Noise/Sound Control

[David Swinford]

I "share" a 2 car garage with my wife and live in a neighborhood with <1/2 acre lots at the foot of Lookout Mtn. near Chattanooga, TN. Although I don't think that there are any noise restrictions since I don't lie in the city limits I still want to be a good neighbor and not disturb anyone living near me with my sawing, sanding, routing, etc. I usually keep the (insulated) garage door down and very rarely turn a power tool on past 8pm.

Now that you have the basic background info, my question is this:

How can I better control and limit the sound that gets out not only to our neighbors but also into my own home. (We also have a beautiful 8 month old daughter.)

The main tools that I would want to use are my Ridgid 3650 TS, my new Milwaukee SCMS (cuts like a dream), random orbit sander, and trim router.

I will almost never use my planer because of the noise that it makes. I only use it on Saturdays. Am I being too cautious or are there any tricks to limiting sound that I can try? Thanks for your response.

[David B Thornton]

I've been pondering this same question as I turn my 2 car garage into my workshop. I live in a small lot community, so I have to worry about sound as well. Have you had somebody run some power tools in the shop while you go outside and see how loud it is? I recently picked up a 2HP HF Dust Collector and wondered how loud it was going to be, so I turned it on, shut the garage door and outside I could barely hear it. I was very surprised by this as the garage has no insulation, and no sheetrock up (I tore it down cause I found out it wasn't insulated and I am in the process of wiring the whole garage).

Here's a link I have come across that has some good ideas (pending how much money you want to spend):
http://www.soundproofing.org/infopages/garage.htm

It's about soundproofing a garage for band practice, but the same principles should apply.

I will be following this thread as I am curious about others' responses too.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

All I do is close my door when using the louder tools. Most cities allow you to make some noise during normal hours. Unless you have a "bad" neighbor you should be o.k. You could ask them occaisonally if you're bothering them but it's your call. I applaud you for caring about how your actions impact others, a rarity in today's world.

[Chris Tsutsui]

I found that noise leaks a lot through openings that allow "air" directly to pass through.

Garages may have soffit vents, or rectangular vents along the floor of a wall, or leaks around the garage door or doors. I found that I reduced the noise pollution by simply stuffing the large air vents when I use loud machines. I used an old pillow, or just make a simple door for those vents.

It is not recommended that you always have the vents blocked though, so I would only close the vents when being "loud".

Another tip is that you can use absorption to control sound. Install faced fiberglass insulation to the ceilings can help to absorb a lot of the sound. Otherwise a lot of sound reflects directly off a concrete garage floor and if your ceiling does not help absorb some of this sound then that loud noise will "ring" and "slap" around for sure.

So I'd think about making your garage as "air tight" as possible, and then think about adding sound absorption treatments.

Also getting saw blades with anti-vibration technology helps, and making enclosures for loud items, such as a router table with an enclosed router motor... an enclosure for an air compressor... or use a heavy blanket and just drape it over yourself when using the impact driver. :D

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I applaud you for caring about how your actions impact others, a rarity in today's world.


Well said.
-Jeff :)

[Nathan Callender]

I had the same concern, and I don't run power tools past 8pm, and I keep the garage door closed when using load whiny tools like a planer or router.

I have the TS3650 and I found that a good full kerf *sharp* blade is much quieter than the standard blade that comes with the saw. So, I find myself using the table saw much more than previous tools like circular saw and miter saw just because it's quieter to be around (and quieter for the neighbors) and I don't have to close the garage door as often. I also try to use a jigsaw over a circular saw if it's appropriate, and I use a cordless drill instead of a huge corded screamer most of the time too. To be honest, probably one the planer would be noticeable outside - I do this more so it's quieter inside and that makes for a much more relaxing time for me.

I do have plans to build an enclosed router table as I have read that it does cut down on the noise dramatically, especially if you don't run it at full speed. I'm also planning on insulating the door at some point, but that's more for heat control than anything else.

So, I would turn a few tools on, go outside and walk around a little and see for yourself. Maybe try to visit your neighbor and see what it's like in their house - probably they can't even hear it. I personally find that lawn mowers, weed eaters and chainsaws are waaaay more disturbing to the community than most indoor power tools.

[glenn bradley]

Sounds like you are being too cautious but, courtesy is an often underrated quality. The four tools you mention are not easy to quiet down. All are open frame, exposed, free to the wild, etc.

I put scrap magnetic sheets (weak ones like fridge magnets) on the inner walls of my tablesaw and jointer which lowered the "boom" quite a bit. Sanders, free-hand routing and all that; its headphones on and fire at will around my shop.

[Sam Layton]

I don't know if your garage has dry wall. When I built my shop I was concerned about noise as well. I installed 1/2" sound board, and 5/8" drywall. This made my shop very quiet on the outside.

