hi gang, i'm probably rehashing some old thread, but i've never seen it discussed here. what do you guys use for bar oil??? do you use genuine bar oil??? i have been using mostly whatever is around, 10w30, 5w30, etc. my friend swears by his old motor oil that he saves when he changes his truck. so i guess i'm opening a can of worms, but what and why???
new guy with a question...
- Thread starter unjer
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retoocs555
Addicted to ArboristSite
Use premium bar oil.
The skinny of it is that the good stuff stays on your chain better and doesn't fly right off like the cheap stuff or motor oil.
The skinny of it is that the good stuff stays on your chain better and doesn't fly right off like the cheap stuff or motor oil.
upandcommer
ArboristSite Operative
bar oil is for bars engine oil is for engines
I use only a major brand bar oil 30wt in summer and stihl winter weight if it gets below 15 and i have to cut. The reason for this is that bar oil has additives to make the oil stick to the chain and bar and allow for the lubrication of the moving parts of a cut unlike engine oil used or unused in any form which will fly right off the tip of a bar and not lubricate the bottom part of a chain or bar where the actual cutting is taking place. So unless you are hurcules and upcut (cut on the pull stroke) everything then I would suggest useing the motor oil in the truck and getting some good quality bar and chain lubrication or invest in a few reels of chain cause the heat is where the stretch and excessive tooth wear come from.
I use only a major brand bar oil 30wt in summer and stihl winter weight if it gets below 15 and i have to cut. The reason for this is that bar oil has additives to make the oil stick to the chain and bar and allow for the lubrication of the moving parts of a cut unlike engine oil used or unused in any form which will fly right off the tip of a bar and not lubricate the bottom part of a chain or bar where the actual cutting is taking place. So unless you are hurcules and upcut (cut on the pull stroke) everything then I would suggest useing the motor oil in the truck and getting some good quality bar and chain lubrication or invest in a few reels of chain cause the heat is where the stretch and excessive tooth wear come from.
Woodie
"Cap'n Bullcrap'n"
unjer said:
For what it's worth, my dealer specifically said to use "dedicated" bar oil, and to make sure that it was made from "virgin oil." (Can you make oil from virgins?) Nevermind...
The reason he suggested virgin oil was that some of the bar oil being sold today was actually recycled motor oil, and as such had not had the carbon removed. This he claimed was somewhat toxic. Whether that's true or not, I can't say...just repeating what he told me. YMMV.
Woodie
"Cap'n Bullcrap'n"
One other thing...
...he also recommended against the bio stuff out there. Apparently it attracts flying insects in use. Can anyone corroborate that?
...he also recommended against the bio stuff out there. Apparently it attracts flying insects in use. Can anyone corroborate that?
I use premium bar oil, not enough savings to use used or cheap oil. I have been using Motion Lotioin from Bailey's. Seems like I am always ordering something, so I add a gallon of oil from time to time to make sure I have pleanty on hand.
There has been some discussion previously about red bar oil. I had some once, I think it was in a Husky bottle, but I don't remember. I will not use red bar oil, it almost gave me a heart attack once.
I was cutting away when I looked down and saw blood all over my jeans (yes it was before I started wearing chaps), I dropped my saw and starting looking to see where I was cut. It was weird, a lot of blood, but no pain. You guessed it - I failed to put the oil cap on tight. Scared the s out of me. The color is the only thing I have against the red bar oil.
Jim
There has been some discussion previously about red bar oil. I had some once, I think it was in a Husky bottle, but I don't remember. I will not use red bar oil, it almost gave me a heart attack once.
I was cutting away when I looked down and saw blood all over my jeans (yes it was before I started wearing chaps), I dropped my saw and starting looking to see where I was cut. It was weird, a lot of blood, but no pain. You guessed it - I failed to put the oil cap on tight. Scared the s out of me. The color is the only thing I have against the red bar oil.
Jim
begleytree
H. sapiens moderatus
poulan pro, $2.88/gal at walmart. Why pay more? Motor oil is $1.99/qt for anything you would put in your engine, thats $8 a gallon for less protection for your bar and chain.
-Ralph
-Ralph
Elmore
Addicted to ArboristSite
Poulan Pro Bar Oil, inexpensive at WalMart. When I find a good deal on some Canola Oil I'm going to give that a try.
Kneejerk Bombas
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Drain oil is free, but it's dirty and is known to cause cancer. Do you want to spray a cancer causing fluid all around your self and your property?
I stick with Stihl orange bottle oil in all but the coldest of temperatures. It is new, clean, and doesen't have little metal shavings in it to eat up oiler parts. Plus, seriously, it isn't that expensive unless you're using a ton of it. And even then, odds are you're using that much because you're using your saws to make money, in which case oil is just another tax-deductable business expense anyway.
fishhuntcutwood
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unjer, tell your friend that his used motor oil is wearing his oiler, and is just not the way to do things. Of all the places to cut corners, don't do it here. Heat is your enemy, and oil rids you of head. Spend the couple of bucks it takes to get bona fide bar oil. It's got the tackifiers to keep it on the chain, the right viscosity, won't cause cancer, and won't errode your oil pump.
Just to get a better idea of what I'm talking about, try a search for "bar oil" and you'll get a plethora of past threads. Some guys use veggie oil, some use the bio stuff from the dealer, but I don't think you'll find many guys that recommend using used motor oil. It's just a bad idea.
Welcome to AS.
Jeff
Just to get a better idea of what I'm talking about, try a search for "bar oil" and you'll get a plethora of past threads. Some guys use veggie oil, some use the bio stuff from the dealer, but I don't think you'll find many guys that recommend using used motor oil. It's just a bad idea.
Welcome to AS.
Jeff
carvinmark
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Welcome to AS. I always use premium bar oil only.Old Motor oil doesn't stick and it makes a mess,also too thin.unjer said:
Mark
