Are kids allowed in your shop?

[Aaron Montgomery]

It is from now on . Thing is, the outlet is in a really inconvenient spot, so I've also considered a locking cover for the switch plate. But yeah, that's a common sense rule I've had to remind myself of in recent weeks.

I'm equally lazy about running over to unplug the table saw before changing the blade. That's why I added the disconnect to the Unisaw. It's conveniently located and easy to use. I could even throw a padlock on it if I was worried about kids or visitors.

[Ron Bontz]

Well this brings back memories. From the time my daughter was 2 y/o up until the time she became a teenager, (When I became the evil one), she would come into my shop all the time. So long as I was in there. She, or anyone else was not allowed when I wasn't. We did everything from make swords and then have sword fights, the big monster always lost, to put adhesive backed sand paper on our palms (220 grit) and bop each other. You know guys---bop pop. Seems like pop always lost. She would use my drafting table to draw on. Sometimes without paper. Some times she would just come hang out to get away from mom. Who knows what that was about. The worst thing I worried about was her bumping her head. At age 2,3,and 4 they are the perfect height for that. I would always keep an eye out for her and she understood not to get near the tools when I was using them. She was the only one btw I would allow in my shop as a child. We used to play with her toys together.. How could I tell her she could not come out to my really big toy box and play? I wouldn't trade those days for anything in the world.

[Bill Wyko]

They better be, I'm only 45 so I'm still a kid. My kid is 18 and in the world of work and school so I never even see her any more.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

My son is welcome to my shop at all times. Of course, he's 28.

[Jacob Mac]

My son is 6, and he is my right hand man, a very useful clamp, and a real asset during glue ups. He knows where to stand when power tools are in use, and he knows he needs to wear hearing and breathing protection when he is in the shop. Also, he isn't allowed in the shop unless I am there supervising. He isn't allowed to use any power tools, yet. For now, he is quite happy using hand tools.

I think it is a great learning experience for both of us, and I get to pass something on to my son. I love having him in the shop with me. And since I am always preaching safety to him, it makes me more aware of being safe myself.

My daughter is 8 and there is no way I will let her in the shop. She just doesn't listen well enough and chooses not to obey me just enough that I feel irresponsible having her in the shop. There is too great of a chance she could hurt herself, so she doesn't get to come work with us.

[David Weiser]

I guess I will throw something out from a teenagers perspective. I have been working with tools since I was old enough to hold a hammer. My father always taught me to respect power tools and not fear them. It finally dawned on me that he respects me using power tools when I was about 11. We were doing basement shop framing, and I would use the Compound Miter Saw and he would call out dimensions to cut to me. I still have all my fingers fortunately! (Need 'em for playing guitar!)

He has shown me so many invaluable skills that I know will save me time and money when I have a house of my own. Things like how to read a tape measure (You would be surprised at how many people can't!), how to do plumbing, electrical, etc. Of course, my favorite thing to do is electrical. He hates doing it, so I do just it for him. I just feel bad sometimes because I will get into arguments, in typical teenager fashion, with him when we are working together. Of course teens always think they know better...

[Shawn Honeychurch]

My 5 year old daughter is the best assistant I have ever had. Whether we're cleaning up an old tool, building a garden arbor, or making a race track for her cars she is in the thick of it.

We had a very serious talk the first time she came to "Daddies Man Cave" as named by SWMBO, and set out the rules, she knows what she can and cannot touch, she knows exactly where to stand depending on what tool I am using, and she has her own eye/ear protection.

We have not had any close calls because she knows exactly what is OK and what's not in the shop.

It's great.

Shawn

[Matt Meiser]

My 6yo daughter spends quite a bit of time in my shop. If I'm using the TS, I make her go stand where she wouldn't be in the line of fire if I had a kickback. If I use the router she has to go in my office, and if I use the planer she either has to go in the office or put on hearing protection (she has her own.) She knows she's not allowed to touch anything without my permission, especially the tools. She pretty much has free reign over any scrap and knows where to find it.

