Drying vs Non-Drying Vegetable Oils

[GerrySM]

From another thread:

I have tried various vegi oils for my saws and found some of them to be troublesome, as they tend to set rock solid after a while, they work fine when they are straight out of the bottle, but if left for several days, they start to gum everything up, and a nightmare to clean up afterwards

This has also been my experience with Canola Oil. My chains are rock solid frozen by the canola, a semi-drying oil, after a month or so sitting time. My hedge trimmers lock up solid with canola too.

I am an occasional chainsaw user who wants to use healthy and enviro-friendly vege oils, but need to avoid the oxidation and polymerisation that comes with canola.

My question: what about using non-drying vegetable oils like peanut oil?

Anyone tried it?

In theory, you would not get the resins forming.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drying_oil

(Note 1: here in Australia, peanut oil is 2-4x the price of canola oil)
(Note 2: there are other "semi-drying oils" - Corn oil, Cottonseed oil, Sesame oil, Grape seed oil)

 

[mga]

None of the above

Use real bar oil only

 

[GerrySM]

No thanks, it's just SAE30 with some tack additives. I don't want to pollute my property or my lungs.

 

[CR888]

You just need to do things different with canola. I have successfully used it for over six years and been through all its troubles. Things like cleaning nose sprockest on bars being stored out of service. Do NOT use canola on hedgetrimmer blades. Don't use sealed bearing nose sprocket bars (like Stihl) if can be avoided, being able to inject grease will help things. Keep oil tanks full. Clean chains that won't be used for a period, sharpen & put in sandwich bag with squirt of wd-40 type spray. I will never go back to using petroleum oil, the added benefits of canola are too large but you just need to understand its pitfalls and know how to prevent issues. That said I just filtered my chip frier that had 4lt of rice bran oil in it & am going to give it a go.

 

[Jed1124]

Stihl used to make a green bottle enviro friendly bar oil. Not sure if they still do. Pretty pricey if I remember correctly. Seem to remember about $21 per gallon but I could be wrong.

 

[bayard]

i use safflower. it will thicken over time 3 to 4 months. if the chain sticks, drag it over a log.

 

[Jed1124]

You just need to do things different with canola. I have successfully used it for over six years and been through all its troubles. Things like cleaning nose sprockest on bars being stored out of service. Do NOT use canola on hedgetrimmer blades. Don't use sealed bearing nose sprocket bars (like Stihl) if can be avoided, being able to inject grease will help things. Keep oil tanks full. Clean chains that won't be used for a period, sharpen & put in sandwich bag with squirt of wd-40 type spray. I will never go back to using petroleum oil, the added benefits of canola are too large but you just need to understand its pitfalls and know how to prevent issues. That said I just filtered my chip frier that had 4lt of rice bran oil in it & am going to give it a go.

What are the added benifits of veggie oil?

 

[LonestarStihl]

Stihl used to make a green bottle enviro friendly bar oil. Not sure if they still do. Pretty pricey if I remember correctly. Seem to remember about $21 per gallon but I could be wrong.

Yes they do

 

[GerrySM]

Nobody is addressing my question: what about using NON-DRYING VEGETABLE OILS ? Anyone?

 

[cus_deluxe]

Go ahead and use it, i doubt there are many people out there that have done it so you may not get much feedback. Not to be a prick but im not sure what bar oil has to do with your lungs or how occasional chainsaw use will pollute your property, regardless of the bar oil used.

 

[Boogedy_Man]

I've ran a few gallons of peanut oil "blend" through the aux oiler on my mill. Didn't notice any ill effects. I had some on hand, probably would never buy it for that purpose.

 

[GerrySM]

I'm not sure what bar oil has to do with your lungs or how occasional chainsaw use will pollute your property, regardless of the bar oil used.

Um, amazed people still think this. Petroleum-based bar oils are banned in Austria. Maybe there's a reason? Please look at the many other threads on this topic; this thread is about something else.

 

[LonestarStihl]

I'd have to see evidence of it. To me it's like the everything known to man saying "this product is known by the state of California to cause cancer" even sawdust. It's sad they are so afraid of everything.

 

[GerrySM]

Okay, can the "petrochemicals are harmless" crowd please butt out of this thread?

 

[mga]

No thanks, it's just SAE30 with some tack additives. I don't want to pollute my property or my lungs.

You realize you're using a two cycle engine?

Do you wear a respirator while using it? Two cycles are like diesel motors especially if the mixture is wrong. But they all smoke. So how do you avoid breathing in the fumes?

Bar oil isn't doing much to your lungs unless you're burning it

 

[GerrySM]

Sigh. I guess nobody is going to deny or confirm the benefits of non-drying vege oils here. Pity. It's a very important point for a lot of chainsaw owners. The high-volume guys can use canola, no chance of it drying on them, but for many intermittent chainsaw users, a vegetable oil that does not foul the equipment would be a tremendous boon.

You realize you're using a two cycle engine? Do you wear a respirator while using it? Two cycles are like diesel motors especially if the mixture is wrong. But they all smoke. So how do you avoid breathing in the fumes? Bar oil isn't doing much to your lungs unless you're burning it

Yes, I know the problems with oil exhaust from 2-strokes, and I use the wind, when possible, to waft it away if I can. Bar oil enters the air as a mist and can easily be inhaled. That's well known, just use google to check. It also damages plants (horticulturists are very aware of the "burn" and browning mineral oils leave on plants, and many have moved to vegetable oils so as not to annoy their clients by damaging their plants). Petroleum (mineral) oils are Group 1 carcinogens (IOW proven to cause cancer). I don't want them on my body, in my lungs, or sprayed around the environment, and neither should you.

 

[LonestarStihl]

You're more likely to breath in a gas than a liquid. You probably don't even realize it because it is a gas.

Just because something is on google doesn't mean it is true. I can't tell if you're serious or not with your thread. You can use any of those oils of course. Maybe you should try the different oils and report your findings. You could be the one to inform others about their usefulness if you're actually serious.

 

[GerrySM]

Maybe you should try the different oils and report your findings. You could be the one to inform others about their usefulness if you're actually serious.

It looks as if I will indeed have to be the one to test non-drying oils. Unbelievable, but apparently true. Chainsawyers are mostly not scientists, it appears.

I can't tell if you're serious or not with your thread.

You got me. The whole thread is an elaborate ruse to start a flame war with petrolheads. FFS.

 

[LonestarStihl]

I'd say it's true most are not scientists and I wouldn't expect them to be. Are you? It would be helpful to have someone explain the chemical structures and how they would interact better with the metals and use on a chainsaw. All the plastics and such are made using petroleum. When it heats up chances are those plastics are releasing toxins as well according to environmentalists. There is no end to it

 

[GerrySM]

BTW, olive oil is another non-drying oil, and it is cheaper than peanut oil where I live

Almond oil and Coconut oil are the other commonly found non-drying oils.