What Skills Should You Have to Use a Saw?

[RED WOOD]

NOT one that hasn't grown up around machinery. There are young kids that are on farms that can do/drive more than some adults. There are kids who are "street smart" and ones who are "machinery smart"!

When I was around 12-14 we were helping our pastor move. He went to move the truck, hit the key and it lurched forward. He noticed it was a manual transmission and was helpless. I didn't want to overstep my bounds, so I didn't offer to move the truck which I was very capable of doing. It was two things. I didn't know what other would say about me being under age moving the truck, and I didn't want to show him up. I've been driving from the age of 6.:msp_w00t:

There are a lot of "machinery smart" farmers who still get caught up in PTO's, get ran over by their own tractors, forget to lower the dump box and take out power lines..., and the list goes on and on.... My thought was a 7 year old does not have the upper body strength, coordination, basic understanding of physics and how wood will react when it is under pressure to be able to safely or efficiently operate a chainsaw.

 

[2dumb4words]

Great post WHW. And something that's come up from time to time for me. First set of skills they're going to need involves getting it started. Thankfully the relative complexity of the starting procedure weeds out quite a few. No, it ain't rocket science. But if you don't know... It won't go. I suspect Autotune will likely open the flood gates allowing some who never quite mastered old school "2-stroke starting 101".

I used to work in the electrical dept. for the Home Depot in an affluent part of town. It was staggering to see how ignorant many very wealthy people are. Often I found myself wondering: what does this person do to earn that kind of money while apparently remaining dumb as a box of hammers? There are just so many instances where clearly people are "missing" basic skills. What was once common knowledge. Electricity having a similarly steep (and unforgiving) learning curve.

 

[o8f150]

the only REAL skill you need to run a saw is how to pull the tab on a beer:msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin::msp_biggrin:

 

[Monadnock]

In addition to all the great posts, and what Roberte said, a good set of pipes, strong hands and a strong back are a must. I guess those aren't "skills" but they're a requirement. If you can't control your saw, sell it and buy an axe...with a composite handle

 

[Machold]

More than a passing familiarity and more than some dexterity with power tools, especially with those that cut.

AND, before you even pick up a chain saw, the SAFETY requirements for using one (this isn't a macho toy).

 

[o8f150]

ok,, ignore my last post before i get thrown off a cliff
personally i think anyone that is just getting into saws should read,,read,read and more reading and watching some good vids on how to do it safely and how to do your own maintenance like sharpening chains,, the one thing i have always told the guys that worked for me,, i am a retired auto mechanic,, is the only dumb question is the one you don't ask,, so that being said isn't that what this forum is for to ask questions??? yes there is a lot of people on here that cuts for a living and there is some that are just starting for winter heat,, so i feel that we should help to answer questions to the newbies in this to help to keep them safe and to get the most out of their equipment,, how do you all think i have learned so much,, no i am not bashing the OP at all,, it is a good thread and it is a good point too

 

[LowVolt]

If you think the only thing called an F-14 was a Naval fighter aircraft and not one of the coolest IH tractors every built, you have no business with a chainsaw.

:msp_unsure:

So who wants to buy a saw?

 

[Walt41]

There are a lot of "machinery smart" farmers who still get caught up in PTO's, get ran over by their own tractors, forget to lower the dump box and take out power lines..., and the list goes on and on.... My thought was a 7 year old does not have the upper body strength, coordination, basic understanding of physics and how wood will react when it is under pressure to be able to safely or efficiently operating a chainsaw.

Yes and no, I grew up splitting and stacking wood from age 6-7, running an XL12 at 9 and could run a dozer by age 11. It all depends on your physical makeup and how hard you have been worked to develop muscle tone. Working a TV remote is not the same as swinging an axe for four hours on a Saturday morning.

 

[paccity]

There are a lot of "machinery smart" farmers who still get caught up in PTO's, get ran over by their own tractors, forget to lower the dump box and take out power lines..., and the list goes on and on.... My thought was a 7 year old does not have the upper body strength, coordination, basic understanding of physics and how wood will react when it is under pressure to be able to safely or efficiently operating a chainsaw.

one, it's not like i just let him pac it off in to the woods by himself,. he is supervised . two , as far as strength , you have not seen my boy.:msp_wink: three , it's not like he's running one of my larger saws, he runs his 170. four, while he is no expert, but he respects the tool. and he get's lesion every time he runs it,. and yes he can start it him self. i don't keep him in a plastic bubble ,he will do just fine. :smile2:

 

[Chris-PA]

ok,, ignore my last post before i get thrown off a cliff
personally i think anyone that is just getting into saws should read,,read,read and more reading and watching some good vids on how to do it safely and how to do your own maintenance like sharpening chains,, the one thing i have always told the guys that worked for me,, i am a retired auto mechanic,, is the only dumb question is the one you don't ask,, so that being said isn't that what this forum is for to ask questions??? yes there is a lot of people on here that cuts for a living and there is some that are just starting for winter heat,, so i feel that we should help to answer questions to the newbies in this to help to keep them safe and to get the most out of their equipment,, how do you all think i have learned so much,, no i am not bashing the OP at all,, it is a good thread and it is a good point too

It's a good point, this is a great resource and I gained an awful lot of chainsaw specific maintenance and use info in a short time here, as I'm sure you did. But then you started with a very good background, and I had some too. I'm having fun working on stuff on my bench rather than crawling under it, and with parts I don't need a hoist for. It's a lot tougher for those with no background, but by all means help them out, I never intended to say otherwise.

