Chainsaw Bar Oil vs Motor Oil

Merle Nelson · Jul 21, 2020

It's a must when near streams Flex. I heard of a company working over a live stream, rigging all limbs over and away from the water line. Using regular bar oil..... $2,000 fine - no warning.

evo · Jul 21, 2020

Flex Abednego said:
Anyone use veg oil or the likes for cutting in sensitive ecological habitats such as streams?

I use the bio bar exclusively.. no real issues, talking with the local dealers the only issue is letting it sit for months on end it can gum up the innards if the Oiler. Never had that issue likely cause I use basically all my saws on a weekly basis

southsoundtree · Jul 23, 2020

100% canola, except milling...10 years or so.

Don't store saws with canola.
I use all mine, all year.

No problem.

Had some goop built up in my pole saw oil reservoir after 12 years. Could certainly have been the little bits of debris falling in over years. Maybe the oil contributed. My least used saw.

JD3000 · Jul 23, 2020

Has there been a study done on wound reaction on cuts made with conventional vs bio oil???

evo · Jul 24, 2020

JD3000 said:
Has there been a study done on wound reaction on cuts made with conventional vs bio oil???

I’m pretty sure there has, I recall reading something with inoculating tricodermas via bar oil.

New2trees · Jul 24, 2020

No reason at all to run a multi weight motor oil, a straight weight is fine. That said any motor oil is still bad, any good motor oil is about 15%-25% additives (the cheaper oils have a little less as the additives generally cost more than the base stock) many of the additives are a lot worse for you and mother nature than the oil itself and most all of them serve no purpose on a chain/bar.

New2trees · Jul 24, 2020

Jehinten said:
Same here but I started a little later, maybe 2-3 years. No negative effects in any weather or up to a 36" bar

You can buy canola oil in 35lb jugs (about 4.5 gallons) for $18.49 or about a buck a qt.......never used it myself but I may give it a try when I get done with my current gallon jug of oil I got from a guy who used it to make steroids before he "retired".

JD3000 · Jul 25, 2020

evo said:
I’m pretty sure there has, I recall reading something with inoculating tricodermas via bar oil.

I recall something about more localized necrosis and slower woundwood but am not really sure

evo · Jul 25, 2020

JD3000 said:
I recall something about more localized necrosis and slower woundwood but am not really sure

Well we as in you should do it! You get the tree fund grant and I’ll drink the beer while using the chains saws.

Roger_Barnett · Jul 25, 2020

New2trees said:
You can buy canola oil in 35lb jugs (about 4.5 gallons) for $18.49 or about a buck a qt.......never used it myself but I may give it a try when I get done with my current gallon jug of oil I got from a guy who used it to make steroids before he "retired".

looked into this, seems shipping is ~40 bucks....

ATH · Jul 25, 2020

Looks like the local Gordon Food Service has a 35# jug of "clear" Canola oil. Not sure what the difference is, and a quick google didn't help...

Clear Canola Frying Oil

Oil, Frying, Clear, Canola, Liquid, No Trans Fat, 35 Lb Jug

gfsstore.com

Jehinten · Jul 25, 2020

ATH said:
Looks like the local Gordon Food Service has a 35# jug of "clear" Canola oil. Not sure what the difference is, and a quick google didn't help...

Clear Canola Frying Oil

Oil, Frying, Clear, Canola, Liquid, No Trans Fat, 35 Lb Jug

gfsstore.com

In a thread on here, if i remember correctly, it was suggested to use that instead of the dark oil. Something to do with the refinement is the difference in the two oils but I do not know any specifics.

Serf Life · Jul 26, 2020

Looked up the smoke point of canola, 250-600*F, dark is prob on the low side. Canola has a higher flash point than petroleum bar oil though. https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/html/98511316/98511316.html