On 22 Jun 2005 07:27:39 -0700, "dean" wrote:

Because every professional user I have ever seen is using 10W30 engine
oil. Now I'm not about to put that into my Stihls but I was just
wondering if I am wasting money on expensive bar oil?

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I've used all three
types of bar lube (used motor oil, new motor oil, and tackified bar
oil) and have cut a lot of wood over the last 30+ years. I never did
it professionally, but my Father in law did and I picked his brain
too.

My conclusions:

Used motor oil:
Pros:
Cheap, does the job
Cons:
Dirty, turns everything black it touches, never washes out.
Requires turning up the automatic oiler to a higher level, so
you often use a tank of oil quicker than a tank of gas, creating the
risk of running the bar dry.
Slings off the bar at the nose (which is why the previous) and
leaves the actual cutting part of the bar under-lubed.
Poorest job of lubing of the three.
*May* be carcinogenic.
Unless you get enough from oil changes in your own vehicles you
have to scrounge it.
And, the deal killer for me finally after hundreds of gallons of
the stuff, it usually contains enough contaminants that it will plug
up the pump, bar or passages at the worst moments.

New motor oil:
Pros:
Does the job, slightly cheaper than dedicated bar oil.
Cleaner than used oil.
Clean, doesn't plug anything up and the viscosity can be chosen
to work in cold weather.
Cons:
Slings off the bar so requires turning up the oiler and may
under-lube the cutting side of the bar or cause the tank to run dry
early.
Not significantly cheaper than dedicated bar oil.

Tackified Bar Oil:
Pros:
Does the best job of lubing the chain - Since I switched there
is noticeably less wear on the bars of my saws, even though I am in a
sandier and dustier area.
Doesn't sling off the bar, so it is still there where you need
it.
You use less, so it partially offsets the higher cost of new
motor oil.
Clean, but it does tend to leave "strings" all over the side of
the saw. Never seems to plug anything up.
Handy, no more messing with a 15 gallon drum of used oil.
Cons:
Price, slightly more expensive than new (cheap) motor oil, but
if bought on sale can be had for essentially the same price.
Sticky - coats your gloves, jeans, boots, truck, whatever you
spill it on. Doesn't want to come off.
Tends to get pretty stiff in cold weather.

Conclusion:
For me, after wearing out a number of saws and bars and chains
using old motor oil, I decided that paying for the "real stuff" was a
good investment. All of the loggers I currently know use it because it
lengthens bar and chain life by allowing them to run cooler and with
less wear. Cooler chains don't stretch as much and don't require as
much maintenance.
My experience since switching is that the tackified oil is well
worth the price. The only drawback I have found is that it gets so
thick in sub-zero (F) weather that you have to thin it to make it
pump. Usually under those conditions I just fall back on *new* motor
oil. I will never go back to the used stuff again.

Your mileage, as always, may vary.

--
"We need to make a sacrifice to the gods, find me a young virgin... oh, and bring something to kill"

Tim Douglass

http://www.DouglassClan.com