Youngest CAD victim - Yes there are pics!

[diggers_dad]

I started this story in another thread but my wife thought it deserved a thread of its own. Here's the story: My oldest son, Mason, is 9 years old. We call him "Digger" because he loved to dig in the dirt when he was younger. I had to move some furniture for my SIL yesterday and figured since we were travelling I would take some cash and hit a couple of pawn shops. Struck out at every one. On the way home, Digger started asking about saws "Why this?, Why that?, How do you fix this?" and I tried to answer as best I could.

We stopped at my local Dolmar dealer close to home to pick up some AV bushings I had ordered. I've tried to get into this guy's "treasure room" for 2 years with no luck. Digger was looking at the saws and I suggested he ask the shop owner for a project saw. I thought he might get something to turn a screwdriver on or keep him occupied for a while.

Well, to my surprise, the owner goes to the treasure room and pulls out a complete Homelite 330. He gives it to Digger and says "The only pay I want is to see it run when you're finished." Digger and the owner (Roger) were both grinning real big and I was a little confused. My own son just sharked me out of a deal!!

The boy couldn't wait so we tore into it a little last night. It had good compression, the p/c were bright and shiny, no broken pieces and there was spark!! :msp_smile::msp_smile: He was getting into this. I put a little gas in the carb and it sputtered a bit!! I think he wet himself a little at that point but we were both excited.

 

[blsnelling]

Way to go Dad. I love it!

 

[Saw Dr.]

Go ahead and order an intake boot. Great story. I have girls, so not much interest in saws there. The little one has a plastic battery powered saw that she plays with.

 

[diggers_dad]

Continued...

Digger went to bed last night dreaming of saws and making "RRRRRRR" sounds. He bounded out of bed this morning and away we went to my little shop to start in on the Homelite. I let him do almost everything. I showed him the IPL, carb diagram, suggested how to start and clean and let him go. He went after it in earnest.

We went through most of it and decided it needed a carb kit, which we installed together.

I'll finish up the story when I get some more pictures loaded. Until then, Happy Thanksgiving to all....

Diggers Dad

 

[NORMZILLA44]

Nice! That's awesome, I started cutting about that age. Balck and decker, electric LOL! Digger has good taste. Saw's learned me not just a valuable trade, but a great hobby. And landed me some good friend's.

 

[tbone75]

Can't wait to see his face when its running! Way to go DD! :msp_thumbsup:

 

[chopperfreak2k1]

it doesn't get any better than that!!

 

[DarkTimber]

Quality father and son time.That seems to be one of the things that a lot of children today do not get enough of. Great of you to take the time with your son to work on this project together.:msp_smile:

 

[madhatte]

This is the sort of thing I wish we saw more of -- "passing it on"! I remember being a young sprat, all bent out of shape because dad wanted me to come watch him work on the car AGAIN. FINE, I'll go get that wrench, what size was it? and then one day I had a car of my own and I knew how to work on it. It was the damnedest thing. I was actually as peeved as I was surprised at first, because I couldn't figure out how the Old Man had got one over on me so smoothly. Well, years later, those skills still serve me daily. There will never come a time when it's not handy to be handy.

 

[mdavlee]

That's awesome he has interest in something you do. I have a little girl so I don't know how long she'll like saws. Right now she has a toy one. She had me stack some styrofoam letters up so she could cut the tree down. I jsut hope she doesn't cut the Christmas tree down :msp_smile: The thing she remembers the most from california is the big trees.

 

[diggers_dad]

It runs!!

We put the carb kit in, step by step. Made sure we used the right parts the right way at the right time and cleaned everything up real nice. He stayed with it the whole time and wouldn't let me do much at all. I did check his work to make sure the screws were tight, etc, but it was really all his work. A couple of folks suggested to check the intake boot but it was in good shape. Diggers fingers were just the right size to get in there and prod around.

We took it outside and had a few words about safety and how he could watch but not run it (yet).

I'll be darned but the old thing fired about 10 or 12 pulls in and was set pretty close to right at 1 1/8 out on each screw.

He was one happy camper!!

 

[diggers_dad]

The big test...

So...after all of that he had to know if it would run in "real" wood. Around here that's a good red oak. We found a nice one at my dad's place and I let him work the throttle while I held the saw with him. He wanted the biggest one his bar would handle. That safety chain is a PAIN. We need to get that changed!! He didn't know the difference so it was all good.

