John D
Addicted to ArboristSite
I am wanting to teach my kids how to use a chain saw soon.I cut am cutting my own wood now,for my own use.I have a few small saws,very lightweight and easy to handle.A husky 345,MC eager beaver 3216,and a small homelite XL.They all have the safety chains on them so they dont kick back.My girlfriend and kids help me all the time with the firewood gathering,splitting and clean up. My daughter is almost 14,my son almost 12. They are very good with equipment,and grew up on our golf course,well over 100 acres,so they have been running golf carts since they were 5 ,they both drive manual shift tractor/loaders,and standard site trucks on the golf course.They both run my Cat 246 easily,as well as both have been mowing my lawn with zero turn mowers for yrs. They easily start and run string trimmers,and backpack blowers all summer at the house.Both can back a short 8ft wide trailer thru a 10 ft wide barn door in one shot.They both ride 600cc + snowmobiles,and ATV's. There isnt much they cant do,I started them young so they would be able to do just about anything.
I am not sure at what age is ok to let them start using a saw.For now they have been using hand clippers to cut off the small branches,and my 18 volt Dewalt sawzall with a few branches to help me out when i get behind.Personally i have never worn a pair of chaps when i cut wood,I would obviously get them chaps,and go thru the saftey drills with them. If they could help me wih the little branches and limbs it would tremendously speed up the operation.I am the only one who cuts,and they can process much faster than i can log it out and limb it.My girlfriend thinks they are both 2 young yet to handle any saw.I agree for now,but when should i consider it? I started using one at 18,but the reason i didnt start earlier was because we werent cutting wood from when i was 11-18.
I am not sure at what age is ok to let them start using a saw.For now they have been using hand clippers to cut off the small branches,and my 18 volt Dewalt sawzall with a few branches to help me out when i get behind.Personally i have never worn a pair of chaps when i cut wood,I would obviously get them chaps,and go thru the saftey drills with them. If they could help me wih the little branches and limbs it would tremendously speed up the operation.I am the only one who cuts,and they can process much faster than i can log it out and limb it.My girlfriend thinks they are both 2 young yet to handle any saw.I agree for now,but when should i consider it? I started using one at 18,but the reason i didnt start earlier was because we werent cutting wood from when i was 11-18.