BIODEGRADABLE Bar and Chain Oil

I stumbled upon biodegradable bar and chain oil while looking at the Bailey's catalog. I was floored that it even exists. I have always felt terrible knowing that all of the oil i pour into my saw ends up on the ground. Before I spent the $60+ for 4 gallons of the Biodegradable Motion Lotion I did some research and found that biodegradable grease, hydraulic fluid and other lubricants are gaining popularity and becoming more and more available. I wasn't suprised to find that many European countries are far more advanced in regards to such environmentally sensitive products; Austria, if i remeber correctly, has actually banned the use of conventional petro based bar and chain olis and have mandated the use of biodegradable lubes. unfortunately, our own government officials don't believe that our own land is worth such protection. I am writing all of this to "spread the word" about biodegradable products. yeah, they cost more, but it's the environment worth protecting? i won't even get on my soapbox as to why i believe it is.

I bought 2- 5 gallon pails of BIOBLEND this week for $136. check it out! I understand that they actually lubricate, withstand heat and breakdown like synthetic oils!!! I found a few articles in which guys noticed their bars and chains lasting longer with these soy based oils. Here are some links to possible sources for biodegradable products:

http://www.bioblend.com/content/view/85/77?gclid=CITsn_DT048CFRsMQAodyAnWyA

http://www.baileysonline.com/itemdetail.asp?item=17071&CAT=

http://www.renewablelube.com/products/pdf/Bio-Bar & Chain (BBC) Oils.pdf

http://www.peaksandprairies.com/docs/PPMTGold_MSDS.pdf

http://www.elmusa.com/products/data_sheets/pdf/elm_bar_chain_lubricant.pdf

I have been using Stihl BioPlus exclusively for a couple of years now. We perform alot of work in watersheds and look for work customers want done in a green manor. The contractor I cut for is a horse logger and lands several of these contracts each year. Being able to say we use BioPlus oil is a selling point. We don't fuel our equipment in a water course and don't grease there either. We wipe all grease fittings and clean old grease as it is forced out. We pressure wash the tractors and chippers after each job so they arrive clean. It just makes sense to use a biodegradeable oil since it works just as well as petro oil and is easy to clean off the saw. The chains wear the same as with petro oil. I like it.

Hey 2dogs, what is really cool is reading your post and then reading your sig.

A friend of mine that does a lot of chainsaw carving in GA uses peanut oil that he buys in bulk at Costco. Never tried it yet but he says it works great.

We sell 5 gallons of the "Matco" brand of canola based bar oil for $50 (local only) . I'm pretty sure is the same stuff as "Motion Lotion". Personally.. I don't like it for milling (bakes on black and crusty) and oil pumps/tanks I service after a year or more on this stuff are real gummy...

why pay the premium for stihl bio oil?

go to Sam's wholesale and purchase veggie oil for $15 for 5 gal. works great!

046 said:

why pay the premium for stihl bio oil?

go to Sam's wholesale and purchase veggie oil for $15 for 5 gal. works great!

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unless you use it all the time... and then it eventually turns to resin on your clutch etc...

been running it for one season now with no problems..

box says 100% soy oil

do avoid using in saws that does not get used regularly

Lakeside53 said:

unless you use it all the time... and then it eventually turns to resin on your clutch etc...

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if your customer has a paved driveway ........

lives on a paved road,or has common tar shingles on their roof,you're wasting your time and money.

Yep...

and I like the spraying of used oil on gravel roads to keep the dust down... sure makes a mockery of bio...

Have to agree with lake on the milling comment. I tried vegoil thinking that it would have to be better on wood as its biodegradable etc etc. certaintly cut better, but made a mess of the oak i was cutting. anyone want any oak firewood?

