Replacement Chain Help / Advice Please Makita DUC 353Z

[Witterings]

I've got a Makita 353Z battery saw I use for scavaging firewood, the chain takes a 4.5mm file to sharpen and I have an old Stihl guide so swapped the 4mm file that came with it for a 4.5mm one I bought.

I also have a couple of other chainsaws that take a 4mm file and bought a Pferd / Stihl 2 in 1 sharpener which you can't buy in 4.5mm and the larger files won't fit in the 4mm version.

Over the weekend I sharpened one chainsaw with the Pferd 4mm and then the Makita with the classic Stihl guide and then checked the rakers ..... the Makita literally took me 4 x's as long.

There's a link here for an original replacement chain for the Makita here:

https://www.powertoolworld.co.uk/makita-196741-5-14-replacement-saw-chain-for-duc353z
From my limited knowledge of replacement chains I think I've worked out that the 90 / 91 is the guage and the Makita takes the 90 which virtually all of them are 4.5mm file and yet the 91 is probably a lot more common for a 14" bar .

I found a different chain that I believe will fit the Makita which is the same guage / number of links but takes a 4mm ... the same as my others and would make life an awful lot easier ... especially out in the field to have one chain sharpener that works for all and takes a lot less time for a "touch up"

https://www.chainsdirect.co.uk/stihl-picco-micro-mini-3-3-8-x-043-1-1mm.html

Does anyone know if that'd work but more importantly do the battery ones have different sizes for a reason in other words they're not as powerful as gas / petrol so use a chain that requiews less energy to do the same job and if I swap it might it burn out the motor ... or as long as the guage is the same it'd be OK?

I did e-mail Makita but they weren't overly helpful with their respnse .... if anybody knows or can point me somewhere I may be able to find out any help would be much appreciated.

 

[esean]

I think you've got it right - the 90 is Oregon's 0.043" gauge drive link, the 91 is their 0.050" gauge. Your saw probably has a bar for 0.043" gauge chain (Oregon 90). Different brands may call for different size files due to the cutter profile, even if the gauge is the same. You might be able to use the 4mm file with your existing chain, though if might not be optimal. See post #18 in this thread https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/sharpening-3-8-043-gauge-chain.316951/ The Stihl 3/8 LP 0.043" should work fine if your bar is 0.043".

 

[Franny K]

Can you go to a Stihl dealer and have them make up a loop of their .043 chain the length you need? I seem to think the Makita battery saws have a kind of rare drive link count. I think the Stihl chain in that size and class is better. One does not get a whole bunch of sharpenings out of any of that stuff. The idea is to have 20% of the file above the top plate. There are multiple threads on here pertaining to the Oregon class 90 chain and the slightly larger file size called for vs the 91. It would seem to me if you used the file guide and the proper file for the guide that would be best, could make a few strokes at the base of the tooth often called gullet if desired.

You won't burn out the motor on that battery saw if the picture in the first link is accurate. It trips the circuit breaker quite easily. I never mounted the 0.043 bar and chain that came with my similar looking one. The batteries tend to get hot on that if used continiously probably lower battery temp by the time it is empty the main advantage of the skinny kerf.