Bar Oil

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I used to use a funnel until I left it behind somewhere.
I never overfilled the saw when I used it.
It was just one more thing to keep wrapped up in a rag, though.

I use the small quart jugs and refill.
Still need the rag because it never fails I try to get just a tiny bit more in every time and then can't get the cap on without having to wipe the excess oil off. Never fails.
Doesn't happen with my lawn mowers. I never overfill gas.
Just the bar reservoir on my 026.
 
oops, funnel had a line on it that was the right amount to fill the reservoir.
Otherwise I would have overfilled with that, too.

Especially in the Winter when bar oil flows like vaseline.
 
I just can't see a funnel working. The oil I pour is like molasses this time of year and it needs the full 1" opening of the gallon jug. One problem I sometimes have if I'm not careful is that the stream of oil air-locks as I pour it if I can't keep the flow to one side to let the air out of the tank. Sometimes I have to burp her like a baby.
 
fyrwoodguy said:
my favorite bar oil jug, is a liquid laundry soap jug less than gallon. 3/4 size if just right
Click to expand...

There ya go. That might work for me. Thanks.
 
This time of year, at work, we're getting all the snow moving/removal equipment up-to-snuff. Usually, it requires a plow hydraulic overhaul/what's wrong with this pig THIS year.

On the same note of the gear oil bottle, we get the plow hydraulic fluid in 1 qt. bottles with the "cut as needed" spout, and cap. I take them home, and split up the gallon of bar oil between four of them (well, duhhh - 4qts used to equal a gal! ) and keep 3 of them in the house to keep warm, and the fourth with me; then rotate between the colder one, and the lowest of the 3 warmer ones. Same idea/different container - check with your local power equipment dealer, they may have some emptys laying around their shop.


EDIT - We get 80w gear oil in 30 gal. drums - a little harder to fill a saw with! :)
 
I just got a gallon of the Husqvarna winter blend (orange cap). Anyone know how that flows at cold temps?

Also, how about using canola oil? Most of the serious chainsaw carvers use it instead of bar oil, and they all say you it protects the bar and chain better than petroleum-based oil. They abuse the crap out of their special Stellite-tipped, hard-nose carving bars with their very small tip radii. These bars can cost well over $100 for a 8-12" bar, so they need to do everything they can to protect them. I'm using canola in my electric saw, mostly because I'm carving inside and don't want bar oil everywhere stinking the place up.

FWIW in past times, rapeseed oil was considered to be a premium lubricant - particularly in wet weather conditions - because it adheres so well to surfaces. Canola is just a special type of rapeseed oil developed by Canadian botanists to grow without high amounts of erusic acid in the oil. Erusic acid is toxic to humans. There is no actual canola plant. "Canola" is an acronym for Canada Oil Low Acid.
 
Battenk said:
I just got a gallon of the Husqvarna winter blend (orange cap). Anyone know how that flows at cold temps?

Also, how about using canola oil? Most of the serious chainsaw carvers use it instead of bar oil, and they all say you it protects the bar and chain better than petroleum-based oil. They abuse the crap out of their special Stellite-tipped, hard-nose carving bars with their very small tip radii. These bars can cost well over $100 for a 8-12" bar, so they need to do everything they can to protect them. I'm using canola in my electric saw, mostly because I'm carving inside and don't want bar oil everywhere stinking the place up.

FWIW in past times, rapeseed oil was considered to be a premium lubricant - particularly in wet weather conditions - because it adheres so well to surfaces. Canola is just a special type of rapeseed oil developed by Canadian botanists to grow without high amounts of erusic acid in the oil. Erusic acid is toxic to humans. There is no actual canola plant. "Canola" is an acronym for Canada Oil Low Acid.
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I use veggie oil all the time milling its so you don't stain the wood (sure that's what the carvers are doing as well) t. Don't know if its any better but it no worse either.
 
I never buy Winter blend bar oil. The way I see it the saw is warm and it warms the oil. Makes for a little more challenge to pour it from a cold jug though.
 
