# Safest equipment for my niece



## Thomas W (Jul 30, 2019)

Hello,

My niece is 16 and she is starting to become interested in building bird and doll houses (starting off small). She's very adventurous and hands on however as a responsible uncle i want her to be as safe as possible. What are the safest tools/equipment you would recommend to use/purchase?


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

are you a woodworker ?
you should be able to make this determination yourself.
when my daughter was 16 she was running the table saw,
band saw, lathe and an assortment of hand and power tools.
when my grandson was 8, he had his own set of carving tools.
so - each child is different in all aspects. ADULT supervision
is the safest tool in the shop.

if you want to purchase some tools, I would go with a scroll saw,
inexpensive 9" band saw, hand drill, some dremel tools, etc.
small bar clamps too. [pawn shops and craigslist is a good start].
education in paints and finishes is just as important as building.

.

.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Well stated.


George


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*It is an individual choice ....*

Only by first hand observation and knowledge of the child's skills and safety practices can you make a determination. Hand tools including chisels and knives have drawn as much blood as powertools. 



A scroll saw is a good starter tool, but I would avoid the small bandsaw. The first rule of shop tool safety is ... Never place your hands or fingers in line with the cutters, whether saw blades, knives or rotary. As far as the bandsaw, it will cut as deep and as fast as a tablesaw, BUT it will not kickback, so it is safer in that regard.

Work support and stability is crucial to safe cutting. Trying to saw unstable, twisted or off center workpieces is an accident waiting to happen. Bandsaws and tablesaw blades press the workpiece down against the table as the part of the cutting process. This can cause it to twist and become an off center or unstable piece to slip dragging your fingers with it into the blade and it happens so fast there's no time to react.

In a previous life, I was an instructor of college level design students all most all of who were young, female and had never used a power tool before. We had zero casualties because we took zero chances. The bandsaw was the most popular tool and we used large sections of laminated beams to make wood sculptures. The disc sander was also popular. The table saw was off limits to them, but I stepped in to help when it was necessary.


:vs_cool:


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## Thomas W (Jul 30, 2019)

John Smith_inFL said:


> are you a woodworker ?
> you should be able to make this determination yourself.
> when my daughter was 16 she was running the table saw,
> band saw, lathe and an assortment of hand and power tools.
> ...


no i am not but my brother is and hes going away for 3 months so i am taking care of her for the time being. 

Yes i was just looking onto a scroll saw and found a 16 inch variable speed scroll saw for $139.00. Is that a reasonable price?

Thank you for your feedback


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## Thomas W (Jul 30, 2019)

woodnthings said:


> Only by first hand observation and knowledge of the child's skills and safety practices can you make a determination. Hand tools including chisels and knives have drawn as much blood as powertools.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes I was looking into a scroll saw! Any specific bandsaw brands or models I should look into more? but definitely noting all these down, I'm so new to all this so i appreciate the response.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I like the scroll saw idea, too. 

I recently saw children operating scroll saws at our local county fair, with responsible adults nearby. The local scroll saw club has a demonstration booth at the fair. The children clearly knew how to operate the scroll saws safely and independently. They did not require constant, dedicated, focused attention from the adults. 

At 16 years old, your niece is probably mature enough and ready for other, more dangerous tools. In my state, she could get a drivers license. A scroll saw is a great start, but don't be surprised if she quickly yearns for more. Then again, she may find other distractions, like boys. :-o


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

if your brother is the woodworker, I would consult with him
on what tools he has let his daughter use and how knowledgeable
and proficient she is in them.
for 3 months? I would go to your brothers shop and "borrow" some of the
tools you need until he gets back ~ instead of buying new tools. (if that is an option).
I have a 9" Delta bandsaw and it would suit her just fine. (check craigslist).
brand name is not important, just the size. it is a portable tabletop model.
found on C/L for less than a $100. blades are available at the box stores.
it has been many years since I have had a scroll saw.
if you can find a decent one for less than $150 I would get it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*smaller is better?*



John Smith_inFL said:


> if your brother is the woodworker, I would consult with him
> on what tools he has let his daughter use and how knowledgeable
> and proficient she is in them.
> I have a 9" Delta bandsaw and it would suit her just fine.
> ...



There is virtually no difference in cutting effect in the exposed 5" length of spinning blade on a 9" or 10" or 14" bandsaw. Smaller is not any safer than larger in this case. What is important as I said above is that the workpiece be stable on the table and that the fingers that are holding it are NOT in direct line with the blade path.


