Chainsaw oil as a chain lubricant

[Zog The Undeniable]

Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff is
hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the chainring
and the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and
tyre. I had to flush it off with 3-in-1.

Are other brands different?

 

[George Hauxwell]

"Zog The Undeniable" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:428611d8.0@entanet...
> Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff is
> hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the chainring and
> the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and tyre. I
> had to flush it off with 3-in-1.
>
> Are other brands different?

I found the same thing with 'Bosch' brand of chainsaw oil, cost me £7 for a
litre bottle, and it's like chewing-gum, there's strands of the stuff
everywhere. I know some group members here swear by the stuff but I don't
rate it at all. Perhaps I'm buying the wrong stuff - I don't know.

George

 

[David Martin]

On 14/5/05 9:40 pm, in article [email protected], "George
Hauxwell" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
> "Zog The Undeniable" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:428611d8.0@entanet...
>> Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff is
>> hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the chainring and
>> the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and tyre. I
>> had to flush it off with 3-in-1.
>>
>> Are other brands different?
>
> I found the same thing with 'Bosch' brand of chainsaw oil, cost me £7 for a
> litre bottle, and it's like chewing-gum, there's strands of the stuff
> everywhere. I know some group members here swear by the stuff but I don't
> rate it at all. Perhaps I'm buying the wrong stuff - I don't know.

Are you using chain oil or two-stroke oil?

I use ordinary 10W40 motor oil (when I top up the car, I put the dregs into
the bike oil can) and that does me really well. Quick spray of GT85 after
rain and a dose of oil seems to do just right.

...d

 

[Steven Templeton]

check your local pound shop.

they had an excellent moly based chain lube for £1 a can recently - think
the shop is poundland.


"David Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BEAC37E6.1097A%[email protected]...
> On 14/5/05 9:40 pm, in article [email protected], "George
> Hauxwell" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> "Zog The Undeniable" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:428611d8.0@entanet...
>>> Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff is
>>> hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the chainring
>>> and
>>> the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and tyre.
>>> I
>>> had to flush it off with 3-in-1.
>>>
>>> Are other brands different?
>>
>> I found the same thing with 'Bosch' brand of chainsaw oil, cost me £7 for
>> a
>> litre bottle, and it's like chewing-gum, there's strands of the stuff
>> everywhere. I know some group members here swear by the stuff but I don't
>> rate it at all. Perhaps I'm buying the wrong stuff - I don't know.
>
> Are you using chain oil or two-stroke oil?
>
> I use ordinary 10W40 motor oil (when I top up the car, I put the dregs
> into
> the bike oil can) and that does me really well. Quick spray of GT85 after
> rain and a dose of oil seems to do just right.
>
> ..d
>

 

[Brian Storer]

chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it don't fly
off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more quickly than any of
us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be a better bet for cycles I
think
"George Hauxwell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Zog The Undeniable" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:428611d8.0@entanet...
> > Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff is
> > hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the chainring
and
> > the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and tyre.
I
> > had to flush it off with 3-in-1.
> >
> > Are other brands different?
>
> I found the same thing with 'Bosch' brand of chainsaw oil, cost me £7 for
a
> litre bottle, and it's like chewing-gum, there's strands of the stuff
> everywhere. I know some group members here swear by the stuff but I don't
> rate it at all. Perhaps I'm buying the wrong stuff - I don't know.
>
> George
>
>

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, Brian Storer
('[email protected]') wrote:

> chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it
> don't fly off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more
> quickly than any of us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be
> a better bet for cycles I think

Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people whose
judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; in faecibus sapiens rheum propagabit

 

[Graeme]

Simon Brooke <[email protected]> wrote in news:rlakl2-7b8.ln1
@gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk:

> Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people whose
> judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.

I'm not putting myself forward as having trustable judegment, but I use it
and haven't had any problems with it. I've not had much chance to use it in
the cold though, so that may make a difference to viscosity.

Graeme

 

[wheeler]

Graeme wrote:
> Simon Brooke <[email protected]> wrote in news:rlakl2-7b8.ln1
> @gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk:
>
>> Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people
>> whose judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.
>
> I'm not putting myself forward as having trustable judegment, but I
> use it and haven't had any problems with it. I've not had much chance
> to use it in the cold though, so that may make a difference to
> viscosity.
>
> Graeme

I know people who use sunflower oil for their chainsaws...so by logical
progression...has anyone tried it on their bike??!

 

[Steve]

On Mon, 16 May 2005 09:20:03 +0100, wheeler wrote:

> Graeme wrote:
>> Simon Brooke <[email protected]> wrote in news:rlakl2-7b8.ln1
>> @gododdin.internal.jasmine.org.uk:
>>
>>> Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people
>>> whose judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.
>>
>> I'm not putting myself forward as having trustable judegment, but I use
>> it and haven't had any problems with it. I've not had much chance to use
>> it in the cold though, so that may make a difference to viscosity.
>>
>> Graeme
>
> I know people who use sunflower oil for their chainsaws...so by logical
> progression...has anyone tried it on their bike??!

