Do you use bar oil in your chainsaw?

[fredfighter]

I've worked on development projects for mechanical equipment and assure you that it is typical for the engineer(s) and/or designer(s) to specify what lubricants should be used and how to apply them.

I'd wager that when a chainsaw manufacturer comes out with a new saw the recommendation for what oil to use on the bar is made by virtue of NOT editing or redrawing that information from whatever documents and drawings (of an older model) were used as the starting point for the new model.

At some point between the invention of the chain saw and the production of the say you bought someone put some thought into chain lubrication. Unless and until that recommendation changes, it is probably just there in the documentation as a matter of inertia.

IOW, if you want to know what oil to use, RTFM.

[G Henslee]

[Harry K]

Rather straining there aren't you. I don't see that I said anything about a "specific" oil. Only that a "specific type" of oil, (e.g., bar/chain oil) was specified. You then went into a rant about engineers, not me.

Harry K

[George E. Cawthon]

Like trying to talk to a 6 year (especially one with no sense of humor). Merry Christmas and don't take any wooden nickels form doctors.

[TPutmann]

Especially when they post it twice.

• Messages deleted *

[Tim and Steph]

We've been waiting for that 'round these parts as long as I can remember. I don't think Doug ever admits to being wrong. As near as I can tell, his opinion is the nearest thing to gospel truth. Doug, thanks for setting us all on the path to righteousness!

:)

[Tom Miller]

I've been using hair oil in my chain saw for years. The chain always stays neat and nicely slicked down, even in a strong wind. Occasionally you should take it to a barber for a trim. Some prefer to take the chain saw to a beauty parlor for a wash and set, but that's for sissies.

[Tim and Steph]

Snort!

You mousse that thing, too?

[fredfighter]

I rather hope you send it to a recycler and don't dump it on the ground.

I don't think Mother Nature is very good at breaking down petroleum oil. I suspect breakdown relies heaviely on oxidation and exposure UV,both of which will be minimized underground.

Organics can travel long distances through the water table. E.g. mother nature is very poor at filtering them. So if someone uphill where the water enters your artesian system dumps oil on the ground you likely have traces of it in your well, depending on how long it takes to get to you from there.

No need to trust me, or to assume, these are things you can check out for yourself.

Uh, that rather heavily depends on the quantity of each, but I suspect you are right on the mark as regars how much oil gets into the environment from normal chain saw use to make firewood vs how muchharm is done by burning the wood.

But that is an argument from irrelevency, the amoutn of firewood you cut probably remains independent of your choice of bar oil.

I few years back I helped a guy convert some wood using an Alaskan chian saw mill. He used some sort of vegetable oils in the gas and on the bar. The manufacturer claimed (of course) that these were better lubricants than their petroleum-based counterparts. This guy used them because the apararatus put the operators face near the exhaust and the vegetable oils made the environment less unpleasant.

A good respirator helped more though.

[Tim and Steph]

Yikes - I'm already wearing a helmet, face shield, glasses and earmuffs - how'd he fit in a respirator? I don't think mine would fit under the face sheild.

Maybe I should get this?

[fredfighter]

It has been a number of years and my memory is nto as good as it used to be, or at least not as good as I remember it was. ;-)

Howver ISTR he used safety glasses instead of a face shield. My MSA respirator fits OK under my face shield.

BTW, it needs new elastic, any ideas where to get replacement?

[Tom Miller]

No, but I did hack up an elk once. Yuck.|

[G Henslee]

Wood chipper works well for elk sausage. ;-)

[Tom Miller]

Elkburgers! The worst piece of meat I've ever eaten.

[Tim Douglass]

If you don't mind how it looks, I've used elastic off of an old pair of underwear to replace the elastic on a pair of safety goggles.

Otherwise you can probably get something suitable at a fabric store.

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

Tim Douglass

[Upscale]

Probably be more of a consideration where they came from than how the look. :)

[fredfighter]

Especially if I leave it attached....