Ear Muffs for Router Use

[andrew whicker]

Muffs for the win. The only reason I use ear plugs is for welding (hood on and off, etc)

Muffs + glasses doesn't mute the sound as well as plugs + glasses (obv), but it seems to work well enough.

[Wes Grass]

'Double plug', when practical at the range. I buy the pink ones by the box of 200?.

A tip ... don't stuff them in your pocket to use again and again. Eventually 'bugs' grow on them and make your ears itch.

Quick work with tools, a set of muffs. I bought several sets of nice ones years ago. The foam has rotted out in them, but they're still much better than nothing. The last couple pair i bought for shooting are horribly uncomfortable. I'll wear them when I have to, and just suffer. Need to do some shopping.

[George Makra]

I asked the hearing doc at the VA.
His responce was triple flange ear plugs.

[Keegan Shields]

Worktunes ear muffsby 3m. NRR is good and can bluetooth my cell phone

Another vote for 3M Worktunes. They work great, good value, and with the gel ear cups I can wear them for hours without discomfort.

The Bluetooth works great with my iPhone and I listen to music, audiobooks, and occasionally take a call.

https://a.co/d/5rBHsA6

[Brian Holcombe]

Worktunes with Gel pads, they form around glasses better than the foam ones. Also I use a set of safety glasses with thin sides so that they don’t break the seal enough to significantly increase the noise level.

I have tinnitus so I’m pretty careful about this now, easy problem to solve in the shop as I just wear these all day, in the feild however it can be difficult as I have to remove them to provide direction.

[Jim Becker]

Prior to getting my hearing aids, I used the bands like Michael Schuch shows and the ones I was using (I forget the specifics) had a fairly high rating for noise reduction. I used the bands like that because my ear canals are weird and I cannot use any kind of "insert and let your ear hold them in" type of plugs including earbuds. Now, with my aids, I turn the volume to zero with the app and use over-the-ear muffs with a fairly high rating. I forget the brand, but they were recommended here at SMC and I bought from from Amazon. I always use them when running a router, my J/P and most cutting on the CNC.

[Warren Lake]

I know these are cheap and not high quality materials but they are light and comfortable and knock the sound down enough. Do these numbers mean anything in terms of attenuation?


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[Steve Demuth]

+1 on the Worktunes . I have used mine for years. Work great, and the cushions are easily replaceable when they get worn. I used plugs before that, but frequent use irritates the skin in my ear canal, so the muffs are much better. I also tried using the Bose Quiet Comfort active noise reduction buds I was given instead, but they were very inconsistent in terms of which tools they would cancel, and which not - worked fine on the router table, but poorly for the planer (and were completely worthless on my lawn mower engine sound).

[David Walser]

Steve -- You've received some good advice. I have a number of brands of hearing protection devices. My favorites are those from ISOtunes, because I like listening to music while in the shop. I have other hearing protection devices that allow that, but they aren't Bluetooth devices. (I'm aware that others make and sell Bluetooth hearing protection products, but I don't have any of those brands.) However, more often than not, I use my Beats Fit Pro earbuds. They connect to my iPhone and have excellent noise cancellation. If I need additional protection, I'll put a pair of ear muffs on while still wearing my Beats earbuds. They work great. I don't think they're OSHA approved, but...

If you don't want something that will play tunes while you're working, there are lots of non-powered hearing protection devices. Many have already been recommended. Allow me to point out something that guides my personal selection as to what type to wear -- what type of eye protection I'll be using. With most power tools, I wear a full facemask in addition to safety glasses. Not all ear muffs are compatible with my choice of facemask. So, if I'm going to be using the facemask, earplugs make the most sense. However, if I'm not using the facemask -- say I'm just sanding at the lathe with the dust collection system on -- I'll put on ear muffs. I find ear muffs to be more comfortable for me to wear for an extended time than earplugs. My point is to make sure your choice of hearing protection is compatible with your choice of eye protection. You don't want to have to choose between the two!

[Warren Lake]

you can also wear a dust mask glasses and hearing muffs. The glasses will fog up then you cut your fingers off. Pain the ass most of this stuff.

[Keegan Shields]

you can also wear a dust mask glasses and hearing muffs. The glasses will fog up then you cut your fingers off. Pain the ass most of this stuff.

If you don’t cheap out and buy junk, ear pro can be nice to wear. I sometimes forget to take mine off when the music is going. 30 min after turning off the table saw and switching to some hand tool work I realize I’m still wearing ear pro for no reason. And that’s in 100 f weather in Texas.

3M Worktunes with gel ear cups. On my second pair after “someone” got mad and threw the first pair across the shop… ordered the second pair the same day.

[Michael Schuch]

you can also wear a dust mask glasses and hearing muffs. The glasses will fog up then you cut your fingers off. Pain the ass most of this stuff.

I have had good luck with the 3M 8511 dust masks. They have a one way exhale valve so your breath goes out the front of the mask instead of following your nose into your eye glasses. The 8511 masks also seal MUCH better than cheap masks.

I HATED those awful cheap masks they distributed for COVID. I would go to the supermarket and not be able to read the product names because my glasses were so fogged up. I actually wore contacts for a while because I got so frustrated with the cheap masks. Of course contacts will only exasperate dust problems with woodworking.

[Rod Wolfy]

I have a large box of neon colored foam ones. I also have half a dozen $3 ones on strings on a screw by the door and then about 5 or6 over the ear ones on pegs or bungees around the shop. Sometimes I use the foam ones and then put the over the ear ones on, too. Just USE them! Anything handy is better than nothing. I have a very bad hearing loss (sirens before I retired) and I'm constantly on my friends cases to use them, as the loss is irriplaceable.

[Warren Lake]

have the 3M masks maybe 9211 not looking pleated fold out in three folds, have valves. Non are perfect. Often use nothing. Got some quality covid ones from a friend and they hook around your ears and are good. In a way I like that better than the two elastic straps on the back of my head Ive been used to for so long. This mask though since covid think I prefer hooking on the hears. Dont want to look like bullwinkle though. Dug one up 9211 memory still working.

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[Mel Fulks]

have the 3M masks maybe 9211 not looking pleated fold out in three folds, have valves. Non are perfect. Often use nothing. Got some quality covid ones from a friend and they hook around your ears and are good. In a way I like that better than the two elastic straps on the back of my head Ive been used to for so long

I’ve wondered why they don’t make hearing protection that looks like the old TV and film “arrow through the head gag”. It’s a beautiful
and clever thing that gives you a little more space when you have to stand while riding the subway.