I use 15W40 for the chainsaw, but... GT85 on the bike.

 

[dkahn400]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff
> is hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the
> chainring and the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing
> the rim and tyre. I had to flush it off with 3-in-1.

I think you have simply left too much oil on the chain. It will
certainly form strings when it has been freshly applied, particularly
around the derailleur jockey wheels. After leaving it to soak in try
running it through a rag until you've removed as much of the oil from
the outside of the chain as you can. It should not form strings after
you've done that. I'm not sure which brand I'm using; it's simply the
one that came from my local tool hire shop. I'll have a look at the
bottle later and let you know.

--
Dave...

 

[dewatf]

On Sun, 15 May 2005 17:40:59 +0100, Simon Brooke
<[email protected]> wrote:

>> chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it
>> don't fly off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more
>> quickly than any of us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be
>> a better bet for cycles I think

And engine oil is designed to operate best at 300C, and you aren't
going to peddle fast enough to reach that.

>Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people whose
>judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.

Chainsaw and other chain oils are supposed to be very viscous. They
contain a solvent to thin them so they penetrate into the links then
it evaporates leaving a viscous oil inside the chain.

You are supposed to remove the oil from the outside of the chain where
it doesn't do any good and only attracts grit. The more viscous the
oil the more it stays inside the chain.

dewatf.

 

[David Martin]

On 16/5/05 1:17 pm, in article [email protected],
"dewatf" <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Sun, 15 May 2005 17:40:59 +0100, Simon Brooke
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>> chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it
>>> don't fly off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more
>>> quickly than any of us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be
>>> a better bet for cycles I think
>
> And engine oil is designed to operate best at 300C, and you aren't
> going to peddle fast enough to reach that.

To operate best in engines.. Chains require different properties, similar to
those found in engine oil at room temp..

>> Chainsaw oil has been recommended here a number of times by people whose
>> judgement I trust, although I confess I haven't used it myself.
>
> Chainsaw and other chain oils are supposed to be very viscous. They
> contain a solvent to thin them so they penetrate into the links then
> it evaporates leaving a viscous oil inside the chain.

Maybe I should add some to the engine oil..

> You are supposed to remove the oil from the outside of the chain where
> it doesn't do any good and only attracts grit. The more viscous the
> oil the more it stays inside the chain.

I never really get round to teh 'wipe off the excess' bit. More of the
'scrape all the **** out of the rear derailleur' every so often.

...d

 

[MSeries]

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> Well, I don't know what brand you guys use, but the McCulloch stuff
is
> hopeless. It's too viscous and "strings" appear between the
chainring
> and the chain, which results in oil everywhere, inclusing the rim and

> tyre. I had to flush it off with 3-in-1.
>
> Are other brands different?

I used B&Q chainsaw oil in the winter when I was cleaning and lubing
twice a week. It formed strings when freshly applied but once I'd wiped
it down it was fine. I prefer Finish Line but its too expensive (for
me) for use in the winter when the roads are wet, salty and gritty.

 

[Chris Malcolm]

[email protected] (dewatf) writes:

>On Sun, 15 May 2005 17:40:59 +0100, Simon Brooke
><[email protected]> wrote:

>>> chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it
>>> don't fly off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more
>>> quickly than any of us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be
>>> a better bet for cycles I think

>And engine oil is designed to operate best at 300C, and you aren't
>going to peddle fast enough to reach that.

No, they're designed to operate within their design parameters at
300C. Doesn't mean they don't operate well, or even better, at
10C. The parameters of performance change with temp, most
significantly the viscosity, so if selecting a motor oil for a bike
chain, choose on the basis of the performance characteristics at
typical chain temperatures.
--
Chris Malcolm [email protected] +44 (0)131 651 3445 DoD #205
IPAB, Informatics, JCMB, King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, UK
[http://www.dai.ed.ac.uk/homes/cam/]

 

[dewatf]

On Tue, 17 May 2005 07:29:53 +0000 (UTC), [email protected] (Chris
Malcolm) wrote:

>[email protected] (dewatf) writes:
>
>>On Sun, 15 May 2005 17:40:59 +0100, Simon Brooke
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>>> chainsaw oil's good for chainsaws - it's made to be viscous so it
>>>> don't fly off a saw chain - which goes round the bar a sight more
>>>> quickly than any of us could peddle - ordinary car engine oil would be
>>>> a better bet for cycles I think
>
>>And engine oil is designed to operate best at 300C, and you aren't
>>going to peddle fast enough to reach that.
>
>No, they're designed to operate within their design parameters at
>300C.

I am just arguing that neither chainsaw oil or motor oil is designed
for a bike chain so that isn't an argument for one over the other..
Evidence is that in practice they both work though.

dewatf.