Teen's first chainsaw?

[computeruser]

Well, in the spirit of all this "Teen's First Saw" talk, I went out to the garage and dug out my first saw. Spent about an hour, took it apart and cleaned it with engine cleaner and compressed air (still don't have my steam setup yet, maybe next week), and pulled the muffler. Cylinder still looks great. Pitched the muffler screen, it was dirty and I can do without it. I'll go get it a new plug next week and clean the air filter then, too.

This saw hasn't run in ten years, at least. Shame on me, but I put it away wet and it still had nasty gas in it. Dumped the gas, which was thick and brown. Poured new stuff in it, gave it a couple pumps on the primer, choked it and gave it TWO pulls. It fired, runs great.

I know I have a couple of those little metal plates that go on either side of the bar, somewhere, and it'll have a new bar and chain by Monday. And then will be back in service!

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Awww Hellz Yeah...

Breakin out the Old Homelite Muscle!

Thats Basically the Same saw as my Old XL, except metal case, and slightly different top design..

 

[Freakingstang]

My first own chainsaw was a husky 50 or 55. I don't remember to be honest with you. It was one that dad let me use when I was about 13 or so. before that, I was allowed to run a little old poulan that dad bought back in the 70's. It was little, and well, it was little.

 

[clearance]

Homo-lite, how about letting him buck until he is comfortable, with something bigger? Standing to one side at all times of course, long bars are safer, are they not? Those little saws are jumpy, sketchy things, rubbish. Start him off with something decent, 372 or 460 with a 28" bar.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Homo-lite, how about letting him buck until he is comfortable, with something bigger? Standing to one side at all times of course, long bars are safer, are they not? Those little saws are jumpy, sketchy things, rubbish. Start him off with something decent, 372 or 460 with a 28" bar.

Mine isnt jumpy or stretchy..It is very easy to control. The small bar, 14-16" is nice, and for bucking or limbing, small to medium trees.

I would NOT have wanted to learn saw use with my Timberbear, or Tanaka. They are very powerful, and weighty, not even near something to play around with.

My dad only owned 1 saw from 1978 to 2003, and that was the little Homelite XL. We lost approximately 20 pines on our Acre during Hurr. Frederick, and the XL got em all cut up, by itself. As Im told, it went through many chains, and a few bars, and 1 clutch, but it did it, as well as helped the neighbors on both sides. After Erin, I watched it make quick work of a nice Pine that broke off halfway up, and after Ivan, it did large pines, a full Chinaberry Tree, numerous Popcorn trees, and various other trees over 3 acres.

It shows its age, the carb shaft is worn, and it wont idle anymore, but If I went out right now, it would crank right up...neighbors would have a fit...

Does it Vibrate? YES, is it loud? VERY,

but for what it is, it is excellent!

 

[spacemule]

I have to agree with clearance on recommending a bigger sized saw and beginning cutting with bucking. Bucking a properly set log poses the least danger for a beginner, imo, and it's been my experience that larger saws don't grab as easier as smaller ones, as their greater weight and hence greater inertia makes them merely take bites out of wood that would have caused a smaller saw to kick back.

 

[begleytree]

hmm, first saw, no experience, not my kid so if he gets hurt, its lawyer time.
I'd go with a silky, and let his parents buy the saw.
Do you really need that kinda headache, CU?
-Ralph

 

[treeclimber jul]

learned on homelight XL but hated the chain adj, it was always loose or very tight. finally cut enough wood to buy a real saw, a 029 super. did wonders comp to XL. It all depends on the kid, if he has some common sense (which is'nt common any more) get him 50cc range and show him how to sharpen the chain correctly.

 

[314epw]

Safty??

Nice to talk about what saw to get,but what about safety?Gloves,helmet,boots,chaps,etc.Hopefully you wear these things so he will see he is not a geek wearing them.When your'e a teenage man,looking and acting like one is very important!This way he might not be one of the 300,000 people that go to the hospital each year.!Most of all shake that gas can!!!!

 

[Dadatwins]

Not so sure I would hand anyone a large chainsaw 40cc and as the first one to use. I started with a homelite super ez and xl-12 also, scary to think about now as those models had no chain brakes. I did have my dad standing over me the whole time drilling in about watching the bar tip and not hitting dirt. I remember pinching them countless times, learning about pressure points. Chainsaws are not toys and if I were getting one for someone I would go with a cheap model to start, let them learn it and respect it and then move up to a professional model.

