HELP! What oil should we use?

Cottam

I have joined Tree World to try to get some helpful advice.

I am a 60-year-old Aussie missionary named Lynette working in PNG. Two of our young families have just moved into a remote village and are milling timber to build their houses. They will live amongst this people group learning their language and culture and then teaching them from God's Word.

Enough for intro's. They are using a chain saw with a milling attachment to mill pine from local trees in the Menyamya district. One of the young men asked me to try to find out whether there is a cheaper oil and one which is easily available which could be SAFELY used as a subsitute for the oil regularly used for the bar on their chain saw. They wondered whether some kind of cooking oil would perhaps be an option.

Hoping some of you chainsaw experts can give me some helpful advice very soon.

Thanks so much,

Lynette Cottam

newguy18

I've heard of either aussies or kiwis[forget which,no offense guys]useing canola oil while milling.I wouldn't leave it sit in the oil tank for more than a month though.

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old schooler

Knotahippie

What kind of bar oil have the natives used traditionally?

Eric Frei

If you are looking for cost savings then local vegetable oils etc could be used however ....

Watch the oil thickness, as saw heats up and summer comes the vegetable/palm oils etc get very "runny".

Oil is dispensed on the top of the bar, then chain carries it around the nose. A thin oil flys of the nose of the bar. Stihl oil etc has "tackifiers" which make the oil sticky, helps it stick to the bar/chain.

Stihl make bio oils too. STIHL Incorporated USA -- Products -- Accessories -- Manufacturing the World's Number One Selling Brand of Chain Saws

Make sure the oiler is turned up to maximum, maybe add a natural tackifier of some sort. Also people use cheap motor oils however same problem with tackifiers. Some go for thicker oils like diff oil (hypoid 90) others in cold climates go for 10W-30 motor oil.

Me, I just got to the shop and buy bar oil, they're all dear now.

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Steve Tipton

Using the wrong chain oil could result in false economy, causing premature wear of bar, chain and sprocket.
Milling works saws very hard, as you are usually cutting end grain and full bar length. This is much tougher than cutting cross grain.

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Heightmaster

Therrin

Could you use some kind of pump or sprayer to manually apply oil to the chain/bar if you're using a thinner type of oil which doesnt have tackifiers?

slabmaster

Dish soap mixed with water dripped on the bar & chain while milling helps alot.

Therrin

In your own experience it helps alot? Or what?

Seems like it wouldnt stick very well to the bar and chain. Do you spray it on while you're cutting?

Jason Axe

i have a small Hudson band mill and they to have a drip tank that drips soapy water on to the blade they say it lubercates it and keeps the dust down. i didnt think it would help but id made a big difference it how long the blade lasts. the only bad think was it made the blade rust up and the guide berrings. in the winter i was told to use windshield washer fluid...never tried it tho

Bruce Hopf

Personally, if it was me, I'd stick to Bar, and Chain Oil. I've seen a guy cut fire wood, from Tree Tops that I sold him last fall, use Vegetable Oil. When he stopped cutting to refill his Chain Saw, you could not hardly touch the Guide Bar on the Chain Saw, because it was that Hot.
In the almost 30 years that I have been Cutting, I've never had that Problem with my Chain Saws using Bar Oil for the Bar, and Chain. Sure the Bar, and Chain gets a little warm, but not hot that you could barley touch it.
Look at it this way, which is Cheaper. The Bar Oil that is recommended, or a New Bar, and Chain, that will wear out faster with out Bar Oil. Just my opinion though. Bruce.

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McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

willem

I know people who use flax seed, linseedoil for there chainsaws.

Bruce Hopf

Your Band Saw Mill, is a lot different than a Chain Saw Mill, which these guys are using. There is no Guide System, on a Band Saw, other than the Rollers at each end and the Blade Keeper. You can get away from using Bar, and Chain Oil with your Mill, they can't. Bruce. P.S. I hope I didn't insult you, but you have to look, and read the Question at hand, before giving an answer.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

slabmaster

I have a csm with a alaskan mill that cuts better when useing dish soap dripping from an external tank mounted on the mill along with regular bar oil in the saw.It seems to clear the chips better and the saw cuts faster for some reason.Hope this helps. Mark

Cottam

Gentlemen,

Thank you to each and every one of you for your responses seeking to help.

I, and I am sure the young men cutting the timber, appreciate your input very much.

Bruce Hopf

Do you think, that when using the Dish Soap along with the Bar Oil, will allow the Chain Saw to slide along easier, because it is also slipperier than with the Bar Oil alone? Just a thought. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Jason Axe

dear bruce, i was only adding to what slabmaster said along the lines of using soapy water so what was the reasiong behind your comment? i never once said any thing about using it instead of bar oil i just simply said that with my band mill it does indeed help. hmm mabey you should read all the posts before commenting....

Bruce Hopf

axe.
Sorry, but you were talking about a Band Saw Mill, and they were talking about a Chain Saw Mill. Regardless they are two different mills all together. Correct me if I'm Wrong. Bruce.

__________________
McCulloch chain saws
1- Pro Mac 60, 1- Pro Mac 700, 2- Mac 10-10 Automatic's, 2- Mini Mac 30's, 2- Mac 110's,
2- Mini Mac 35's, 1- Mac 140 with Automatic Chain Sharpener,
1- Pro Mac 10-10, 1- Mac Cat, 2- Eager Beaver
2.0's, 1- Mac 1-10
Stihl chain saws
2- 044's, 2- 034's, 2- 024's, 1- 064, 1- 084,
Strunk chain saws
1- Busy Beaver, 1- SpeeDemon Special
Stand Back, I Have A Very Extreme Case of CAD (Chain Saw Addiction Disorder).

Therrin

+ =

Agree to disagree maybe? Two different processes. Two results. However, one use of one processes may actually pour over into a similar result from a completely different process. Think about it and try not to bicker, children.

Jason Axe

yea i do realise they are different types of mills but how ever i was just addding to what slabmaster said about soapy water and how it helps with the MILLING PROCESS regardless weather it be a band mill or a chain saw mill. i was reading throught this thread and saw that they were talking about using soapy water when milling, so i just was saying that in my experience it helped(yes with a band mill). i wouldnt of said any thing if i new any one would be affended buy it.

well anyway, Merry Christmas!

Therrin

Arrrrr! Merry Christmas!

Cottam

Gentlemen,

I see the discussion went on way past when I checked for new posts. Sincere thanks to you all. I didn't mean to start arguments. [I don't know how to make a crying smiley].

Lynette