Best Dust Collector Modification Ever!

[Andrew More]

So I've got two young kids I'm trying to get interested in wood working. My oldest is 3 1/2, and the youngest is 1 1/2. My son and I have a ton of fun playing with the dust collector: feeding it wood scraps, cleaning things off the ground. So I've given him a name "Mr Chompy", and tease my son about getting eaten by him, sometimes going so far as to put the flex hose over various arms and legs, to shrieks of delight and joy.

Recently while he and his sister were at the park I added some googly eyes, which resulted in even more delight.

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And the intake they usually throw bits of scrap into.
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[David Eisenhauer]

Good one Andrew. I can see all kinds of shenanigan scenarios regarding Mr chompy for the kids' benefit. Thanks for the idea.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I went so far as to purchase a "kid size" saw from Bad Axe tools. My kids outgrew it years ago however. Still have that saw for no particular reason.

When I built a few items, I had the kids help apply finish, and some of the things the kids drew on the boards before I applied a surface finish. So, I have two cabinets in the shop where the tops have things drawn by my girls, and a shelf in the kitchen with the same.

[Dick Mahany]

Just be prepared, as kids get older they get more curious. They may start feeding heavier things into it to test the limits. Don't be surprised if all of your tape measures and screwdrivers go missing :D

[Andrew More]

Nice Andrew! We were just in the shop making this (https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/diy-wooden-robot-buddy/)robot toy. I was thinking he could help with the drilling, but he decided at the last minute to not do that.

@Dick Oh they're already tried it. Nice thing about Cyclones is the impeller isn't in the way, so worst case I need to remove some ducting to pull something out. I've had them throw in some pretty large pieces, and a small hand brush while I was paying attention to the other kid. :)

[Larry Frank]

Sorry,but I would not let my kids play with it. It is not a toy and sticking arms or feet in it sounds dangerous. What if they put there face on the hose?

Maybe, I am just an old guy but I would never let my grandkids play with it.

[Andrew More]

Sorry,but I would not let my kids play with it. It is not a toy and sticking arms or feet in it sounds dangerous. What if they put there face on the hose?

Maybe, I am just an old guy but I would never let my grandkids play with it.


It's okay, it's only a 1 1/2 HP, and not 5 HP, so therefore only a danger for the dust it kicks up. :)

[Larry Frank]

The difference in static pressure for the 1.5 and 5 hp is not great and what would happen to an eye or ear drum if the hose got on that area. The children are too young to understand any danger. They are your kids and your responsibility to protect and you make the decisions and live with any consequences.

[Andrew More]

The difference in static pressure for the 1.5 and 5 hp is not great and what would happen to an eye or ear drum if the hose got on that area. The children are too young to understand any danger. They are your kids and your responsibility to protect and you make the decisions and live with any consequences.

And a shop vac is about 5x greater static pressure, yet I cannot find an reports of the a single incident occurring in the manner you're describing. Can you? The closest I can come, is a car crashing into a Vacuum Service and Repair Store. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_QEvyawDBY)

Also I think you're greatly mistaken about the ability of children to understand danger. My son knows, and can point to the dangerous area of all of my shop tools. This is because I've been showing them to him, and explaining exactly what is, and is not dangerous. I do get distracted, he knows better than to make a serious mistake, like turning on a saw or touching a blade, or something of that nature.

[Larry Frank]

It is your choice with your children so do as you want. I

I would never allow a child that age to play with a vacuum cleaner hose.

But, so you really think a child 3-1/2 & 1-1/2 years old understand what is dangerous? I hope you rethink what you are doing and hope they do not get injured.

[Andrew More]

But, so you really think a child 3-1/2 & 1-1/2 years old understand what is dangerous?

The 3 1/2 year old has continually demonstrated an excellent understanding of what is dangerous. He is cautious by nature, and does not go into the street, does not touch tools without asking, does not like the loud noises they make, and immediately knows what parts of the tool are dangerous. So yes, in this case absolutely. I'm sure that other kids act differently at this age.

The 1 1/2 year old does not currently demonstrate these traits, but cannot reach anything dangerous, and is not usually allowed into the shop for this reason.

So I will continue to watch my kids to determine their demonstrated level of competence and safety in all situations, and treat them accordingly. I think this is also a large danger in treating your kids as if they're not capable and competent. They grown up to be scared, insecure adults, instead of confident, independent thinkers.

