Whether you are an amateur or a professional when it comes to using a chainsaw, the most important thing to keep in mind is that like any tool or machine it requires some lubrication for effortless operations.
Similarly, the chain and bar of a chainsaw need to be properly lubricated to minimize friction. It is an extremely (we can’t stress this enough) important step when you are about to use a chainsaw for any task you have to get done.
Lubrication is imperative because it minimizes the friction as the chain turns for seamless functionality. If for instance the chainsaw is not lubricated, there will be increased friction, heat build-up, and the tool will be at a potential risk of malfunctioning or damage leading to redundancy.
Therefore, if you ever decide to skip lubricating your chainsaw, think again!
Although manufacturers recommend the best oil fit for lubricating the bar and chain, it is not a fixed rule that you have to follow. Many people use different types of oil and in a situation where the recommended oil is not available immediately, then what do you do?
Apart from availability issues, another cause of concern is the price-point because manufacturer recommended oil can be expensive and when there are other cheaper options available why spend your hard-earned money when you can save it for other endeavors.
You must be wondering, what can I use for chainsaw bar oil? Luckily, you have come to the right place.
After a lot of testing and experimenting, advice from professionals, and based on their expertise we have found some great alternatives for lubricating your chainsaw without spending big bucks.
Some of the alternatives we have mentioned are readily available at home. Your job is to choose an alternative that you deem fit for your machine.
What Can I Use for Chainsaw Bar Oil?
Before we head to the alternatives, let’s check out what is the usual oil that is recommended. Most chainsaw manuals come with manufacturers’ recommendations and insist on using the mentioned standard oil for lubrication.
The reason behind that is that quality standard oil is specifically created for the chain and bar. It consists of a high-tack adhesive which prevents it from slinging of the chain when it is traveling around the tip.
Leading power-tool manufacturers like Poulan market their branded chain and bar oil, while promoting why customers should only use the recommended oil.
It is to be noted that you should not use the oil by any other brand on a chainsaw manufactured by a different brand. Furthermore, if you are still thinking of what can I use for chainsaw bar oil then sit-tight you will be amazed at all the alternatives we have for you.
Although, if you are looking for the best chainsaw for home use you should check out this extensive guide to find the best options available in the market in just one place!
What Other Alternatives for Chain and Bar Oil are There?
For the effective functioning of the chainsaw, the oil needed for lubrication should have some specific properties that are different from other oils. No matter the type of chainsaw, even if you have an electrically-powered chainsaw or a gas-powered chainsaw. The oil you will be using for lubrication should have these qualities:
- Stickiness (For the chain to stay)
- Slipperiness (To eliminate friction)
These qualities are important because the chain spins at a very high speed and for the chain to stay in place when it moves, the oil needs to be slightly sticky to avoid any mishaps where it is thrown-off or dries up.
While the slipperiness-quality is necessary to provide sufficient lubrication to eliminate friction. Therefore, an oil that has a good consistency of stickiness and slipperiness is the perfect combination to lubricate the chain or bar.
By the way, if you think you should get a new chainsaw because the one you have is completely outdated and doesn’t perform well, you should check out our buying guide on the best chainsaws recommended by experts.
Some of the Alternatives You Can Go For!
All the wait and wondering about what can I use for chainsaw bar oil is over! Let’s see what we have in store for you below:
- Motor Oil
One of the very obvious options you can go for is motor oil. In a case where you find yourself in a situation where the recommended chain or bar oil is not available, you can use this as an alternative. The best thing is everyone has motor oil in their homes if you have a car of course.
Even though, motor oil is not a biodegradable option because it is petroleum-based, still worth considering as an alternative. Now if you take motor oil directly from the car, then you should filter it while it is warm as it will make the filtration process easier.
What you need to keep in mind is that moto oil consists of nano metal particles that can potentially damage the chain or bar of the chainsaw.
When it comes to the stickiness and slipperiness consistency, motor oil is more slippery than sticky.
Therefore, we recommend that if you completely run out of other alternatives, you can use motor oil. Otherwise, motor oil should be used as a last resort for lubricating the chainsaw.
- Drained Hydraulic Fluid
Next up we have drained hydraulic acid that is another alternative you can go for. Just like motor oil, this is also not an environmentally friendly option which means it is also a pollutant and leaves a negative impact.
If you do not have anything else that can work as a lubricant for your chainsaw machine then it is worth the try.
You must be wondering where can you find hydraulic fluid? You should look for machinery with hydraulic pumps, if you have access to it then it will be at your disposal and also very easy to harvest.
Unfortunately, it is not a readily available alternative and can be tricky to have access to.
But, we still mentioned it because we did not want to miss out on anything and want you to know all the alternatives.
Moreover, another downside of the hydraulic fluid is that very quickly dries up in comparison to other chainsaw proxies which is why you will have to use it in abundance to keep the chainsaw lubricated when you are using it.
- Vegetable Oil
Coming on to some environmentally-friendly options, a vegetable is another possible alternative you can use. Yes, you have heard us right!
The biggest advantage of vegetable oil here is that is readily available at home and you will not have to do extra effort to filter it or harvest it like you have to with motor oil and hydraulic fluid.
We think vegetable oil is a great alternative because where pruning live trees are involved, it will not leave a negative impact as other non-biodegradable oils would.
Furthermore, we talked about the right consistency of stickiness and slipperiness required for lubricating a chainsaw and why it needs to feature in the oil you use.
When it comes to vegetable oil has a very high-viscosity which is ideal to lubricate the chain or bar of a chainsaw. In case if you spill any vegetable oil on your clothes, it is also very easy to remove from clothes.
But, unfortunately, you cannot use this as a substitute in cold weather as it becomes too sticky and you should not use it.
- Canola Oil
The last substitute we have for you is canola oil, which is extracted from rapeseed and also another environmentally-friendly alternative. It has all the advantages vegetable oil has to offer.
It will not leave a negative impact when you are pruning live trees. You can easily find it at home and luckily it is also not a very expensive option.
However, it is slightly thinner in comparison to the consistency of vegetable oil which means you will have to be careful if you decide to use it for lubricating the chainsaw because it will fly off more quickly than other oil alternatives we have mentioned in this guide.
Therefore, you will have to keep checking if the chainsaw is lubricated at all times when you are using it.
Although, it is thinner when it comes to viscosity at low weather temperatures it makes a good substitute to lubricate a chain or bar of a chainsaw.
Also, if you are looking for the best chainsaw for cutting firewood pieces then we recommend you check out our buying guide, and for lubrication, you can use the alternatives we have mentioned here.
Conclusion
We hope all your questions about “what can I use for chainsaw bar oil” we answered in this review were useful and the alternatives we have suggested we helpful to you.
We recommend that you only use these alternatives when you do not have other substitutes available, you can use these once or twice.
But, do not use these lubricating options as a constant lubrication-technique because it will shorten-lifespan of the chainsaw.
