Waste motor oil as bar oil

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Stihl a grasshopper

Stihl a grasshopper

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Nov 12, 2021
Messages
237
Location
orange , TX
I'm sure even new bar oil is also a known carcinogen. I highly doubt using bar oil of any kind will result in breathing in any of it what so ever. Your not burning it or breathing in any vapors in any way. And how may millions of gallons of motor oil are burned or leaked away and spread everywhere from the millions of cars/truck and power equipment that is used everyday. Oil is a natural product of mother Earth. She made it and she disposes it all on her own.
Everything causes cancer in California…
 
Bwildered

Bwildered

Tree Freak
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
12,572
Location
33' South
So the potential exposure to carcinogens from the bar oil is a concern, but the carcinogens from the exhaust that we're constantly breathing and exposing everything around us to while we're running it is OK? 🤔

I mean, I don't have a dog in this fight, I just find it amusing that the elephant in the room is being ignored when talking about potential carcinogenic effects of running a saw. Which granted also has nothing to do with the original topic. 😄
most people want to reduce their consumption of toxic things, not increase them
 
Bwildered

Bwildered

Tree Freak
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
12,572
Location
33' South
And I hate to break it to you, but any petroleum product is a carcinogen. I don’t recommend breathing, eating, or otherwise ingesting it. Regarding most: my saws have never made a mist. I check to see if the bar’s getting oil by pointing it at something to see if there’s spatter, by I don’t breathe it. What saw are you using?
I looked up a few bar oils on some materials safety data sheets and it is not carcinogenic , everybody but a few know that the exhaust gases from 2 strokes are toxic also , that is common knowledge, if you have some data that shows bar oil to be carcinogenic please share it.
 
ken morgan
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,905
Location
yokosuka, Japan
Oh no I spelled a word wrong. Go lie down you neanderthal.
Crap at least spell nuckle dragger properly. 👨🏼‍🦯
So the potential exposure to carcinogens from the bar oil is a concern, but the carcinogens from the exhaust that we're constantly breathing and exposing everything around us to while we're running it is OK? 🤔

I mean, I don't have a dog in this fight, I just find it amusing that the elephant in the room is being ignored when talking about potential carcinogenic effects of running a saw. Which granted also has nothing to do with the original topic. 😄
We all gonna die sooner or later…. Cancer is just one more mechanism. He’ll even breathing O2 is bad for you on the wrong concentrations. And let’s not talk about hydrogen dioxide. 🥺
 
arto_wa

arto_wa

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Nov 14, 2019
Messages
211
Location
Southwest WA
Somebody made a comment about putting some STP into used motor oil to improve its adherence - that is a brilliant idea! Best of both worlds- lots of free oil and you still get the improved lubricating and cooler temperatures of a high anti-strip oil.

Cutting line for surveying requires minimum downtime: (every minute costs 3 or 4 man-minutes of crew time) minimal fluid refills and chain sharpening, and pushing the bar through whatever is in the way to drop it as quickly as possible. I try to balance the bar oil feed with the gas feed so that I don’t have to make extra stops, and I use carbide-coated Oregon micro-chisel chains that will last all day between sharpening if one keeps them in the cellulose and out of the dirt. A cool chain with minimal oil works best.


It was me in post #237 and it's not used motor oil - it's used Mobilfluid 424 10W-30 hydraulic / transmission oil I was talking about!

Just trying to figure out if there is any way to put 30 gallons of it to further use since it still looks very clean?
 
Frank Chandler

Frank Chandler

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Aug 6, 2020
Messages
11
Location
Anchorage, Alaska
I looked up a few bar oils on some materials safety data sheets and it is not carcinogenic , everybody but a few know that the exhaust gases from 2 strokes are toxic also , that is common knowledge, if you have some data that shows bar oil to be carcinogenic please share it.
You are free to switch to a bow saw (or a 2-man saw for big timber) at immediately if you think it will save the planet. So far I haven’t seen any solar-powered chainsaws and wind power is historically unpredictable as a method of downing trees. Handlogger Jackson preferred a double-bit axe but I never developed that technique.
 
Bwildered

Bwildered

Tree Freak
Joined
May 26, 2015
Messages
12,572
Location
33' South
You are free to switch to a bow saw (or a 2-man saw for big timber) at immediately if you think it will save the planet. So far I haven’t seen any solar-powered chainsaws and wind power is historically unpredictable as a method of downing trees. Handlogger Jackson preferred a double-bit axe but I never developed that technique.
Don’t get confused now and run off at another tangent, if you have something that shows new bar oil to be carcinogenic then I’d and many others would love to see it?
 
Nobel Carlson

Nobel Carlson

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Charlotte, NC
Did you do any careful shopping for this (I didn't) or just make an assumption for the sake of argument?

