Do you use bar oil in your chainsaw?

[Doug Miller]

How's that again?

A *gallon* of bar & chain oil at Tractor Supply Company is $3.76 (that's 94 cents a quart). Where are you buying motor oil for 47 cents a quart?

[timbirr]

As someone else already noted in this outrageously long thread, 90 cents a quart for cheap motor oil. $3.95 for a gallon of bar oil. I fail to see where (new) motor oil is cheaper.

[Boots]

The claim that

but OTOH it is very

was being used up

complicated and delicate

To think that it

inadequate for the task

equally silly

to recycle it

NEW oil instead of

limited oil.

discussion.

discussion, now,

involved in

used old motor

fence posts to

with no

simpler. It is too

protection. That's

motorcycle, or bicycle,

designing them say

that they

to dig out

specifically says not

Well, if I was in the business of selling branded "special" bar oil at twice the price of cheap motor oil I'd put that in my instruction manual too.

[George E. Cawthon]

I'll add my two cents. Oh, B.S.! You are talking about nothing except metal rubbing on metal, a piece of metal riding in a groove, with two pieces of metal (the chain) riding on two flat surfaces (the bar). The tension is highly variable, not only at the beginning but during operation as the chain heats up. The chain metal is hardened, the bar is fairly hard, but easily draw filed. If you need an engineer to figure out the lube, then you probably need an engineer to figure out how to lube the stick you slide across the floor.

Don't try to embue engineers with God like knowledge. The stuff about formulated oil is probably nothing but liability wording.

Use oil with some stickum. Are all of you going to go to such extensive B.S. in describing what kind of grease to use on the bar tip wheel?

[Harry K]

I presume you follow that advice. Your vehicles must love you for not following the recommended type oil. After all you know more than the engineers.

Harry K

[AL]

Hmmm, *my* motorcycle doesn't have a self oiling chain??? SO! To keep it lubricated and keep the o-rings supple it is necessary to use a lube that doesn't throw off. The chainsaw however has a continuous flow of oil to the chain. Using used motor oil instead of thicker bar oil just means refilling the oil reserve more often.

If you want to see a rant thread get going just toss out a few ideas on disposing of 1 gal of year old gasoline - that *really* flushes out the nutcases!

AL

[George E. Cawthon]

I would guess that you know nothing about modern (even old) engines and bearing tolerances. Otherwise you wouldn't equate a modern engine using the same oil for 5,000 miles with a chain on a blade using replacement oil every few minutes.

[Fly-by-Night CC]

Anything wrong with pouring it into your vehicle's tank (as long as we're not talking diesel) and then diluting with more fresh gas?

[Harry K]

So just what do you think happens to a chainsaw chain as it goes over the tip of the bar? That's right, it tries to sling oil off just like your motorcycle does going around the sprocket. Same reason you want some tack additive in the oil. Used motor doesn't have it. Using your logic, you should be using used motor oil for your motorcycle chain.

Harry K

[HeadHunter]

Skipping the big long thread in the middle on this.

I have only ever put USED motor oil for my bar oil. I have 2 stihls that are about 20 and 13 years old respectfully. I have replaced the oil pumps in each saw once for 70~80 dollars Canadian, parts and labour each time. Each saw is expected to cut and rip about 60~75 cords of firewood each year. I do believe I have saved good amount of money over the last 20 years by using used motor oil and getting new pumps rather than using new motor oil or bar oil.

It works for me.

[AL]

Try actually reading before responding.

No, my argument is that, since the chainsaw is self oiling with a constant flow of oil from the resevoir to replace what is thrown off or dragged off by cutting the wood, it is not as important to have a sticky oil as it is for a motorcycle chain that receives an occasional oiling that must adhere to the chain for as long as possible thus making the sticky oil necessary - whew...

As to whether used motor oil works for chainsaws, just go back up the thread for proof.

AL

[Fly-by-Night CC]

Damn, my chainsaw is bankrupting me. I only use Mobil 1 synthetic - gotta buy it by the gallons. I'm looking into getting it by the drum.

[galt_57]

Used motor oil contains various carcinogens and slowly makes its way down to groundwater. Why use it to save 25 cents a day?

[HeadHunter]

Well the bar oil is pretty damn expensive in Canada. prolly more like a 33 to 40 cents a day difference.

I cut firewood for a decent second income. I figure my work season, not including rainy days, when I just split or clean brush is 100 days a year. I spend about 30 days actually delivering to bring it up to 130. If I use my saws, (I use a smaller stihl bar and motor for smaller work) for those

100 days of work that 33 cents is 33 dollars for one year. I do believe I have been doing firewood at the same pace for 20 years, BUT for accuracy sake lets go down to 15 years. That 15 years = 495 dollars. I have spent about 160 in repairs to the oil pumps so my REAL savings is 335 dollars.

If I save 33 dollars a year on one aspect of my side project, imagine what saving 33 dollars a year on several aspects can amount too. I use gasoline tractors. If I save 33 dollars a year on gas (not letting them idle for example while I survey), and save 33 dollars a year on tire repairs to my trailers (but not hauling wood so fast over rocks) etc etc etc.

