First saw for my daughter

My daughter has shown more interest lately in getting more involved with the cutting side of hoarding. She's 10 and ran a little husky 36 I had a few times with my help but I'd like to pick up something cheap that she can call her own. So let's hear your thoughts on saws for a first time user learning the basics of cutting.

 

I imagine you are looking for rear handle with a chain brake for the safety benefits.

 

Stihl 180 is a decent starter saw.

 

Echo cs-310 would be another. $199 and a muffler mod wakes them up decently. Under 9 pounds sans cutting equipment.

 

Yes it would have to have modern safety equipment. I run some older poulans without brakes but wouldn't give one to her.

 

I figured that would be the case. I'd give you a saw for her if I had one that fit your needs. Anything small enough I have that I'm willing to let go are either top handle or rear without safety brakes.

 

A 10yo would like a ECHO 2511rear handle. It would make a great starter saw.

 

I'd totally go battery power. As soon as the trigger is released, chain stops. Did you run Keiths Husky that time he had it at Steve's?

 

It would be. But above what I have to spend. Is like to stay under 300.

 

I didn't run that one. But I'll look around at the electric saws

 

If I were lucky enough to have a ten year old girl or boy, no way would I let them operate a chainsaw. Way too dangerous. It just would not be worth it to me, I would be heartbroken if something bad happened. I'd steer the child to something less dangerous. Life is precious. JMO.

 

Definitely! I was keeping suggestions cheap but yes, there is no better light weight saw I've ever ran. I love mine. Especially after Kevin added sausage.

 

Not 10, but I let my kids that showed interest run my Stihl 180. I have safety chain for it. I bought chaps, gloves, and eat protection for them. I wear the same PPE so there's no excuses. I let the oldest at 16 run the 036 on some clean logs so he could experience the difference. He was under very close observation.

I was running big saws when I was 16. My maturity level at any age is different than my kids at similar ages. You have to tailor tasks to kids mental and physical capabilities. I know 40 year olds I wouldn't trust with a hammer let alone a chainsaw.

 

Her hobbies run from keeping her own garden and chicken's to shooting and fishing with me. I feel with me watching she should be aloud to learn the basics of chainsaw use.
For me running a saw would be treated the same way as shooting her rifles. Only to be done with me by her side.

 

Times sure have changed. I was given a saw on my 9th birthday and nobody, that I remember anyways, balked at the idea.
Being rural gearheads we were playing with trash picked saws well before that and quite a while before the parents even knew.
More depends on the type of kid and mental ability. At 8 my son was pretty proficient with running a Bridgeport and a 12000 lb lathe.
I'd say that if you the parent are confident then go for it.

 

Well said Brother

 

James Miller
I have something I'll sell at a pretty good deal that just came back from a builder today.

There is a story behind it and I'm not divulging the builders name as it's not important. Story is the saw was ported by said nameless builder. It had only a few tanks on It before he ported it. I put maybe 8 -10 tanks on it and pulled the muffler to inspect for cleanliness of the oil I was running to find it scored everywhere. He wanted it back to see what was up. Plating was letting go around the ports so I had him put a new OEM complete top end on it and send it back unported. Still has the muffler mod and timing advance. It was ran for one cut after the new top end. Id like to $250 plus shipping.


Yes the builder is a pro and no he doesn't hang out here. Also it comes with a 16" bar and a used and new chain plus a spare new air filter. Kevin, Huskihl, has one of these and can vouch for them being a well built saw.

 

I don’t remember exactly how old I was when Dad started teaching me to run a chainsaw, it had to be around 10-12, and that as a McCulloch Super Pro 60. I do remember that by 15, I was taking the 14’ Dorsett, SP60, a bucket of Log Dogs and Lines out to cut and tow logs to where we had our Beach Bonfires on McGuire Island. Nobody thought anything about it. I do wish that we had been more concerned about hearing protection. Huh, what was that? Did somebody say somethin? Speak up

Of course the 70’s and 80’s were a different Time/World



Doug

 

Nothing really changed till the early 2000s. I was born in 84. I carried a knife in school from 4th grade on never got questioned, rifles in the car/jeep was normal in highschool. We solved are problems with are hands and the worst we got was in school suspension.
Outside of school we ran till the street lights came on. Wasn't uncommon to get your azz whooped by someone else's dad for doing something wrong.
My daughter keeping her own chickens and growing vegetables for the house at ten would probably be frowned upon in some parts of this country today. God forbid they know she OWNS and shoots her own rifles.
I think if you look around the people you remember from the 70s and 80s are still here, where just looked down upon by a weak modern society.
I'll end this here before I start in on things that are for another forum and comment section.