2dogs said:

I have been using Stihl BioPlus exclusively for a couple of years now. We perform alot of work in watersheds and look for work customers want done in a green manor. The contractor I cut for is a horse logger and lands several of these contracts each year. Being able to say we use BioPlus oil is a selling point. We don't fuel our equipment in a water course and don't grease there either. We wipe all grease fittings and clean old grease as it is forced out. We pressure wash the tractors and chippers after each job so they arrive clean. It just makes sense to use a biodegradeable oil since it works just as well as petro oil and is easy to clean off the saw. The chains wear the same as with petro oil. I like it.

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I have mostly used Husky Veg-Oil for a few years, and it actually seem to perform better than dino oil (more is pumped out, and less is needed).

No gumming problems at all so far, even when it sits some months in the tank.

Different experiences may be caused by using different kinds of Veg-Oil....?

Troll I have used BioPlus in the extreme cold we have here too. Last winter it got down to almost 40oF here. I had to wear 2 t-shirts!

This has been discussed at length around here. Do a search for:

- bio
- canola
- veggie

....and you'll get more threads than you care to read. This is what I have taken way as the consensus:

Canola (and I believe safflower) oil from the grocery store seems to be the best choice for an alternative to the expensive commercial brands. Don't use "Vegetable Oil" as it oxidizes faster, make sure is says "Canola" and is not a blend. If you are the occasional use homeowner (small saw that you only bring out to cut up that infrequent limb that falls), you can run into issues with any veggie type oil oxidizing if left in tank, becoming gummy and becoming an issue for the mechanics of the saw (oiler, etc.). I believe the commercially offered bio oils (Husky, etc.) are canola based with tackifiers and anti-oxidant additives. I think many of the pros here that run saws everyday who do use canola-type bar oil don't have the oxidizing issue since the oil and saw never sit around. I recall reading one thread where one guy was having skin issues with the petro oil getting on his skin. Since switching to canola-type oil, the health issue went away, so I believe there is more benefit to making this work besides the "just seems like a good idea for the environment" argument.

I just repaired my first saw (a freebie I was given) and gave canola oil a try. My saw does not have an adjustable oiler, so the thin canola ran out of the saw like a faucet was running. After I went through that tank, I flushed standard bar oil behind it and cleaned the saw thoroughly with Simple Green degreaser and hot water. I plan to do this every time. This is my plan for next time:

- if I'm going to be running the saw for a long time, I will try straight canola again, then flush with petro oil.
- if it will only be a short run, I will use petro bar oil or perhaps a mix of canola and petro.

Vitamin E is an anti-oxidant that I believe is soluble in canola oil, so I was going to look into getting some capsules of the stuff at the store and doing a little experiment to see if it prevents the oil from oxidizing (becoming gummy).

If it doesn't work, I'll take the vitamin E as a dietary supplement, use the canola to cook with and move on with life. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

SawTroll said:

I have mostly used Husky Veg-Oil for a few years, and it actually seem to perform better than dino oil (more is pumped out, and less is needed).

No gumming problems at all so far, even when it sits some months in the tank.

Different experiences may be caused by using different kinds of Veg-Oil....?

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Yes... The Husky vege is like the Stihl bio etc- it has additives to stop the formation of resins, and to enhance it's stickyness (tackifiers). Not the same as using straight vege. I still don't think it's as good for milling.

In any case.. The problem is not so much "in the tank" but where the oil meets the air, and mingles with residual tree sap/resins. It might depend somewhat on the tree types also.

Lakeside53 said:

Yes... The Husky vege is like the Stihl bio etc- it has additives to stop the formation of resins, and to enhance it's stickyness (tackifiers). Not the same as using straight vege. I still don't think it's as good for milling.

In any case.. The problem is not so much "in the tank" but where the oil meets the air, and mingles with residual tree sap/resins. It might depend somewhat on the tree types also.

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It wouldn't surprice me if they are the same oils, but the Stihl Bio+ isn't offered around here - the Stihl dealers offer another brand, that I don't like as much as the Veg-oil.

It is the same with Aspen premixed petrol, they offer it elsewhere, but not here, so I am stuck with the Husky and Jred dealers for what I want to use.