Any dedicated bar lubes out there that are crap?

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StihlyinEly

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The TSC bar oil thread got me thinking, and I didn't want to hijack it.

So for those of you who have used a bunch of different cheapo bar oils (by that I mean oils marked specifically as chainsaw bar oils, not other oils like straight 30 weight), are there any that you felt weren't good enough for your saws?

I ask because sometimes a fella runs across those screaming clearance sales on no-name bar lube and doesn't have time to check in here on AS.

I've cut with the Poulan and TSC lubes and thought they did fine, but I know there are a bunch of other cheap lubes.

Thoughts on any that I really shouldn't run in my saws?

Thanks!
 
If you are running any of the lesser saws with the cheaper oilers then the branded super tack stuff is not a good idea, especially in the winter.

Poulan sells oil for Poulan's saws. The thinner the better for plastic to plastic gears. If you are running an impulse driven oiler than the super tack can be problematic as well.

TSC oil is a fair compromise.
 
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I pay $3.99 a gallon for the bar oil I use buying it by the case lot, what is the average price for the lube you use?

Pioneerguy600

Last lube I bought from a dealer was the Stihl Bio-Lube, which was about $15. Figured I wanted to try it and see how I liked it. Just before that ran out, I got a couple 3/4 full gallons of the Bio-Lube at a garage sale for $4 each, and am still running through that. I like it a lot, but I ain't gonna spend the big jing needed to get new Bio-Lube again. When it's done, I'll pick up a few gallons of the cheapest stuff I can find.

Probably at an L&M Fleet Supply, which is sort of northern Minnesota's version of a TSC store. I'm expecting it'll be about $7-$8/gallon regular price, lower on sale.

I also pay close attention to any bar lube I see at garage sales, and because through our handyman business my wife and I do a fair number of estate/eviction cleanouts each year, we often run across bar lube that comes home with us (most clients just want it all cleaned up and hauled off and don't care what happens with any of the stuff we take away.)
 
Followup question. Seems like the lighter the lube (and some cheap ones seem noticeably lighter than the more expensive stuff), will go through the saw faster, so you use more lube to do the same amount of cutting. And that would cut into the dollar savings gained by running the cheap stuff.

Yes? No?

Honestly, not that it matters much. When I gotta buy it new, I'll buy it cheap. :)
 
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Followup question. Seems like the lighter the lube (and some cheap ones seem noticeably lighter than the more expensive stuff), will go through the saw faster, so you use more lube to do the same amount of cutting. And that would cut into the dollar savings gained by running the cheap stuff.

Yes? No?

Honestly, not that it matters much. When I gotta buy it new, I'll buy it cheap. :)

Yes. Consumption rate can increase with "thinner" oil. The newer saws typically will consume half what the older saws would and still be able to more than adequately lubricate a recent generation SHARP chain with the high tack oils. Summer/winter grade oils are important on the newest saws.

If you would like to test a saws oil capability than some new Silver Streak 3/8 chain is in order. The bars are fine but the chain is primitive by to-days standards and can push some of the newer saws to the limit of providing enough oil.

It is not uncommon when I use soy bean oil to use +/- 30% more than when I use an oil such as TSC. Currently it is more cost effective for me to use TSC oil than soy.
 
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bar oil is bar oil.the cheaper the better. ive got three jugs from 3 companies right now,it all works the same.

I thought that too. I've tried pretty much everything available around here and they all worked.

Until I bought some 'Sonic' brand. Complete crap, very thin, smokes the bar.

Just say no to sonic. Wally world stuff is ok, but it's no cheaper than anything else here.
 
Catch the TSC gallon jugs on sale. I bought 3 gallons @ $5-6 each. Should last me a year.
My local saw guru says to thin the oil down with a little diesel when its really cold. Haven't tried it yet though. (normally huddling up to the stove when it's that cold)
 
If you are running any of the lesser saws with the cheaper oilers than the branded super tack stuff is not a good idea, especially in the winter.

Poulan sells oil for Poulan's saws. The thinner the better for plastic to plastic gears. If you are running an impulse driven oiler than the super tack can be problematic as well.

TSC oil is a fair compromise.


Seems there are 2 different Poulan oil styles. I have seen the thin stuff but mostly its very tacky about like the TSC stuff that I useally use myself.

I also agree on the thinner oils even in warm weather for the plastic gears and especially saws with marginal impulse oilers like a Mac 610 or Homelte 330 for example.

Catch the TSC gallon jugs on sale. I bought 3 gallons @ $5-6 each. Should last me a year.
My local saw guru says to thin the oil down with a little diesel when its really cold. Haven't tried it yet though. (normally huddling up to the stove when it's that cold)

The diesel will work fine, I useally use Kerosene if I have any.

Like I said above it don't have to be real cold to benifit thining oil down.
 
I sell 128 oz containers of bar and chain oil consumer price $ 9.95 the 32 oz bottle $ 3.20
the semi synthetic premium smokeless 2 cycle oil i sell is $ 2. 50 for a

6.4 oz bottle

just letting you all know
 
The worst stuff I have ever seen was called Tall Timber or something like that. Fleet Farm sells it and when it gets cold it gets lumps in it! I use Cenex bar and chain oil and I haven't found anything better. Our local cenex station sells it in bulk now so it's pretty reasonable.
 
I use Cenex bar and chain oil and I haven't found anything better. Our local cenex station sells it in bulk now so it's pretty reasonable.

Cool. We don't have much Cenex stuff up here on the northern edge of the state. But I'll give it a look next time I head "south." :)
 
I'll run just about anything that is cheap.

There are only two that I have found that I wont run again.

The Crap sold at Menards looks and smells like somebody drained a septic tank, and then filtered the rinse water through a nasty old sweat sock.
If it isn't filtered motor oil, it's some other crap I don't want on me, on my saw, or in the air around the saw that I am breathing.

"Do-It" Brand Winter weight. Sold at hardware stores.
The stuff is absolutely the WORST mung ever sold as bar oil, and has the viscosity of peanut butter at room temp, and pizza dough below freezing.

Ya can't even get the stuff out of the jug without resorting to ketchup bottle antics when it's in the 30's.
If ya want to burn up a chain,Bar, and an oil pump at the same time, this is the stuff.

I kinda like the runny Poulan Red stuff.
It's great for cutting when it's cold but not real cold, and it's always good for a laugh or two dripping all over the bar leatherface style.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote
 
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