Have not posted for awhile, but an age/learner question the experts here can help with. First some background.
Needed to take down a 85 ft pine with branches overhanging son's house. Less than 50 ft in any direction to other structures, so needed to take down in pieces.
So, 2nd of 3 grandsons is 14 YO, very athletic. He was all for climbing, enough branches so no spikes needed.
DIL a little apprehensive, but my son (DIL husband) climbed a 160 ft DF in our yard a lot higher freehand when he was that age - just to be able to see the mountain.
So, got the 14 YO all harnessed up, self and his school chum were belayers. Free climbed to about 65 ft where there was still a 6" dia trunk. Tied off and went up another 5 feet to tie in a pull line as top was leaning toward house.
Using short trimming hand saw (freshly sharpened), he dropped the top 20 ft right into the available open spot.
He was pretty proud of himself, as was first relatively high topping - he has dropped 10" DBH trees from ground level by himself, way back to some 4" at age 3 with machete no less <G>
The age question:
When do (or have) you start to let family members use a chain saw for topping?
Obviously > 18 YO if commercial.
Own thoughts were 14 YO still does not have full strength (although he is stronger than 'old grandpa' is now) for a chainsaw up high, although my rule of thumb for the kids/grandkid use of axes and CS is you can use it if you can hold it for 1 min at straight arm's length which he can (I cannot do that anymore myself!). However, in a tree is a whole 'nuther story.
Needed to take down a 85 ft pine with branches overhanging son's house. Less than 50 ft in any direction to other structures, so needed to take down in pieces.
So, 2nd of 3 grandsons is 14 YO, very athletic. He was all for climbing, enough branches so no spikes needed.
DIL a little apprehensive, but my son (DIL husband) climbed a 160 ft DF in our yard a lot higher freehand when he was that age - just to be able to see the mountain.
So, got the 14 YO all harnessed up, self and his school chum were belayers. Free climbed to about 65 ft where there was still a 6" dia trunk. Tied off and went up another 5 feet to tie in a pull line as top was leaning toward house.
Using short trimming hand saw (freshly sharpened), he dropped the top 20 ft right into the available open spot.
He was pretty proud of himself, as was first relatively high topping - he has dropped 10" DBH trees from ground level by himself, way back to some 4" at age 3 with machete no less <G>
The age question:
When do (or have) you start to let family members use a chain saw for topping?
Obviously > 18 YO if commercial.
Own thoughts were 14 YO still does not have full strength (although he is stronger than 'old grandpa' is now) for a chainsaw up high, although my rule of thumb for the kids/grandkid use of axes and CS is you can use it if you can hold it for 1 min at straight arm's length which he can (I cannot do that anymore myself!). However, in a tree is a whole 'nuther story.
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