Biodegradeable Lubricants in Hardwood Felling Operations

Over the past few years, with mounting environmental legislation, there has been a drive by landowners and management companies to encourage the use of Biodegradable Oil as a cutting lubricant in chainsaws and harvesters due to the high volumes of mineral-based oils that were being used.

FCA Director and harvesting contractor, Martin Henderson, who operates in the South East of England, has looked for some time for a suitable biodegradable lubricant for his operations. The work with his harvesting operation concentrates solely on the production of hardwood chip for use in the St Regis board mill. The cutting of hardwoods obviously means that the bar and chain are running at a much higher temperature and, without a lubricant suited to these extremes, high bar, tip and chain wear occurs obviously resulting in higher running costs for the equipment. At the IFF show held at Lockerbie in September 2002, Martin met a lubricant producer who thought they could provide the necessary solution.

GB Lubricants saw an opportunity in the forest community and started producing their GB Bio Chainsaw oil range that is available in three grades, dependant on the end user application. This oil range has been approved for supply to the Environment Agency for England and Wales. The typical characteristics of these oil grades are shown in the table (below):

TEST	UNIT	METHOD	TYPICAL PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
			68	100	220
Density at 15°C	kg/m	IP 160	924	924	924
Kinematic Viscosity at 40°C	cSt	IP 71	68.4	106.9	225
Kinematic Viscosity at 100°C	cSt	IP 71	13.5	18.9	38
Viscosity Index	-	IP 226	205	199	221
Biodegradability	%	OECD 301 B	>95	>95	>95
Pour Point	°C	ASTM D97	-33	-38	N/A
Cloud Point	°C	ASTM D2500	-19	-18	N/A
Kinematic Viscosity at -20°C	mm/s	ASTM D445	2036	N/A	N/A
Kinematic Viscosity at -20°C after 72 hours storage	mm/s	ASTM D445	2347-2367	N/A	N/A
Flash Point COC	°C	ASTM D92	N/A	270	N/A

After six months of using the Biodegradable Oil, Martin Henderson and his cutters are pleased with the results, with bar and chain wear on the chainsaw and harvester the same as when using mineral based oil as a cutting lubricant.

They firmly believe they have found a solution for their operation to aid in meeting environmental legislation whilst keeping their running costs at an acceptable level.

If you are based in the South East and would like to discuss this further, Martin can be contacted on 07970 733452. Alternatively GB Lubricants Sales Director, Colin Baker, can be contacted on 0191 490 4312, cbaker@gb-lubricants-fuels.co.uk. Whilst GB Lubricants Ltd are based in the North East of England, all products are supplied nation-wide on a standard 40 hour basis or next day as required.

Ben Hudson

 

GB Lubricants and Fuels has been established for over 125 years and remains family-owned and managed.

The company is very proud of its reputation for supplying quality lubricants with all products blended on site and laboratory tested before being dispatched to the customer, the company has a BSI Quality Assurance ISO 9002.

Only Virgin base stocks are used with the latest additive technology, giving customers quality products complying with the very latest industrial specifications and codes.