My wife was out doing errands and I had a lot of 6"-8" limbs to buck and split. My son was getting under foot so I put him to work. He just turned 13 years old but is 6'1" tall and has a very protective mother. With her out of the way we got to talk saws, safety, and operation. My "monster saw" is a Homelite Ranger 33cc with a 16" bar. First we touched up the chain a little and put the tip guard on. Then checked fuel & oil. Put some PPE on and fired her up. He had a blast, she came home, I'm probably in the dog house. We finished bucking then had to split. Next lesson was how to use the small maul, 4.5#. Practiced a little then let him go. My stay in the dog house probably got extended a little. Last lesson was stacking. At his height we stacked pretty high. As we finished she came out to see how we were doing. First the digit count, 10 fingers & 10 toes. Good. Any broken or bruised limbs, no. Good. I've been paroled from the dog house. KaptJaq
That's a good start to hopefully a long rewarding 'career' in firewood gathering. I was barely 17 before even touching a saw (growing up in town there was never a need for one around the house,just when parents bought that 10 acres timber & the little house out in the sticks at that time soon afterwards. Then I was bit by the tree cutting bug.Worked for small local tree service in late teens/early 20's,that's where I really got some good experience.Over 30 years later its not as easy for me processing wood,especially when its very hot or very cold/deep snow,but the passion hasn't diminished one bit. As long as I'm physically able,I'll continue to keep at it.
My wife had a bit of a hissy fit when she found out I let the youngest son run my saw last year (he's now 12). This year I intend to have him use it a bit more, to get some experience. A little more this year, a little more the next, and so on. I started cutting when I was 13, and there's no reason he can't do the same. He's got earmuffs, safety glasses, good gloves, work boots. I have an old pair of USFS chaps that should fit him, so we'll be good to go. Just some easy bucking on level ground for now.
Lucky kids is all I have to say. Maybe my mom was the reason I never got to really run them till I bought my own after I bought my own house. Then again maybe it was dad being lazy and having me and my brother pick up the wood while he was cutting is the reason. Never the less I would have loved to run one in my early teens.
