Bar oil SUBSTITUTES

[Gab250]

G'day, I know FULL WELL that Bar oil is the best thing to use for bar lube, but I'm wondering what the BEST substitutes are. I've got a few ideas and I'll make a few comments of my thoughts on each, I'd like other people's input:

Used motor oil: I realize this is a popular one, but I'm not a great fan of the idea, if I was going to use it, I think I'd want to filter it through paper towels etc first....what are people's thoughts?
Clean motor oil - This is probably not bad, some is a fair bit cheaper than bar lube, I'm thinking probably the thicker the better, maybe a 20W50 or similar
Diff oil - This is a pretty thick oil, and I think it would stick to the chain pretty well, however I reckon it'd make a pretty big mess
Clean hydraulic oil - I think this is probably a bit thin, might be ok in colder climates, but I think it'd thin out too much in hotter climates
Clean vegetable oil - again, I think this would be a bit thin, and I'd expect it would go solid in colder climates, and be too thin in hotter climates, but it might be good if what you were cutting would get poisoned by any of the above
Oil from oil heaters/old air conditioners - I suspect this would work pretty well, but I'd suspect it'd be pretty toxic stuff...

Of course another option would be a mix of one of the above with bar lube....wondering how that would perform? I've got a little old Homelite that I'd be prepared to do some experiments with. What do people suggest?

Gab

 

[sand sock]

xtra sweet ice tea. you need the ice , to keep teh viscocity of the sugar water, where it needs to be.

 

[buzz sawyer]

Many have tried all the options you listed with varying degrees of success. I suggest just using real bar oil. I've tried some of the others you suggested and none worked as well for me. Without the tackifier, other oils just sling off the bar and lube as well, resulting in overheated and stretched chains. There are a ton of threads on this already.

 

[Backstage]

Why?

The only answer I can see is not wanting to / restrictions against spraying petroleum oil in the woods. So my answer would be canola oil. But be sure to clean it out prior to storage.

 

[Mad Professor]

Used motor oil is free, and will work but it's toxic as it contains combustion by-products. That will get all over you when cutting like the sawdust does. You might even breathe a bit in. SHTF and no other oil available I'd use it in an emergency.

Beware of veggie oils and "bio-oils" sold as bar oil (Stihl Bio-Plus).

Given time left sitting, they polymerize and will ruin a saw. I've had a chain "glued" onto a bar so tight was hard to pry off with a screw driver, difficult to free the bar sprocket tip. The oil/sawdust residue only came off the clutch housing and cases, along with the paint, and I threw the chain away after no solvent would free the links (diesel, acetone, ethanol, ATF, gasoline, engine cleaner, PB Blaster,.....). I was going to try oven cleaner/lye on the chain?

That chain might still be hanging on the wall with the "stumper" chains? If still on the wall, next time I clean the oven or toilet I'll try that on the chain. It had ~1/2 the cutters left.

Veggie oil is good if you plan to use the sawdust, for something like mulch. But run the oil tank dry and run a little Dino oil though the pump. Then clean out clutch area and bar and chain, if you plan on letting the saw sit a while. I think the cheapest stuff is canola oil? There is issues in cold weather and gets thin hot. Check the milling forum. As I recall someone used canola milling and that is tough on bars/chains.

I tried the Stihl Bio-oil 20 years ago milling lumber, it worked OK , but it was damm expensive then. Then I found out about the polymerization problems the hard way.......

Why?

The only answer I can see is not wanting to spray petroleum oil in the woods. So my answer would be canola oil. But be sure to clean it out prior to storage.

^^^^ That!!!

 

[Backstage]

I imagine pouring some mineral spirits in the oil tank and free revving the saw would do the trick for clearing it. Honestly I just use bar oil and done.

 

[camel2019]

Most saws made in the 1970’s and prior call for SEA30 or SEA40 motor oil and if needed thinned with kerosene.

