oil. |
|
Quoted:
6,000 mile intervals 100 cord over six years on the same bar. Good enough for me. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I use only full synthetic in all engines in our modest stable. When it's time for service, I take care to not contaminate the used oil, so I can use it as bar oil for the saws. Has worked great for many years. I will say though that I will not use used conventional oil in the same capacity .... it congeals and will clog the oiler over time. Used 10-30 or whatever will never be as thick as name brand bar and chain oil unless you are doing like 20k mile oil changes. If so... that routine will be short lived. 6,000 mile intervals 100 cord over six years on the same bar. Good enough for me. I was referring to conventional congealing... which takes a lot of abuse to do and synthetics will do it too. Going thru a little chainsaw bar oiler won't make it do it. Many saws have an adjustable oiler for running on cold conditions too. |
|
I have been using tractor supply bar & chain oil for years. If I get a stray quart or so, maybe some left over fresh motor oil I will add some to the bar oil just to use it up. It does thin it out some but still stays tacky and I haven't had any issues, and never thought twice about it... Most any motor oil would probably work if needed, however the tackiness of actual bar and chain oil probably sticks and lubricates better.
ETA/ I have 15 gallons of waste oil accumulating, and have always thought about ways to use it up, I had considered filtering it through a coffee filter in a funnel, and or plumbing up some type of filter system so my waste oil can be re-used as bar oil. Once filtered I would cut it 50/50 with actual bar and chain oil. I still haven't gotten around to trying it. I haven't ever had issues using regular bar & chain oil, or bar and chain oil cut with left over fresh motor oil. I guess I just didn't want to start having saw issues just because I wanted to use my waste oil. I don't really use enough bar oil for it to really be necessary? Thoughts and opinions? Any other suggestions to use waste oil? 
|
|
Quoted:
I have been using tractor supply bar & chain oil for years. If I get a stray quart or so, maybe some left over fresh motor oil I will add some to the bar oil just to use it up. It does thin it out some but still stays tacky and I haven't had any issues, and never thought twice about it... Most any motor oil would probably work if needed, however the tackiness of actual bar and chain oil probably sticks and lubricates better. ETA/ I have 15 gallons of waste oil accumulating, and have always thought about ways to use it up, I had considered filtering it through a coffee filter in a funnel, and or plumbing up some type of filter system so my waste oil can be re-used as bar oil. Once filtered I would cut it 50/50 with actual bar and chain oil. I still haven't gotten around to trying it. I haven't ever had issues using regular bar & chain oil, or bar and chain oil cut with left over fresh motor oil. I guess I just didn't want to start having saw issues just because I wanted to use my waste oil. I don't really use enough bar oil for it to really be necessary? Thoughts and opinions? Any other suggestions to use waste oil? Take a look at what is IN waste motor oil. Just google up "Used motor oil health concerns". As far as the saw health, the particulates aren't as much of a concern as are the acids and other compounds, that raise hell with the pump seals and lines. Using motor oil or hydro to cut summer weight oil, for use in winter, is pretty much std. practice here, and has been since the days of the old gear drives. When it's real cold, lots of guys just run straight Hydro, because it's plenty sticky at -10F and anything heavier is rough on the pump. Oil is oil, Bar oil is oil with a tackifier added to keep the stuff where it can do it's job's....cooling, and lubricating. Used motor oil is not really worth the risk to health, and damage to the saw, chain and bar IMO. Bar oil is cheap compared to a new Cannon Bar, or Bar nose, and damn sure cheaper than Chemotherapy. 
