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Do you use bar oil in your chainsaw?
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine
oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean |
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#2
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"dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean I worked with a professional tree service for 7 years. We used the bar oil or motor oil . Whatever was available at the time.. Using motor oil never hurt any saw we had. We used Stihls, we had Huskys, Echos (long time ago). Never hurt any of them. the main thing is to make sure that the bar gets oil. Theres a slot that the chain runs in.. sometimes it's good to clean that out. It can get gunked up a bit. That'll help keep the bar lubed up. |
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#3
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dean wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Used 10W30 in my Stihl from the time I bought it until it was "borrowed" by an uninvited guest - about five- years - and it worked well for me. -- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto |
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#4
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"dean" wrote in message oups.com...
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. -- Al Reid |
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#5
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"dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I've seen all sort of crappy oil used, even used motor oil. It works. OTOH, I'm still on my first gallon of bar oil that I paid about $5. |
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#6
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"dean" writes:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? The oil on the chain will be distributed in you environment it's totally unacceptable to use a non-biodegradable oil for lubricating the saw. The pro's you have seen obviously don't care a dam about the rest of the world and should be [insert punishment of choice]... -- Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869 Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23 |
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#7
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On 22 Jun 2005 07:27:39 -0700, "dean" wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean I use stihl bar lube and stp mixed 10 to 1, it might sound silly but my chain seems to stay sharp longer with less stretch. I cut alot of locust trees for posts and firewood each season. |
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#8
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In misc.rural dean wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I use Poulan bar oil from Walmart. Its 30 weight with a tackifier (sp?) in it so it sticks to the chain better than motor oil. Since it doesn't have any of the additives needed to keep an engine clean, its cheaper than motor oil too. |
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#9
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In article , "Al Reid" wrote:
"dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. No, not really. The suspended solids and other junk (such as combustion byproducts) in used motor oil don't do either the bar or the chain any good. That gunk is better off being recycled and disposed of properly. -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time? |
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#10
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In article .com, "dean" wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Bar & chain oil is a *lot* thicker and stickier than motor oil. This helps it stay on the chain. Motor oil will work, but it gets slung off the chain pretty quickly, so you have to replenish the oil reservoir more often. And it makes a hell of a mess. Bottom line: motor oil is cheaper, but you use more of it. I'm guessing it's about even, price-wise. -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time? |
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#11
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"Doug Miller" wrote in message . ..
In article , "Al Reid" wrote: "dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. No, not really. The suspended solids and other junk (such as combustion byproducts) in used motor oil don't do either the bar or the chain any good. That gunk is better off being recycled and disposed of properly. -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time? Doug, I have never actually put used motor oil in my saws, although I have been told that it can be done. I was just testing a theory that if I said I did that Doug Miller would be the first one to tell me that I was wrong to do so. Theory proven correct ;^) -- Al Reid |
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#12
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On 22 Jun 2005 07:27:39 -0700, "dean" wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Scrotum or bladder cancer. No thanks ! Whatever you use as an oil, you're also breathing it as an aerosol. I won't use engine oil and I certainly won't use used engine oil. There's also the issue of staining valuable timber with it. |
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#13
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In article , "Al Reid" wrote:
"Doug Miller" wrote in message . .. In article , "Al Reid" wrote: "dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. No, not really. The suspended solids and other junk (such as combustion byproducts) in used motor oil don't do either the bar or the chain any good. That gunk is better off being recycled and disposed of properly. Doug, I have never actually put used motor oil in my saws, although I have been told that it can be done. I was just testing a theory that if I said I did that Doug Miller would be the first one to tell me that I was wrong to do so. Theory proven correct ;^) Are you a jerk in real life, too, or just on Usenet? -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time? |
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#14
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"Doug Miller" wrote in message . ..
