How old were your children when they started using power tools?

[kalanamak]

Hubby is at work, and kiddo was listening to classical music in the garage. I went to round him up (I thought he was bouncing balls) and he has his goggles on, his (own) vise in use, with sawed, filed and drilled wood in it. Next to it is a row of power tools he used. He is just 8 and his dad is a carpenter.

 

He is uninjured.:tongue_smilie:

 

I'm just a little.....shocked. He acts like it is no big deal, and wants me to ooh and aah over the copper wire rudder and the beveled front. It is a model of a boat, crude, but made without a model from bits of discarded wood and metal.

 

Is an 8 year old safe with this stuff??

[Daisy]

It probably depends on the kid. My 8yo boy zip-tied his finger the other day ON PURPOSE. Uh, no way would I let him near power tools. Your son sounds light years more mature. Sigh.

[EmilyK]

I don't know -- he sounds like an awesome kid, though. I would think that it would make sense to have a rule for him to use them only under a supervision of an adult. The fact that he was in there alone would worry me, in case something happened.

[Parrothead]

I don't know -- he sounds like an awesome kid, though. I would think that it would make sense to have a rule for him to use them only under a supervision of an adult. The fact that he was in there alone would worry me, in case something happened.

:iagree:I don't even think adults should be using power tools with out anther adult within screaming range.

[3littlekeets]

Ha! My 11 (nearly 12) yob cuts himself when he opens a can :lol::lol:

 

Power Tools? NEV-AH! :D

[EKS]

Um, let's see...

 

Our good friend, an adult furniture maker with 20+ years experience, cut off all of the fingers on his right (dominant) hand during a mishap with a table saw. He is no longer able to do what he loves.

 

My answer would be no.

[KidsHappen]

I was going to ask, with or without permission? ;)

[ChristusG]

My first inclination would be HECK NO!!!! LOL

 

But then you said your husband is a carpenter. Has your son spent a lot of time with your husband helping build things? Has your husband trained your son on thse tools, trained him on safety, and overseen him a lot? If so, your son may be able to safely use them. I'd let him know that he needs to TELL you when he's using them, but maybe he can do them safely if he's been around them and been trained.

[Teachin'Mine]

I think 8 is too young. I'd talk with your husband, and ask him to put together a good set of handtools that he can use unsupervised, and then make a rule that everything else needs his supervision. I know some hand tools are just as dangerous, but I would think it would be reasonable to allow him to use a hammer, screwdriver, etc.. If he has a project in mind, he could cut the pieces he needs with your husband there, and then assemble them on his own. I still think he should let you know when he's going to be working on something so you can be tuned to hearing his screams when the hammer misses its target. :tongue_smilie: Keep ice on hand too. :)

[Murphy101]

Unsupervised and without asking first? YES!

 

It has nothing to do with maturity. Grown men have accidents happen.

 

It would be horrible if you had gone out there and found ?? *shudder*

 

Otherwise, if dh has shown him proper safe use and he waits until dad is home to supervise "just in case" - I'd be okay with it.

[kalanamak]

I was going to ask, with or without permission? ;)

 

Well, after a bit of discussion, it is clear he using these tools as he pleases while I'm at work. Hubby was raised doing FAR more dangerous things, and this is just "how life is" to him. (I have seen an old home movie his dad made, sitting on the top of the pilot house of their commercial fishing boat in big seas. My husband, who looks about 7 is far astern, and when the boat goes down, you see him and a wall of water behind him. When the boat goes up, you see him and sky. 20 foot waves, no life jacket, waaaaay out south of the Aleutians. He said this was a very typical rough day. I asked him "what kept you on the boat" and he said "no one ever fell off".)

 

So, I've been out watching him, and he carries tools right, wears his goggles the whole time, has tough-toed boots on, puts a leather glove on the hand he is not holding the saw with, and uses his key to tighten the bits carefully. So, it seems his is trained. I'm sort of glad I missed the training. :)

 

(Deep breath....this is sort of part of the reason we homeschool.....but then, hubby, when sober, has shot himself through the leg and nearly decapitated himself riding home in the dark on a logging rode on a chopper....)

[Jean in Newcastle]

It depends on the power tools. A drill, or electric screwdriver I would consider fairly safe. A power saw or nail gun - no way.

[elegantlion]

Hubby is at work, and kiddo was listening to classical music in the garage. I went to round him up (I thought he was bouncing balls) and he has his goggles on, his (own) vise in use, with sawed, filed and drilled wood in it. Next to it is a row of power tools he used. He is just 8 and his dad is a carpenter.

 

He is uninjured.:tongue_smilie:

 

I'm just a little.....shocked. He acts like it is no big deal, and wants me to ooh and aah over the copper wire rudder and the beveled front. It is a model of a boat, crude, but made without a model from bits of discarded wood and metal.

 

Is an 8 year old safe with this stuff??

