difference in bar/chain oil??!!

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I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.


Don
 
SWI Don said:
I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.


Don
Click to expand...

I would think the hyd oil would fly right off. But with it cold it might be ok.
 
SWI Don said:
I was thinking the Poulan oil from Orchelens is in a black bottle the same shape as the husky bottle pictured. It seems to be pretty decent. I cracked open my new bottle last weekend when we cut & loaded around 5 full size heaping pickup loads in about 3 hrs. It seemed to work well. Only time will tell.

I have a buddy that got a couple of 55's of used hydraulic oil (very clean) from a friend that operates a lot of heavy equipment. We used it some this last winter and it compared very well with the Stihl winter grade I was using.

I don't know about using it this summer as it is pretty thin but for winter use I'll probably continue to use the free stuff.

Don
Click to expand...

I wish someone would give me a couple bbls of clean oil like that. I'd mix it 50/50 with diesel, and burn it in my pickup! I do it all the time, and it makes excelent fuel!!

It's the only way these days i can get 2 dollar diesel!!!

Rob
 
Sawyer Rob said:
I wish someone would give me a couple bbls of clean oil like that. I'd mix it 50/50 with diesel, and burn it in my pickup! I do it all the time, and it makes excelent fuel!!

It's the only way these days i can get 2 dollar diesel!!!

Rob
Click to expand...

For your sake, I hope you live near a bus line.
 
Hard to beat Stihl chain oil. The best I used though was Texaco Clingtex, haven't seen it for years.
 
summer/winter?

AFAIK, only Stihl makes summer and winter weight chain oils, no one else does. So does Sthil have a better approach or is it better to use a one oil fits all weather approach?


The stuff I got at Walmart in the green jug (Poland, I think, the jug cracked and I transferred it), was so thick in winter I was afraid to use it in cold weather (almost like axle grease).

Why did I go to Walmart? The one Stihl dealer moved away and the other Stihl dealer is a Radio Shack (I kid you not!) and they never heard of winter weight Stihl bar oil.

Ken
 
I believe Husqvarna offers a winter grade also. I haven't used it but I believe a friend of mine had a jug.

Don
 
This will sound a little old skool-hick, but it works....

Not looking as much as lubing the bar, but getting the stuff to pour. I have taken fuel/mix and dumped it into a bar-oil jug.

On real cold days, waiting for what seems forever to get bar oil to pour, dumping in a good 15% or so and shaking the daylights out of a bar oil jug gets you through a cold day.

Truth, I think days like that are why God invented fish houses and made the ice thick enough to drive to them!
 
Vactra oil is bar oil

Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....
 
As a complete newbie who knows nothing about saws, but knows a lot about machinery, I can say without a doubt that there certainly is a difference between bar oils, even in my very limited experience. With the help of this forum I bought my first saw last year, a Husky 359. I started out with a quart of Husky bar oil, but when that ran out I bought a gallon of Tractor Supply branded bar oil. I thought my saw was broken! Oil was spewing out all over the place where it hadn't with the Husky oil! Aaugh! Whether the TS oil is better or worse I won't try to say, but "different" it definitely is! Just from memory, the TS oil said on the jug that it was straight 30W oil. I would guess that the additives in the Husky oil make it stickier, but I'm not going to claim anything; as I said, I'm a NEWBIE!
 
milkie62 said:
Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....
Click to expand...

Grainger's prices are $80-90 (plus shipping?) for 5 gallons. That makes Stihl or Husky bar oil at $8-11/gallon look good.

Ken
 
Interesting???

milkie62 said:
Bar oil seems to be the same as machine tool way oil.It is referred to as Vactra oil #2 or #4 .It is very tacky and you will get a string between your fingers.I think Graingers sells it in 5 Gallon pails. I seen it advertised by Mobil.It is probably alot cheaper by the pail than buying it by the gallon.I keep a couple of the name brand jugs and just transfer it.I will bet the Stihl winter and summer wts are Vactra 2 and 4 respectively.Never had a problem using it.Just do not use #4 in the winter.....
Click to expand...

I am no expert on anything. That being said, I have noticed many differences between different brands. "Vactra Oil" is something I am very familiar with since I have used it for over 30 years in machine tools. Similar application to chainsaws in that it provides a film between two surfaces to reduce friction. The speed is what concerns me. Chains on bars are quite a bit faster than machine tool ways. Although the pressure load on ways of the machine would be much higher. The difference may not be an issue. I suspect this difference may be the difference between different brands of actual bar/chain oil. IMO cheap oil of any type is just that - CHEAP OIL. Some people don't care and some do. I won't buy the cheapest stuff and I won't buy the most expensive oil either. The most expensive doesn't always make it the best oil either. I'm definitely going to investigate this Vactra oil idea though. (since I have an unlimited supply at my disposal) :)
 
For Hawkster

Well Hawkster I have been using Vactra oil for about 20 yrs.My supply finaaly dried up and will more than likely be using Husky oil now.Never had a problem with it.As a matter of fact it seems like more crud stays with the chain attesting to its stickynist (sp?). Mobil 634 gear oil seems to hang on pretty good too.I had a chance to try many oils working in a machine shop.But vactra #2 is spec'd for the roller chains where I work now.And they move pretty fast.Try that Vactra and let me know what you think.......
 
I have opportunity to get odd quarts of oil often and have used all sorts of brands and weights for chain oil.I like free better than any price you guys listed.
 

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