In article , "Al Reid" wrote: "Doug Miller" wrote in message . .. In article , "Al Reid" wrote: "dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. No, not really. The suspended solids and other junk (such as combustion byproducts) in used motor oil don't do either the bar or the chain any good. That gunk is better off being recycled and disposed of properly. Doug, I have never actually put used motor oil in my saws, although I have been told that it can be done. I was just testing a theory that if I said I did that Doug Miller would be the first one to tell me that I was wrong to do so. Theory proven correct ;^) Are you a jerk in real life, too, or just on Usenet? -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time? ROFLMAO! |
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#15
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Doug Miller wrote:
In article , "Al Reid" wrote: "dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I put used motor oil in my saw. Good way to get rig of it. No, not really. The suspended solids and other junk (such as combustion byproducts) in used motor oil don't do either the bar or the chain any good. That gunk is better off being recycled and disposed of properly. Actually, I never thought of it, but I really doubt it's really doing any harm--it's not a demanding lubrication problem and the solids suspended in the oil aren't anything much to compare to the junk that's being collected on the bar anyway... imo, $0.02, ymmv, etc., ....  |
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#16
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Juergen Hannappel wrote:
"dean" writes: Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? The oil on the chain will be distributed in you environment it's totally unacceptable to use a non-biodegradable oil for lubricating the saw. The pro's you have seen obviously don't care a dam about the rest of the world and should be [insert punishment of choice]... So should I be using canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, olive oil, or is there something better? -- Proud member of the reality-based community. |
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#17
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Juergen Hannappel wrote:
"dean" writes: Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? The oil on the chain will be distributed in you environment it's totally unacceptable to use a non-biodegradable oil for lubricating the saw. The pro's you have seen obviously don't care a dam about the rest of the world and should be [insert punishment of choice]... Well, they are cutting trees, aren't they, the scum... I really doubt the base of bar oil is any different than that for engine oil...just viscosity and (perhaps) some specific additives, but I'd not expect much there as the lubrication requirements are not onerous in terms of temperature, pressure, tolerances, etc. |
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#19
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#20
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Doug Miller wrote:
.... The suspended solids in used engine oil are, for the most part, fine particles of metal. The junk that collects on the bar during use is wood dust. Surely you don't imagine that the two produce the same degree of wear on the chain and bar. A lot of the chips and dust are wood, but a lot isn't--the inevitable dirt and other grime is at least as abrasive as the much smaller diameter particles that made it through the engine oil filter...after all, you wouldn't be particularly concerned to run your auto another 500 or even 1000 miles above the 3000 mi mark if you were on a trip and needed that to get home for a more convenient oil change, would you? The lube requirements of any modern engine are far more onerous... |
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#21
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"Elmo" wrote in message So should I be using canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, olive oil, or is there something better? Stihl, for one, does have a vegetable based oil |
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#22
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#23
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FWIW. I'm not an expert on chain saws, although I do own a Stihl. When I
was racing dirt bikes offroad, I always used what the bike shop recommended on the chain. This stuff was stickier than dog **** but it didnt fly off the chain and IT DIDNT PICK UP CRAP like motor oil. |
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#25
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The oil on the chain will be distributed in you environment it's totally unacceptable to use a non-biodegradable oil for lubricating the saw. The pro's you have seen obviously don't care a dam about the rest of the world and should be [insert punishment of choice]... So should I be using canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, olive oil, or is there something better? There is a resin based bar lube that is bio safe but it will turn to a solid if you left it sit too long. |
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#26
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I rented a chainsaw this weekend. Ran out of bar oil,
went to the rental shop. They filled the bar oil bottle with 30w oil because they didn't have any bar oil left. This was done by the lead supervisor on the job so it must be ok. Michael |
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#27
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#28
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"Duane Bozarth" wrote in message ... Doug Miller wrote: In article , wrote: Doug Miller wrote: .... The suspended solids in used engine oil are, for the most part, fine particles of metal. The junk that collects on the bar during use is wood dust. Surely you don't imagine that the two produce the same degree of wear on the chain and bar. A lot of the chips and dust are wood, but a lot isn't--the inevitable dirt and other grime is at least as abrasive as the much smaller diameter particles that made it through the engine oil filter...after all, you wouldn't be particularly concerned to run your auto another 500 or even 1000 miles above the 3000 mi mark if you were on a trip and needed that to get home for a more convenient oil change, would you? The lube requirements of any modern engine are far more onerous... Just the same, it should be obvious that you're not doing your chain saw any good by running used motor oil through it. By the same token, I don't think it at all obvious there would be much difference observable one way or the other as opposed to clean motor oil... Seems to me like the "stale gas" thread or the "diluted 2-cycle gas in 4-cycle engine" threads of recent history...  Duane, I've got a 25 yr. old Poulan that has an 18 yr. old bar. I've used the hell out of that saw on_big_trees over the years. Only reason I changed the bar was it got bent when a tree pinched it when I was cutting on a hillside. I've always filled the bar oil tank with used motor oil. My chains last a long time and it should be evident that it sure didn't do any damage to the bar. I do pump the oiler quite a bit on the saw and keep the bar well lubed. Now................................wait for it. Some horse's ass will tell me I'm spreading carcinogens to the little forest creatures who might come and lick the stump that has used motor oil on it. Garrett Fulton |
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#29
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Good luck with finding the biolube. None of the local dealers stock it.