His mom thought he should have a haircut for his internet debut but after it was done I told her it was a bit late... Oh well.

This thanksgiving my family has much to be thankful for. I am thankful for this site that has given me such a release from all the crap I see at work each day. I am thankful for the good folks on here and all of the help they offer. I feel there are a number of guys on here that would do anything to help a friend and that is a rare thing these days. I am thankful for time with the family and time with my oldest son. I hope his little brother shows an interest in saws soon...until then I'll be happy to be "Diggers Dad", aka Marc Arnold.

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving to all.

 

[tbone75]

Now that is a great looking smile on his face and yours! :msp_thumbsup: Way to go :msp_thumbsup: Did he ask for more yet? :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[chainsaw mike1]

Sounds like me when i was younger!! It's not too early to start the CAD! Anything to get kids outside is a good thing! Also, if he wants, I have another 330 that he can have. It was just a saw that I have sittin around. I think it needs the same treatment as his. It's his for free under the same conditions as his first saw. HAPPY CUTTING, BIG MIKE

 

[diggers_dad]

Sounds like me when i was younger!! It's not too early to start the CAD! Anything to get kids outside is a good thing! Also, if he wants, I have another 330 that he can have. It was just a saw that I have sittin around. I think it needs the same treatment as his. It's his for free under the same conditions as his first saw. HAPPY CUTTING, BIG MIKE

I'll pass it on to him. He's still pretty excited about the whole thing. It makes me remember the first time I got one that was headed to the junk pile and got it working again. Wow, that's a great feeling!! I'm not sure which one of us is more happy!!:msp_w00t::msp_w00t:

 

[tbone75]

I'll pass it on to him. He's still pretty excited about the whole thing. It makes me remember the first time I got one that was headed to the junk pile and got it working again. Wow, that's a great feeling!! I'm not sure which one of us is more happy!!:msp_w00t::msp_w00t:

I think Dad is right now :hmm3grin2orange: Sounds like he could a collection of 330s going there?Not a bad idea :msp_smile:

 

[chainsaw mike1]

I think about 90 % of the people on this site got started as kids working on broken down saws and stuff. Its that way that I learned how to work on things the right way. It also gave me the knowledge and work ethic I have and use to this day in life. I got my first truck, a broke down 64 jeep pickup, when I was 13. My dad and I rebuilt the engine, rewired it, fixed a lot of the problems on it together. I also learned how to drive a stick in it! I had more respect for that clutch because I had to pay for it on a 14 year olds budget and put it in myself!! My dad passed away a few years ago and I thank him for all the knowledge that passed down to me by the time we spent working in the shop. Good for you to pass this down to your son!! HAPPY CUTTING, BIG MIKE.

 

[rob066]

Great thread you put up there. I have the feeling my boys are going to be chainsaw fanatics when they grow up. My oldest boy puts a hard hat on and pretends to cut trees on the the stair step post. He makes chainsaw sounds doing so. He has one of those battery powered Husqvarna 440s. My two boys get into a tango over that saw. I need to buy another saw and have two. But I dont think it will stop the bickering because one will be newer than the other.

 

[chainsaw mike1]

I'll pass it on to him. He's still pretty excited about the whole thing. It makes me remember the first time I got one that was headed to the junk pile and got it working again. Wow, that's a great feeling!! I'm not sure which one of us is more happy!!:msp_w00t::msp_w00t:

How far are you from bentonville? My bro lives there and hes heading up here next week. I could send that saw back with him. And if you aren't that close, the shipping would be a lot cheaper shipping from his place in Arkansas to yours. HAPPY CUTTING, BIG MIKE

 

[Arrowhead]

Sounds like me when i was younger!! It's not too early to start the CAD! Anything to get kids outside is a good thing! Also, if he wants, I have another 330 that he can have. It was just a saw that I have sittin around. I think it needs the same treatment as his. It's his for free under the same conditions as his first saw. HAPPY CUTTING, BIG MIKE

Awesme! I'm sure I know the answer to that one.

Dad, you should feel him out the next few weeks. Find out a saw he really desires and us AS members can see what we can come up with. At his age Im sure he likes them all. :msp_smile: