Whether you are looking for a new chainsaw or you have been cutting wood for the longest time, you need to know the best options for chainsaw oil to lubricate your chain and bars. You can get a new chainsaw for under $200 or $500 depending on your budget. What oil for chainsaw bars is best for lubrication?
Check out the best options and substitutes to keep your power tool operating in top shape. A lubricant is essential to ensure chainsaws run smoothly by helping guarantee enough tackiness and prevent debris from building up while reducing the effects of corrosion.
Traditionally, chainsaws are powered by petroleum-based bar oils. Summer oil is heavier than winter oil, although winter oil is lighter. If the manufacturer’s bar and chain oils aren’t available, the owner’s manual provides alternatives.
Best Standard Chainsaw Oil Options
Typically, the chainsaw manufacturer recommends users rely on specific products or brands to reduce friction between the chain and bar. In most cases, these options do not emphasize the oil weight: the property that denotes oil viscosity.
Nevertheless, viscosity, the ratio between stickiness and slickness of bar and chain oil, can affect the chainsaw operation at different temperatures. Therefore, heavier weight oil options work best in hot conditions, especially during summer. On the other hand, lighter ones still provide suitable viscosity during the winter.
Best Chainsaw Bar Oil Substitutes
a). Motor Oil
You may have little to worry about when your chainsaw bar and chain oil run out if you own a vehicle since regular motor oil can be a suitable chainsaw bar oil substitute. However, although it can be readily available in your garage, it has some disadvantages. For starters, it is not biodegradable.
Consequently, you will be putting the petroleum-based oil into the environment as the chain sprays it when spinning. Plus, it can damage the trees you fell by introducing synthetic materials to the live trees.
Furthermore, using drained motor oil from your vehicle is not a good idea unless it is completely necessary. Of course, you should filter the engine oil in these cases. However, it would be best to make sure the substance is still warm before straining it to make it easier.
Unfortunately, it is tricky to completely remove all the tiny metal fragments in the used motor oil. In addition, the mix of particles rotating at full speed can damage the chain as it rotates around the bar at full speed. Plus, filtering is not a simple process, so relying on a new batch is best.
b). Canola Oil
Many individuals worldwide prefer canola oil to bar oil as a lubricant. It is inexpensive, biodegradable, and odorless. However, because canola oil is thinner and less sticky than motor oil, you’ll have to replenish your bar more frequently.
In many regions, canola oil is half the cost of the bar oil recommended by your manufacturer. However, canola oil is one of the thinnest oils. Therefore, it will quickly escape from the chainsaw bar, particularly in the summer. Therefore, expect to refuel your chainsaw twice as frequently.
Canola oil is environmentally friendly, keeps the chainsaw bright and oiled, and is easy to remove off clothing. However, canola oil can deteriorate, so check the expiration date before using it.
c). Hydraulic Oil
Hydraulic oil dries faster than motor oil, but you can still use it for chainsaw bars. This oil is quite similar to motor oil, so it will keep your chain and bar lubricated at the proper temperature.
If you’re draining hydraulic fluid from another engine intending to reuse it, don’t use it. Likewise, avoid using recycled oils for chainsaw bar oil unless you filter it thoroughly. Hydraulic fluid that has been drained is hazardous to the environment and may jeopardize your chain.
On the other hand, fresh hydraulic oil is fine. However, it’s fairly thin, and it dries in half the time that motor oil does, so keep an eye on it and replenish it several times an hour if it becomes too hot.
d). Vegetable Oil
You probably already have a bottle of vegetable oil in your cupboard if you perform any cooking. If not, a bottle from the supermarket will suffice. In addition, vegetable oil is far more environmentally friendly than motor oil and hydraulic oil since it is thinner with lower viscosity.
However, the reduced viscosity causes it to wear out more quickly. So, while spreading droplets may be beneficial for the surrounding plants, you’ll need to continuously fill the chainsaw oil tank to keep up with the cutting demands.
Conclusion
The key to protecting your new chainsaw investment is to keep it well greased. However, you should not be unable to use your chainsaw if you do not have standard chainsaw oil available. Therefore, I hope you find the options for chainsaw bar oil useful.
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