 

[StihlaMan]

I think everyone has hit on the important parts SAFETY! SAFETY! SAFETY!. It can not be stressed enough. Take him window shopping and see what feels good in his hands and what he can handle. then go look for a good used one or a new one. 35cc to 50cc should fit the bill just fine. when you take him out to cut you should have the proper ppe and do the watch and learn so he will see how its done properly and not learn any bad habits. then you can let him have a go at it with you by his side to coach.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

My little cousin Learned on a little Mac 110 saw. He was only 12-13 at the time, and used decent safety parcatices..

I dont think anyone in our family has any real safety things...Ive got a pair of Hearing protector things, from a firing range visit a few years ago, which I mainly only use when I use the XL or my 110.

I had a pair of gloves, but it made holding and operating saw difficult, Icouldnt get the feel, and it made me uneasy.

Ive gotten my hand burned once or twice by a hot muffler...and Ive been bonked in the head by small limbs..but beyond that *knock on wood* ive never gotten injured. Heck, Ive been hurt worse by ants that seem to live around my wood pile..

I do reccomend safety equipment to begginers, maybe if they use it to start with, they may use it forever thereafter.

Safety >>>

 

[computeruser]

UPDATE:

So much for my enthusiasm for gettin' the kid interested in something productive and wholsome. I had a job all set up to have him help me out with on Monday. I offered to pay him $15/hour to help me out and to have me teach him a bit of stuff about saws, safe cutting, etc. After confirming that he was interested taking me up on my offer, I went and bought some extra PPE on Sunday.

I went to pick him up Monday morning and he was nowhere to be found. His father had no idea where he'd gone, and neither did his mother. Rolled by his mom's house, just on the odd chance that he had misinterpreted our agreement on where/when to meet. He was not there. Wasn't answering his phone, either.

I come to find out that, despite his original enthusiastic interest, he found out from someone (friend? neighbor? voices in his head?) that tree work was hard work. So he now wants no part of it. And of course, he doesn't call me to back out, he just stands me up, knowing that I was driving 20 miles out of my way to pick him up. So let's see...lazy, rude, and inconsiderate. Quite the combination. He did eventually call, though, at 3:00pm; he left no voicemail, of course. His parents were embarassed beyond belief.

In the end, the job ended up taking me three hours more than it would have with an extra set of hands around, but I got it done before sundown. Oh well, guess I won't be buying him his own saw anytime soon.

 

[CaseyForrest]

Jeeze Brandon, next time give me a call. I wont charge you $15 an hour!!!

 

[alderman]

You know its kind of funny but I've always enjoyed gathering wood. When I was a really young kid I can remember it was my job to haul the branches to the burn pile. My brother, on the other hand, has hated it and refuses to gather his own to this day even though we have access to 55 acres of an easy situation. I've got to believe there's a kid out there somewhere that would be willing to give a hand. It seems it couldn't be any harder than bucking hay bales for $1.00 an hour.

 

[asb151]

UPDATE:

So much for my enthusiasm for gettin' the kid interested in something productive and wholsome. I had a job all set up to have him help me out with on Monday. I offered to pay him $15/hour to help me out and to have me teach him a bit of stuff about saws, safe cutting, etc. After confirming that he was interested taking me up on my offer, I went and bought some extra PPE on Sunday.

I went to pick him up Monday morning and he was nowhere to be found. His father had no idea where he'd gone, and neither did his mother. Rolled by his mom's house, just on the odd chance that he had misinterpreted our agreement on where/when to meet. He was not there. Wasn't answering his phone, either.

I come to find out that, despite his original enthusiastic interest, he found out from someone (friend? neighbor? voices in his head?) that tree work was hard work. So he now wants no part of it. And of course, he doesn't call me to back out, he just stands me up, knowing that I was driving 20 miles out of my way to pick him up. So let's see...lazy, rude, and inconsiderate. Quite the combination. He did eventually call, though, at 3:00pm; he left no voicemail, of course. His parents were embarassed beyond belief.

In the end, the job ended up taking me three hours more than it would have with an extra set of hands around, but I got it done before sundown. Oh well, guess I won't be buying him his own saw anytime soon.

You gave the kid a great opportunity. It's his loss. There will be others more appreciative.

 

[RED-85-Z51]

Oh well, no great loss, at least you got some nice PPE on hand for spares...

15 bucks an hour...

5 days a week

5 hours a day

He'd have enough cash in a week to buy his own upper tier saw...what a shame!

 

[SWE#Kipp]

What an ungrateful kid ,,,,,

 

[pallis]

Oh well, you should buy yourself a new 5100. You deserve it.

 

[Urbicide]

Boy's First Chainsaw

Does Fischer-Price make a chainsaw? $15.00/hr. and no show? I've got some great friends who come out to my woodlot for fresh air, beautiful scenery, hard work, and all of the gatorade they can drink.I feel guilty now!


This young man has no idea of what he is missing.