 

[Sprintcar]

Yes and no, I grew up splitting and stacking wood from age 6-7, running an XL12 at 9 and could run a dozer by age 11. It all depends on your physical makeup and how hard you have been worked to develop muscle tone. Working a TV remote is not the same as swinging an axe for four hours on a Saturday morning.

Ain't that the :censored::censored: truth!

Read it here first.

 

[jughead500]

Alot of Know how has to do with your Genes.For Instance ME.I was Genetically Encoded on How to do Stuff.I can Log,Farm,Make Shine (Not that I do) lol.If Given the Chance I could Also be a Pirate or Become a Circus freak without any Prior experience.irate::clown: :msp_thumbsup::msp_thumbsup:

Really I don't know how some people make it these days.

 

[slowp]

one, it's not like i just let him pac it off in to the woods by himself,. he is supervised . two , as far as strength , you have not seen my boy.:msp_wink: three , it's not like he's running one of my larger saws, he runs his 170. four, while he is no expert, but he respects the tool. and he get's lesion every time he runs it,. and yes he can start it him self. i don't keep him in a plastic bubble ,he will do just fine. :smile2:

He's a logger kid. One of the loggers I worked with said his grandpa took him down with him and had him "help" set chokers when he was a 4 year old. I'm sure grandpa was carefully choosing the logs that he could help with.

Now, please explain why gardening is necessary to run a chainsaw? I'm a bit confused. Do you plow furrows for seeds using a chainsaw with an old chain on it? Do you prune tomato vines with a chainsaw?

 

[wsg]

I have a nephew who is 17 and made Eagle Scout and doesn't know how to swing an axe. Tried to get him to help split wood for my mother and he couldn't hit a piece of wood with the Monster Maul. Not much better on moving or stacking either.

Sad to say but scouts here try to avoid using axes. Seems contradictory to outdoors oriented kids but liability has creeped in there too.

I'm glad my two boys get the experience splitting and stacking. Like it or not..)

 

[jughead500]

One time my cousin and Lil Brother was in the boyscouts.My cousin decided they needed some more fire wood at a camp out.The scout master caught Him and his friends chopping on the tree so he made them kiss and Hug the tree and tell it that they were sorry.:msp_rolleyes: My lil brother made Eagle Scout.Don't know how.lol

 

[roberte]

One time my cousin and Lil Brother was in the boyscouts.My cousin decided they needed some more fire wood at a camp out.The scout master caught Him and his friends chopping on the tree so he made them kiss and Hug the tree and tell it that they were sorry.:msp_rolleyes: My lil brother made Eagle Scout.Don't know how.lol

JHC, how very PC. I just threw up in my mouth.

 

[zogger]

Sad to say but scouts here try to avoid using axes. Seems contradictory to outdoors oriented kids but liability has creeped in there too.

I'm glad my two boys get the experience splitting and stacking. Like it or not..)

I was thinking the kid was pretty smart. If my uncle had handed me one of those anvils on a stick and said have at it, I would have blinked, thought about it, and decided to put on an immediate case of the dumbs as well.

 

[Stihlofadeal64]

If ya have horse sense to start with, you learn from there.

Ahh yes, "horse-sense" the product of a stable mind. :hmm3grin2orange::hmm3grin2orange:

 

[beerbelly]

He's a logger kid. One of the loggers I worked with said his grandpa took him down with him and had him "help" set chokers when he was a 4 year old. I'm sure grandpa was carefully choosing the logs that he could help with.

Now, please explain why gardening is necessary to run a chainsaw? I'm a bit confused. Do you plow furrows for seeds using a chainsaw with an old chain on it? Do you prune tomato vines with a chainsaw?

Necessary no. Point I was trying to make was if you have no skills whatsoever, especially outdoors, stay inside. Garden was just my way of ranting. Old Troy-bilt Horse-no safety equip. Old farm tractors-No ROPS, sickle bar mower and a belt PTO..ever run a buzz saw? Scary stuff! If you have never been exposed to any of that...don't run a chain saw! Yes, some of my t'maters are so big I need the saw!!!!! HA! Check mate!

 

[VTWoodchuck]

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