Woodshop safety...How to keep kids from hurting themselves.

This is a common question and an extremely important concern. Working with first and second graders with sharp saws would seem contrary to common sense. But there are some rules that we use in the woodshop, and they are the same rules that apply to adult woodworking. One is to use a vise or clamp to hold the wood that is being cut. Cutting with a saw or chisel in one hand and with the other hand holding the wood is an invitation to accidents, so at the Clear Spring woodshop, we use benches with woodworking vises to hold the wood secure. Tomorrow I'll show how to use two clamps in place of a vise if you are just starting out.

Wyatt William in the photo above illustrates another important rule. Either both hands go on the saw, or if one hand offers enough strength, the other goes safely behind the back.