Chain Oil

[Max Stickland]

Have just bought a Makita duc101 mini chain saw. Can anyone recommend a suitable chain oil to use with it. Thank you in advance 

[Doug Tait]

I don't think it matters, as long as it lubricates it'll be suitable. Makita sell a lot of different chainsaws so probably sell their own chain oil too. The decision is more about convenience and price.

[Steven P]

It is a little saw, not going to be going through much oil I think, price isn't going to be an issue really - I'd go for a basic Stihl oil, 1l bottle will last ages (my local dealer is a Stihl dealer)

[Mark Bolam]

With titchy saws a thinner oil is usually best, and Stihl is usually pretty thin so that’s probably a good shout.

 

I bought Mam a cheapo mini saw for busting up pallets etc. from Amazon.

£50 inc charger and 2 batteries.

 

It doesn’t even have an oiler.

I just drizzled Co-Op veg oil onto the bar and told her to do that before every session.

 

My 9 year old daughter thought it performed ok, in her safety sliders.

 

 

[Stere]

I use cooking veg oil  on all saws including my makita battery one.

 

 

 

 

[Muddy42]

As above, pretty much any oil will do.  Electric have lower chain speeds and less heat than petrol.  I've thinned unused engine oil with white spirit before in a pinch.  Please never use used engine oil however, that stuff contains metal and all kinds of nasty stuff.

[pleasant]

I am surprised a new mini saw doesnt come with a small bottle of their recommended chain oil to get you started.

 

The cordless mini stihl saw comes with one, which is available to purchase either in the small size bottle supplied with the saw or a larger one. The stihl saw hasnt got an auto oiler, so when applied you are likely to use slightly more than if it were oiling itself. It is a thinner grade than the regular chain oil,  but still retains the correct amount of 'stickiness' to prevent it simply being thrown off the chain the minute you start it.

 

Use the correct stuff. Will save on premature wear on chains, bars, sprockets etc. Oil is cheap, components arent.

 

As someone has said.....certainly dont use used engine oil...lost count how many chewed up oil pump drives ive had to replace!

 

Remember, the correct grade is also designed to not only lubricate but also cool moving components. We had a guy bring a saw into us with a melted oil tank housing and seized sprocket tip on the bar and wanted it sorted under warranty (it was a plastic bodied saw) we couldnt work out how all this happened until we drained out what was left in the oil tank to inspect it, and the oil that came out was bright red. Turns chap though oil was oil, and used his 2 stroke oil as chain oil. Didnt cool enough, overheated the bar and chain....heat transmitted to chainsaw body and melted it. 

Edited September 27, 2023 by pleasant

[Stere]

Sounds mindlessly presciptive.

 

Anti fling  properties isn'y gonna be much issue on I think on a 10cm  & bar low speed chain.

 

And makitas own brand  oil won't be better suited  than stihl or others just because its a makita chainsaw and vice versa?

 

 

 

Not having an oiler makes the stihl on sound abit  rubbish expect that from the cheapo ebay chinsese ones but would expect better from stihl.

[pleasant]

Sometimes the correct, recommended way to advise someone can be 'mindlessly presciptive' particularly if you have already formed your own opinion.

 

You misread what I said as well, which is,  Stihl produce a particularly lighter chain oil specifically for their hand held mini pruner, which is significantly different to their regular offering and different to the Makita one you have compared it to.

 

Multioil Bio | STIHL

WWW.STIHL.CO.UK

---

Multioil Bio: For the GTA 26 garden pruner

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by pleasant

[Stere]

Looks like marketing snake oil  🙂