Bar and Chain lubricant! Petroleum vs Non Petroleum!

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Schipp

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
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Location
Ky.
Ok! Yesterday evenin, 6-11-19 (I didn’t have much time before dark), but I cut up 4 or 5 tree trunks, 8’-15’ long, 10”-18” in diameter, at around 16” sections! Using my mm’ed, fully adjustable carb, ms170 w/14” 3/8 .050 chain!
I don’t remember how many, but 4-6 tanks of fuel and bar lubricant refills! I went back and forth between TSC bar oil and Walmart Canola oil!
I took my Harbor Freight laser infrared thermometer gun and measured the temps of my bar and chain and muffler after each trunk and after most individual cuts!
The max rpm’s was under 11,000 I believe!
The temps, ranged the same for both lubricants!
(The canola oil possibly was a bit cooler?)
I’m thinkin the bar temp with both lubricants ran from between 130°-160°
A cpl of the trunks had some hollow areas with some wet dody wood, so, I’m going to keep experimenting when I have all solid wood!
It was encouraging/interesting to see that the temps were at least close between the two lubricants!
I wasn’t able to test it with my ms250’s!
NOW, ...even if it proves that the temps run the same between the two...does that mean the “lubricity” and wear and tear are the same??
Will they differ between the two at higher rpm’s on bigger saws??
Further testing and research to ensue!
I would be interested in what others find, with actual temperature readings, instead of just “opinions” based on “what’s been excepted as the norm”! (Even though, those are welcome as well!) ☺️
 
I don't think that on a 170, you will able to notice much difference.
I would be curious how canola would clog up that tiny oiler though...
It seems to flow the same. But I did read somewhere that the Conala may “pack” tighter!? (If that’s how it was put) requiring a little more cleaning “effort”!
But I read that ppl have been using it for decades!
 
Vegetable oil will eventually start plugging things up. Once it’s introduced to oxygen and heat cycles it will solidify.

I use Tractor Supply bar oil exclusively. On sale it is like $4 a gallon around here. Hard to complain about that.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
Yeah, I would run some gas mix through the saw's oil system before I put the saw away for a while.
I would say that would be a good idea!
And you may be right that it may be better just fer smaller saws!?
 
Vegetable oil will eventually start plugging things up. Once it’s introduced to oxygen and heat cycles it will solidify.

I use Tractor Supply bar oil exclusively. On sale it is like $4 a gallon around here. Hard to complain about that.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
So, maybe running a petroleum product thru it every so often?
Here in South Central Ky, I can get TSC bar oil for $7 per gallon when they run a sale!
 
Is a gallon of vegetable oil truly any cheaper than tractor supply bar oil.

Around here even the offbrand vegetable oil‘s around 2 to 3 dollars a quart. Seems you could get bar oil for a much better price and not deal with the hassle


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
I just like getting in on a hot oil thread early on!!!

Throw "synthetic" and "viscosity" in there, a few mathmatical equations,
and let the magic happen!!!
Somehow you make a chainsaw seem sexy!!
 
Husqvarna introduced Canola bar oil in the '80s. At the time it was known as Rape Seed oil, the name of which was changed to Canola (for marketing reasons that are reasonably self-explanatory).
The word at the time was that it had twice the lubricity of mineral oil.
Apart from needing to replace the the pump plunger on older saws with one that pumped half as much oil, the main complaint was the hot cooking oil smell.
 
Is a gallon of vegetable oil truly any cheaper than tractor supply bar oil.

Around here even the offbrand vegetable oil‘s around 2 to 3 dollars a quart. Seems you could get bar oil for a much better price and not deal with the hassle


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
$7 is the lowest I can get bar oil, when it’s on sale at TSC! Canola is $4 something at Walmart!
 
$7 is the lowest I can get bar oil, when it’s on sale at TSC! Canola is $4 something at Walmart!

So for three dollars of savings you’re going to run vegetable oil and then have to pay for another product to run through it to clean it out.


In my opinion spend the three extra dollars and have a beer in the time you’ve saved.


Sent while firmly grasping my redline lubed RAM [emoji231]
 
Husqvarna introduced Canola bar oil in the '80s. At the time it was known as Rape Seed oil, the name of which was changed to Canola (for marketing reasons that are reasonably self-explanatory).
The word at the time was that it had twice the lubricity of mineral oil.
Apart from needing to replace the the pump plunger on older saws with one that pumped half as much oil, the main complaint was the hot cooking oil smell.
Hummm! Interesting!
Well, I read one post of someone that said he has been using coconut oil fer 10 years! ‍♂️
 

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