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Thread: Best Dust Collector Modification Ever!

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dick Mahany View Post
    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
    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.

  2. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Rapp View Post
    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.

  3. #18
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    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.

  4. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Justin Rapp View Post
    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. 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.
    Last edited by Andrew More; 02-22-2020 at 11:05 PM.

  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew More View Post
    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.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ben Schmidt View Post
    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.
    Last edited by Andrew More; 02-23-2020 at 11:39 PM.

  7. #22
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    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.

  8. #23
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    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.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Stelts View Post
    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.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Stelts View Post
    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.

  10. #25
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    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.
    - Bob R.
    Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)

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