I just poke one hole in the foil/plastic that seals the gallon jugs. Instead of pouring and spilling, this lets me squeeze out an accurate stream. It even works well on hard to reach oil reservoirs like on my Super 2 saws. I used to punch 2 holes like on a old-style motor oil can, but that just made a mess. Try poking a hole about 2/3 the size of a pencil, or maybe a little smaller especiallly if it is summertime and you have a hard to reach fill hole. Better to start a little small and expand it if it comes out too slow. Don't center the hole on the foil. Put at the front edge right against the plastic.

I also refill a quart bottle if I have to carry oil with me farther into the woods, but I actually prefer filling the saws from the gallon jugs because it is more accurate, especially after a quart or so is out of it.
 
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winter blend is no more than just add a little kerosene to the oil!
 
smokinjay said:
I use veggie oil all the time milling its so you don't stain the wood (sure that's what the carvers are doing as well) t. Don't know if its any better but it no worse either.
Click to expand...

Besides the staining issue, I was told the pros are that it has a higher flash point than regular bar oil and that is very tenacious in thin films. The only negative I heard is that the stuff can oxidize and harden over time, making it difficult to get off the cooling fins and possibly causing the saw to overheat. This info was for canola, not just any veggie oil. These guys seem very particular that you use only canola oil. BTW how often do you clean your milling saw? Does the oil accumulate and harden on your saw?
 
Battenkiller said:
smokinjay said:
I use veggie oil all the time milling its so you don't stain the wood (sure that's what the carvers are doing as well) t. Don't know if its any better but it no worse either.
Click to expand...

Besides the staining issue, I was told the pros are that it has a higher flash point than regular bar oil and that is very tenacious in thin films. The only negative I heard is that the stuff can oxidize and harden over time, making it difficult to get off the cooling fins and possibly causing the saw to overheat. This info was for canola, not just any veggie oil. These guys seem very particular that you use only canola oil. BTW how often do you clean your milling saw? Does the oil accumulate and harden on your saw?
Click to expand...


I would think and this is from experince is the veggie can cook on the bar, bar oil does not do this.
 
smokinjay said:
Guess I am just needing more time on a saw I will get the hang of it.
Click to expand...
Jay, I don't mean to offend but have you ever tried a squeeze bottle like I proposed?

If not, I don't see why you're giving me so much crap about it. I never suggested you weren't experienced at cutting wood. I merely suggested that you may not know what you're missing.

Sort of like today's HD TV's. If a person has never viewed one, they just can't grasp how much better the picture is, and they don't know what they're missing.
 
CountryBoy19 said:
smokinjay said:
Guess I am just needing more time on a saw I will get the hang of it.
Click to expand...
Jay, I don't mean to offend but have you ever tried a squeeze bottle like I proposed?

If not, I don't see why you're giving me so much crap about it. I never suggested you weren't experienced at cutting wood. I merely suggested that you may not know what you're missing.

Sort of like today's HD TV's. If a person has never viewed one, they just can't grasp how much better the picture is, and they don't know what they're missing.
Click to expand...


I have squeeze those gallon jugs many of times (in cold weather), But now I have a heated shop and keep the oil warm. If I have to cut all day that bottle is really not going to help me much 2 gallons of oil in a full day isn't uncommon (messing with anything other than what the oil came in is just not worth the effort). Only thing i can see that would help in this weather is a little kerosene to thin your oil. If it works for you roll with it.
 
I use a ketchup bottle successfully on the advice of an old timer. I just bought the biggest bottle I could find. But, I don't cut any large quantities at one spell, and I sure as heck don't cut in the dead of winter.
 
smokinjay said:
CountryBoy19 said:
smokinjay said:
Guess I am just needing more time on a saw I will get the hang of it.
Click to expand...
Jay, I don't mean to offend but have you ever tried a squeeze bottle like I proposed?

If not, I don't see why you're giving me so much crap about it. I never suggested you weren't experienced at cutting wood. I merely suggested that you may not know what you're missing.

Sort of like today's HD TV's. If a person has never viewed one, they just can't grasp how much better the picture is, and they don't know what they're missing.
Click to expand...


