difference in bar/chain oil??!!

[SWI Don]

I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.


Don

 

[Ole Farmerbuck]

I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.


Don

I would think the hyd oil would fly right off. But with it cold it might be ok.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.

Don

I wish someone would give me a couple bbls of clean oil like that. I'd mix it 50/50 with diesel, and burn it in my pickup! I do it all the time, and it makes excelent fuel!!

It's the only way these days i can get 2 dollar diesel!!!

Rob

 

[Hugenpoet]

I wish someone would give me a couple bbls of clean oil like that. I'd mix it 50/50 with diesel, and burn it in my pickup! I do it all the time, and it makes excelent fuel!!

It's the only way these days i can get 2 dollar diesel!!!

Rob

For your sake, I hope you live near a bus line.

 

[HolmenTree]

Hard to beat Stihl chain oil. The best I used though was Texaco Clingtex, haven't seen it for years.

 

[ken45]

summer/winter?

AFAIK, only Stihl makes summer and winter weight chain oils, no one else does. So does Sthil have a better approach or is it better to use a one oil fits all weather approach?


The stuff I got at Walmart in the green jug (Poland, I think, the jug cracked and I transferred it), was so thick in winter I was afraid to use it in cold weather (almost like axle grease).

Why did I go to Walmart? The one Stihl dealer moved away and the other Stihl dealer is a Radio Shack (I kid you not!) and they never heard of winter weight Stihl bar oil.

Ken

 

[SWI Don]

I believe Husqvarna offers a winter grade also. I haven't used it but I believe a friend of mine had a jug.

Don

 

[ShoerFast]

This will sound a little old skool-hick, but it works....

Not looking as much as lubing the bar, but getting the stuff to pour. I have taken fuel/mix and dumped it into a bar-oil jug.

On real cold days, waiting for what seems forever to get bar oil to pour, dumping in a good 15% or so and shaking the daylights out of a bar oil jug gets you through a cold day.

Truth, I think days like that are why God invented fish houses and made the ice thick enough to drive to them!

 

[milkie62]

Vactra oil is bar oil

Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....

 

[Dubai Vol]

As a complete newbie who knows nothing about saws, but knows a lot about machinery, I can say without a doubt that there certainly is a difference between bar oils, even in my very limited experience. With the help of this forum I bought my first saw last year, a Husky 359. I started out with a quart of Husky bar oil, but when that ran out I bought a gallon of Tractor Supply branded bar oil. I thought my saw was broken! Oil was spewing out all over the place where it hadn't with the Husky oil! Aaugh! Whether the TS oil is better or worse I won't try to say, but "different" it definitely is! Just from memory, the TS oil said on the jug that it was straight 30W oil. I would guess that the additives in the Husky oil make it stickier, but I'm not going to claim anything; as I said, I'm a NEWBIE!

 

[ken45]

Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....

Grainger's prices are $80-90 (plus shipping?) for 5 gallons. That makes Stihl or Husky bar oil at $8-11/gallon look good.

Ken

 

[Hugenpoet]

Grainger's prices are $80-90 (plus shipping?) for 5 gallons. That makes Stihl or Husky bar oil at $8-11/gallon look good.

Ken

Yes, and also makes one wonder if they are indeed the same product.

 

[Hawkster]

Interesting???

Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....

I am no expert on anything. That being said, I have noticed many differences between different brands. "Vactra Oil" is something I am very familiar with since I have used it for over 30 years in machine tools. Similar application to chainsaws in that it provides a film between two surfaces to reduce friction. The speed is what concerns me. Chains on bars are quite a bit faster than machine tool ways. Although the pressure load on ways of the machine would be much higher. The difference may not be an issue. I suspect this difference may be the difference between different brands of actual bar/chain oil. IMO cheap oil of any type is just that - CHEAP OIL. Some people don't care and some do. I won't buy the cheapest stuff and I won't buy the most expensive oil either. The most expensive doesn't always make it the best oil either. I'm definitely going to investigate this Vactra oil idea though. (since I have an unlimited supply at my disposal)

 

[milkie62]

For Hawkster

Well Hawkster I have been using Vactra oil for about 20 yrs.My supply finaaly dried up and will more than likely be using Husky oil now.Never had a problem with it.As a matter of fact it seems like more crud stays with the chain attesting to its stickynist (sp?). Mobil 634 gear oil seems to hang on pretty good too.I had a chance to try many oils working in a machine shop.But vactra #2 is spec'd for the roller chains where I work now.And they move pretty fast.Try that Vactra and let me know what you think.......

 

[NC Firewood]

I'm partial to STIHL but ITASCA (I believe) is not bad either it's in the green bottle.

 

[Rookie1]

I have opportunity to get odd quarts of oil often and have used all sorts of brands and weights for chain oil.I like free better than any price you guys listed.

 

[GASoline71]

LMAO... free is good... but not always best.

Gary

 

[Lakeside53]

LMAO... free is good... but not always best.

Gary

Hmmm.... Gary.. you're starting to worry me... First time you log on for days and you head straight for an oil thread...:jawdrop:

 

[Cedarkerf]

Hmmm.... Gary.. you're starting to worry me... First time you log on for days and you head straight for an oil thread...:jawdrop:

His post was really mellow for an oil thread maybe hes on meds .

 

[Lakeside53]

must be...