Child safe workshop

[kreffell]

hi,

I am thinking of moving my workshop to home. I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old who would be very interested in the tools and chemicals.

I can partition the workshop off with barn doors so they could peek over the edge. However, are there other ideas I can make to help create a safer environment - for example adding a black dye to the pickle or adding an extra valve to the oxygen and propane bottles ?

Any help much appreciated,
Keith

[Gemsetterchris]

No such thing as a child safe workshop..just keep them out..if you can!

[LydiaNiz]

my thoughts exactly. I rent a studio because there is no way I could make it child-friendly at home (I have a 5 and 8 year old, but have had a rented studio space since smallest was a year old). Even at the studio, my kids are not allowed in when I'm doing anything other than one-to-one stuff with them. (I have let them both make basic rings with me because I want a cheap apprentice when they're older ;-)
We have open studio days and I keep all chemicals in a lockable cupboard, and everything is out of small hands reach, hammers etc on a wall. I keep a 'please do not touch' sign on my rolling mill, though that's mostly for the dads ;-)

[Lucie]

I work from home & have a 7 year old; 5 year old, 2 year old and a fourth on the way :-O

I have a separate room downstairs that I keep locked (used to be a utility before I laid claim to it), but even then, I have to be sooo careful.
The only safe chemicals are ones they can't get anywhere near. The same goes for polishing motors, etc!!

The oldest two are mostly fine now (although when they were younger, they did try to "help mummy" by taking a file to a few pretty pendants), but the youngest won't keep his hands off anything. I had to buy hob guard for my cooker after he set light to a bunch of wax pendants [-X
Certain things have to be left until they all go to bed.
It's definitely not ideal, but I work full time & it's my only option at the moment. It's workable with lots of places to lock things away.

[LydiaNiz]

ahh yes 'helpers'! My eldest 'helped' sort my stone box once. (I'm still twitchy at the memory "I think I could probably find them mummy..."

[Lucie]

Glad I'm not the only one :) I remember coming downstairs one morning over Christmas to find them "working" on my pendants with a file. I'd worked late the night before & stupidly left them at the table.
Needless to say, they had ruined at least 4 pendants, which all had to be re-made :'(

[Keia]

I've a three year old and a five year old (both mischievous boys) with my workbench in the kitchen. Luckily, the bench is very high - about 3 foot from the ground so they can't actually reach the bench without pulling a chair through from the living room and into the kitchen, by which time they've been stopped half way through their operation "destruct mummys bench". I've a more difficult time stopping the adults that come to the house from playing with everything to be honest ;)

[kreffell]

Thanks to everyone who commented,

I know my wife would like to start making Jewellery and I would also like my children to share my hobby as they grow up. I will make sure to lock the room up - so little fingers can not get in on their own.

Interestingly my father sent a copy of the 1861 census listing a direct descendant as a Jeweller in Bayswater (London) - also on the page is a watch maker, carpenter, scholar (School children), barman, tailor - I wonder who lives along my road now.

Kind regards,
Keith
www.cadwax.com