Cold weather and bar oil

[openloop]

Simple, I always have used oil from vehicle maintence, and chain oil is costly especially when you cut a lot of wood. It works just fine so why not?

...It stinks... its dirty.... it has no added tackifiers... the lubricating properties of used motor oil are seriously compromised (thats why we change it).... the saws are designed to use bar oil... bar oil isnt that expensive.

Just to name a few.

 

[AIM]

I know a few people that use old motor oil and son't seem to have a problem. I don't do it for some reason but it probably wouldn't bother me to use it.

I've always thought that bar oil was the reject stuff from oil makers that didn't meet some standard for motor oil. Add some tacky stuff and whalla... You have bar oil.
(I don't KNOW that this is what they do,, I just THINK it)

 

[Whitespider]

Used motor oil is nasty stuff, loaded with all kinds of crap. Actually, because of the carbons and heavy metals it contains, it makes a better fine abrasive polish than a lubricant. Why anyone would use it as a bar & chain lube is beyond my comprehension… but hey, whatever you wanna’ believe.

I can tell you this… Every time I’ve seen a nose sprocket fail the saw was running used motor oil as a bar & chain lube.
Just sayin’.

Personally, I just burn the stuff.

 

[D&B Mack]

Someone needs to invent a "Bar Oil Koozie".

 

[greendohn]

i use the stuff from the farm store. in the fall they will carry the winter grade as well as the standard grade. i also scored a few gallons of pouland brand last year when the wally world was moving to a new location.
in a pinch i have been known to dilute my bar oil with karo, motor oil or a splash of fuel mix. i wouldn't ever use used motor oil for the reasons whitespider mentioned.

the stealership claims there is quite a bit of difference in bar oils and cost because of the additives which are employed to maintain proper tackiness, viscosity and the actual lubricating properties involved. the stuff has to lube 1st and formost and it has to cling to the bar/chain while it also flows between the links and straps. that seems to be a tall order we're asking from our bar oil. that's the reason i try to stay ahead of the game and keep both standard and winter weight on hand for my saws.

no different from engine oil. castrol synthetic is a far better lube for your truck than say tech 2000/generic engine oil. one is a better lube than the other because of the quality of the product.

 

[ChipMonger]

I put a quart of ATF into a gallon of summer weight bar oil. As of yet, i havent had any problems no matter how cold it has gotten.

 

[kd460]

I put a quart of ATF into a gallon of summer weight bar oil. As of yet, i havent had any problems no matter how cold it has gotten.

Thats exactly what I do. I use the TSC oil, and remove a quart, dump in the atf and write on the label with a red sharpie "winter bar oil". Done deal, works good. If for some reason I forget (when out in the woods), then I add some two stroke to the regular oil. KD

 

[Arbonaut]

Echo bar oil is all weather. That's been my experience with it, too. It has been from 66F to 7F here in the last 45 days. When it's real cold, the chief threat to bar and chain wear is gone because everything is frozen. Wouldn't the lower temp keep the moving parts from heating up? Seems like keeping real clean chain by degreasing it in Rubbermaid degreaser (same chemical as lye) when I sharpen-- lets the oil flow down into the rivets. Stays wetter. Some one make an element for the b&c oil tank that works like heated handles.

 

[Whitespider]

When it's real cold, the chief threat to bar and chain wear is gone because everything is frozen. Wouldn't the lower temp keep the moving parts from heating up?

That’s not quite how it works.
Couple of quick points… Heat is energy, cold is not. When you quench hot steel in cold water the heat is transferred from the steel to the water, not the other way around. Second, if not for friction and the resulting heat it generates, ice would not be slippery… ice skates would not work! The friction between the skate blade (or the sole of your shoe) and the ice creates enough heat to melt the ice, and the resulting ultra-thin layer of water “floats” the blade (or your shoe) causing the “slipperiness” effect… not different than stepping in a puddle of oil on concrete.

Friction between the chain and wood, even frozen wood, creates heat. Wood is a much better insulator than steel, so the larger share of heat is absorbed by the steel. During the actual “cutting”, especially larger rounds, the chain will become just as hot (or at least darn near just as hot) no matter what the temperature of the wood. Part of the oil’s job is to carry off some of this heat. Colder temperatures will cause the chain and bar to cool-off faster though.

 

[Bushmans]

After concentrated reading of this thread and days of brow busting thought I have come up with the ultimate solution for bar oil on really cold days. I have taken all of your ideas and boiled them into one basic technique.

Stay inside until it warms up!

Seriously though thanx for all the tips!

:boss:

 

[Sagetown]

i use the stuff from the farm store. in the fall they will carry the winter grade as well as the standard grade. i also scored a few gallons of pouland brand last year when the wally world was moving to a new location.
in a pinch i have been known to dilute my bar oil with karo, motor oil or a splash of fuel mix. i wouldn't ever use used motor oil for the reasons whitespider mentioned.

the stealership claims there is quite a bit of difference in bar oils and cost because of the additives which are employed to maintain proper tackiness, viscosity and the actual lubricating properties involved. the stuff has to lube 1st and formost and it has to cling to the bar/chain while it also flows between the links and straps. that seems to be a tall order we're asking from our bar oil. that's the reason i try to stay ahead of the game and keep both standard and winter weight on hand for my saws.

no different from engine oil. castrol synthetic is a far better lube for your truck than say tech 2000/generic engine oil. one is a better lube than the other because of the quality of the product.

Rep'd

 

[dingeryote]

After concentrated reading of this thread and days of brow busting thought I have come up with the ultimate solution for bar oil on really cold days. I have taken all of your ideas and boiled them into one basic technique.

Stay inside until it warms up!

Seriously though thanx for all the tips!

:boss:

Single digits and colder means other problems anyhow.

That's what a shop heater and barn projects are for.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote

 

[Sagetown]

After reading this I was in town later and checked some bar oil prices. Wal-Mart Super Tech : $7.97 a gal. Husquvarna $9.99 a gal. STIHL $18.95 a gallon.