None want to bother ordering it. |
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#30
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Garrett Fulton wrote:
.... Duane, I've got a 25 yr. old Poulan that has an 18 yr. old bar. I've used the hell out of that saw on_big_trees over the years. Only reason I changed the bar was it got bent when a tree pinched it when I was cutting on a hillside. I've always filled the bar oil tank with used motor oil. My chains last a long time and it should be evident that it sure didn't do any damage to the bar. I do pump the oiler quite a bit on the saw and keep the bar well lubed. Now................................wait for it. Some horse's ass will tell me I'm spreading carcinogens to the little forest creatures who might come and lick the stump that has used motor oil on it. Sound like your thinking parallels mine... I'd never thought of it as a use for the old oil and since each of the large tractors takes 16 qts/change, it adds up pretty quickly here on the farm... There's only so much that can be used on combine chains, etc. I'll probably go to a used oil burner for some heat in the shop here in another winter or so when I get the rest of the barn refurb far enough along to have actually got it close to tight...at present no windows in anything except the shop itself, etc., so far so not much purpose 'til can get farther along and farming comes first this time of year. |
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#31
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"Juergen Hannappel" wrote in message ... "dean" writes: Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? The oil on the chain will be distributed in you environment it's totally unacceptable to use a non-biodegradable oil for lubricating the saw. The pro's you have seen obviously don't care a dam about the rest of the world and should be [insert punishment of choice]... what in the world makes you think oil is not biodegradable? |
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#32
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what in the world makes you think oil is not biodegradable? Asphalt releases more oil into the environment than chain saws ever will. |
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#33
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"Norma Desmond" wrote in message ... what in the world makes you think oil is not biodegradable? Or for that matter, what difference does it make? I'll tell you another thing that isn't "biodegradable" and stays forever - dirt. |
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#34
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In article ,
Modat22 wrote: what in the world makes you think oil is not biodegradable? Asphalt releases more oil into the environment than chain saws ever will. Never mind the hundred-plus years worth of oil-leaking jalopies that have been driven on those asphalt roads... -- Don Bruder - - New Email policy in effect as of Feb. 21, 2004. Short form: I'm trashing EVERY E-mail that doesn't contain a password in the subject unless it comes from a "whitelisted" (pre-approved by me) address. See http://www.sonic.net/~dakidd/main/contact.html for full details. |
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#35
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Doug Miller wrote:
snip The suspended solids in used engine oil are, for the most part, fine particles of metal. The junk that collects on the bar during use is wood dust. Surely you don't imagine that the two produce the same degree of wear on the chain and bar. Hey Doug, Check this out as for the hardness of wood. Check out the third picture down!! http://www.xmission.com/~tmathews/b29/e.html |
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#36
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dean wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean Having owned a small logging company for about 2 years, and having used numerous chain saws, I vote for the cheapest oil that you can get. NOTHING can be more abrasive to the bar than the chain itself. The oil serves to keep it cool and lubricated. Any oil will do that. We bought 5 gallon buckets of reconstituted oil and mixed it with used (strained through a paint strainer) motor oil mixed in to make it go further. We used about 20 gallons a week. I still have an old Poulan Countervibe 3500 from those days that is still going strong, and that was in the 70s. -- Robert Allison Rimshot, Inc. Georgetown, TX |
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#37
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Mark and Kim Smith wrote:
Doug Miller wrote: snip The suspended solids in used engine oil are, for the most part, fine particles of metal. The junk that collects on the bar during use is wood dust. Surely you don't imagine that the two produce the same degree of wear on the chain and bar. Hey Doug, Check this out as for the hardness of wood. Check out the third picture down!! http://www.xmission.com/~tmathews/b29/e.html Interesting site too.. Reminded me of the marvelous PBS Nova program about the attempt to recover the B-29 "Kee Bird" from Greenland. IIRC they did something creative with the wheels on that one too. Having no source of compressed air they filled the tires with propane they had on hand for cooking. If you never heard about this 1994-95 rescue attempt and its unhappy ending, here's a link: http://b-29s-over-korea.com/shortstories/b29-frozen.htm Jeff -- Jeffry Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE) "Truth exists; only falsehood has to be invented." |
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#38
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Are you a jerk in real life, too, or just on Usenet? Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com) ROFLMAO! "if a guy doesn't figure he's as much of an asshole as half the guys out there he prob'ly ain't thinkin so good" -alvin What I see, most guys figure they are in the top 1% of "good guys" or so! Leads to trouble, one perfect little momma's boy dealing with another perfect little momma's boy. If they figured they were so "good" that they fit in the top 10% I could go along with that if they were a fairy. I figure the top 10% of "good" guys out there are all fairies. Are you a fairy?  It's ok if you are, I'm not making a judgement on that, ok? You judge yourself. When a guy uses the word "proper" it kind of gives me the creeps. That was my grandma's word and the way she saw everything, in terms of "proper" or not. Never knew guys used that word until I got on usenet. :/ You find it kind of creepy? Or is it just me? :/ Alvin a real asshole (typical dumb-ass guy) in AZ |
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#39
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dean wrote:
Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? Dean Huh? Bar oil is CHEAPER than 10W30 oil, if you are buying regular 10W30. If you have excess or essentially free 10W30 add a few ounces of Motor Honey per gallon of oil to hold it on the bar. There is nothing special about bar oil in the way of lubrication. |
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#40
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Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
"dean" wrote in message oups.com... Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil? Any comments? I've seen all sort of crappy oil used, even used motor oil. It works. OTOH, I'm still on my first gallon of bar oil that I paid about $5. Walmart sells Poulan branded bar oil for less than $3 per gallon. Still on your first gallon? Don't use than saw much huh? If you burn wood and get your own, that gallon of oil will be gone fairly quickly (or the blade will be gone). |
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