Op are you talking about the oil used in AC/refrigeration compressors it’s pretty nasty stuff I cut open plenty of these. the oil goes in a jug and goes to the waste disposal(allowed so much a year free)

 

[Bango Skank]

I haven’t bought any differential oil in a long time, but I remember it being very pricey.

 

[ballisticdoughnut]

I would say a big NO to any kind of vegetable oil. Petroleum based solvents will not clean it off, if you let the saw sit covered in veg oil your not gonna be happy.

 

[bwalker]

Most anything will work in a pinch.
Hydro oil and ATF work fine albeit they are thinner and thus don't have the load carrying capacity of purpose made bar oil.
I absolutely would not use veggies oil or used motor oil...ever.

 

[Bango Skank]

I would say a big NO to any kind of vegetable oil. Petroleum based solvents will not clean it off, if you let the saw sit covered in veg oil your not gonna be happy.

Nice smell though. Makes me hungry for French fries.

 

[esean]

I've used canola oil quite a bit, but only if the saw will be used at least every month or so. Even when I have let it sit too long and harden up on the bar and chain, WD40 always loosened it up fine. Never had any problem with it hardening in the tank or oiler. Canola oil can sit for years in a sealed jug and never harden. I do only use it in cooler weather - I switch over to bar oil in the spring because I rarely cut in summer.

 

[Joseph W Santora]

I once spilled a bunch of Husky bar oil on a tile floor. ....There is no substitute for bar oil..... It's an evil mixture of oil and honey.

 

[Bg boy]

I put used oil in my Mac 3200, but well filtered.Because the oil consumption for this saw is high, the other saws of course I put base engine oil.

 

[camel2019]

I have used WMO once in a saw and it was in my poulan built jonsered(junksard) for cutting up junk pallets for firewood.

 

[Husky77]

G'day, I know FULL WELL that Bar oil is the best thing to use for bar lube, but I'm wondering what the BEST substitutes are. I've got a few ideas and I'll make a few comments of my thoughts on each, I'd like other people's input:

Used motor oil: I realize this is a popular one, but I'm not a great fan of the idea, if I was going to use it, I think I'd want to filter it through paper towels etc first....what are people's thoughts?
Clean motor oil - This is probably not bad, some is a fair bit cheaper than bar lube, I'm thinking probably the thicker the better, maybe a 20W50 or similar
Diff oil - This is a pretty thick oil, and I think it would stick to the chain pretty well, however I reckon it'd make a pretty big mess
Clean hydraulic oil - I think this is probably a bit thin, might be ok in colder climates, but I think it'd thin out too much in hotter climates
Clean vegetable oil - again, I think this would be a bit thin, and I'd expect it would go solid in colder climates, and be too thin in hotter climates, but it might be good if what you were cutting would get poisoned by any of the above
Oil from oil heaters/old air conditioners - I suspect this would work pretty well, but I'd suspect it'd be pretty toxic stuff...

Of course another option would be a mix of one of the above with bar lube....wondering how that would perform? I've got a little old Homelite that I'd be prepared to do some experiments with. What do people suggest?

Gab

Use your energy for other things like mastering chain sharpening, use bar oil it's made for the job and you wont have any problems like you would with the options you mentioned. And stay safe

 

[mark3885]

Last year I replaced all the hydraulic oil in my 2 tractors, about 30 gallons total. I have been using it for bar oil with no problems. I adjusted the oil up a little to compensate for it being thin . In the winter at about 20F it’s better than regular bar oil.

 

[Lightning Performance]

Virgin canola oil.

 

[NSEric]

I buy the thick summer bar oil and mix it 50/50 with used atf and oil out of the cars as I need the thinner spring/fall stuff.
It's the cheapest thing I can find.
Veggie cooking oil is dirt cheap too but I dont use my saws a lot so veggie oil isnt a good option for me as it doesnt like sitting around.

 

[Pioneer]

30 weight motor oil. The factory recommend oil on the old saws before bar oil became common. No premature bar wear on the old pioneer 620, it saw commercial use for two winters back in the late sixties using it.