Teen's first chainsaw?

What sort of saw would you buy or not buy for a sixteen year old kid who is pretty new to saws?

I have such a kid, a friend of the family, who has expressed an interest in helping with a couple of my removals. Thinking back to when I was that age, I suspect that it won't be long before he wants a saw of his own. I'd be more than pleased to set him up with something that isn't garbage, but I'm just not sure how much saw I should be handing over to a teenager.

When I was that age all I had were a couple old 30cc Homelites and an 011, which got the job done but slowly. My initial guess is that a good running used Stihl 026/260 or a new Dolmar 5100s would be about right for a kid's first chainsaw, not too much saw but not too little, either.

Since my only experience with teenagers came when I was one, I'm not sure if this is the best course of action. Any thoughts from folks who know more about kids than I do?

EDIT: Before I get flamed, proper PPE and a copy of Fundamentals of General Tree Work would come with the saw.

If he's an average sized kid with reasonable common sense, a 45-50cc saw should be fine. I was 14 or 15 when I started with the Homie 150 I own now. Get him the "right stuff" and offer some guidance. Nice to see kids these days interested in real stuff.

Mark

Brandon, Id have to say go smaller. Like 30 to 45 cc. If he has never run a saw before, you know he is going to put it in the ground, rub the tip on something causing kickback, come out of the cut a little to fast,etc. I would think having a saw that is easy to slow down in the cut would be a good thing. Its always nice to have a small saw anyway. Like the Stihl 200 rear handle that Mark has.

First saw i ever used was a stihl 009

i was 13 guy showed me how to start it and let me rip(when i was 16 and in my first palm tree needless to say i cut myself on the elbow)those were rear handle so the balance wasnt as good i also would recommend a top handle either a echo 340 stihl 200 or a 192.just be sure n "show"!!!! him correct way to use.(i taught my ole lady n now shes a pro never ran any thing before she met me)

Take a good look at the Echo CS-370. I do not own one, but I have tried one and like it. The price & warranty are great. It would make a great saw for your needs.

When I was thirteenish, fourteenish my dad put me to work with an XL12. It was plenty of saw for me at the time. I agree with others, keep it on the small side, and I would rule out the 5100 as a beginner saw for a teenager. Take a look at the Husky 353.

In my opinion, a midsize saw - say 16" is much safer to start on than the little saws. True that the kickback can be worse but the little ones lead to dangerous operation much more so than the bigger saws. I would start him bucking (sectioning) logs, not limbing. Again, limbing gets you into some very awkward positions and more chance of kickback, etc.

Harry K

Thanks for the input, folks. If I end up doing this, upon further reflection I might grab him an eBay NIB Echo 440. That might be a good place for a kid to start and the price is good.

I learned on a 14-16" Homelite XL. It was a 1978 Model, with the Metal Case. It was a Top Handle saw, which many here say is a nono...but I had fun with it. Very torquey, and spun up fast, very light, but not light duty.

Might consider a larger Poulan saw, should last him a while. A 42cc Wild Thing would do nicely. They have safety Features, and arent expensive if he manages to bugger it up somehow.

It will give him plenty of power to do most any cutting, like removing limbs on fallen trees, or cutting them up for removal.

Once he gets a good feel for the Wild Thing, move him up to something a little heavier, and a little more powerful, like a Husky or a Stihl. But I would not start him off with one.

computeruser, not to hijack the thread, just wondering how the Spartans look this year?

RED-85-Z51 said:

computeruser, not to hijack the thread, just wondering how the Spartans look this year?

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Sad to say, I have no idea. Though I live here, I really don't follow college athletics at all. Occasionally I see things in the online version of the university newspaper, but since the students aren't back yet the paper really hasn't addressed the topic yet. Give it another week and a half, then the statenews will have lots to say.

I do not think a Tophandle is best for the first saw-lots of started with them. A Gazillion consumers started with a little Mac,Homelite or Poulan tophandle.......but I believe a rear handle saw has 3 advantages for a teen:
1. It IS more controllable with 2 hands.
2. It doesn't encourage one hand sloppiness ( I will defend a pro's right to onehand in a tree with vigor but beginners need to have both hands on a well balanced instument.
3. Even if the displacement is the same a rear handled saw looks bigger and more "manly". A smart teen will be cautious and a litttle intimidated by a chainsaw but he or she doesn't want to look like they are intimidated by a toy. A good Tophandle is no toy but it seems more like one.

Persoanlly I think a 40cc saw is a good beginners size. There are 45-50cc saws that would be okay. Bigger saws can come later.

