I thought I was stocked up on bar oil until I got this place where I’ve cut 18 cords in the last 6 days. I used to get oil from my local shop but they carry Stihl and Exho brand which usually ran around $14-$15. There’s a shop not far from where I’m cutting so I figured I would give them a shot to save time. Holy smokes... Stihl brand was $23.99 a gallon! This is what I settled on at $19.99 + tax! Later today I will be driving by Tractor Supply thankfully.
And at a time when petroleum prices are lower than they have been in years. Typically bar oil is cheaper than a similar quantity of motor oil. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
wow. I just bought a case from a stihl shop on Friday. 10.75 a gallon. cheaper than my usual bulk hydraulic fluid.
For a second there my first thought was that you use hydraulic fluid for bar oil Second thought was wondering how well it would work LOL I’m actually tempted to try just to find out.
TSC here is $8.95 and 2 for $14 when they are on sale. A friend just bought a 55gallon drum full from a shop going out of business. Paid $100 for it. Just bought 5 gallons from him for $10. Should last me almost 2 seasons.
Fortunately I still have some of the $5.00 per gallon bar oil left. At those prices one certainly would be tempted to use something like canola oil. I've heard of many using it but I've yet to try it.
Research it a little before you do. I’ve read of it completely going rancid if left sit. Created a sticky mess from what was told.
I ditched the Canola Oil, I think you get more wear on your bar but if I'm clearing anything out of the Brook, I'll use Canola Oil.
I stocked up about 6 weeks ago. Husq oil was on amazon for normal rates last I looked. Scary, but my father ran used motor oil in his saws and never purchased a gallon. Options....
hydraulic oil works fine. twenty years ago we would use it in the delimber. top and butt saw. cut it with a little red dye in the super cold.
the post and pole guys use to run used motor oil all the time. not enough profit for fancy stuff. kind of hard on oilers though.
we use canola oil to buck up elk if they are frozen solid. kind of funny, the dogs will lick the meat dust off the walls.
I remember my father and other old time loggers mixing used hydraulic fluid and bar oil in the wintertime. This was back in 60s and 70s when they were cutting in frigid conditions. Don’t know if winter weight bar oil was available then.
OUCH! Kinda makes a wanna cry at that price. I used to get a gallon at big box stores for $10+ gallon until someone pointed out the TSC price and i bought a couple gallons. Dont think ive ever bought "brand name" bar oil. Customer gave me a gallon of Echo bar oil back in early January. Cant say i notice any difference in brands. I routinely flip the bar when i sharpen. When i was a kid, dad always used drain oil in his old McCulloch.
