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Pole saws are a great tool and can be used for many different outdoor tasks. It will come in various models, designs, and sizes to cater to your specific needs. Pole saws will serve you well when it comes to cutting branches that are too high up for a ladder or pole pruner, but they also perform majestically when it comes to making precision cuts on tree trunks. Besides all these things pole saws do very well, there is one little maintenance issue pole saw owners need to keep a close watch on lubing the pole chains. In this guide, we will discuss in detailed about How to Oil a Pole Saw?
How To Lubricate a Pole Saw Chain?
It’s pretty simple; first of all, you have to be sure your pole saw’s fuel tank is empty. Next, apply a few drops of pole lube or brush on oil onto the pole bar, which should then flow down into the chain when you move it back and forth for about 15 min.
There may also need to repeat this process at intervals so that the pole saw doesn’t get stuck mid-way through a cut if there’s no lubricant applied. Regardless of how often you lubricate your pole saw, it is recommended that you do it at least once a week.
Pole saws come with pole chain lubrication built into the design itself, which creates a pole saw lube reservoir to maintain bar-chain lubrication during every use. If you own one of these types of saws, it is best not to add extra lubrication as this may disrupt the pre-set pole lube reservoir in the pole saw by spilling over or clogging it up.
Chainsaw & Pole Saw Bar and Chain Lubricant
It’s also essential to know that there are different types of pole oil on the market nowadays; some evaporate faster than others, and some last longer. Some brands have been known for their incomparable quality, so it’s advisable you stick with them when choosing pole chains and pole bar oil to be safe.
However, pole saw oil is not exclusive for pole bars; you can also apply pole lube on the pole chain if it’s already been lubricated with the pole saw oil prior. Be sure not to mix pole lube with a pole saw oil, as poles are prone to rust when they contact both types of lubricants.
The best way to handle this smoothly is by completely removing any existing pole lube/pole saw oil on your pole bar and then re-apply a new coat of pole saw oil or pole lube onto it. This will protect you from the hassle of cleaning off one or two other sticky substances that might get mixed into each other should you provide a pole saw with pole lube and pole oil at the same time.
Types of Pole saw/Chainsaw Oils
A pole saw chain oil and pole pruner lubricant are two different kinds of products that serve the same purpose. They both help pole saws work their best while providing them with a longer working life than normal conditions. There are various kinds of oils available on the market today, but most of them have similar properties.
1. Specific Pole Saw Oil [High Quality]
This specific type of oil is made from premium quality crude oils and meets American Petroleum Institute (API) standards, and works well for every kind of pole or chain saw application. It’s very lightweight, clean-burning, and requires no additives to increase its viscosity.
2. Gear Oil
Gear pole saw oil is a heavy lubricant pole oil that consists of several petroleum base stocks. It’s extremely resistant to oxidation and forms a very thin protective pole pruner film on the moving parts, which lasts longer for a more efficient pole saw motor performance. The only problem with this chainsaw oil is that it leaves an oily residue after it’s been used, so clean up old poles before using them.
3. Synthetic Oil
This particular kind of pole chain lubricant doesn’t have any petroleum pole saw chains products in it. Instead, it’s made from synthetic hydrocarbons (non-petroleum pole saw lubricants), and it works best when applied at cold temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius. Lubrication pole saw pole pruners work by reducing friction which helps pole saws cut faster with less resistance.
How to Oil a Pole Saw (Step-By-Step Instructions)
Here is a pole saw chain oil detailed instructions on how to oil a pole saw:
Step #1: Preparation
- Be sure to turn off the pole chainsaw and let it cool down to prevent injuries.
- Be sure not to touch the spinning chain because it can result in serious pole cuts.
- If it is safe enough for you to do so, remove the pole fronds attached to your pole chain saw by first loosening them with a screwdriver or pliers, then finally removing them using tools that are parts of your tool kit.
- There may still be some time when the blade is hot, even after you have turned off the motor engine.
Get all the tools you’ll need for servicing your pole chainsaws and remember to wear protective clothes and gloves to keep yourself safe from injuries.
Step #2: Removing the Chain Guards
- Now, unscrew the thumbscrew holding the guard in place, then remove it so that you can access the inside of your pruning saw chain.
- Some pole saws have a shield at the bottom end, which prevents dirt and other unwanted objects from entering it; skip this step if yours doesn’t have one.