When I have to bandsaw small parts, my internal "red flag" goes up and I use a wood screw clamp aka Jorgenson, to hold them flat on the table. I take no chances on the bandsaw either, giving it the same respect as the tablesaw. :|


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## gj13us (Apr 19, 2016)

Thomas W said:


> Yes i was just looking onto a scroll saw and found a 16 inch variable speed scroll saw for $139.00. Is that a reasonable price?



There are quite a few that are priced lower. Unless you plan to let her keep it, and maybe her dad doesn't already have one, then maybe you want something of higher quality, but otherwise you can pick one up for less.


You know what would be good for birdhouses? Drill bits that are the right size for the openings for the species of bird she hopes to attract. For example, eastern bluebirds need a 1 1/2" opening. It's 1 9/16" for western bluebirds. At first, it seems irrelevant, but you can help prevent birds you wouldn't want (e.g. starlings and house sparrows) by sizing the hole appropriately.


And hairbands to make sure her hair stays out of the way of the machines. :wink:


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

Definitely keep hair under control. When I was a teacher in the late 50s, girls wanted bouffant hairstyles and we had bunsen burners around. I made the girls secure their hair to avoid the flames.
In the industrial revolution, girls were scalped by machinery.
johnep


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## Larry42 (Jan 10, 2014)

There is always a risk! Table saws and radial arms are probably the riskiest. A bandsaw properly setup and explained is probably the safest power saw IF all the safety procedures have been drilled in. Even though few can cut a glue joint on a bandsaw The line can be straightened on a sander. 6x48 sanders are pretty versatile & big enough for small projects. They are capable of removing skin quickly! They need dust pickup. A big risk is kids always seem to be in a hurry.


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## John Smith_inFL (Jul 4, 2018)

WoodnThings - I was referring to the compact design of the 9" bandsaw.
it is lightweight and portable. in no way was I referring to the cutting
parameters or anything else to do with the cutting aspects or safety issues.
"assuming" the O/P does not have a "shop" and will be most likely working
in the garage or carport or back patio, I feel the small tabletop bandsaw would be
better than something that takes up floor space.

at the risk of "thread drift" - - - - - the safety issues and horror stories of cut off fingers,
poked out eyes and people being scalped, the subject matter is for a couple of entry level tools 
for a beginner teenager. I gave my personal opinion. if you disagree, so be it.

.

.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

What everyone has failed to mention about a bandsaw is that when you attempt to cut a curved or rounded surface where the curve is in the vertical plane, the blade will grab that surface and roll the work piece right out of your hands. Hopefully, your fingers wont get in the way This happens with about the same speed as kickback with table saw. 
Its enough of a shocker that you will probably never let that happen again.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Take no offense as none was meant .....*



John Smith_inFL said:


> WoodnThings - I was referring to the compact design of the 9" bandsaw.
> it is lightweight and portable. in no way was I referring to the cutting
> parameters or anything else to do with the cutting aspects or safety issues.
> "assuming" the O/P does not have a "shop" and will be most likely working
> ...



I consider myself an "expert" on bandsaws. :grin:
I designed one for a Masters Degree in Industrial Design. The model stood in the University Fine Arts museum for a long time. See My Photos.

I have some experience using them.

I own and operate 4 wood cutting models, 1 combination wood/metal and 2 metal cutting models. I weld my own blades. I resaw my own stock on an 18" Min Max. My 10" Craftsman was a gift to my 10 year old son who showed no interest in it. The 10" is not bad little saw for the money, <$200.00 at the time. 

It is not all that light, and is fairly stable, which is important for safety. 



When the OP asks about which tools/machines to get for a young person, I immediately think "safety first", not floor space which was my priority for my son. The title of the thread is "*Safest equipment for my niece"*


My point was not meant to be critical, strictly factual. Don't take offense, because none was meant. I am not a member of the "safety police" and I've been criticized here for ripping on the RAS and other table saw setups. This setup was a bit off the track, but it worked well and required only one bevel setting:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/leg-brace-alternative-method-challenge-33352/


:vs_cool:


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

> In the industrial revolution, girls were scalped by machinery.


I knew a lady who was on the Quick Response Team where she worked. She told of a lady who leaned too far forward and her hair got caught in a lathe. Scalped her! Evidently her hair wasn't tied back enough, under a cap or some such covering.


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