Bar and chain oil substitute in a pinch.

Don't recall what was said, but this has come up before. I don't do enough cutting be concerned with the cost of the bar oil. It is very thick, sticky oil. Im sure we're going to hear from some using used motor oil. Wonder what the consumption is? Does the chain stay wet?

I'd be interested veggie oil replacement for our bar oil. Anyone using their own blend of oils?

Microduck17 said:

What do you guys think about using something like 10w30 engine oil in place of bar and chain oil in a pinch? Forgot my B&C oil at home today but I've got a quart of 10w30 in the truck.

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I've used Canola Oil for years, that will work in a pinch.

Dedicated B&C oil often is 30 weight motor oil with tackifiers, so motor oil is an option.

As already mentioned many regularly use canola oil to be environmentally friendly and when wood is to be used for cooking. (I'd rather cook my salmon on a cedar plank cut w/canola than dino oil.) Remember to adjust the saw's oiler down because canola isn't as thick. Also, don't leave any veggie oil in your saw for months at a time because it will go rancid and start to gum up the works.

TreePointer said:

Dedicated B&C oil often is 30 weight motor oil with tackifiers, so motor oil is an option.

As already mentioned many regularly use canola oil to be environmentally friendly and when wood is to be used for cooking. (I'd rather cook my salmon on a cedar plank cut w/canola than dino oil.) Remember to adjust the saw's oiler down because canola isn't as thick. Also, don't leave any veggie oil in your saw for months at a time because it will go rancid and start to gum up the works.

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I'm glad I ran across this thread. I was hoping there was a more renewable BC oil. I've been getting by the gallon from the hardware store, but I think I'll use canola oil from now on. How does it work when it's cold? I'm hoping to not be cutting during the coldest part of this coming winter, but you know how things are.

Bar and chain oil huh?

Currently in my jug is about 50 percent cheap bar oil from Lowes, 11 dollars a gallon, not very sticky and don't look like anything other than straight 30w motor oil. I added that to my half full jug that had some used cooking oil, a tad bit of hydraulic fluid, and 4 or 5 cups of the good bar oil, I think husky brand, 12 bucks for 2 quarts, very sticky and thick. My mixture is pretty thin but it still holds a tank of oil per tank of fuel.. runs out about the same. My chain stays very wet looking and you can see the spinoff readily. Chain never overheats, so I work with it.

I haven't had any problems so far in 4 years. I strain all my oil through a cheesecloth or something similar to remove the stuff that would def clog up my oiler like old burnt french fries and chunks of unknown contaminants. Normally I like to add about a quart of odd used oil from this or that if its available to save a few bucks here and there, but I DO NOT RECOMMEND USING HYDRAULIC FLUID IN ANY AMOUNT. Hydraulic fluid doesn't have any lubrication properties whatsoever and will just make what oil you do have less effective. A new quart of engine oil in my opinion wouldn't hurt a thing, just watch your oil consumption and maybe check it a little sooner. Saw dust that falls down into your tank when you remove the cap is probably the most important thing I would watch for besides straining your used oil for use as bar oil. My saw has a bad design on the oil cap that makes it almost impossible to keep wood chips out of when you open it. Lots of butcher shops use vegetable or canola oil as lubricants on their saws. Use it is my 02

redmanlcs said:

Hydraulic fluid doesn't have any lubrication properties whatsoever

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??

Sawset said:

??

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Perhaps he meant it doesn't have lubrication qualities in regards to a chainsaw.

SpaceBus said:

Perhaps he meant it doesn't have lubrication qualities in regards to a chainsaw.

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That's foolish.
Hydraulic pumps are very expensive and need good lubrication.
To replace to one on my excavator would be over 10 thousand dollars and it has over 10000 hours on it.So hydraulic fluid has very good lucubration properties.

SpaceBus said:

I'm glad I ran across this thread. I was hoping there was a more renewable BC oil. I've been getting by the gallon from the hardware store, but I think I'll use canola oil from now on. How does it work when it's cold? I'm hoping to not be cutting during the coldest part of this coming winter, but you know how things are.