[Justin Rapp]

Both of my kids grew up around my shop, now, both teens and they know they are not to use my power tools without supervision. Both of my kids learned about the dangers of the equipment and that they are not toys. In this care, I think the dust collector being a monster of sorts isn't going to rip any faces off but there is always a danger of sorts, even to the equipment like Dick posted about kids sending larger objects into the collector. My concern would be when the kids think it's safe enough to put a hand near the dust collector hose and want to see what it's like to put a hand near the table saw blade.

The workshop, while some activities seems harmless, it is absolutely not a place for games, just fun building things. I would push the energy into building a toy instead of turning the dust collector into a monster.

[Andrew More]

Justin, a table saw is not a dust collector, and even my kids know the difference.

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[Ben Schmidt]

Yeah I'm not a fan. It's a bad idea for children to associate potentially dangerous shop tools with fun and play, especially in ones that young. I get that everyone wants to get their kids/grandkids interested in woodworking but come on man, 3 and 1/2? The potential injuries a 3.5yo kid can manage to sustain are high enough in a typical "childproofed" house, let alone a woodworking shop.

[Justin Rapp]

Justin, a table saw is not a dust collector, and even my kids know the difference.

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Sorry I really need to disagree. They are not even kindergarten age and at best your 3 1/2 year old knows his alphabet and maybe can read a bit. Your 1 1/2 year old is most likely still wearing diapers and maybe at most 8 or 9 months since they said their first words. How many elementary school kids, we are talking 8-10 year olds that get a burn from a hot pot because hey didn't learn yet. They are your kids, raise them how you see fit. Maybe you'd second guess your actions letting them play with the dust collector when someone has 9 fingers! Machinery needs respect and using it, a deep understanding of safety and it's dangers. A dust collector is not a google-eye'ed monster.

[William Hodge]

Just be prepared, as kids get older they get more curious. They may start feeding heavier things into it to test the limits. Don't be surprised if all of your tape measures and screwdrivers go missing :D

They come back.

A few years ago, I was out in the woods at the edge of a field pulling up an exotic invasive yard plant. What should I find but one of my father's spade bit screwdrivers, yellow handle, with a rubberized grip! I remembered using that screwdriver for digging a hole. It's too late to return it, I lost it 55 years ago, and my father has been dead for 15 years. I was seven when I lost it.

[Andrew More]

How many elementary school kids, we are talking 8-10 year olds that get a burn from a hot pot because hey didn't learn yet.
A hot stove is not a dust collector. Nor is it a table saw, or any other dangerous device you can to name. All those things exist in the shop as well, but he does not touch them, because they're off limits. Nor is he allowed in the shop without supervision.

Seriously dude, I could take your hysterical claims a bit more seriously if you could provide me with instances of children being hurt by shop vacs, which have a much higher static pressure. And no getting hurt on the beater of a normal vacuum is not the same thing. There are enough scary things in this world without being concerned by things that are not dangerous.

[Justin Rapp]

You don't get it. The discussion here is teaching bad habits for future dangers. I am sure your kid is not going to get sucked into the dust collector, it's teaching them that tools in the shop are not toys. Never mind, you don't get it. I just hope your kids remain safe.

[Andrew More]

You don't get it. The discussion here is teaching bad habits for future dangers. I am sure your kid is not going to get sucked into the dust collector, it's teaching them that tools in the shop are not toys. Never mind, you don't get it. I just hope your kids remain safe.

No, I understand the point you're trying to make, but you seemed to have missed that I'm also teaching my kids the dangers of the other tools in the shop. And I'm not just lecturing them, I'm also requiring that they be able to answer intelligently about what's dangerous about them, and what to avoid.

If we follow your logic, then my kids will be sticking their fingers in the electrical sockets because I let them watch cartoons on the TV, which is using electricity. They'll be drowning themselves in the bath because I let them flush the toilet. They'll be throwing themselves out the window because I should them the pretty birds outside.

This is why the slippery slope is a logical fallacy (https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/slippery-slope). If you had some proof of the actual danger of the activity you're referring to, it would be different, instead if just feels dangerous to you, without any real rationale.

Further, to address an issue which does not exist, you're suggestion that I stop doing an activity that is bringing joy to my kids.

[Ben Schmidt]

I'm also teaching my kids the dangers of the other tools in the shop. And I'm not just lecturing them, I'm also requiring that they be able to answer intelligently about what's dangerous about them, and what to avoid.


Again you're talking about a 3.5 and 1.5yo...I doubt they can articulate the dangers of each machine and what to avoid. The point here buddy is that you are trying to introduce woodworking way too early. The potential dangers of kids this small even being in the shop outweigh any benefits. They're going to have just as good a time hanging out with their dad in the safety of the house doing any number of other activities.