If a guy just cuts 8-10 cord a year for heat, he isn't saving more than a couple six packs by using Used motor oil, and that will be out the window when the nose blows out or a pump needs to be swapped. Just my .02, after more than a few years of making a living in the off season, clearing hardwood choked wind rows and ditchlines. |
|
Quoted:
Take a look at what is IN waste motor oil. Just google up "Used motor oil health concerns". As far as the saw health, the particulates aren't as much of a concern as are the acids and other compounds, that raise hell with the pump seals and lines. Using motor oil or hydro to cut summer weight oil, for use in winter, is pretty much std. practice here, and has been since the days of the old gear drives. When it's real cold, lots of guys just run straight Hydro, because it's plenty sticky at -10F and anything heavier is rough on the pump. Oil is oil, Bar oil is oil with a tackifier added to keep the stuff where it can do it's job's....cooling, and lubricating. Used motor oil is not really worth the risk to health, and damage to the saw, chain and bar IMO. Bar oil is cheap compared to a new Cannon Bar, or Bar nose, and damn sure cheaper than Chemotherapy.
If a guy just cuts 8-10 cord a year for heat, he isn't saving more than a couple six packs by using Used motor oil, and that will be out the window when the nose blows out or a pump needs to be swapped. Just my .02, after more than a few years of making a living in the off season, clearing hardwood choked wind rows and ditchlines. Quoted:
Quoted:
I have been using tractor supply bar & chain oil for years. If I get a stray quart or so, maybe some left over fresh motor oil I will add some to the bar oil just to use it up. It does thin it out some but still stays tacky and I haven't had any issues, and never thought twice about it... Most any motor oil would probably work if needed, however the tackiness of actual bar and chain oil probably sticks and lubricates better. ETA/ I have 15 gallons of waste oil accumulating, and have always thought about ways to use it up, I had considered filtering it through a coffee filter in a funnel, and or plumbing up some type of filter system so my waste oil can be re-used as bar oil. Once filtered I would cut it 50/50 with actual bar and chain oil. I still haven't gotten around to trying it. I haven't ever had issues using regular bar & chain oil, or bar and chain oil cut with left over fresh motor oil. I guess I just didn't want to start having saw issues just because I wanted to use my waste oil. I don't really use enough bar oil for it to really be necessary? Thoughts and opinions? Any other suggestions to use waste oil? Take a look at what is IN waste motor oil. Just google up "Used motor oil health concerns". As far as the saw health, the particulates aren't as much of a concern as are the acids and other compounds, that raise hell with the pump seals and lines. Using motor oil or hydro to cut summer weight oil, for use in winter, is pretty much std. practice here, and has been since the days of the old gear drives. When it's real cold, lots of guys just run straight Hydro, because it's plenty sticky at -10F and anything heavier is rough on the pump. Oil is oil, Bar oil is oil with a tackifier added to keep the stuff where it can do it's job's....cooling, and lubricating. Used motor oil is not really worth the risk to health, and damage to the saw, chain and bar IMO. Bar oil is cheap compared to a new Cannon Bar, or Bar nose, and damn sure cheaper than Chemotherapy.
If a guy just cuts 8-10 cord a year for heat, he isn't saving more than a couple six packs by using Used motor oil, and that will be out the window when the nose blows out or a pump needs to be swapped. Just my .02, after more than a few years of making a living in the off season, clearing hardwood choked wind rows and ditchlines. Pretty much the same assessment from the guys over on AS and Hearth.com. Not even close to being worth it. |
|
Speaking as a guy who runs saws 6-7 days a week for 8 months out of the year I use Stihl bar oil in the summer and silk filtered used ATF in the winter. Both of my dump trucks are automatics and as a result I generate a lot of used ATF. If you filter it it works fine when its cold.
As far as motor oil goes I wouldn't use it. It does not work well and reduces bar/chain life. Increased friction also causes the powerhead to work harder dragging the chain which is going to make cutting take longer. |
|
Quoted:
I use rear end gear oil. 80w90 or whatever I have on the shelf. I have never purchased "bar oil". 
I pay like 6 bucks a GALLON for TSC bar oil, and snag closeouts that drop the price to 5 bucks. Last bucket of 80-90W worked out to be 5 bucks a QUART!!!!!!! BTW, the oil pump on most modern saws, were designed to work with 10-20wt., and the oil passage on newer bars have been reduced to barely flow anything. I hog out the bar passages on every new Oregon/husky bar, because they wont even flow hydro worth a damn in the winter....I dunno if 80-90 is even possible. Are you running an old Strunk Gear drive or something?
|