Bar oil alternative

[Wilhelm]

What is bar oil?!

If cost was an issue for me, I’d run anything oily…for what it is, I don’t think it matters.

This.

 

[Funky sawman]

At this point, I think the bar oil cut with canola oil is the safest and most economic route.

 

[jakethesnake]

I bought some from target online. If you spend 35$ ships free. 5 gallons for 31$. Got a pack of golf balls to get free shipping. Hope I like canola.

 

[Woodpecker]

At this point, I think the bar oil cut with canola oil is the safest and most economic route.

It really doesn’t have to be cut with much. I tried the 50/50 thing at first like @Moparmyway mentioned but gradually settled on adding just around 1 part bar oil to 9 parts canola. Then when I ran out of bar oil it was “what else do I have in the oil cupboard that I can use.” I really was just looking to not have the canola turn to wax in the tank/oiler like the “sky is falling” crowd had warned against in the past. I’m not sure it’s totally necessary. Hasn’t been important enough for me to test it further. What I’m doing now works well enough. It’s about a pint of something atf, marvel mystery oil, motor oil, stp, etc. you all get the idea.

 

[qurotro]

The canola oil has an disgusting odor to me..

 

[Int1968]

^Stihl bio oil has a smell that some people don’t like as well

 

[Moparmyway]

It really doesn’t have to be cut with much. I tried the 50/50 thing at first like @Moparmyway mentioned but gradually settled on adding just around 1 part bar oil to 9 parts canola. Then when I ran out of bar oil it was “what else do I have in the oil cupboard that I can use.” I really was just looking to not have the canola turn to wax in the tank/oiler like the “sky is falling” crowd had warned against in the past. I’m not sure it’s totally necessary. Hasn’t been important enough for me to test it further. What I’m doing now works well enough. It’s about a pint of something atf, marvel mystery oil, motor oil, stp, etc. you all get the idea.

What’s the longest you’ve gone, not getting used, that it didn’t get crusty or gell’d / gumm’d up ?

 

[JimBear]

MFA locally is $10.94 gallon or $9.47 gallon for a pallet/equivalent of 55gal drum. Those prices are good for the oil sale which is on thru the end of March & include delivery to the shop.
I guess I should of bought more when it was $5.19 & $6.09 gallon.

 

[Woodpecker]

What’s the longest you’ve gone, not getting used, that it didn’t get crusty or gell’d / gumm’d up ?

Not long. Maybe 6-8 weeks tops. If it’s a low use saw I’ll dump the tank and run a bit of something petroleum through before shelving. I like atf because of the detergents. Gotta run it out of fuel anyway. In the winter up here it’s sometimes necessary to bump the amount of additives to raise the temperature related cloud point of the canola. I’ll have to defer to @00wyk in this department sounds like he’s left his saws much longer with canola in the tank.

To me this is like with most things in life. You do what’s best for you and what your comfortable with. For me it’s worth it to not be breathing atomized petrochemical bar oil of unidentified origin. Could care less about cost. Bar oil is the least of my operating expense worries.

 

[Woodpecker]

Probably also good to point out straight canola is different than vegetable oil. Cheap veg oil will turn gluey pretty fast.

 

[JimBear]

I just got off the horn with the MFA oil lab in Moberly. I had some questions about their bar oil.

1.) Shelf life ? Fella said after about 5 years the tackifier may start to separate but a good shake of the jug or stir of the barrel would take care of that.
The reason I inquired is, I read on one of the spec sheets for another bar oil ( I can’t recall the brand ) the shelf life was 2-3 years.

2.) Whether it was virgin oil or filtered used oil with tackifier added ? He said that theirs is always virgin oil. They occasionally use older hydraulic oil & use hydraulic oil from damaged containers then add the appropriate tackifiers to get their blend correct.

The fella also told me that they could blend up smaller batches thicker or thinner per customer preference.

He then said they could deliver in bulk with the tank wagon using 275 gallon or 330 gallon totes. I told him that wasn’t really in the cards for me.

Very nice, helpful & informative fella.

 

[Tugg]

A little off subject what happened to the biodiesel movement? I know gas prices went down but for a while just about every restaurant had someone interested in their used fryer oil. Seemed like there was quite a bit of interest in making your own biodiesel. Is there a price point that it’s not worth it? Or Maybe newer engines don’t like it?

That would make the best refine bar oil. Aside from the smelling of french fries and being hungry all the time.

 

[davidwyby]

$8-12 at big box stores here in SoCal...

 

[Funky sawman]

A little off subject what happened to the biodiesel movement? I know gas prices went down but for a while just about every restaurant had someone interested in their used fryer oil. Seemed like there was quite a bit of interest in making your own biodiesel. Is there a price point that it’s not worth it? Or Maybe newer engines don’t like it?

That would make the best refine bar oil. Aside from the smelling of french fries and being hungry all the time.

I know my common rail Cummins don't like bio diesel or veg oil fuel. If it was older mechanical injection, I could make it work

 

[Stem]

I know my common rail Cummins don't like bio diesel or veg oil fuel. If it was older mechanical injection, I could make it work

yup you can pretty much run whatever you want in an old 12V, those things are honey badgers & don't give a shht.

 

[jakethesnake]

Probably also good to point out straight canola is different than vegetable oil. Cheap veg oil will turn gluey pretty fast.

I ran into that. That’s why I quit using it. Everything still worked. Smelled like rot Real bad. I dumped some oil and a shot of gas in the tank and it still worked though.

 

[jakethesnake]

A little off subject what happened to the biodiesel movement? I know gas prices went down but for a while just about every restaurant had someone interested in their used fryer oil. Seemed like there was quite a bit of interest in making your own biodiesel. Is there a price point that it’s not worth it? Or Maybe newer engines don’t like it?

That would make the best refine bar oil. Aside from the smelling of french fries and being hungry all the time.

it’s probably gonna gum up on you unless you run the saw you’re using daily Not let it sit a few months in the heat. I ran vegetable oil blends.

die to recent reading I’m gonna try the 100 canola

 

[Moparmyway]

I just got a bunch of Happy Time Canola delivered. I’ll find a glass jar and mix with bar oil 50/50, then let her sit. I’m curious if it will separate and how fast/slow if it does

 

[jakethesnake]

I just got a bunch of Happy Time Canola delivered. I’ll find a glass jar and mix with bar oil 50/50, then let her sit. I’m curious if it will separate and how fast/slow if it does

Pics?

 

[Woodpecker]

I just got a bunch of Happy Time Canola delivered. I’ll find a glass jar and mix with bar oil 50/50, then let her sit. I’m curious if it will separate and how fast/slow if it does

Empty water bottles work gooder… ask me how I know