That's right at $10 a gallon which is about going rate for cheaper "actual" bar oils from what I've seen. Not tryin' to shop that hard to salvage a couple bucks on a gallon of oil, that link was just the first thing I came across from a local joint and I was sharing in case anyone else was wondering about the product it

I have never used waste oil - that’s how I got into this. An old logger from Ketchikan (must have been 50! Old for a big-tree sawyer, anyway) told me 40 years ago that Texaco (now Chevron) Rock Drill Oil would double the life of my chain. That’s what I’ve used ever since,, except in emergencies. I 5-gallon can would last a season for me.
Anybody ever us Hydraulic oil as a bar oil?
 
Yukon Stihl

Yukon Stihl

Addicted to ArboristSite
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
1,633
Location
Yukon Canada
It was me in post #237 and it's not used motor oil - it's used Mobilfluid 424 10W-30 hydraulic / transmission oil I was talking about!

Just trying to figure out if there is any way to put 30 gallons of it to further use since it still looks very clean?
Do you drive an old diesel by any chance ?
 
Dudders

Dudders

ArboristSite Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2019
Messages
61
Location
Sussex, UK
Anybody ever us Hydraulic oil as a bar oil?
I have and it seemed fine. That's oil from my sawmill (hydrostatic) and over 30 years old! Not into the carcinogenic theories myself, but I gave up using mineral oil and switched to rapeseed and bio recently as I felt bad about spraying it around the countryside. Now the weather's colder, however, I do find the stuff sticking hard to every available surface on the saw - very claggy and a right PITA to clean off. Might have to use it only in summer and revert to my remaining drum of old hydraulic for winter.
 
arto_wa

arto_wa

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Nov 14, 2019
Messages
211
Location
Southwest WA
Do you drive an old diesel by any chance ?

Yes old & new and have considered it but decided not to burn it in my Diesel engines - it's not worth the risk in my opinion.
The injectors and fuel pumps are expensive to rebuild to take a chance and they already get Opti-Lube for lubrication.

In my case the choices are either chainsaw bar oil use, or taking it to used oil recycling place.
 
OM617YOTA

OM617YOTA

Addicted to ArboristSite
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
4,716
Location
Oregon
Yes old & new and have considered it but decided not to burn it in my Diesel engines - it's not worth the risk in my opinion.
The injectors and fuel pumps are expensive to rebuild to take a chance and they already get Opti-Lube for lubrication.

In my case the choices are either chainsaw bar oil use, or taking it to used oil recycling place.
Definitely hear you there. An awful lot could go wrong that would make you wish you'd just spent $100 on diesel at the pump.

I upgraded the filtration on my truck. I have a Racor 30 micron water block primary filter, followed by a CAT 2 micron secondary. I'd run it in mine without any concerns, but definitely not if I had stock filtration. You're even in SW WA, and I'm in NW OR, too bad I'm not driving the Yota anymore.
 
Nobel Carlson

Nobel Carlson

New Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2020
Messages
3
Location
Charlotte, NC
I have and it seemed fine. That's oil from my sawmill (hydrostatic) and over 30 years old! Not into the carcinogenic theories myself, but I gave up using mineral oil and switched to rapeseed and bio recently as I felt bad about spraying it around the countryside. Now the weather's colder, however, I do find the stuff sticking hard to every available surface on the saw - very claggy and a right PITA to clean off. Might have to use it only in summer and revert to my remaining drum of old hydraulic for winter.
Thanks, I have some fresh oil I will use.
 
Yukon Stihl

Yukon Stihl

Addicted to ArboristSite
. AS Supporting Member.
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
1,633
Location
Yukon Canada
Yes old & new and have considered it but decided not to burn it in my Diesel engines - it's not worth the risk in my opinion.
The injectors and fuel pumps are expensive to rebuild to take a chance and they already get Opti-Lube for lubrication.

In my case the choices are either chainsaw bar oil use, or taking it to used oil recycling place.
If it gets filtered it will inprove the life of old diesel injectors and pumps. Old being pre sulphur free diesel so mid 90's
 
thill

thill

ArboristSite Lurker
Joined
Aug 13, 2018
Messages
28
Location
Virginia, USA
This reminds me of the hot debates about which trailer axle grease is best. Some swear by red and tacky, others only use this $$$ brand or that, others use Walmart's SuperTech, and all have good success with each.

"Grease is cheaper than steel." It seems to me that as long as the bar stays oily, things will wear less than if it's running dry, regardless of what particular oil you are using.

Used motor oil is thinner, and auto lubes more liberally, so it seems to auto-correct for it's lesser lubricating properties. I've never had any problems with it, but I find it slightly annoying that I have to fill up more with it. I'm really happy with using used gear oil, and now I'm going to start using hydraulic fluid, too.

As far as used engine oil, I get way more than I can ever run through a saw. We run multiple vehicles, tractors, ATV's, splitters, pressure washers, tractors, mowers and more. I've been giving most of my used oil to my local auto mechanic, but I'm considering buying a waste oil furnace like he has. They keep their shop nice and toasty, and it costs them nothing. I just need to find one cheap enough.
 

Latest posts

Top