bar/chain oil vs used engine oil?

[hslogger]

Anyone who runs chainsaws for a living day in and day out will tell you screwing around with crap oil is foolhardy, to say it politely.
Sometimes in the winters I would add a bit of diesel or gasoline into my bar oil just to lighten it up bit. This is from a guy who would burn a gallon to gallon and a half of gas, and roughly three quarters of a gallon of bar oil in a six hour time period. When your paycheck relies on your saws, you don't get very far on the cheap.

 

[Sodo]

I bet used engine oil is fine for the chain & oilers, but it depends how well the oil was "cared for" after being drained from the engine. Was it dumped in an old bucket with a bunch of dirt? Or carefully collected, for re-use in another piece of eqpt? There is a difference.

I tried used engine oil in a saw, 2 tanks. It was messy. It was runny. Everywhere you put that saw it leaves a mess. Everywhere the chain sprays is a mess, so you have to be careful where you point it. Your clothes get black. The very few $$ saved was lost dealing with the mess, I wouldn't do it again.

 

[tungularafishcamp]

One other plus at least for some bar oil is it's synthetic and made to break down harmlessly instead of flinging carcinogens all over your property.

 

[DarkBlack]

I bet used engine oil is fine for the chain & oilers, but it depends how well the oil was "cared for" after being drained from the engine. Was it dumped in an old bucket with a bunch of dirt? Or carefully collected, for re-use in another piece of eqpt? There is a difference..

You got it. That's where one would have to pay attention/ The oil in the car is very, very clean by bar oil standards, Letting it flow across the bottom of a dusty dirty oil pan, into a dirty collection pan is where any real particles would be drawn in.

 

[Soundguy]

for get that. these guys like heavy metals and stuff in their firewood they heat their homes with. what's a lil inhaled benzene.. right?

 

[DarkBlack]

for get that. these guys like heavy metals and stuff in their firewood they heat their homes with. what's a lil inhaled benzene.. right?

What do you think happens to the millions and millions of gallons of crankcase oil that 'disappears' in less than perfect engines across the globe?

 

[Soundguy]

it's not like it's making the end of the log i'm heating my home with black. it is at least diluted across the entire environment. not a wet black smear on every log i cut. comparing millions of gallons and the surface area of the globe is a far cry from the concentration you would get on a 18
" quarted wood stove or fireplace split with a black oily end!

 

[DarkBlack]

Anyone use used engine oil in place of bar/chain oil? Even in a pinch?

99% I buy pre-made 'bar oil'. I have used 'waste oil' when I was in need- no problems.

 

[DarkBlack]

it's not like it's making the end of the log i'm heating my home with black. it is at least diluted across the entire environment. not a wet black smear on every log i cut. comparing millions of gallons and the surface area of the globe is a far cry from the concentration you would get on a 18
" quarted wood stove or fireplace split with a black oily end!

If you got a wet black smear on every log you cut, you need to turn down your oiler rate. No need to waste precious oil.

 

[Soundguy]

ok.. here's the college answer since you didn't like the other one.

drops on the road from the leaky car is essentially a non point source. ( it happens, we know it happens.. we can't trak down and stop or be aware of every car that does it ).

A saw with drips blowing out is a point source. You can easilly see it and mitigate it.

ie.. fix the stuff we can fix...