I have squeeze those gallon jugs many of times (in cold weather), But now I have a heated shop and keep the oil warm. If I have to cut all day that bottle is really not going to help me much 2 gallons of oil in a full day isn't uncommon (messing with anything other than what the oil came in is just not worth the effort). Only thing i can see that would help in this weather is a little kerosene to thin your oil. If it works for you roll with it.
Click to expand...

Is that when you're cutting or milling? Do you mill much off-site/away from home? I can see that aspect of it.

But for the firewood cutter, most often a quart is plenty, and it's just easier to carry with you into the wood if you're falling timber. Most people won't go through a full quart before they go back to their truck for a break etc. Now for a guy that is doing nothing other than running a saw I can understand going through more oil, it just didn't sound like the OP used much, and he was asking for something other than the gallon jug.

I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't trying to imply you were inexperienced at all (I know that just the opposite is the case). Just pointing out that your method of use may vary from others on here.
 
CountryBoy19 said:
smokinjay said:
CountryBoy19 said:
smokinjay said:
Guess I am just needing more time on a saw I will get the hang of it.
Click to expand...
Jay, I don't mean to offend but have you ever tried a squeeze bottle like I proposed?

If not, I don't see why you're giving me so much crap about it. I never suggested you weren't experienced at cutting wood. I merely suggested that you may not know what you're missing.

Sort of like today's HD TV's. If a person has never viewed one, they just can't grasp how much better the picture is, and they don't know what they're missing.
Click to expand...


I have squeeze those gallon jugs many of times (in cold weather), But now I have a heated shop and keep the oil warm. If I have to cut all day that bottle is really not going to help me much 2 gallons of oil in a full day isn't uncommon (messing with anything other than what the oil came in is just not worth the effort). Only thing i can see that would help in this weather is a little kerosene to thin your oil. If it works for you roll with it.
Click to expand...

Is that when you're cutting or milling? Do you mill much off-site/away from home? I can see that aspect of it.

But for the firewood cutter, most often a quart is plenty, and it's just easier to carry with you into the wood if you're falling timber. Most people won't go through a full quart before they go back to their truck for a break etc. Now for a guy that is doing nothing other than running a saw I can understand going through more oil, it just didn't sound like the OP used much, and he was asking for something other than the gallon jug.

I just wanted to make it clear that I wasn't trying to imply you were inexperienced at all (I know that just the opposite is the case). Just pointing out that your method of use may vary from others on here.
Click to expand...


880 just the saw takes 25 oz. I drop some big trees cross cutting only I will be in the gallon range. If I was running One smaller saw (192t) and just running a few tanks it would be handy. In this weather I think it would be a pain.
 
smokinjay said:
Gallon jug not hard to use.
Click to expand...

+ whatever . . . I already carry too much stuff into the woods with me . . . last thing I need are a whole bunch of little jugs or funnels.
 
fyrwoodguy said:
my favorite bar oil jug, is a liquid laundry soap jug less than gallon. 3/4 size if just right
Click to expand...

+1 on that. A friend just turned me on to the detergent bottle. Drip proof and projecting pour spout.
 
I've seen Mrs. Butterworth used as a bar oil jug. :lol: :coolsmile: That's what we have at the golf course for the "work" saws.
 
I use a larger liquid laundry detergent bottle that has a cap on one side and a spigot on the other - see the one in the background in the image. Dispensing bar oil from the spigot eliminates all spills and slobber strings as the spigot valve is at the very end of the spigot. Kind of like cutting play doh with a knife. Plus, you can squeeze the bottle to speed things up. Also, the original measuring cup that comes with the bottle covers the spigot to keep it clean. If you're a bit careful using the spigot, you can refill your saw without spilling a drop of oil. Sure helps to keep the saw tank fill area clean. I also cut my bar oil with canola oil in the winter to have it flow reasonably well. No problems to date and the canola is a lot cheaper.
 

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I have been using a 20-30 year old bar oil container that is very thin and holds around 1 quart. I LOVE the idea of using the gear oil bottles. I just threw 10 of them in the recycle this summer! DOH. I will scrounge a few up and give that a try.
 
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