Messy chainsaw filling?

[braggscowboy]

You know, I hate to ask this, having done this for 40 years, but does anyone out there have a clean way of filling your chainsaw without getting oil or gas everywhere? I find that trying to pour oil always gets messy because I can't see inside as well as I should until too near the top. Gas the same way. I clean my saws often with brush and air. I find I waste a lot of fuel by spilling small amounts at a time. I have transfered my gas to a gallon can and split my oil to a half gallon from a full gallon, both of which works better. Someone must have a better idea to keep saw clean in the woods. Most of the time when in the woods you are tired when filling and alway loose some oil or fuel.
Any good ideas of how you might do it differently?

[MELOC]

my neighbor carries the bar oil in a gear oil bottle that has a spout. he squeezes the oil into the tank like it was ketchup!. sorry, can't help with the fuel.

[Cabin Fever]

My 1-gallon gas can has a spout that fits into the saw's fuel opening....I rarely spill any.

As far as chain oil goes, I fill an empty pancake syrup bottle with the oil and "squirt" it into my saw. One syrup bottle holds enough oil for a full day's worth of cutting.

[NYSaanen]

For gas, I still use an older one gallon gas can that just has the regular flexible pour spout on it. These newer ones that apparently are now the norm whereby you tip the can, and push down on the spout to open it up seem like they could be a real pain to use for chain saws. Since they seem to take a fair amount of pressure to open the spout, I would think you could just about tip it over with that much force. Another thing I do is elevate the saw when I fill it, either by placing on the back of a wagon, tree stump, etc. This helps give clearance so that when the saw gets close to being full, I don't hit the can on the ground as I try to tip it back up.

As for the bar oil, I use the one gallon jug I buy it in. The ones I have gotten have always come with a foil seal attached to the mouth of the jug. Rather than removing the entire seal, I simply place a slit in it with a knife, and then pour the oil with that split vertical. It takes a little longer, but it does slow the flow so that it is more controlable. Also, some of the ones I have bought, the jug is oblong, something like 4" wide x 10" long. I find these are much easier to control if you pour them from the side (making the slit parallel to the 4" dimension) if this makes any sense.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I try to angle myself so I can see the surface of the fuel as I fill, then I can slow down as I reach the top, and I am not set on filling it to the brim, I am happy with 3/4 full. Many tanks seem to taper at the top, making that last inch or so go a lot faster than you think it should. Same with bar oil.
I don't own one of the tanks with a push valve, but I used a friend's with good luck, I just found that manually pulling the valve open once the nozzle was inserted in the fill prevented having to push real hard, after the nozzle was open, it did not take much pressure to keep it open. I think some states have laws mandating these types of tanks, however, here in NC, they are not required, and I don't think I have ever seen one for sale at the store. I have seen some figures on how much gas is spilled every year filling equipment and it is unbeliveable. Apparently the evaporated fuel is very bad for the atmosphere, much more so than the combustion products...

[ricky]

i have been makeing messes with my gas and oil for 30 years and some change. lol i guess maybe there is a way to pree measure your gas and oil in a small container with a cap .only add what it will hold empty. if your like me you over fill every thing. always keep a good rag with your gas and oil to clean the mess. the gas on the rag from the over fill always cleans up that bar oil.

[brownegg]

They sell quite a variety of small funnels. I use one for the bar oil that works perfect. I have no problem with the gas...easy does it.

[Forerunner]

Patience, patience, and a little more patience.

Funny thing, though.... there is nothing better in the world for wiping down an oily surface than fresh, dry sawdust. Use it instead of a rag to wipe the oil away from the fill hole, AFTER replacing the fill cap, of course.
Sawdust also makes a great scrubber for cleaning out five gallon oil buckets.
It makes good hand cleaner for greasy, oily hands, as well....

I've been cutting wood for a living since my junior year in high school.
I bought a Stihl 028 Super with what my mother had intended I spend on a class ring...... :baby04:

I've been enjoying the opportunity to develop patience at the bar oil and fuel filling holes ever since.

[braggscowboy]

Lots of good information and thanks!
braggscowboy

[ericjeeper]

You never overfill when cutting alone.. So when someone is watching and you overfill. you simply look em in the eye. and say"I always like to overfill it so that if there is any saw dust in there, it will float out"
I have a long spout that attaches to my gallon bar oil jug. if I overfill it when alone. I simply turn the jug over with it still squeezed then squeeze the opposites sides and it will suck some of the oil back out of the saw. Gas is just gonna be wasted. LOL

[Wayne02]

I try to refill over the burn pile, then when done I throw a match on all the spilled gas and kill two birds with one stone... of course I have lots of little burn piles it seems...

[DaleK]

http://www.flongo.ca/

Don't have one myself, looks a bit awkward with the big handle and all but I think you could make one similar with some tubing and a small tap that would work ok.

Bar oil here the last few days has been closer to spooning it into the saw than pouring anyway.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

Small plastic funnels...one for oil and one for gas...like brownegg above. If you overfill the funnel, that's a whole nuther problem;-)

RF

[woodsrunner]

I use restaraunt style ketchup/mustard squeeze bottles. Red ones for gas and yellow one for oil. One bottle about makes a tank of gas on a chain saw. No muss, no fuss. Got a box similar to the old wooden six pack soda boxes to carry them in. Use one compartment in the carrier to carry a spark plug/ bar adjustment wrench and a spare spark plug.

[EDDIE BUCK]

Don't worry bout what the visitor says. Tell him to pick up some wood and load the truck next time he won't be there when we spill it. Afterall we ain't working in no hospital or restaurant, Don't worry about. If we couldn't make a mess every now and then, We Wouldn't Saw No Wood. Also that gas aroma keeps the wife happy. She knows long as she's smelling gas You been cutting wood, but if she smells "BRUIT" after you been cutting wood Its just hard to getum to see things your way.

[Scrounger]

I use one of the old style small gas cans for fuel.
As for bar oil - I bought one of them fancy push-pump spouts (like you see on a deli ketchup dispenser). I just squirt about 5 pumps into the saw and it works great. It also threaded right onto my gallon jug of oil.

[Rockin'B]

Two one gallon jugs. Thick rope tying them together so I can throw them over my shoulder when carrying tings in the woods.
Fill 3/4's full so I can pour easily.

Pour into saw carefully and wipe up any drips with the rag that's always hanging out of my back pocket.

Not hard.

[braggscowboy]

Scrounger, are you talking about a large ketchsup plastic jug that you can get at a store that holds about a gallon and has a pump on it? That sounds good and it is clear and you can see what you have in it.
Rockin'B I don't mind the mess as much as the waste as high as gas and oil are now. I know it is very little at a time, but adds up. I see a lot of good ideas here that might work for some. I do, as I said I use a small jug, but has a stiff spout and always looses a little going in and comming out. The oil, as I said I use part of gallon and pour out one side under the cover. No matter how hard you try, there is always that glob that wants to come out when about full.
I might try the pump thing when the weather is not too cold. Don't know how it will work on cold oil. May do fine.
Thanks! braggscowboy

[Scrounger]

Yup! I have just the pump part, but it screwed onto the top of my oil jug just fine. With it you can "meter" out how much you squirt into the saw.
I use mine year-round in Nebraska, I do keep the oil jug on the floor board of the truck, though.

[Jim S.]

I never knew this was a problem. I just aim well and watch the level. With gas, I close the can vent cap toward the end, which slows the flow. I pour both chain oil and gas out of the containers. As far as what others think if I spill, that's not a problem for me, since I don't care. LOL.