Categories
Chainsaws

Bar Oil Basics

Bar oil is one of the two oils your chainsaw needs to work (2-cycle engine oil is the other). Bar oils have a simple task and yet they are commonly not very well understood. What kind of oil is bar oil really? What is its viscosity or SAE grade? Do you have to use a […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Which Engine Oil for Chainsaw Bar & Chain?

In a previous article we explored alternatives for commercial bar oil products for lubricating the chainsaw guide bar and chain. One of them was engine oil: it’s commonly available, and though not cheap, it has excellent lubrication properties. But what kind of engine oils work as bar oil? Is a specific SAE grade (weight) needed […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Best Vegetable Oils for Bar & Chain

In a previous post, we discussed alternatives to bar oil. Vegetable oils were clearly the low-cost champion. But how to choose a vegetable oil for guide bar lubrication? Which of them work the best and why? And which you should not use? In this article, I rank the common vegetable oils for use as bar […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Bar Oil Alternatives

Have you ever wondered if you really need to use purpose-made “Bar Oil” from Stihl or Husqvarna in your chainsaw oiler? Couldn’t more common (and potentially cheaper) oils be used as bar oil instead? Whether you want to save money or just avoid an extra trip to the local home center, these are reasonable questions. […]

Categories
Chainsaws

New Husqvarna Chainsaws 585 and 592 XP – What to Expect?

Husqvarna has recently announced that they will be launching two new chainsaw models in 2022, both in the 90cc professional logging size range. Some specs and even short reviews: the 585 and 592 XP are already out, but we are still waiting to understand what they’ll bring. Where do the Husqvarna 585 and 592 XP […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Chainsaw Bar Wear

Like all mechanical components, your chainsaw guide bar wears in use. But unlike chain wear which is very obvious in the chain getting dull, bar wear is slower and less obvious. But when serious enough, bar wear will start giving you a lot of trouble: the bar throws the chain, cuts crooked, saw feels under-powered, […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Husqvarna XP – How Much Better is it?

For more than three decades, Husqvarna has added the letters “XP” to the end of the model names of some of their more professional chainsaws: 3120 XP, 572 XP, 266 XP, and so on. If you have studied the Husqvarna saw lineup, you may have wondered what this XP really means. A quick search reveals […]

Categories
Chainsaws Milling

Best Milling Chainsaws under $500

My previous article listed the currently available new chainsaw models with the best milling performance. These saws were the best of the best – big and powerful, but not particularly affordable. What if you’d want to give chainsaw milling a try without commiting $1200+ to a milling saw? This is what we will look at […]

Categories
Chainsaws Milling

Best Chainsaws for Chainsaw Milling

In previous articles I have covered saw sizing and tips for chainsaw milling in general. But if you’re looking to buy a new saw for chainsaw milling, you’re probably also interested in recommendations for specific chainsaw models. In this article, I give my top picks for a new milling chainsaw. Chainsaw milling is a heavy […]

Categories
Chainsaws

Chainsaw Chain Speed Calculator

Chainsaw chain speed and how it relates to engine RPM is an often poorly understood topic among chainsaw enthusiasts. To help you check what chain speeds are you probably running at, I programmed a simple chain speed calculator below. The chain speed calculator takes chain pitch, drive sprocket tooth count and engine RPM as input. […]