- If any plastic caps are present on either side pole saw chain, remove them to gain access to another part of your pruning saw.
Step #3: Removing the Sprocket and Guide Bar
- Spinout the sprocket by putting one hand on each end of it, then slowly rotating it clockwise while pulling it towards you.
- For the guide bar, there is a bolt that goes through its poles.
- Remove this bolt using a socket wrench or preferably an Allen combination pole oil pilot bit since they work better for this purpose.
- You can try removing the bar without first loosening up the bolts but if you’re not completely sure what you are doing, make sure you pole pruner chain properly oil.
Step #4: Removing the Oiling Port Cap
- Now that there are no obstructions, you can take out the guide bar and sprocket.
- There is a cap covering an oil port where lubrication needs to be done; remove it using pliers or an Allen combination pole oil pilot bit if your pole saw has one.
- Check carefully if there’s any dirt or debris inside your pruning pole saw bar, then clean them off before putting on another port cap cover.
Step #5: Applying Pole Saw Oil to the Bar, Sprocket, and Chain
- Now that you’ve removed the chain guards, a pole saw chain oil no more preventing you from putting lubrication directly on your bar and sprocket.
- There should be a groove present near the oil port where you can easily put on the lubricant.
Pole saws need proper maintenance to ensure they last for many years to come. It is important to note that pole saws are heavy-duty cutting tools, so you should expect some troubles when working with one, even if it is a top-of-the-line pole saw without any significant defects. Besides pole bar, chain, and pole lubrication, few things might be worth taking into consideration:
Stay tuned for more pole saw maintenance tips and ways to help yourself out of pole saw troubleshooting situations in the future, as we’ll be adding more content soon!
before and after every use:
- Always perform pole saw maintenance thoroughly, so your pole saw runs at its best at all times for years to come instead of the usual six months average lifespan that pole saws have!
- When cutting down thicker branches (4 inches and above), always spray bar oil onto the pole’s surface to prevent it from burning out due to friction inside. Or else, your pole will be very hot when you put it away.
Pole Saw Chain Maintenance Tips
Here is a basic concept on how chain lubrication works when using pole chains outside or in a workshop. If you have pole saws that are pole saw gasoline engine powered, then adjust the pole saw pole for pole cuttings below.
Always check your bar oil level with your pole oil can before cutting down any branches to ensure proper pole lubrication. After you are done with the job, be sure to clean up all residues and excessive gunk so it won’t wear out or malfunction anymore.
Pole Saw Bar Oil Maintenance Tips
For red and blue colored pole saws like the one shown in the above picture, use bar and cord bar chains as they are far easier to maintain than pole saw spray gasoline engines which require daily chain adjustments due to its rotating axle housing that keeps pumping out air pockets which could cause the pole’s
- Spray a generous amount of lubrication on the top part of a workbench or anywhere you can put your pole saw on the ground for bar oil use. Then, let the machine run for at least 2 minutes without touching it to get it coated with as much oil as possible.
- Now, move it back and forth slowly while having your other hand wrapped around its cylinder casing to prevent it from crashing against anything that would burn out its motor engine. If there is any resistance while cutting down branches, spray more oil until you are satisfied with the results. When done using this method, wipe dry excess bar oil off with a piece of cloth before putting it away.
- If parts of your pole saw are hard to reach or clean easily, you can always use an appropriate pole saw brush to get rid of it all. This will also ensure that your part is properly oiled at all times for better performance. For this pole saw machine, the brush should already be included in the package when we bought it, so there was nothing more I had to buy other than bar oil and chain oil mentioned above.
Pole Saw Operator’s Manual
Speakman pole saws can fit securely into pole pruner brackets. These brackets are extremely simple to install and cost very little. There are two types of poles pruning blades that come with Speakman pole saws, which are more dangerous than the other.
However, both of them do their job well in cutting tree branches off easily without straining yourself, or your pole saw much. The poles also have a pin and lock, ensuring that the pole pruners are always in place.
Conclusion
Overall, pole saw maintenance and lubrication are important to keep pole chains running smoothly. This is why pole chain brush maintenance should be done several times a day to help prevent any unnecessary pole chain wear due to excessive dirt and debris build-up caused by pole saw brushes operating for many hours straight. By using these methods, your chains will last much longer than usual!