Kids in the Shop?

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MrPukaShell

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Jan 23, 2008
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Location
Simi Valley, CA, USA.
As the Grandchildren grow like weeds the boys are starting to show some interest. A what age would you let them in the shop and what precautions would you take? I let them sit on a stool or stand at the edge of the garage while working on a project but that gets old fast for them. But what would you do for dust protection, a mask, respirator or buy the best from the start and go with a Trent or something similar? I still have some years as they are 1, 3 & 5. But they do know about sanding out marks in the wood or "Scratches" as they call them and they like the way the wood looks "Wet" when the finish is applied. I know they have their whole lives ahead of them but I sure wish someone would have got me in the shop at an early age to show me all of the little shortcuts, fixes and general know how of woodworking. Thoughts anyone........
 
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depends entirely on the kid. I know some 8-9 year olds who I would not hesitate to introduce to the shop and some 16 year olds I wouldn't let near the door! maturity and solid listening and decision making skills are the biggest factors to me.
 
for MY safety, I don't allow anyone that doesn't already know tools in my shop. It only takes a momentary distraction to have a major accident with powertools.
 
While I obviously wouldn't let small children use power tools , there many other things that they can help with that won't endanger them . Give them a little place away from the power tools where they can help sand a couple of pieces of poplar or pine and turn those pieces into a slimline so they can have the sense of accomplishment that they helped you make a pen . While they are helping teach them proper safety precautions and use them yourself anytime they are around .
 
My 8 yr old grandaughter stayed with us for a week last summer. She turned 3 1/2 pens. The half was because on her last day the neighbors kids came over to get her and they have a pool. I couldn't compete with that. I did the finishing though. I wasn't letting here near the CA
 
I plan on letting my oldest one in the shop to turn something when she gets to be about 9. Maybe sooner. It will be totally supervised, and properly guided. Work with it until she gets the feel for the tools. Who knows? My stepdad was a real psycho about anyone touching his stuff, but Dad was really cool with trying to get me into helping with automotive work, woodworking, whatever he had his hands in. It pays off to let them in on your life.
 
My daughter started to work with me in the shop when she was 10. I let her drill the blanks, sand on and off the lathe. Lather on she started to cut the blanks on the band saw. She finally started to turn at 12. She is now 16 and we still spent some quality time together in the shop. She is a full turner but prefer the scroll saw.
Safety glasses and kevlar gloves where used all the time.
 
My son turned his first spindle at 9 years old, and started on small bowls shortly after. He is 13 now and between school, girls,video games, and (much to my chagrin --->) band, he has pretty much lost interest in woodworking. However, with all the new equipment coming this spring he has been asking a lot of questions so hopefully we'll be spending some shop time together again soon.
 
Well I started in my Dad,s "shop" at around 8. I had full access except the table saw which didn't matter because I was afraid of it anyway. He didn't have a lot of power tools but I used the lathe, grinder, scroll saw, all the hand tools. But times were different than. We got cuts and scrapes, blood blisters, but that was part of growing up. I let my grandkids in the shop and I supervise closely. I don't worry about the dust much because it is only a few times a year. Got to be better for them than sitting in front of the TV playing games all the time. There are worse pollutants than a little dust once in a while. Last time they visited we made a couple pen to take home to their mother. The pride they felt was more than worth it.

What is wrong with band? I'd love to be able to play an instrument, no matter what kind or where. Band today, who knows what kind tomorrow.
 
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I started in the shop very young. I was around 7-8 years old and my parents would allow me to go out there by myself to hand sand on wood or hammer nails in to a board etc. I was able to have at it with a box of nails, a hammer and a cheap piece of pine. that board had so many nails in it that you could not physically put more on it.

Safety is the most important. I was not allowed into the shop without safety glasses and no powertools with out my Dad being right there. I had to obey all the rules of the shop. It depends mostly on the kid, there are some kids I would introduce to a shop at 5-7 years old and I know people that are in thier 40's that I would not let them within 4 blocks of my shop.
 
PaulDoug said:
What is wrong with band?
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If you had to listen to Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star for a couple of hours every day while your kid was learning how to play a horn you'd understand. He is doing well though and I am proud of him BUT Another One Bites the Dust and Tequila! are getting old now too. :smile:
 
GoodTurns said:
depends entirely on the kid. I know some 8-9 year olds who I would not hesitate to introduce to the shop and some 16 year olds I wouldn't let near the door! maturity and solid listening and decision making skills are the biggest factors to me.
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Perfectly said. I know some adults I would not in my shop either.
 
I would agree with Jon; Maturity and the ability to focus, make good decisions, and pay attention are paramount.

