3Hp vs 5Hp noise

[Dan Lee]

Hi all
Will be ordering a new table saw next week and was wondering if there is much difference in the noise levels between 3 and 5Hp.
Dan

[Joe Jensen]

Hi all
Will be ordering a new table saw next week and was wondering if there is much difference in the noise levels between 3 and 5Hp.
Dan
I had a 3HP PM66, and I have a 5HP Sawstop. Both quiet, the blade makine most of the noise. Different saws, but I think there would be essentially no difference...joe

[Jeffrey Makiel]

My guess is that it doesn't make a significant difference. As Joe stated, the noise from my 3HP saw comes from the blades.

On another note, I never needed more than 3HP for my hobby work. My saw is nearly 20 years old and it has seen a lot of thick boards. However, I cannot comment about commercial/professional application.

-Jeff :)

[Marty Rose]

Well for Christmas, my lovely wife did get me the GENERAL 350 TS,240 3hp. Prior to this I had a Delta Contractors. MAN what a difference. The NOISE factor is so low on the GEN. I cand hardly hear it run(without a blade) with blade about 50% quieter. Thats all I know.

[Gary Curtis]

I have the General 350 with the 5hp motor. My friend just bought a Delta Unisaw with the 3hp and was concerned about the noise and vibration. So he trotted over to my shop to hear my saw.

He said mine was quieter, so I would guess that it depends on the brand of saw and perhaps the blade being used..

Gary Curtis

[Dan Lee]

Thanks for the inputs. The blade is probably the bigger factor.



I had a 3HP PM66, and I have a 5HP Sawstop. Both quiet, the blade makine most of the noise. Different saws, but I think there would be essentially no difference...joe

Joe that is exactly the upgrade I'm making the PM66 3Hp is getting sold tomorrow and the only decision is 3 or 5 on the SawStop.
3 hp on the PM 66 has always been more than adequate, I rarely cut more than 8/4. I’m just considering the 5Hp on the SS since in the overall price the extra $200 isn’t that much extra.
Dan

[lou sansone]

the blade will make most of the noise from my experience. I have had 3 hp, 5 hp, 7 hp and now 9 hp saws and they all seem to be about the same level of noise.

[Joe Jensen]

Thanks for the inputs. The blade is probably the bigger factor.

Joe that is exactly the upgrade I'm making the PM66 3Hp is getting sold tomorrow and the only decision is 3 or 5 on the SawStop.
3 hp on the PM 66 has always been more than adequate, I rarely cut more than 8/4. I’m just considering the 5Hp on the SS since in the overall price the extra $200 isn’t that much extra.
Dan

I ended up getting the 5HP for the same reason, only $200 more. In 15 years with the PM66 3HP I only needed more HP a couple of times when I was ripping full blade height. The saw would bog down so I had to to slow down the feed rate. When I slowed down the feed rate I got burning. Unless I get a much larger shop, the SawStop will be my last saw, so I didn't want to regret not getting the 5HP...joe

[Rob Will]

Dan,

Do you have 3 phase power?

I really don't have enough experience to comment on the hp requirements but your post has me wondering about 5hp single phase motors.

Rob

[Jason Roehl]

A friend of mine just bought a used Griz 1023Z with a 5hp motor. He's got it sitting in his dining room so that he can build his kitchen cabinets in the warmth of the house. I got to see it in action earlier this week, and I was amazed at how quiet it was, even while cutting some plywood. At that level of noise, I wouldn't even use hearing protection, unless I was doing repetitive cuts on it all day long. It was (by my WAG) less than 85dB.

[Phil Pritchard]

I use an industrial panel saw day in, day out and that is no noisier than many of the home shop machines I've heard. The amount of noise from any machine with an induction motor is far more dependent on the tooling than it is on the motor - if an induction motor is running noisy it's a sure fire sign that the bearings need attention. As to motor size - the bigger the motor the less it will bog down, and therefore the less the risk of a kickback when ripping all else being equal.

[Chris Barton]

the blade will make most of the noise from my experience. I have had 3 hp, 5 hp, 7 hp and now 9 hp saws and they all seem to be about the same level of noise.

Lou has it nailed here. FWW did a little research project in the past year or so and about 90% of the sound a TS makes is due to the blade, not the motor. Special asymetric blades with inserts can be had that are very quite. Also, thicker blades tend to run much quiter than thin blades. I run an Amana Prestige blade that is a solid 1/10" thick and it is very quiet.

[Dan Lee]

Dan,

Do you have 3 phase power?

I really don't have enough experience to comment on the hp requirements but your post has me wondering about 5hp single phase motors.

Rob

Don't have 3 phase. 5Hp motor comes in either single or 3 phase. WHen I put 220 outlets in m shop I ran all 10 gauge wire so I'm good to go there.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Depends on the maker. Some are rackety as hell others silent as the grave.

Cost is a good indicator.