Glenn, great idea on the magnetic. You gave me an idea. How about spraying the inside of the saw with spray auto undercoating, the thick rubbery kind. I think I will give it a try on mine.

Sam

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi David, I live in a townhouse and my shop is in the basement.

I have an Oneida cyclone, Hammer A3-31 jointer/planer. a General TS and shaper.

Obviously noise is a concern.

I've measured the noise level in my living room, which is directly above it, and I've been in all the rooms of my neighbours house to see what they can hear, which is zip.

Every house is different, however we have a poured concrete firewall between us.

One thing I noticed is that portable planers are extremely loud, not so for stationary machines. In fact the first time I heard a portable planer I couldn't believe how loud it was.

I've been in this house 18 years, no complaints from the neighbours, however I don't do any work between 20:00 and 09:00.

Regards, Rod.

P.S.

Here's a link to my sound measurements http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=106423&highlight=cyclone+noise+measurement

[Danny Burns]

Running spiral head cutters in planers and jointers is suppose to reduce the noise levels.

I have over my vents, styro-foam blocks that are loosely tied at the center, so I can rotate them to let the vents run air, and then twist them back, and tie/wedge them tighter, to block the vents when I am making noise.

[Josiah Bartlett]

I try to keep the noise down at night too. My 13" Delta planer is just too loud. The jointer is a bit marginal- its quiet when running but it gets fairly loud when you run wood across it. However, my lathe, unisaw and 16" Walker Turner bandsaw are quiet enough that they aren't really audible outside of my shop, which is a typical stick frame built detached garage with insulation and a wooden rollup door.

[David Prince]

I have found that if I turn up the music real loud in my shop, the power tools don't sound as loud! :D:D:D

Windows are a source of sound loss. If you can put inserts or a way to give your window multiple layers, this should help with noise. Insulation in walls along with the interior sheeting, exterior sheeting, and siding help with the rest.

[jim gossage]

Spiral cutterheads on the jointer and planer definitely reduce the noise considerably. You could buy a cheap sound meter to measure if you want.

[Erik Christensen]

things that reduce my shop noise to neighbors:

double paned windows
insulation
blade stabilizers or good blades
spiral cutter heads
link belts
closet for DC
shut doors/windows for noisy operations
choose a different method - > 9pm use hand tools

all my adjacent neighbors have my cell & home phone and know to call if I am being un-cool. I pay a lot more attention as to when I start a lawnmower or leaf blower than any of my shop tools but life is too short to have neighbors mad at you - they might never invite you over if they need help with excess beer :D:D:D

[Victor Robinson]

This is a major concern of mine as well. I live in an attached San Francisco home, and we're not allowed to finish our garages. So basically if I use any loud power tool, it's going to sound like it's coming from directly below and to the side for each of our neighbors. Pretty much just as bad as it would be in an apartment building.

I try to keep the noise to short bursts, like with the miter saw and the circ saw, and never past 7 or 8pm. I haven't yet gotten a planer, but I'm concerned about the noise it's going to produce. I cringe even when I have to use the shop-vac or the ROS. Our neighbors on both sides are much older, retired, home all day every day, and quiet as mice.

[Cliff Holmes]

ne thing I noticed is that portable planers are extremely loud

You got that right. I just tried out a DW735, I was astounded at the noise. It's going back to Lowes and a Grizzly is on the way (not just because of the noise, tho).

[glenn bradley]

Glenn, great idea on the magnetic. You gave me an idea. How about spraying the inside of the saw with spray auto undercoating, the thick rubbery kind. I think I will give it a try on mine.

Sam

I was headed that direction when the mag-sheet stuff dropped in my lap. I would be interested on how it goes as I suspect it will work even better than the magnetics.

[David Swinford]

Thanks so much for all of the replies.

This is what I'm going to do to decrease my noise level:

1. Since my garage is already dry-walled and my garage door insulated, I am going to replace the liner around where my entry door into the interior of our home (kitchen). My cat has clawed it so that it has holes in it where air, noise etc. may escape. SOmeone posted that anywhere air can move through, so can sound so that is where I will start.

2. There are no windows but I will place a liner at the base of my 16' garage door. The kind that sticks to the concrete and encapsulate the door as it lowers onto it. This may help with heat loss as well. I may try to find something to insulate the sides of the door as well.

3. I will try and find something to mount to the ceiling to absorb sound but not collect dust.

4. I will definitely seek out old magnetic sports schedules, etc. to dampen the interior of applicable tools.

5. I will find some rubber feet/pads/material to dampen sound where tools are mounted.

These steps will make a difference---we won't know how much until we do it and measure.

Thanks again guys for all of your input and if anyone has anything else please let me know.

[Bryan Morgan]

Its nice you think about your neighbors like that. Since I have to listen to ranchero music 24/7 I delight when my tools make a lot of noise. It drowns out the BUM bum BUM bum BUM bum BUM bum noise I have to listen to. :D