Ear-plugs or Ear-muffs?

[glenn bradley]

I've always been an ear-plug guy. I have recently seen some muffs that approach the levels of reduction of good plugs. Which do you prefer?

[Bruce Page]

I'm a muff guy. Some plugs work very well but I can't wear them for long periods of time.

[scott spencer]

I use plugs in the summer when it's hot, and muffs when it's cooler. Sometimes I wear both when I'm planing.

The plugs I wear are the rubber ones on a cord... I wash them in the dishwasher and get many, many re-uses from them.

[Aaron Beaver]

Yellow plugs on the chord most of the time. In certain instances I will wear muffs but the majority of the time is the plugs. I have been contemplating getting some of those ear muffs that have a radio in them, but I don't know if it would be a distraction.

[Charles Bruno]

I can't stand sticking anything in my ears had many ear infections growing up. I use muffs at home and work.

[Raymond Fries]

I actualy wear the yellow ones that are on the blue plastic u-shaped piece. You never have to roll them with dirty fingers to insert them and they are quick and easy to clean. I even wear hearing protection when mowing the grass.

Noise above 85 db is easy to get. Not sure where 85 db is? Here is a quick test. If at an arm's length, you have to raise your voice above a normal tone for someone to hear you over the noise, the noise is above 85 db.

What did you say?

[Grant Wilkinson]

I have custom made plugs. They are very comfortable and cut the noise better than any of the muffs that I have tried.

[Andy Howard]

Peltor Worktunes are one of the best investments I have made for my shop! They are the ones with the radio built in. The only complaint I have is that they are very sensitive when it comes to tuning the radio. I would love a pair with a digital tuner and 5 presets.

When I run my dewalt 735 planer I put in earplugs and then my earmuffs....that little guy is LOUD!

Andy

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I can't give a yea-nay vote. Muffs inside and plugs outside. The muffs go on and off easier and I only use them when needed. Outside a pair of plugs on a cord which are easier to keep track of by hanging around my neck but more of a nuisance for me to use.

[Jon Shively]

Ear muffs in the shop as I wear a conventional ball cap type hat there. Ear plugs out shooting as I wear a cowboy hat in the out of doors. Both with the planer isn't a bad idea, my DeWalt planer gets right at it also!

[Andrew Williams]

both, when using most power tools. plugs only when just working while i have the air cleaner running.

[Ron Jones near Indy]

I wear plugs with the lawn mower and muffs in the shop. Maybe both if the oiless (hate it) compressor or planer will be running a lot.

[Chris Barton]

I have a couple of pairs of the Bose noise cancelling headsets. Great investment for any type of noise control. I use an older over the ear set (QC1's) in the shop and a set of QC3's (on the ear) for flying, tractor work and other outdoor activities.

[Jason Roehl]

I just don't care for plugs. I, too, had lots of ear infections as a kid, and the plugs just remind me of that pain and pressure. I have a decent pair of muffs for shooting that have migrated to other duties as well. For chainsaw work, I have one of the all-in-one Husqy helmets (helmet, face-screen, ear muffs and neck drape), and that is the cat's meow. If you need to stop and talk to someone, the earmuffs can be pulled out about an inch (and stay there) individually.

[Roy Harding]

Peltor Worktunes are one of the best investments I have made for my shop! They are the ones with the radio built in. The only complaint I have is that they are very sensitive when it comes to tuning the radio. I would love a pair with a digital tuner and 5 presets.

When I run my dewalt 735 planer I put in earplugs and then my earmuffs....that little guy is LOUD!

Andy

What Andy said. I have one of those FM transmitters that you plug into the earphone jack on the stereo - whatever is playing on the stereo, I'm listening to on 88.1 FM on the Peltors. When I used to work in a commercial shop, I'd get a lot of interference on the radio - I haven't noticed it in my own small shop (no 3 phase 550V machinery here).

If I'm running a planer or jointer for any length of time, I'll put plugs in under the Peltors - I wear glasses so the muffs don't get a great seal around my ears.

[Dan Drager]

I'm with Chris, I use the Bose QC2 for mowing, in the shop, on planes, etc.. They are WELL worth the investment. You can still hear voices and such, but they really deaden the droning noise of engines and motors. The sound of my dust collector nearly disappears completely with them on.

[Michael Van Voorhis]

I have custom made plugs. They are very comfortable and cut the noise better than any of the muffs that I have tried.

times two!

[Scot Ferraro]

I wear the foam plugs mostly, I have the yellow ones on a cord that I wear sometimes and ear-muffs that I combine with the foam plugs when planing or when I have to do a lot of routing...