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I never had a problem with canola oil in the winter but if you go veggie oil, that will thicken up like lard.

When you use canola oil watch your bar, you'll get some wear after a while.

salecker said:

That's foolish.
Hydraulic pumps are very expensive and need good lubrication.
To replace to one on my excavator would be over 10 thousand dollars and it has over 10000 hours on it.So hydraulic fluid has very good lucubration properties.

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Yes, when used in hydraulic systems. You don't see Astroglide in hydraulic pumps, but it is a lubricant.

SpaceBus said:

Yes, when used in hydraulic systems. You don't see Astroglide in hydraulic pumps, but it is a lubricant.

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There are very accurate designed gears in a hydraulics pump to build pressure,they need good lubrication.They even have fine filters in the system because good lubrication is so important.
Plus there are tractors that use the same oil in their transmissions and rear ends as the hydraulics.
Astroglide would work but isn't made for intense heat.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/2351/select-hydraulic-oil
Heres a little read about the importance of lubrication in hydraulic oil

salecker said:

There are very accurate designed gears in a hydraulics pump to build pressure,they need good lubrication.They even have fine filters in the system because good lubrication is so important.
Plus there are tractors that use the same oil in their transmissions and rear ends as the hydraulics.
Astroglide would work but isn't made for intense heat.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/2351/select-hydraulic-oil
Heres a little read about the importance of lubrication in hydraulic oil

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I'm never said hydraulic fluid is not a lubricant. I simply said it's probably not a great lubricant for a chainsaw. Just as Astroglide doesn't work in place of hydraulic fluid.

SpaceBus said:

I'm never said hydraulic fluid is not a lubricant. I simply said it's probably not a great lubricant for a chainsaw. Just as Astroglide doesn't work in place of hydraulic fluid.

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It's just the way you said it.
Which is fine,because not everyone gets the same message from the same words.
There are 4 primary personality types in society.
Each type will interpret a message slightly different.Which is really cool when you are in a big group going through training on personality profiling.

Gear lube works just fine in a pinch.

Bad LP said:

Gear lube works just fine in a pinch.

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I imagine it would, but peeuw! Stinky gear lube.

Hmm, I'd have to counter it by using Marvel Mystery Oil for my cologne.

I use bar and chain oil for my bars and chains, but just like the last ten posts, this has nothing to do with the OPs question.

Run what you brung, as long as it’s slippery. If 10W motor oil is what you have in the truck, then go with it. Adjust Oiler as needed, and watch tank level.

Stock up on these and you'll be set. It's the best performance/price combo I've found thus far.

To whoever said gear oil - ugh I'm sure it would work but what a terrible smell that would be!

TreePointer said:

I imagine it would, but peeuw! Stinky gear lube.

Hmm, I'd have to counter it by using Marvel Mystery Oil for my cologne.

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I prefer Hoppe's #9 myself but to each his own.

Hoppe"s #9 Way oil for machine tools has similar properties to bar oil - very sticky,extreme high compression, need to cut it a bit with kero or diesel for the chain saw pump. Dino oil does not break down itself, but the additives in used auto oil do hence the replacement intervals. Running it through say a 5 micron filter would clear out about 90 % of the sludge. Tackifiers can be purchased if one wanted to go that route. An oil change on my diesel is 4 gallons the other truck and car - add 2.5 gallons every 3 months ( 6.5 gallons of oil every quarter) I can make a lot of bar oil that way. I use synthetic ( mineral oil ) in all 3 and the tractor ( about 3 gallons once or twice a year) .

blades said:

Way oil for machine tools has similar properties to bar oil - very sticky,extreme high compression, need to cut it a bit with kero or diesel for the chain saw pump.

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Way oil comes in many weights, you’ll find one that doesn’t require cutting with diesel, which may remove some of it’s desirable properties. But at $25 - $30 per gallon, it’s more expensive than bar oil!

true, so is auto oil-new, Blains farm and fleet around here has bar oil on sale at 3.99/gal (reg price 5.99), rural king 4.99