Put water in my chainsaw? Is they NUTS ???

[pdqdl]

I found this product in my new product literature from Oregon: Aborol, a vegetable oil concentrate, diluted with water 4:1, to use as chain lubricant. Ecologically friendly, better cooling (no doubt about that!), supposedly less wear, better smelling, etc, etc.

The Oregon webpage marketing this stuff seems to be posted on a European webpage, and all the testimonials are from French guys speaking english. It has aparently been in use there for some time.

Here is their web page, complete with video, FAQ's, free sample applications, but no price sheets: http://www.oregonchain.eu/arborol/index.html


I have several concerns.
1. What about rust? I have yet to see a bar & chain that doesn't rust after sitting in water, no matter how well lubicated when it was exposed.
2. No amount of chemistry can change the fact that water freezes if you get it cold enough. I suspect that mixing it up in the winter could get tricky.
3. Their site says that shaking the can daily should prevent separation. I'd prefer to know how long it sits before it separates.

When my free sample shows up, I'll do some testing.

 

[TDunk]

Not sure about that. We have a $1500 magnetic drill for drilling frame rails, the cutting oil we use needs to be dilluted ...... with water. I have to admit we've never had any probs. with the drill components rusting/corroding etc. At least the cutting oil takes a couple days for it to separate. I think i'll be sticking to regular bar oil for now.

 

[senechal]

Coolant in your car is diluted with water. I heard a stat somewhere that said the amount of bar oil slung off saws in the PNW in one year could cover the planet. Studies on mutation effects caused by bar oil entering streams and contaminating populations of fish eggs are disturbing. Most arborists I know have a connection to the environment while having to be somewhat realistic about what it is we do. That said I am watching the product development with invested interest.

 

[pdqdl]

The coolant in your car IS water, diluted with anti-freeze and additives. And it runs in an oxygen deprived "closed" system, in a block that is either cast iron or aluminum. And even then, corrosion is a problem.

If it's cost effective, I'll give it a try. I don't intend to pay a huge premium for being "green".

 

[buzz sawyer]

I heard a stat somewhere that said the amount of bar oil slung off saws in the PNW in one year could cover the planet.

What - about one atom thick?

 

[Locoweed]

What - about one atom thick?

Trying to make sense? <G>

 

[senechal]

I didn't claim that statistic as my own, but contributed it because it is thought provoking. Whether it is an atom thick or not does not water down the impact all the same. The residual half life of most bar oils is worse than a lot of aesthetic herbicides that are getting all the attention lately.

A large number of tree companies market themselves as environmentally sensitive and I think there is going to be room for these bio products on trucks despite the price difference.

 

[scotclayshooter]

The coolant in your car IS water, diluted with anti-freeze and additives. And it runs in an oxygen deprived "closed" system, in a block that is either cast iron or aluminum. And even then, corrosion is a problem.

If it's cost effective, I'll give it a try. I don't intend to pay a huge premium for being "green".

Moving liquid can cause electrostatic build up which can eat metal there was a badly designed International tractor engine that suffered from this and the bores would become porus, Look at the sacrificial anodes fitted to boats.
So maybe the corrosion seen in engines is not from the coolant.
Just a thought.

 

[nametrux]

Hydraulic Fluid

I read somewhere some European country is requiring water based fluid in their log splitters because of the impact on the environment when there is a leak.

 

[capetrees]

When environmental products cost the same or less than conventional methods, whatever they are, and have the SAME effect on the equipment and my lifestyle, I'll change. Till then, all I have seen has been more costly enviro products that do less of what they are supposed to which means you need more or need to replace parts that they were supposed to protect.

BTW, why not try peanut oil? Some towns near where I live require excavators and heavy equipment to change to peanut oil if they are working in the watersheds dredging and digging. Don't know how many machines have complied but I guess its ok so why not for the bar oil?

 

[asetree]

Canola Oil.

Is all we use for over three years. I think my boss got the info from the Arborists at the Biltmore House in Asheville. They have been using it for years with no neg. effects on bars, chains or oil pumps.
The price is comparable to regular bar oil and it is much more friendly for spills. And yes it is nice to tell customers that we are not spraying a thin coat of petroleum all over their property.

The one possible downside, is the potential for gumming up if a saw is not used regularly, but for work saws it is all we use and it works really well and is much more pleasant to work with.

 

[Bigus Termitius]

Kermy was so wise beyond his years.

Cover the globe with PNW bar oil? Absolute poppycock...they'll say anything to ramrod this nonsense down our throats, but more so to the unsuspecting children.

They are more susceptible to fairytales.