 

My dh is a carpenter. Ds has been hammering and nailing since he was 18 months old. My answer would still be no. At 8, with power tools, I think it's too much of a risk.

 

It might depend on the power tool used as well. Are they 18V DeWalt type tools or a 9V Black and Decker? Some tools are just too heavy for an 8 year old to handle properly. I'm glad he obeyed Norm and remembered the goggles though. :001_smile: A power drill I would probably allow, a power jigsaw, probably with supervision, a reciprocating saw, maybe with supervision. A cordless circular saw, no. A power miter saw, probably with supervision, a table saw, no.

 

My ds is currently with his dh on an out of town project. I have no idea what tools ds is using now. But my dh has always stressed safety. He has the scars to prove what happens when an accident happens.

 

For safety reasons, if he wants to continue using tools, I'd probably invest into some lower voltage, lighter tools. And maybe some non-power tools, you're never too young for a Craftsman set of screwdrivers or drill bits. :lol:

 

A fellow homeschooling dad just almost cut off his fingers in a power saw accident. He was in surgery for many hours, has many stitches, and has many weeks of physical therapy ahead.

 

My dh's father stuck him on top of car as a child and let him ride down the street that way for kicks. Dh thought it was a hoot, but there is no way in hades he'd do that for ds.

[KidsHappen]

It depends on the power tools. A drill, or electric screwdriver I would consider fairly safe. A power saw or nail gun - no way.

 

Both my ex and my ds are carpenters and I can't tell you how many times they have shot themselves with a nail gun. They have both nailed their hands to a wall with one. How do you do that? :confused: My ds doesn't ever need power tools to endanger himself. He has walked off of one too many buildings. I don't even trust my hubby with a hammer as he hit one of the girls in the head with one once (accidently of course).

[Catherine]

Hmmm...17 and I'm still waiting, unless you count a car.

[zaichiki]

It probably depends on the kid.

 

I agree.

 

My 4 year old stuck his finger in a handheld pencil sharpener and turned it until it bled. Sigh.

 

My then-8 (now 11) year old hit his finger with a sledgehammer. (He was pounding in some little, tiny nails.) Had to go to the ER (the doctor there was concerned about our story and thought ds was hiding something). Double sigh!

 

My current-8 year old would be fine with the tools.

 

Your dh is a carpenter? I wouldn't worry. Sounds like daddy taught junior well. :D

[Starr]

Well, after a bit of discussion, it is clear he using these tools as he pleases while I'm at work. Hubby was raised doing FAR more dangerous things, and this is just "how life is" to him. (I have seen an old home movie his dad made, sitting on the top of the pilot house of their commercial fishing boat in big seas. My husband, who looks about 7 is far astern, and when the boat goes down, you see him and a wall of water behind him. When the boat goes up, you see him and sky. 20 foot waves, no life jacket, waaaaay out south of the Aleutians. He said this was a very typical rough day. I asked him "what kept you on the boat" and he said "no one ever fell off".)

 

So, I've been out watching him, and he carries tools right, wears his goggles the whole time, has tough-toed boots on, puts a leather glove on the hand he is not holding the saw with, and uses his key to tighten the bits carefully. So, it seems his is trained. I'm sort of glad I missed the training. :)

 

(Deep breath....this is sort of part of the reason we homeschool.....but then, hubby, when sober, has shot himself through the leg and nearly decapitated himself riding home in the dark on a logging rode on a chopper....)

 

 

Just another lovely day boating south of the Aleutians! :eek: What's a power tool or two? :lol:

[Retired]

we started letting the boys use power tools with supervision around age 13. I still want let my 17 year old use them without supervision. I know he is a year from adult hood and his best friend now work construction at age 18. So I really need to let him be a man. we have the conversation a lot. - sigh -

 

My dad was at work and lost his fingers on a table saw when I was 9. His brother iced his finger and they were able to reattach. He has never regain feeling.

 

I am also a nurse and have seen my share of construction mishap and home improvement mishap

 

It's so hard letting my boys become men. I want to keep protecting them.

 

I would keep power saws and nail guns locked up until he get out of the curious stage. My younger guy was just one of those boys that had to touch and check out everything.

[Tap]

It depends on the kid and the tool.

 

Both of my kids could use a drill by 10 if they were supervised. A vibrating sander is okay at this age...but probably not a belt sander unless it is mounted.

 

Various saws, anything hooked up to a compressor ie nail gun, I would probably wait until they were a teen.

 

Ds16 uses a radial saw when one of us are home with him. He is unsupervised but we're aware that he is using it and within screaming distance. He is a cautious kid, but I figure if he can drive a car .... he can use a power tool. LOL

[JWSJ]

My ds9 uses power tools on some of his projects.

 

With proper instruction he is fine.

 

Generally, I have him start with the manual tool equivalent first.

 

This way he appreciates electricity.