How old to use a chainsaw?

[GM-GUY]

My son who is 9.5 and has been playing football for 4 years now wants a saw. He spied a Stihl MS170 at the saw shop the other day, he picked it up and it doesn't seem too heavy for him (he can pick up my saw with no issues - not running).

If your kids cut with you, when did they start? How did your spouse view this activity?


I am fully aware that saws are dangerous and bad things can happen, but bad things can happen on a quad or snowmobile too.

 

[sunfish]

I was 11-12 when my dad start teaching me to run a saw with very close supervision. Got my first saw at age 16 when I starting selling firewood. I started with my son when he was 16-17 years old.

 

[Sprintcar]

I was 11-12 when my dad start teaching me to run a saw with very close supervision. Got my first saw at age 16 when I starting selling firewood. I started with my son when he was 16-17 years old.

Ditto. 12 to 13 under the supervision of an adult, but back then the smallest saw we had weighted about 37 lbs.

 

[RandyMac]

Ditto. 12 to 13 under the supervision of an adult, but back then the smallest saw we had weighted about 37 lbs.

I knew you were old.

 

[Raker]

Good thread, I'm interested to know people's opinions on proper age to start them out.


My son is 2 1/2 and is already super interested. He's going to have to be happy with the plastic husky toy saw for a long time.

 

[slowp]

I think my friend is about to start her 3 year old granddaughter out on a toy Stihl. :msp_smile:

I started cutting and getting paid for it at age 23.

 

[Nitroman]

My youngest girl was 5 when she told me she wanted a saw. In purple.

I have let her cut many times now, I hold the handlebar, she runs the throttle, she has on eye/ear protection and for her legs I use a scrap of 1/4" plywood in case the chain comes off. One of these days I'll have to have some chaps cut down to fit her, but the kids grow like weeds soooo....she needs them though.

My two oldest 17 and 16 have been running the 137 for a couple years now. They'll jump on MY snomachine and take off for an hour then come back with a sled-load of wood. They love it as they are the only girls in the village that have a dad that "allows" them to cut wood.

 

[w8ye]

I was 13 before actually using one. In those days, you had to be in the logging or chainsaw business to own one.

Meanwhile I did pretty good with cross cut and bow saws.

 

[Mastermind]

My grandson is 9 years old and wants to use a saw. We let him run the throttle as someone holds the saw. To turn him loose with a saw.......not yet.

 

[JRHAWK9]

Here's me helping my 11 (soon to be 12) year old nephew use a chain saw for the very first time earlier this fall. He was controlling it and running the throttle himself, I had a hold of the saw just "in case". Yeah, I know he's not wearing proper boots or chaps. He cut up that one smaller tree and that's all he did.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

You have to know your kid's maturity in addition to age (I guess the second part is easier to figure out :msp_biggrin. I first used a saw (Stihl, 027 maybe?) in 1974 (age 14) after starting with hand saws from around age 7.

My own son has used one of my chain saws a few times on a firewood pile under supervision, starting at 17. Not really his thing -- he's more interested in his "I phone" and girls. He worked with my crew a few times and then found his own jobs. Even though he is very focused and smart, he is still very much the greenhorn with a saw - and he knows this too. Watch out for your kid (or anyone starting out) that is out to prove something with very little experience.

Don't mean to brag, but this is me with my handsaw at age 11:

View attachment 262475

 

[Mastermind]

You have to know your kid's maturity in addition to age (I guess the second part is easier to figure out :msp_biggrin. I first used a saw (Stihl, 027 maybe?) in 1974 (age 14) after starting with hand saws from around age 7.

My own son has used one of my chain saws a few times on a firewood pile under supervision, starting at 17. Not really his thing -- he's more interested in his "I phone" and girls. He worked with my crew a few times and then found his own jobs. Even though he is very focused and smart, he is still very much the greenhorn with a saw - and he knows this too. Watch out for your kid (or anyone starting out) that is out to prove something with very little experience.

Don't mean to brag, but this is me with my handsaw at age 11:

View attachment 262475

Which one????

 

[computeruser]

I started running a saw under supervision when I was probably 10-11 years old. I had my own saws by the time I was 13-14. The idea of PPE was unknown then.

If you elect to set junior up with a saw he can run under supervision, here's my 2c:

1. PPE. Period. It will be expensive for a kid who is fast growing, but so what?

2. Small engine saw with SHORT bar. Seriously short bar. I started out with a 10" bar on a little Homelite, and the short bar kept me from cutting the ground, myself, etc., and helped develop good cutting technique. It also (somewhat) reduces the need for steel toe boots, which may be a hard-to-find item for kids (don't have kids myself, but I'd guess they're a rarity in children's sizes).

3. Consider a slower-revving reed valve saw such as the rear-handle Echo 3000 series. The slower saws actually help with learning - cutting technique, how wood hinges and binds, how chips discharge (or don't) from the cut - and I think that this will pay off later on. They also tend to kick back less and pose less risk of harm to the operator.

4. Teach proper sharpening technique. If you're gonna run the saw, you're gonna care for the saw. Period.

5. Lots of how-to learning on YouTube. Husqvarna has a good series of saw techinque videos - maintenance, felling, bucking, limbing - that should be requisite viewing for any new saw operator.

6. Empower the young person to feel comfortable critiquing/correcting your cutting for both technique and safety issues, just as you will be critiquing/correcting his cutting. This will make both of you better and safer cutters.

 

[NPKenny]

I saw start them young... progressively. Here is my son's first introduction to a Mac 10-10.

Then his first days at the wood lot!

His favorite color is green, so this is first saw. It's the saw in this thread: Porting a Poulan 25da

You can see sister getting into the last picture. She wants a pink saw, so I'll be on the look-out for a small Stihl that I can paint the covers on probably.

I let them blip the throttle on a bar-less saw on occasion, but it will probably be 12-13 before I start letting them cut. There's plenty of work to be done without a saw until then.

 

[ramon257]

wel...

well i was 15 when i buy my husqy 288 :rolleyes2:

 

[Ironhand]

My oldest is 8 and a pretty tough kid. No way does he have the attention span or full appreciation for the danger of a chainsaw yet.

 

[TreeGuyHR]

Which one????

Second from left. I couldn't grow any facial hair at that age.:msp_biggrin:

 

[Raker]

I'm hoping age 3 is good enough for the lawn mower....Just kidding but man can I not wait to delegate that.

 

[Ductape]

I'm prepared for some flaming on this, but I say 16 / 17 at an absolute minimum. Reason being.... no way, NO WAY a 13 yr. old can possibly grasp the danger / extent of injury possible with a chainsaw regardless of how many times you express it to them. Really I say 18, but I suppose it will depend on the kid.

 

[dl5205]

If you have to ask on a chainsaw forum, they're not old enough yet. There's lots of firewood rounds to be toted and loaded yet, keep 'em "wanting" to run the saw. When you're sure they (and you) ((and their mother)) are ready, I'd recommend a 7" log, well secured to a heavy sawbuck. Very controlled environment. There are chainsaw safety classes offered by several different groups or organizations. I would highly recommend proper training at an early age. That being said, I started "running" a saw @ ~14, and bought a 038mag @ 15, with my own money. I had no formal training, but found the info in an old husky owner's manual very helpful. Be safe, have fun.