Canola oil

[SpaceBus]

I'm in the minority that uses canola oil for B&C oil in my saws. Does anyone have a lead on a good deal for bulk canola oil? I usually get the "Happy Belly" brand from Amazon in one gallon jugs. Amazon used to price it at $11/gallon, but now that it is $6.30/gallon suddenly they have a four gallon max on orders. I even waited a day and I still can't get more yet. In the past I got some jugs of Wesson canola oil, but it's a bit spendier and I don't really notice the higher quality when sawing.

For those that are curious it seems to be just as effective as regular B&C oil in all seasons. On saws with adjustable oilers I turn them down for canola oil since it flows easier. Usually a tank of oil will go about as long as a tank of fuel, so I fill both at the same time. Chains do tend to get stiff after hanging for a while, but they loosen right up. Canola oil mixed with balsam fir resin will eventually harden into a pretty soft varnish, but that doesn't seem to have any effect on my equipment.

 

[SpaceBus]

I found basically the same deal on Target's website, which I will probably go with unless someone knows of a better deal. Webrestaurant store carries less expensive 35 lb jugs, but after shipping it's cheaper to pay the $6.30/gallon with free shipping from Target/Amazon.

 

[SpaceBus]

I also found a pretty neat SAE abstract about using vegetable/canola based two cycle lubricants.

https://www.sae.org/publications/technical-papers/content/2008-01-1718/

If you don't feel like reading the paragraph, the short of it is that converting canola oil to COBB (Canola oil base biodiesel) made a superior lubricant for two cycle engines than even synthetic mineral oils. Unfortunately the abstract doesn't say anything else.

 

[Nutball]

I've tried vegetable oil as a thin oil cheap oil for winter use over canola, but when it dries on the bar it locks the chain up like wax. I don't know if canola will do that, but a quick search showed veg oil has more saturated fat.

 

[Czed]

http://www.centrafoods.com/store/canola-oil-55-gallon-drums

 

[SpaceBus]

I've tried vegetable oil as a thin oil cheap oil for winter use over canola, but when it dries on the bar it locks the chain up like wax. I don't know if canola will do that, but a quick search showed veg oil has more saturated fat.

I tried a few gallons of vegetable oil when it was warmer out, but it does not work as well as the canola oil. When the veggie oil dried I had the same issue with the chain and cold starting the saw was more of a chore. The canola oil has been no different than conventional B&C oil aside from increased consumption and I smell like a fry cook after milling. If anything I use the lower viscosity to my advantage since more lube is better for the mill. Sometimes I think about filling my water cooling drip reservoir with canola oil, but I bet the water does a better job cooling the bar than oil would.

 

[Nutball]

For cooling, I'd thing a lower evaporating point would be best. Canola is near around 500deg. I've considered it good for high heat applications so it won't boil off the chain as easily, but wonder if Husqvarna's sticky oil may be better because it doesn't fling off as easy.

 

[Lightning Performance]

For cooling, I'd thing a lower evaporating point would be best. Canola is near around 500deg. I've considered it good for high heat applications so it won't boil off the chain as easily, but wonder if Husqvarna's sticky oil may be better because it doesn't fling off as easy.

Add one small STP oil treatment for two gallons and your good on the sling thing. Your adding about a buck fifty here for it per gallon of oil. One small container does two gallons no problem. Mixing it can be a problem. You need it warm to mix well.

Canola oil in gallons at Walmart is the same price as bar oil here @ ten greenbacks. Used fry oil light ends are fine if its filtered and not left in anything. You must clean it off because most times it's acidity is too high. Lye will fix it but your half way to making biofuel at that point. Considering going to clean engine drain oil with STP added for milling. Something cheaper is better if it oils well for milling. It won't be used on food grade material. I can get used fryer oil or used engine oil for free and unlimited supply. Cleaning always happens anyway so no big deal to flush a tank, wash the bar and chains periodically. Approaching a commercial level changes things a bit. I rifle through consumables but not bars, bar tips, pumps or oil pump parts. Quality will remain high but that water drip feed is looking interesting because I don't need axillary oil feeds yet most times. I do run a sixty sprocket nose bar so water or oil drip is an option with additives if needed.

Hot canola oil mixed with hot cheap bar oil has worked for me well at times when my saws were pushed beyond needing just standard bar oil from the saw alone. It gets mixed per tank directly then flushed with pure bar oil before the last run through. Once the saw is hot it all moves faster. Milling big hardwood slabs is nothing like making softwood lumber! Leaving your oil out in the sun or heating it before winter use helps. Hot quarts in an insulated cooler left in my truck cab last all day long with hot sandwiches and stuffs

KISS is the goal here with low wear and zero damage.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I tried a few gallons of vegetable oil when it was warmer out, but it does not work as well as the canola oil. When the veggie oil dried I had the same issue with the chain and cold starting the saw was more of a chore. The canola oil has been no different than conventional B&C oil aside from increased consumption and I smell like a fry cook after milling. If anything I use the lower viscosity to my advantage since more lube is better for the mill. Sometimes I think about filling my water cooling drip reservoir with canola oil, but I bet the water does a better job cooling the bar than oil would.

The big question for me is will the steam from the water wash the chain clean or help the oil morf into foamy oil?

In the winter there is no way I'm adding water to this equation. Seems like in winter the bars run much cooler for me.

 

[SpaceBus]

I haven't had any abnormal wear or excessive heat with the straight canola oil. My objective is to not spray toxic mineral oil all over my equipment, person, and environment. If there were an accessible canola based two stroke oil I would be using it. Unfortunately I live essentially on the edge of the earth, so no used fry oil available, that I know of anyway. I would love to have the access to used fry oil to make my own bio diesel.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I haven't had any abnormal wear or excessive heat with the straight canola oil. My objective is to not spray toxic mineral oil all over my equipment, person, and environment. If there were an accessible canola based two stroke oil I would be using it. Unfortunately I live essentially on the edge of the earth, so no used fry oil available, that I know of anyway. I would love to have the access to used fry oil to make my own bio diesel.

Put out some adds near you. Never know till you try. Turkey time you could stock up.