[Andrew More]

Again you're talking about a 3.5 and 1.5yo...I doubt they can articulate the dangers of each machine and what to avoid.
Since I'm there, and I've spoken to my son, and he is capable of doing exactly that, I'm not sure what else to say. I'll agree the 1 1/2 year old is not there yet, but she will be. At no point is he being allowed to operate any of the dangerous tools, so I fail to see the problem.

I think there's a good chance that if I do not discuss machine safety with them, they're likely to get into trouble with it. They'll come into the shop some time with my wife, and not knowing better, monkey with the machines when my back is turned. Or they'll be over at a friends house, and be exposed to similar issues.

The best solution to a dangerous situation is not to pretend it doesn't exist, and proceed from a point of ignorance, but to instruct people in it to the best of your ability. Keep in mind that at no point are they operating any of these machines, nor doing anything with them, other than the dust collector, for which I've yet to hear any facts about injury.

And all of this is mostly moot because of all the dangers people are exposed to every single day, going into a woodshop under supervision is so far down the list, it might as well be a shark attack. The most likely causes of injuries to children are cars, suffocation, drowning, poison, and falls, almost all of which occur in the home.

Any time you want to provide some facts to back up your opinion, I'd be interested in hearing them. Otherwise, it's just that, a guess backed up by emotions.

[Mike Stelts]

Thanks for the googly eyes, Andrew. It was somewhat disappointing to see your thread devolve into unsolicited parenting advice. My son and daughter also were in the shop at a young age, without the googly eyes inspiration, and the daughter turned into an excellent craftsman. Best of luck with your kids.

[Larry Frank]

When you post on a public forum, you are soliciting responses. Sometimes you get what you want as a response and sometimes a negative response. That is the nature of forums.

I completely disagree with the OP approach with young kids especially 1-1/2 years old. But, they are his kids and his responsibility.

[Andrew More]

Thanks for the googly eyes, Andrew. It was somewhat disappointing to see your thread devolve into unsolicited parenting advice.
Thanks Mike! I agree, but as Larry points out, that's just the nature of forums. Some people just have more fun pointing out all the potential problems than doing anything themselves.


My son and daughter also were in the shop at a young age, without the googly eyes inspiration, and the daughter turned into an excellent craftsman. Best of luck with your kids.
Yeah, I also have seen a number of youtubers doing something similar. I think these people might have a point if I was letting my kids operate the table saw or something. People have a very warped idea of what's dangerous, or going to kill them. They worry about terrorists, guns, and serial killers, when the real dangers are cars, lack of exercise, and poor diets.

[Bob Riefer]

My kids are teenagers now, and survived their earlier youth under our parenting approach of including them in activities and hobbies pretty broadly. They've gardened, done landscaping and hardscaping, painted, sanded, worked with manual hand tools (hammers, screw drivers, miter saw), and been around my woodworking for about 10 years of their 13-14 years.

In retrospect, the most dangerous of any of those activities was probably the hardscaping - the kids tag teamed to move heavy bricks across our property and stack them. My son slightly pinched his fingers between two bricks when moving / stacking for us when he was about 8 years old... He had a nice short cry, iced the boo boo, and finished his chore with a new method on how to put the bricks in the stack without repeating the injury. The risk in this case felt appropriate and manageable to us, and he was proud of 'manning up' and finishing his task with a blood blister on his index finger.

As the years have progressed, the areas of risk we are willing to engage increases. Both of my kids have now completed multiple shop classes at their middle school, so beside my teachings, they're getting professionally taught too. As such, my kids are now permitted to use some specific tools (e.g. hammer, battery operated drill/driver) completely on their own (as long as I'm someplace within ear shot), and the drill press, miter saw, jig saw, and band saw with me standing next to them. These are tools they use routinely at school as well. They're still intimidated by the table saw, router, jointer, and planer, so the time's not right for those just yet.

The rules in our shop are so well communicated that neighbor kids know them. Ear protection, eye protection, proper footwear, don't touch anything ever unless I explicitly state that it is ok to do so at this exact moment. Etc.

All this to say... I agree with the OP that I think kids are capable of a lot. With firm ground rules, respect for those rules (and those setting them), careful supervision, and appropriate safety gear, they can really gain a lot by being part of a shop environment. My gut tells me that the OP is setting clear rules, carefully supervising, and that his kids are abiding by his requirements.