Two of our grand kids expressed an interest in the pens I make. I helped each of them make a pen. Showed them how with a pen I was making, then let them do the work on their own pens together. Guided them thru some of the rough spots, but they turned the pens themselves. 14 and 16
 
ldb2000 said:
While I obviously wouldn't let small children use power tools , there many other things that they can help with that won't endanger them
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I seem to remember that there is an effort to have retirement home residents make pens without power tools. They used sandpaper and mandrels that allowed them to turn a pen round and finish it without power tools. They used a hand drill to drill the blanks.
 
We have 3 kids, 3, 5 and almost 8. They all take their turns in the shop with me. I rarely run any powertools besides the lathe or CNC when they are around (from a distance). And if they are in the shop, they wear a mask and goggles. Cant be too careful, but wouldnt you perfer to be the person who teaches them proper tool handling at a young age? (heck, I had one shop teacher when I was a kid that should not have been 1000 ft from a power tool let alone teaching how to "use" them.)

Think of the memories and the satisfaction of teaching them tool handling correctly.
 
It all depends on the person learning and the one teaching. Some at 5 - 6 are capable of understanding rules while others never are. The ones that learn responsibility and have some coordination are ready at any age. The student must listen and obey. If not, then never allow that person into your shop.
When you bring someone into your shop to teach, they must know and follow all safety rules. That includes yourself. Talk the talk and walk the walk. Young ones can start out helping with non-power equipment and as they gain experience and understanding they can graduate to more powerful tools.
When a child exhibits an interest in a skill, that is when that child should be exposed to the starting of that skill. It may only be a fleeting interest and be done or it may develop into a lifetime profession. We have way too many adults today that care nothing for using their hands to produce anything other than another pile of feces by shoving food into their face. My $0.02 today.
Charles
 
Donnie Kennedy said:
PaulDoug said:
What is wrong with band?
Click to expand...

If you had to listen to Mary Had a Little Lamb and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star for a couple of hours every day while your kid was learning how to play a horn you'd understand. He is doing well though and I am proud of him BUT Another One Bites the Dust and Tequila! are getting old now too. :smile:
Click to expand...

Ha! Now I understand. Well suffer through it, because it well be worth it is he sticks to it.
 
I started using power tools when I was 9, and yet my wife has a 19 yr old son that I wouldn't let anywhere near any of my tools. All kids are different, with different talents and different maturity...as has already been stated. It helps to know the kid you are dealing with. You should know if they can handle it or not before you even begin, just by studying the kids over time, this should be obvious. The ones that are adept can come in the shop quite young. You have to have discussions and I suggest make them clean the shop several times over as you talk with them. Keys in all your tools at all times so they can't be started. Anyone working with tools, must respect the tools. Cleaning and maintaining tools is part of learning to respect them. Once they know about your rules, and the tools, then you let them use some, starting with simpler less dangerous tools, like a scroll saw would be good. You still supervise, but you won't have to stand over their shoulder every minute. They respect the tool, they experience the tool, and they build confidence...while you stand back and try and let them make mistakes but not mistakes that are too costly, especially costly as in personal injury. Make it fun and encourage them.
 
It has been covered many times over so far. The only thing I will re-iterate is that who would you rather teach them the proper safety? I know what I express and know that I will insure they get it no matter how boring it (safety) may be to them. My kids are 8 and 13 and I have let both of them help me with various projects since they were about 5 or 6.

Now the other thing I would add, is that I do not let them both come help me at the same time. I would rather hold one's undivided attention as well as have my undivided attention being paid to them especially when using any power tools.
 
My youngest son started turning pens at 9 years old. Now has his own jet mini. He is very respectful of tools and loves to carve wood as well as turn. He is now 12 and just won 1st place in the Reno Airport Employee and Family Art Show.

We let him in at a rather young age because he was interested and wanted to learn. It has had an incredible effect on his self confidence. I think it is very safe if they are taught respect and they want to learn. Although, he still isn't allowed to use band saw, table saw or chop saw.
 
I started woodworking at age 7 in a woodshop sponsored by the Chicago Park District at South Shore High School. I still have the bookends that I made and a really cool shoehorn!
I let my kids have tools even younger (with supervision). Have you ever seen a four year old sawing a 2x4 with a small handsaw? They work up quite a sweat and feel like they are "Bob-the-Builder"! My youngest son started turning on a $69 mini lathe from Menards at age 7. He's quite the pen-turner now at age 11! My oldest son is 23 and has made some of his own furniture. Pass it on!!!! If you don't, who will? You couldn't give your grandkids a better gift, or better memories......
Have fun,,
jeff
 
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