wood burning kit - what age? or too dangerous for a child to use?

[dbsam]

My son, age 7, has been wanting a wood burning kit. (I'm not sure where he came up with the idea.)

I was planning on getting him one but read (on Amazon's product reviews while looking at several kits) that they are for ages 12-14 and up with supervision.  He would be supervised, just as he is when he uses power tools.

I had a wood burning kit around age 8-10. 

Now I am wondering if 7, almost 8, too young.  Has anyone else's child used one?

My son started using a sewing machine at age 4, he likes detailed projects and works with a lap loom, hand sewing, etc.  He uses power tools with his father.  I thought he would be fine, but I haven't used a wood burning tool in almost 40 years so maybe I am not remembering how dangerous they can be.  I do remember getting burned once.

TIA

p.s.  While looking for wood burning tools online, I stumbled on a hammered metal kit.  Has anyone's child worked with one?  Did they like it?  It might be more age appropriate.

Edited by dbsam - 4/2/12 at 7:33am

[meemee]

hah!!! with supervision and if you have a responsible son then yeah go for it. i think he would love it. as long as he understands how hot that pen gets. 

i would be more cautious if there are younger siblings around. 

though honestly why that kit. a magnifying glass and wood works well (dd did that from age 5 onwards supervised). however since HE wants it yeah get it.

however i dont believe in those age labels. they are wayyy too cautious on the age thing (i am sure liability). "I" decide the age label.

however this comes from a mother who just bought her 9 year old a soap making kit that is meant for 15 years and older (now THAT is just ridiculous).

wonder how old they say kids should be before they can cook on stove top or oven (without mom helping them). dd was on her own by age 7 (because before that I myself was scared).

[dbsam]

meemee,

Like you, I normally go with my comfort level.  I just couldn't remember exactly what was involved with a wood burner and thought I might be comfortable via ignorance of the tool. 

You can burn details using a magnifying glass?  I need to check into that.  He would like that too.  He has a set of magnifying glasses and we have wood in the workshop.  Now we just need a sunny day!

His sister is the same age, so no worries about younger siblings.

Thanks!

[pbjmama]

I think I would be okay with it. I let my kids use a hot glue gun and similar things. I would probably use safety glasses but I insist on them for many tasks!

[dbsam]

Originally Posted by pbjmama 

I think I would be okay with it. I let my kids use a hot glue gun and similar things. I would probably use safety glasses but I insist on them for many tasks!

Good idea.  The kids wear safety glasses when they use power tools but I didn't think of it for this.

[meemee]

Originally Posted by dbsam 

You can burn details using a magnifying glass?  I need to check into that.  He would like that too.  He has a set of magnifying glasses and we have wood in the workshop.  Now we just need a sunny day!

yeah its mostly smoke. no fire. but he needs to be careful as the magnifying glass CAN actually start a fire. it doesnt seem so but it can. that magnifying glass is a lot of fun to try on different things and to understand the potency of the flame (actually i would say more fun than the woodwork torch coz we tried it on different things and different angles to see how to increase the strenght of the 'ray' - another magnifying glass came into a lot of use too, used together). we then tried the magnifying qualities of a glass of water. 

yeah it was loads of fun. 

[LaughingHyena]

The one's I've seen are like a very fine tipped soldering iron. I would want certain safety precautions, like a scrap wood board to work on so he doesn't put the pen down and I'd store it somwhere they would have to ask to get it out. Otherwise I would be happy that my 7 year old would be responsible enough to use it, well supervised.

That said my 7 year old is pretty easily frustrated so for her I would probably wait a couple of years, for us getting things to early often seems ot backfire. The kids have a go, find it too hard and then give up. pursuading them to have another go, even a year later is an effort.

[Frances69]

i would be more cautious if there are younger siblings around.

[Specs]

I don't have kids yet, but my younger sister started woodburning around age 6.  Our dad got her her own kit when she was 8, though she wasn't allowed to use it without supervision from either him, my older sis, or me, until she was 9 and had shown that she could handle it safely.  I think that as a long as a kid knows that it can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing, and as long as they follow the rules, they'd be okay.  One rule my dad had that I thought was pretty smart: my sis could only use her kit in specific areas (for her, it was the back porch or kitchen).  That way, someone could just peek around the corner and check on her if they felt like they had to.