As for cancer? I run a cutting tools business where we weld cobalt and tungsten and molyb bandsaw blades all day. I have to deal with used threading oil and bandsaw machine inspections and metal filings 40 or 50 hours a week.

As for groundwater I'm in the woods 1/2 to 2 miles from my artesian spring well. My concern for local groundwater ends there. By the time groundwater makes off my property into the two drainage areas, I have always assumed mother nature has filtered it. The simple act of burning firewood cause far more environmental damage than throwing oil on the ground.

You raised good points but when I count pennies and nickels on my firewood sales just like I do in my cutting tools sales, used motor oil provides a savings. So Yes it is worth it.

HeadHunter

[John Morris]

Re: biolube bar oil

I'd be pretty angry if some stranger (or county agency) decided to spray 10 or 20 gallons of petroleum all over my property. Why should I do it myself? I switched to biolube two years ago. Any Stihl or Husky dealer can order it. Yes, they complain about no one else wanting it. Yes, you end up looking like some green, granola eating, tree-hugging logger (huh?). And yes, they will special order it if you insist.

I know there is Old School and New School, and I'm probably pre-Kindergarten. However, if I were purchasing a property, and I discovered the previous owner had been spraying motor oil all over the place for 20 years, I'd seriously consider walking away. We have haywire environmental laws out here in California, and the buyer can inherit a cleanup liability. Bio oil is cheap insurance.

John Pescadero, CA

[Harry K]

Okay, lets try this. Which do you think is -better- for a saw. Used oil (or even new motor oil) that slings most of it off going over the nose before it gets to the point of most wear or oil with a tack additive that gets more oil where it is needed?

I don't understand the animosity in this thread at all. Noone says that motor oil doesn't work. The motor oil proponents aren't going to change, I am not going to change and I use a lot of chain/bar oil. The opinions are just that - opinions. What the hell is all the screaming about??

Harry K

[Harry K]

So in one use you say engineers are full of it and you don't believe their recommendations and then in another they are god? Rather inconsistent wouldn't you say?

Harry K

[Tim Douglass]

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I've used all three types of bar lube (used motor oil, new motor oil, and tackified bar oil) and have cut a lot of wood over the last 30+ years. I never did it professionally, but my Father in law did and I picked his brain too.

My conclusions:

Used motor oil: Pros: Cheap, does the job Cons: Dirty, turns everything black it touches, never washes out. Requires turning up the automatic oiler to a higher level, so you often use a tank of oil quicker than a tank of gas, creating the risk of running the bar dry. Slings off the bar at the nose (which is why the previous) and leaves the actual cutting part of the bar under-lubed. Poorest job of lubing of the three. *May* be carcinogenic. Unless you get enough from oil changes in your own vehicles you have to scrounge it. And, the deal killer for me finally after hundreds of gallons of the stuff, it usually contains enough contaminants that it will plug up the pump, bar or passages at the worst moments.

New motor oil: Pros: Does the job, slightly cheaper than dedicated bar oil. Cleaner than used oil. Clean, doesn't plug anything up and the viscosity can be chosen to work in cold weather. Cons: Slings off the bar so requires turning up the oiler and may under-lube the cutting side of the bar or cause the tank to run dry early. Not significantly cheaper than dedicated bar oil.

Tackified Bar Oil: Pros: Does the best job of lubing the chain - Since I switched there is noticeably less wear on the bars of my saws, even though I am in a sandier and dustier area. Doesn't sling off the bar, so it is still there where you need it. You use less, so it partially offsets the higher cost of new motor oil. Clean, but it does tend to leave "strings" all over the side of the saw. Never seems to plug anything up. Handy, no more messing with a 15 gallon drum of used oil. Cons: Price, slightly more expensive than new (cheap) motor oil, but if bought on sale can be had for essentially the same price. Sticky - coats your gloves, jeans, boots, truck, whatever you spill it on. Doesn't want to come off. Tends to get pretty stiff in cold weather.

Conclusion: For me, after wearing out a number of saws and bars and chains using old motor oil, I decided that paying for the "real stuff" was a good investment. All of the loggers I currently know use it because it lengthens bar and chain life by allowing them to run cooler and with less wear. Cooler chains don't stretch as much and don't require as much maintenance. My experience since switching is that the tackified oil is well worth the price. The only drawback I have found is that it gets so thick in sub-zero (F) weather that you have to thin it to make it pump. Usually under those conditions I just fall back on *new* motor oil. I will never go back to the used stuff again.

Your mileage, as always, may vary.

-- "We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

[George E. Cawthon]

((snipped))

Good point! Is that what I said? Oh yeah, it was You that said something about engineers designing saws to use a specific oil. And I said you were full of shit. You are on the engineer kick, not me. Probably no engineers involved in the oil recommendation, and they certainly didn't design a saw to use a specific oil (kind of bass akwards, wouldn't it be?). Maybe a chemist designed an oil that would work with the saw, but more likely just somebody that has used a saw, an accountant, and a lawyer--none of whom probably know anything about oil formulas. BTW, I have friends who are engineers, not gods, just people (note I didn't say men because about half of them are women) who also don't think they are gods and none of whom probably give a shit about chainsaws or the oil that the manufacture recommends for the bars, but damn if they don't all have cars. Cheers!

[G Henslee]