Chain and bar oil

[Michael Baugh]

What is it? Is there a commonly used equivalent, such as

30 weight non-detergent?

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Pretty much anything like that will work. There are some biodegradable oils for that use also so the forest does not get contaminated. You can usually get a gallon of bar oil pretty cheap compared to motor oils though. Ed

[Randd01]

30 weight in summer 10 weight in winter

[Tom]

My cousin, a landscaper, use automatic transmission fluid.

[Steve]

In my chainsaw (Homelite), the season of the year wouldn't really effect the weight of the oil. The oil tank is part of the alum engine casting. In cold weather, the oil regular bar oil is difficult to pump, however only a minute of engine operation has the oil warmed up and I'm then able to pump it on to the chain guide.

I think 30 weight would be too light and wouldn't cling to the bar and chain. I have tired it in a pinch and it seemed like I would have to pump oil continiously while sawing.

I am a frugal guy but I won't skimp on the bar oil, knowing what a replacement bar costs. They wear down fast enough as it is.

[DJ]

That'd be in the ballpark, yes. Tricky bit is that here, we have two "weights", winter and summer (the summer oil is heavier).

Thing is, I've known people that put vegetable or canola oil in their saws, for cutting moose and such (and no, I'm not kidding).

DJ

[Tony Hwang]

[HeatMan]

Ever seen someone do Ice carving with an electric chain saw? They let the water/ice lube the bar.

[Harry K]

I second that. I have never seen anything in any saw manual that recommends anything but bar/chain oil. Those oils contain anti-sling ingredients that help the oil stick to the chain. I am sure that the engineers who design saws and chemists who formulate the bar/chain oil are much more knowledgeable about what to use than the user. This discussion raises it's head almost annualy on any forum dealing with saws, IMO it is nonsensical. Go with what the manual recommends.

Harry K

[Marilyn and Bob]

Our Remington ELECTRIC chain saw specifically says NOT to use Chain/Bar Oil, but to use SAE 30 non detergent oil only.

[L. M. Rappaport]

On Tue, 28 Oct 2003 18:13:40 -0500, "Michael Baugh" wrote (with possible editing):

Apparently, it's different up here in northern NH. Bar and chain oil has something mixed in with it which makes it a bit more sticky. The problem to be solved is this: oil is pumped onto the chain as the chain leaves the top of the bar in the housing. It has to "stick" to the chain or else it will get flung off at the tip and won't make it to the bottom of the bar where the work gets done. Bear in mind that cutting normally takes place on the bottom of the bar before the chain re-enters the housing and then goes around the sprocket which also requires oil.

The logging stores up here sell a different mix for winter and summer. It is a bit lighter in winter and heavier in summer.

[Stormin Mormon]

Chain and bar oil is much more sticky than ND30. And so, it clings to the chain better.

I've heard others use other products, but I doubt they are as effective.

[George E. Cawthon]

Unless you can ge 30 weight oil for less than 75 cents per quart, then buy Poulan or other bar oil for $2.97 per gallon.

If you are getting free 30 weight oil then add some Motor Honey or STP (thick stuff) and use that. My father in law had a lot of 30 weight oil and some 20 weight oil which he gave to me. I added 4-5 ounces of Motor Honey per gallon and use that for many many cords of wood over many years. I draw filed the bar about 2 times but never needed to buy a new bar over a 15 year period. This included a lot of cutting of dirty wood and cutting into sandy ground, so I used up several chains sharpening the teeth, but never saw any adverse effects that could be attributed to what I used for bar oil. Make sure you grease that roller wheel frequently (each tank of gas) or cutting session if you use less than a tank of gas.

Make sure that you sharpen the saw frequently. Many (most? people) never learn to sharpen the chain and waste huge amounts of time with a dull chain. The other day while walking in my subdivision, I saw a guy who had just cut down a fir or spruce and was cutting a block off the 12-15 inch diameter end. When I first saw him up ahead about 100 feet, he had started the cut and when he I was past about 100 feet he had only managed to saw about 3 inches into the cut. Heck, I could have given each tooth a quick 2 swipes with a file and have sawed the block off in the same length of time. Even if you are a neophyte, you can put the saw blade in a vise and slowly and carefully file each tooth with a simple file guide(same number of strokes and same pressure for each tooth) in less than 15 minutes and have a fast cutting chain for a cord or so.

Michael Baugh wrote:

[George E. Cawthon]

[Wade Lippman]

I didn't read all the replies, so maybe someone knows what they are talking about.

Chain oil is "stickier" than motor oil, so it stays in place better. Motor oil would be a much inferior substitute.

It is certainly cheap enough; why would you want an equivalent?

[Michael Baugh]

I don't have a chain saw, but my neighbor had an electric chainsaw, and was completely unaware of the need for blade oil. I showed her the reservoir, and it was dry. There was no indication of what kind was supposed to be there, and the manual is long since gone. And indeed, it sounds like it is a question with many opinions and experiences. Rather awkward getting the info about not using chain oil on an electric saw. I wouldn't have thought there was much difference in the tip speeds. Simply put, whatever I tell her to put in there, she'll do, but I don't want to tell her wrong. I was originally thinking about using Hypoid 90 transmission fluid, but I don't want someone else to tell her that I told her wrong.

Anybody else got solid info on electric chainsaw bar lube?

[Marilyn and Bob]

Again, solid info from the manualmy Remington electric chain saw: SAE30 ND motor oil only. Doesn't the manufacturer have a website with either a manual, FAQ, or technical support contact info?