Stumper said:

I do not think a Tophandle is best for the first saw-lots of started with them. A Gazillion consumers started with a little Mac,Homelite or Poulan tophandle.......but I believe a rear handle saw has 3 advantages for a teen:
1. It IS more controllable with 2 hands.
2. It doesn't encourage one hand sloppiness ( I will defend a pro's right to onehand in a tree with vigor but beginners need to have both hands on a well balanced instument.
3. Even if the displacement is the same a rear handled saw looks bigger and more "manly". A smart teen will be cautious and a litttle intimidated by a chainsaw but he or she doesn't want to look like they are intimidated by a toy. A good Tophandle is no toy but it seems more like one.

Persoanlly I think a 40cc saw is a good beginners size. There are 45-50cc saws that would be okay. Bigger saws can come later.

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I agree about the tophandles. They have their purpose and then there are other saws for everything else. My experience has been that they encourage sloppy technique and bad habits among new saw users, especially in terms of cutting in positions and ways that are not helped by normal PPE.

When my son turned 16 i let him run a Craftsman as i was showing him the ropes being new to chainsaw and all . after me over his shoulder for about 1 cord of wood and safety overload from me his hands now fit the Husqvarnas 346XP and the 359 . I use the other 346xp and the 372XP . It would all depend on the "16 year old kid" in question . I have been pumping safety into my sons head for 4 years now in the shop and he does full welding , plasma cutter , O/A torch , drill press , multi cutter saws ect ... ect... So he knows about dangerous tools and how to use them . I would be cautious with a 16 year old you are not sure about his input of safety . PPE , safety , full training are all first before the chainsaw gets used .

My first saw

My first saw was an XL-12. When I got it I don't think it had ever been sharpened. I burned my way through two cuts and shut it off wondering how this thing could be considered a labor saving device. I took it to the local hot saw specialist who sharpened the chain. The first time I made a cut after that I nearly went on my nose as it sliced right through. Still have the saw and take her out for a test spin on occasion. I pretty much learned on my own but sure could have used some advice on safety and such as I had some close calls that weren't necessary.

RED-85-Z51 said:

computeruser, not to hijack the thread, just wondering how the Spartans look this year?

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Smith has got allot of work ahead of him. Allot of new players. No doubt though, they will be an all around great team.

Computeruser, How about a special deal on the new Dolmar PS-460 which is the same basic saw as the PS-5100S except it has an aluminum crankcase instead of magnesium and it sports a 2.95 horsepower engine which is a little tamer for the beginner. There are other differences also but it would make a great saw. It is super smooth in which a beginner would feel more comfortable and also be more alert to focus on the cut instead of the noise or vibration.

I will give an additional $40.00 off our price of $299.95, making the NEW PS-460 Dolmar only $259.95. Just put 40off in the discount box at checkout to receive this special, and yes since I posted here I will extend the discount to anyone who sees it from this post until 8-31-2006.

I believe my first saw to run continuously was a Stihl 029 at age 14. My 1st job was at a Christmas tree farm pulling a trailer full of customers and cutting there trees down for them. I used a 60's model ford tractor and that 029. we also had a 023 if i remember right. For saftey i was provided with chaps and safety goggles. In my own experience the accidents don't happen when you are brand new to running a saw but when you become too confident (cocky/sloppy). I had been running a saw for two years when i had my 1st and hopefully last accident. I was in a hurry and rushed through the cut and let the saw swing down to my side before the chain stopped. Chaps did good for that one saved me from having my leg repaired or removed. so from my personal experience I believe that a 50-55cc saw is a good beginner saw for a kid to start off with. I learned well off that 029, but still remember my 1st accident when ever i run a saw to this day

I started with an 026 and it did me well. If I were buying the saw for a 16 year old to use I'd probably get an 024, just so I'd be into it for a little less money. Do get something decent though, a frustrating saw could turn him away from chainsaws in the future.

To all the guys who started out with XL-12s. :jawdrop:

retoocs555 said:

I started with an 026 and it did me well. If I were buying the saw for a 16 year old to use I'd probably get an 024, just so I'd be into it for a little less money. Do get something decent though, a frustrating saw could turn him away from chainsaws in the future.

To all the guys who started out with XL-12s. :jawdrop:

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XL12 was awesome. I used one with a Bow one time...also the last time I used a bow saw, that thing scared me to death!

Used an XL12 with a 22 or so inch bar, and it was a beast to run..it was fun to use though, and never ran low on power..

Just out of curiousity, what is the purpose of a Bow saw?