Cyclone Noise Level Question

[Bill Arnold]

Because of what appears to be a better-constructed unit, I'm leaning toward the Gorilla 2hp system for my new shop. I was planning to enclose the unit behind a wall and door to reduce the noise level but, in reviewing actual installations on the Oneida site, they are all open to the shop. What have you guys done in your shop and why? I'd rather not enclose it if it's not necessary.

Regards,

[John Scarpa]

Bill,

See my recently updated thread on completing my shop. I chose to enclose my oneida for 2 reasons. 1. The noise reduction reported by those that have done it. My shop shares a wall with the house so anything I can do to reduce noise is in my favor with the LOML. 2. I have more walls to locate things on or against including the interior walls of the closet. I also plan on making use of the very limited foot print in the closet for temporary storage. Perhaps for a sharpening station.

Just some thoughts for you to mull over!

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I installed my 2hp gorilla about threee weeks ago. It's not as loud as I expected. You can carry on a conversation, but why would you?
Leave the enclosure out until you're sure it's necessary.

mike

[Steve Clardy]

Been around a couple of them noisy buggers.
If I had one, you bet it'd be enclosed.
I couldn't work around that thing all day.

[Michael Gabbay]

Bill - I just installed the 3hp Dust Gorilla. From 10 feet it measures 81 db. My old Jet 1100 measured 79 db. The difference is only sightly noticable.

A few things to keep in mind if you enclose it. Make sure you have enough ventilation so the unit can breath and if you point the filter away from your work area it is quieter. You might want to talk with OAS about the enclosure. They helped me alot.

Mike

[Jim Andrew]

I put a woodsucker in about a year ago, and mounted it on the outside of the shop in a storage area. Helps a lot with the noise, only problem is
that you should have a window so you can see when the chips start going up the tube, or you fill the filter up with sawdust. Except with a woodsucker it just fills the plastic bag on the outside of the filter. An
Oneida fills the filter on the inside. Jim

[John Miliunas]

I put a woodsucker in about a year ago, and mounted it on the outside of the shop in a storage area. Helps a lot with the noise, only problem is
that you should have a window so you can see when the chips start going up the tube, or you fill the filter up with sawdust. Except with a woodsucker it just fills the plastic bag on the outside of the filter. An
Oneida fills the filter on the inside. Jim

Ditto on the Woodsucker for my install, as well. The neat part about it is, I installed it on the opposite side of my shop wall (still enclosed in the garage area) and, due to its design, I was able to use 8" HVAC insulated flex tube and return the air back into the shop! Nice feature when you're heating and cooling the area. As an added "plus", the insulated duct actually acts as a muffler! Real nice and quiet in the shop with it running. The downside is, so quiet that I sometimes forget to turn it "off" for some time afterwards! :rolleyes: :D :cool:

[Jamie Buxton]

I have a Woodsucker cyclone. It isn't as loud as the machines which are making the sawdust it is collecting.

[Dennis Peacock]

My cyclone setup is in my main shop area. I can carry on a normal conversation with it running with no problem at all. But, I wear good hearing protection while in the shop (you only get one set of ears to hear with so why not protect them now) and no matter what's running? I don't hear much of anything except for the low hum of something running. :D

[Jim Becker]

My Oneida system is in a specially constructed closet (along with the big IR compressor) and I wouldn't have it any other way. It considerably reduces the noise level as I tent to run it "for awhile" when I'm milling stock rather than turning it off and on frequently. I could live with it "un-closeted", but I really do prefer it tucked away. (The air return is baffled to further reduce sound transmission)

Here is one of the threads that I discussed my particular closet arrangement and noise:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=6983&highlight=closet

And here is how my air return is done:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=14660&d=1105203689

[Karl Laustrup]

Here's a couple of pix of my Oneida install.

40045
I built an addition on to the garage. Noise and space were my main objectives.

40046 40047
I used block and tackle to get the unit in place and left the block and tackle attached to the rafter just in case.

40048 40049
Enclosed but not totally done.

I have to say it did the trick. Most of the noise from it in the garage is the sound of air not of the fan motor. I brought the return back into the garage which seems to be working fine. The other advantage to my install was I was able to run a straight line from the unit for the intake side.

Bill, I think in the long run you'd be much happier with the unit removed from the work area. Just bring your filtered air back into the shop for reasons already explained by others here.

Karl

[Frank Pellow]

I have a Oneida 2hp Commercial unit and I (eventually) enclosed it. See the thread: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7853

I find the unit to be very noisy without the enclosure but the noise becomes quite muted with the enclosure. The enclosing walls and door are all insulated and there is good and flexible ventelation in those walls.

[Frank Pellow]

...
I have more walls to locate things on or against including the interior walls of the closet. I also plan on making use of the very limited foot print in the closet for temporary storage. ...

I never thought of these advantages when I started to build my enclosure but they are both very true for me.

[Doug Shepard]

Some time ago I saw a post where a "muffler" was built for the DC. I can't find the post now and it may have been on another forum. IIRC I think this was something put between the blower and the filter. Anyone got any details on how to make one of these and how effective they are in lieu of enclosing the entire DC?

[Jim Becker]

Doug, the Oneida systems have the "muffler" built in...

When I think about it more, one of the main benefits of enclosing the cyclone for noise is not so much that the unit itself is incredibly noisy...when you measure it "scientifically", it's one of the quieter units available. But even then, when you put it in the kind of space that we all typically use for our shops, all that sound has the opportunity to bounce around which can sometime make it seem louder or at least more annoying. Enclosing it cuts down that bouncing noise.

[Ken Styer]

I've had my Gorilla 2hp system for well over a year now. Personally, I would not go to the extra expense of enclosing it. I wear ear protection and there is no problem at all. It's a lot quieter then I thought it would be.

[Jim O'Dell]

Some time ago I saw a post where a "muffler" was built for the DC. I can't find the post now and it may have been on another forum. IIRC I think this was something put between the blower and the filter. Anyone got any details on how to make one of these and how effective they are in lieu of enclosing the entire DC?

Doug, you can get some tips on building one on Bill Pentz's web site. Pretty good instructions there. I've heard varied results. But the main thing that seems to keep coming up is if you can baffel the filters somehow, that that helps with the noise. Most of the noise is in the exhaust through the filters, not the motor and cyclone itself. Jim Becker has a good "how to" on his web site on making a return air for the exhaust from the cyclone closet to the shop to help reduce the noise. I've often wondered if the electronic noise cancelling devices could be tuned to the right frequency range to help. Jim

[Doug Shepard]

Jim(s)
Thanks. I temporarily put my DC plans on hold until I got the shop (garage) floor epoxy painted (almost done). I'm planning on going with a ClearVue and it still looks like the probable install location will be in the rafters overhead. I'll to look on the Pentz site and find the muffler info. Anything I can do to keep the dB level down will probably be worth the effort.

[Don Frambach]

I have a small Oneida 1.5 hp system with the muffler. I ran it for a short time without a muffler and can say that a muffler makes a big difference. I was so impressed that I added a second muffler which only slightly reduced the sound further. The muffler costs $40.02. Here's a link:http://www.oneida-air.com/products/systems/1_5hp/accessories.htm