hi
i'm looking for good chain lube that won't stain the wood too much
i've been using my tractor hydraulic fluid, which lubricates very well but it shows on the wood.......
i'm thinking vegetable oil of some kind might be better?
any suggestions?
-Mark in Ontario.

I got some canola oil!!
it was the cheapest, and it works great.
although the oil still shows on the wood it seems to dry off and disapear quick enough.
-Mark.

I was reading Zach's post on oil for preventing rust and I thought I should update this post.
Watch out for vegetable oil which dries out.... I went to the chain mortiser yesterday and the oil I've been using had stuck the machine, took a good hard push to make it slide up and down again. And I've had trouble with electic chainsaw also.... am now back to using hydraulic fluid, which actually only shows temporarily on the wood.
Does anyone have experience with veggie oil and what kind will not dry out??? olive?

Hey Mark

Canola or rapeseed is OK...try thinning it with 25-33% kerosene and see if that helps. We use it on our mortisers without problems and apply with a spray bottle. Chainsaws are more forgiving but they're effected by temperature, which can prevent good flow to the bar...as I'm sure you already know, that's why there's a difference between lighter winter oils and thicker summer oils for chainsaws.

You can buy veg-based and environmentally sound bar oil that's specifically made for chainsaws (originally designed for use in watersheds and sensitive areas) All the big suppliers (Huskie, Stihl, etc) sell this now. Check out: www.renewablelube.com if you're interested.