Chain and bar oil substitutes

[yuval nody]

hey guys, newbie woodworker here.
I was generally using chain and bar oil substitutes for my chainsaw so far just because its cheaper and I heard there's no problem with that.
However, recently I came across a video on youtube stating it might be a big problem for the saw.
here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APHZi6hYrEE

what do you all think? do you use substitutes or not?

[Zachary Hoyt]

I used to mix used motor oil and bar oil 50% because that was what I was told by the guy who taught me to use a chain saw when I was 16 or so. Then I went to just bar oil, and used various brands. The last few months I've been working a few hours a week off and on on a volunteer job cutting a quarter out of cedar logs with a mid priced electric chainsaw. I've spent 15 hours or more running that saw and the other guys working on it have put more hours than that on it, and we have been using canola oil. It seems to work fine, and the bar and chain don't show any unusual wear. I wouldn't have thought it would work that well, but the organization is in the environmental education business, and they wanted something non-toxic.

[Edward Weber]

Bar oil, other than being the proper viscosity, has additives (tackifiers) that make it adhere to the metal, rather than simply fling away when the saw is running.

[brent stanley]

My understanding is the same as Edward's above so I'd guess the shortcoming might show up over time. There is vegetable oil based bar oil available too.

[John TenEyck]

My friend is a pro arborist. I've seen him use straight 30 weight motor oil for years with no apparent extra wear on bars. Chains don't last that long for him from hitting nails, etc on urban trees, so that's not much consideration for him. Personally, I use bar oil. I buy summer bar oil at Tractor Supply when they have it on sale. I keep a gallon or two of Stihl winter viscosity oil, too, for use during the colder months.

John

[Bill Dufour]

Husqvarna experimented with sunflower oil. I think they had good results. It is not really environmentally correct to throw oil all over in the forest. They do frown on just dumping drain oil on the ground so no reason flinging it off a chain would be any better.
Bill D

[Richard Coers]

Saving some money on some home concoction will be easily offset by the premature purchase of a new bar. There is a lot of heat from that steel against steel system when it's used hard. Maybe trimming some branches won't make a difference, but bucking logs needs the good stuff.

[Cameron Wood]

I couldn't make it through that video- the background music (noise) is hazardous to one's intelligence.

Advice from a guy with a droopy chain is questionable as well.

AFAS throwing bar oil all over the forest, true, but the 2 stroke is probably worse.

"The hydrocarbon emissions from a half-hour of yard work with the two-stroke leaf blower are about the same as a 3,900-mile drive from Texas to Alaska in a Raptor,"

https://www.edmunds.com/about/press/leaf-blowers-emissions-dirtier-than-high-performance-pick-up-trucks-says-edmunds-insidelinecom.html

[Warren Lake]

dont need a leaf blower often but have an electric for the odd time, like detailing homes before being sold. Always used the Stihl Bar oil and Shell Vpower and at times the fuel stabilzer. have at least 10 years on the saw with no service. Changed the plug once maybe. Always starts. Whatever the cost its not worth seeing if I can save. Past, father had a few chainsaws that were grief, almost needed therapy.

[Thomas McCurnin]

I also was taught to dilute the chain oil a long time ago, I think with Kerosene which yes, made it spray all over, but did help lubricate the cut in the wood, e.g., made the saw slip through the tree easier.

That said, I now use regular chain oil that I buy at the chain saw supplier.

[Richard Coers]

I also was taught to dilute the chain oil a long time ago, I think with Kerosene which yes, made it spray all over, but did help lubricate the cut in the wood, e.g., made the saw slip through the tree easier.

That said, I now use regular chain oil that I buy at the chain saw supplier.
That dilution is okay if you are cutting when the jug is sitting on a snow bank. Summer you want it straight from the job.

[Steven Cooper2]

I'm not the most chainsaw-est expert out there but I've been using canola oil, especially for milling.

It doesn't hold on as well as regular bar oil, but it seems to hold on enough. When milling I run it on an aux oiler as well.

I've run maybe 10 gallons on my 52" chainsaw mill (~3500 board feet) and all seems to be holding up OK.

It does oxidize or freeze up when it's cold though so clear it out when you are done.

[Melvin Feng]

When it comes to the oil I use in the saw, I always stick to the same brand of the saw - mine are all pro Stihl saws. I personally don't think it is worth the risk to try to save a bit of money when using such an expensive tool - I have two MS661 saws and an MS400.

For the auxiliary oiler on my mill for my 56" bar, I do buy the cheapest bar and chain oil I can find at home depot or lowes. This last time it was Echo which had a volume discount at 4 gallons, so it wasn't terribly expensive. I don't think it is worth Stihl oil for the auxiliary oiler, but I still want it to be bar and chain oil.

[Richard Coers]

Ever put a drop of quality bar oil between two fingers and squeeze? You will get strings of oil stretch out between the fingers when you open the fingers. It does that because it is engineered to do that. Any DIY solution is not the same as an engineered product. Never seen a time when engineering isn't trusted. Yes, I'm a retired mechanical engineer.

[Edward Weber]

Richard is right, IMO
You can get by using alternatives but at a cost.
Standard motor oil does not stick as well, because it's not designed to, you'll typically wind up using more of it.
Other substitutes like canola oil can be used but will semi harden and gum up the oiling mechanism when not is use.

Yes there are plant based bar oils but they are modified not to dry and have the added tackifiers.

If you're not capable of rebuilding the bar oiling mechanism of your saw, it can be an expensive repair. You'd be better off sticking with the proper oil suggested by the manufacturer.

[Larry Edgerton]

Husqvarna experimented with sunflower oil. I think they had good results. It is not really environmentally correct to throw oil all over in the forest. They do frown on just dumping drain oil on the ground so no reason flinging it off a chain would be any better.
Bill D

Would be curious to know how much oil was consumed/leaked with all the machinery used to plant/harvest/extract?

[Larry Edgerton]

Never seen a time when engineering isn't trusted. Yes, I'm a retired mechanical engineer.

I have! The engineer that put the starter under the intake in my STS. That guy I do not trust!