How young is too young to run a saw?

[tomdcoker]

My dad had me cutting at 8 or 9, but the saw had two wooden handles, one on each end. In my option you have to make that decision. children mature at a different rate, but at any age under 21 you should have him wearing protective chaps and gloves at least. Tom

 

[TBS]

My grandpa and dad taught me to run a at 12 with the little homelites, at 13-14 I was pruning the trees around the house with the electric Remington saw. I was a good sized and responsible kid who could handle most saws. Proper ppe is a must especially for your kid. I hate seeing people at work run a saw not wearing chaps, hard hat, goggles, ear protection, and gloves when they have walk past them when grabbing a saw.

 

[tylerbeach3]

Ppe is not age sensitive

 

[Metallichg]

My son is 10, I let him use a very small climbing saw for about 10 min while I fed the wood into the blade. he is not agile enough to go off and cut up a tree by himself, but is old enough to get the feel of it while I am 2 feet away and watching his every move. my son needs a few years to be on his own with any saw.

 

[Philbert]

I let him use a very small climbing saw . . .while I fed the wood into the blade.

???Why would you feed wood into the saw?

. . .I am 2 feet away and watching his every move. . . .

Kickback only takes a micro second:


At a minimum, I would want any young sawyer to be wearing the correct PPE, to start habits early, and would want to use things like tip guards, that more advanced sawyers might not need. I would only let them cut selected wood in a stable position, such as a sawbuck.




Philbert

 

[tylerbeach3]

Agreed. Philbert with the truth again

 

[Metallichg]

???Why would you feed wood into the saw?


Kickback only takes a micro second:


At a minimum, I would want any young sawyer to be wearing the correct PPE, to start habits early, and would want to use things like tip guards, that more advanced sawyers might not need. I would only let them cut selected wood in a stable position, such as a sawbuck.

View attachment 561724


Philbert

 

[Metallichg]

He holds the saw, running and I take 2" round branches and feed into the saw while he holds it, so he can't bump the tip on anything. the point is just to give him the feel of the saw. I don't trust him to cut branches on his own and make judgements about what will pinch the bar or bump the tip on other Wood. it's cheating, but he enjoys it and I think it is as safe as it can be.

 

[Sleepy]

???Why would you feed wood into the saw?


Kickback only takes a micro second:


At a minimum, I would want any young sawyer to be wearing the correct PPE, to start habits early, and would want to use things like tip guards, that more advanced sawyers might not need. I would only let them cut selected wood in a stable position, such as a sawbuck.

View attachment 561724


Philbert

Excellent video on what causes kickback, because he can be clearly seen jabbing the tip of the bar inward.
That guy should find another line of work, because he has no idea how to operate a chain saw.

 

[anymanusa]

Personally all 8 year olds that I know don't need to be running power tools of any kind.

 

[CoreyB]

I have seen 60 year olds that have no business touching a saw. I don't think age alone is a viable measuring tool.