dave wrote:
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

It's usually pretty high viscosity, hardly a 'light' oil. It's more
like rear axle oil or similar, SAE80 or 90 viscosity.

Why not buy the proper stuff, it's hardly expensive, B&Q have it
(assuming you believe that B&Q's is the 'proper stuff'!).

--
Chris Green

Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether
it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

I don't know, but I was caught out and used engine oil once (for a very
small job) and the chain didn't seem to mind (it wasn't my chain, so I took
the risk!)

The engine oil was a lot more expensive than the chainsaw stuff, but the
tree had to go. After that, I emptied out the motor oil and bought a supply
of proper McCulloch stuff.

If you want the chain to last, I'd use the proper stuff.

Christian.

dave wrote:

Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

I have to own up here - I never seem to have any chainsaw oil around
(maybe because I always forget to buy some, I don't know), so I always
use engine oil. The chain has a good few miles on it now, has been
sharpened a few times, but is still in good condition.

--
Grunff

"usenet" wrote in message


dave wrote:
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

It's usually pretty high viscosity, hardly a 'light' oil. It's more
like rear axle oil or similar, SAE80 or 90 viscosity.

Why not buy the proper stuff, it's hardly expensive, B&Q have it
(assuming you believe that B&Q's is the 'proper stuff'!).

The oil is a lost lubricant. You will see it spraying out on a revving
saw when you press the oiler button if it has one. I used the heavy
stuff and it wouldn't come out the port. In a timberyard I used to work
in they used red diesel. As long as the chain is not run dry, you should
be OK.

This is probably apochryphal but I did hear from a mechanic that you
aught to be able to run an engine on water as a lubricant. By the way
the finest lubricant is castor oil. You might want to put some of that
in the can if you decide to use diesel. Modern two-stroke chainsaws use
microscopic amounts of lube in their mix these days compared to the
ratios I had to use when I had one.

There is another place that requires oil beside the chaincase and the
petrol tank, that is the clutch and gear box. It requires grease-thick
oil. Don't let that box get low, whatever you do. Every day you use it,
check it.


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

"dave" wrote in message
...
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether
it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

One consideration is that the chain oil ends up in the environment. Engine
oil is not too friendly in that respect.

Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

It's usually pretty high viscosity, hardly a 'light' oil. It's more
like rear axle oil or similar, SAE80 or 90 viscosity.

Why not buy the proper stuff, it's hardly expensive, B&Q have it
(assuming you believe that B&Q's is the 'proper stuff'!).


its oil thats not so thin it flies off.... what more do you need on a
chain? People will pay triple for anything these days.


Regards, NT

dave wrote:
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

its oil thats not so thin it flies off.... what more do you need on a
chain? People will pay triple for anything these days.

Regards, NT

On 9 Jun 2004 15:12:41 -0700, N. Thornton wrote:

For the second time... I hope google fix their poxy system soon,
multiple postings are poping up everywhere.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

"dave" wrote in message
...
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether
it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

Chainsaw chain oil is designed to stay on the chain and bar long enough to
keep it lubricated properly, it is also biodegradable. Using any other oil
will cause overheating of the chain and bar causing damage and possibly
injury to the operator. This may not show up on a couple of logs, but it
certainly will on any heavy or prolonged cutting.

Mouse

Christian McArdle wrote:

Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether

it'd be

any cheaper is another question of course :-)


I don't know, but I was caught out and used engine oil once (for a very
small job) and the chain didn't seem to mind (it wasn't my chain, so I took
the risk!)

The engine oil was a lot more expensive than the chainsaw stuff, but the
tree had to go. After that, I emptied out the motor oil and bought a supply
of proper McCulloch stuff.

If you want the chain to last, I'd use the proper stuff.

The point is, even with the proper stuff the chain doesn't last forever.

If you get caught short, engine oil is better than no oil by a long margin.


But chain oil doesn't have to woithstand the temps and pressures that
engine oil does, and so is usually a LOT cheaper.


Christian.

N. Thornton wrote:

dave wrote:

Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)


its oil thats not so thin it flies off.... what more do you need on a
chain? People will pay triple for anything these days.


Well thats the start of it.

In addition you don't want it to dry out and prodice a dreadful gummy
lacquer (castor or linseed oil)

Nor do you want it to instantly poison the groundwater
Or you.


Regards, NT

Hi,

I have known tree surgeons who used to take all our used engine oil
away and use that with no negative effect on their saws. I guess in
theory, impurities could impede the lubricating action of the oil or
block the oiler but in practice, this is highly unlikely - it isn't a
piston/crankshaft you are lubricating. I have seen chain oil
advertised as "non-drip" but I think that basically chain oil is a
nice little earner for the chainsaw and oil companies.

I think Harry has a point although I'm not sure that proper chain oil
is any less damaging to the environment than used engine oil as they
are both mineral. Perhaps if someone made a vegetable one then it
would be different.

Alan.

"Harry Ziman" hziman at clara dot co dot uk wrote in message ...
"dave" wrote in message
...
Can more or less any light oil be used for chainsaw lubrication? Whether
it'd be
any cheaper is another question of course :-)

One consideration is that the chain oil ends up in the environment. Engine
oil is not too friendly in that respect.

Alan Campbell wrote:

I think Harry has a point although I'm not sure that proper chain oil
is any less damaging to the environment than used engine oil as they
are both mineral.

Used engine oil is nasty, nasty stuff - much more so than new engine
oil. It carries a horrible mixture of organics and metals. There is a
whole world of difference between used engine oil and new engine oil.

--
Grunff

wrote:


I use pure vegetable oil (OSR is best) from Safeways at 55p/ltre.

And it makes a good substitute should you run out of diesel not be near
a garage.


--
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