bf wrote:
Thanks everyone for the input.. I'll continue to read. I like the
advice of learning to use it myself first, and then teaching him. I
think it will be safer and less frustrating for him as well if I know
what I'm doing. The last thing I want to happen is for me to be
fumbling in our first experience and for him to decide it's "boring"
LOL.

I ended up buying a used Excalibar. (Seeing the ad in Craig's list gave
me the idea). Got a nice deal, but it was kind of sad. The guy had to
sell it because his health no longer allowed him to do woodworking.
Just another reminder to enjoy life while you can and not take things
for granted.

To reinforce what others have already said: my son, now 9, has been
using the Delta scroll saw for a couple of years at least, has become
quite adept at it, and now does it without problems and without much
supervision. I think it depends much on the maturity of the child and
whether he will "try" inappropriate materials or holding techniques .
He now can operate the drill press safely (not the winged bits, just
the fluted ones, in wood, slowest speed) and a couple of the power
sanders (Porter-Cable half-sheet and orbital sanders), but not the belt
sander. He has started on the Fein sander, but he's not yet proficient
at it. He is not yet allowed to touch any other saw (probably the next
one is the jigsaw). Under close supervision, he will use the drill
press with winged bits. He has held the hand-held drill in a
pocketscrew guide on a couple of occasions.

The rule of thumb was "how much damage would the tool do before he
could realize he is getting hurt and moves his fingers away?". For the
tools he is not allowed to touch, the answer is "more than just skin."
No chisels, but the handsaw. No belt sander, but the finish sander. No
the jigsaw but the scroll saw. When he becomes more mature, he can
progress.

I am also afraid that, should he get hurt, even slightly, he will turn
away.

My $0.02.

Pierre