She has her own workbench and a basic set tools. Sometimes she works with them and other times she plays "restaurant" or who-knows-what.

[Rod Sheridan]

[quote=Matt Meiser;1085227] She pretty much has free reign over any scrap and knows where to find it.

She has her own workbench and a basic set tools. quote]

Matt, that post made me smile, my daughters had the same rules/options as yours. Thanks for the great reminder.

It backfired on me once though, I had some purpleheart and yellowheart sawn up into blanks to turn into salt and pepper mills for Christmas gifts.

Michelle saw the blanks for 5 pairs sitting on the bench with the offcuts.

She glued them up into some sort of stable for her toy horses.

Fortunately I was able to handsaw them apart into turning blanks again....

Regards, Rod.

[Frank Trinkle]

I think the most important factor is preventing hearing damage.

The high decibel levels of most ww'ing machinery well exceeds the safety threshold (anything >85DB) and over time will cause permanent hearing loss which unfortunately is CUMULATIVE.

My thoughts are that it would be rather difficult to have a toddler keep earplugs in while in the shop... and therefore should be restricted to those activities when machines are NOT running.

Just my 2 cents

[David Moody]

I kind of go with this rule:
1 adult for every child.

When you have children in the shop, you really need to be able to pay attention to what they are doing, because sometimes they don't do that very well themselves. That is made even more difficult because you also have to pay attention and concentrate on the tools that are being used.

As a practical matter, it is helpful and a whole lot safer to have more than one set of experienced adult eyes when kids are in the shop. That isn't always possible, though. When it isn't, make it one kid at a time.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Yes - but never without me. They're 9 7 and 5 so they're not quite old enough really for any projects without me. And they know the rules - safety glasses, hearing protection, and no sock-feet (shoes are a must). Makes me very happy when they come down and first thing they do is reach for the glasses and hearing protection - even if all I'm doing is cleaning up.

I installed a subpanel so I can turn off all my shop outlets by flipping the breaker in the main panel - which gives me another level of comfort. but we've already had a few flying objects that, despite not hitting anyone, reinforce the need for eye safetly.

[Judy Kingery]

Jim,

Yep, I'm with Greg on this one - wouldn't trade my childhood for anything. I grew up in my Dad's shop. We could use anything we wanted when we were quite young: I don't know age 7-8, radial arm saw, etc, lathe, grinders, welder, drill press, torche. Just the 'be careful, if you need help let me know.' And we were off and running. I did a lot of turning; my brothers both were more into metal sculpture or rebuilding engines, auto work.

But sure, kids are welcome in my shop any time. The two kids I've taught how to turn were both about oh, 10 and 12 respectively, not really little kids. One went on to turn dozens of things in his Dad's shop; his Dad bought him a lathe, used, and he's done quite nice work. My piano student has turned about 5 things now, done well. He's sporadic, sometimes he'll turn, sometimes not. Which is fine.

But I do think it important to welcome kids, sure, conscientious about safety, things that bite/cut/face shield or respirator depending, good foundation, but yep. My Dad turned us loose and that's generally what I do depending upon the student, maturity, and so on.

Best to you - your daughter will thank you I bet. I think of my Dad often and fondly for lots of things, one of them being: "you can do anything these ol' boys can do."

Jude

[Karl Brogger]

I've got two nephews who are frequent visitors to my shop. One is two years old, the other is 4 years old. It becomes my own personal hell. Basically anything that can be moved, is. I've fired up shapers without looking only to find the cutter is jammed against the fence because some little hands have decided to adjust the hieght. The bucket of screws on the faceframe table is a common attraction as well, don't ask me how pulling screws out of a can and putting them on the floor is entertaining, but somehow it is. I also find footprints in the wierdest of places. They're cut buggers, so I let it slide. Today in fact I kept them occupied for almost a full two minutes as they were watching me pound drawers together.

Just about the only reason I would willingly reproduce would be for slave labour down the road. LOL