Scot

[Erich Loewen]

I also use custom plugs,the vented ones for 25+ years (not the same pair) could not work without them,go in my ears in the morning and stay there for most of the day.

[Brent Dowell]

WHAT DID YOU SAY!??!??

CAN'T HEAR YOU???



.... Just kidding ....

Outside when I'm using the ole chipper shredder, or playing with the shooting irons, it's the earmuffs.

When I was a kid and worked in a molding shop, wore the ear plugs. I really don't run the loud stuff that much, but if I do, I wear plugs.

I also always carry ear plugs with me when traveling. You never know when you'll be on a plane with some really unhappy little kids. Also comes in handy in hotels in downtowns that don't have that great of noise insulation....

I was on a plane one time when I had my ear plugs with me. I kid you not but there was a little tyke that screamed at the top of his lungs for what seemed to be 1.5 hours. I had my plugs in and enjoyed my adult beverage. My fellow passengers didn't appreciate my laughing at their discomfort....

[Matt Meiser]

I use ear muffs at home. I use ear plugs a lot when visiting industrial facilities for work. I'm not really crazy about ear plugs because at least with the foam ones, how well they work depends on good you are at putting them in.

When I mow, I use my iPod with ear buds under my ear muffs.

[Jim Becker]

I checked off ear plugs because the band I most often use for noise reduction when working with machinery in the shop takes that general format--same one as Raymond mentions. I do sometimes use my noise-reducing headphones (Bose) for longer sanding sessions when the general noise level is higher than normal, but not at the levels that the J/P creates. (I use them on the tractor, too)

Oh, for the PTO mounted chipper/shreader, I use my "lumberjack" helmet with the built on muffs...protects me from debris trying to attack me as well as the profound noise.

[Al Willits]

Depends, I haven't run into much in the shop that a good set of muffs won't reduce noise levels to a safe level, so I use the muffs mostly, easier to put on and take off.

I may use the plugs if I have a bunch of wood to run though the planer, that's probably the loudest tool in the shop.

Al

[Tyler Howell]

Both,
Sometimes at the same time.
;)

[Michael Panis]

What Andy said. I have one of those FM transmitters that you plug into the earphone jack on the stereo - whatever is playing on the stereo, I'm listening to on 88.1 FM on the Peltors.

I bought the Worktunes, too, but have been very frustrated by how sensitive the reception is in my basement workshop. The radio fades in and out as I move around. Do you find you get consistent quality with the FM transmitter?

By the way, the best part of the Worktunes is that the antenna gives me a little warning before I bump my head on something :confused:

[Aaron Beaver]

I bought the Worktunes, too, but have been very frustrated by how sensitive the reception is in my basement workshop. The radio fades in and out as I move around. Do you find you get consistent quality with the FM transmitter?

By the way, the best part of the Worktunes is that the antenna gives me a little warning before I bump my head on something :confused:

I see Rocker now sells some Worktunes that you can plug a MP3 player in them. MP3 players are pretty small and lightweight, would take care of the reception problem, if you have MP3 files.

[glenn bradley]

Good answers one and all. I see a good mix of all three methods; plugs, muffs and both.

[Steve Clardy]

Neither one. :eek: :D

[Matt Meiser]

Neither one. :eek: :D

What was that? :D

[Rob Luter]

Muffs in the shop when something is running. Plugs for cutting grass and while on the motorcycle.

[Steve Clardy]

What was that? :D


What??? :D :D :D

[Jim Fox]

Ear Muffs for me. Plugs are to uncomfortable after not to long. I use the ones that have a radio in them. My latest pair can hook an MP3 player up to it.

[julie Graf]

muffs - no wax!

[Mike Jones NM]

Neither one, I just pull the hearing aids out:(

[Dave Boxmeyer]

I use a set of Shure E4C in ear canal earphones - they work just like earplugs but also as headphones for my iPod. Great since it is hearing protection and spectacular sound quality headphones in one!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Muffs........Being totally deaf in one ear....I try to protect what little hearing I have left.

[Jason Roehl]

Muffs........Being totally deaf in one ear....I try to protect what little hearing I have left.

That's a good approach, Ken! Just pulling out hearing aids only means that the sounds are less intense, but the noise is still doing damage if it is of an excessive pressure level. I have become more diligent in protecting my hearing since I noticed a few years back that a very quiet room is actually quite loud and annoying due to a bit of tinnitus. I'm sure it's the product of my late teenage propensity to heavy metal music at high decibels, sometimes on earphones (just about the worst thing you can do--make it loud and put it directly in the ear canal).