Router noise?

[gundog]

Has anyone ever built a structure around the router to absorb some of the noise. I am thinking of trying something. I can stand the noise with ear muffs but I am worried about the neighbors complaining. I have not had any complaints yet and I want to keep it that way. I have a shop behind my house in town and I run my business from it. I don't need a complaint and someone trying to shut down my business. When I cut my parts the machine runs for 3-4 hours at a time. I will eventually buy a spindle but I think a lot of the noise cutting plastic is caused by the cutter.
Mike

[myxpykalix]

Do like Maxwell Smart and use "The Cone of Silence". I have a likewise dilema as i like to work late but i'm afraid i'll keep the neighbors up. I thought about making some type of sound absorbing box to go around router but there are airflow and heat issues that I haven't figured out. Plus my dust collection makes more noise than the router (on low speed) so that is another issue.

[jim_stadtlander]

I have a spindle and it does not make much noise by itself. However, when the bits are cutting (from the simple action of contact), it makes a lot more noise than when it's just running, depending on the situation. So buying a spindle for the sole purpose of making no noise may not be the solution. And yes, the dust collector makes even more noise. Sound proof the room more?!? ........Jim

[bill_lumley]

I worried about this stuff for several weeks before getting set up and in the end it wasn't an issue . I have my bot in my garage in a residential area . I have a spindle now and if I had to quiet down one thing it would be the dust collector but the noise is not bad enough that I forsee complaints . Most folks are away during the day when I cut . I recently put an air drill on the machine and now it is the loudest single item . Soundproof the room if you can . Seal any air leaks first as that is where your sound will be getting out the easiest . Bill

[rcnewcomb]

Give each of your neighbors a sign or a plaque. That way if they hear the noise they will associate it with the gift you gave them

[jamesgilliam]

Michael, Until the move to the new shop I ran my Bot with a PC router in the garage where we lived. The closest house was about 50 feet away, and never had a complaint. The only soundproofing I did was to use the foam insulation in the metal garage door panels and kept them closed if I ran past 10pm. I too was worried about the noise level, but while cutting 1/2" baltic birch in one pass I walked down the driveway and past 25' there was little noise to be heard.

[joe]

Lets not rule out the damage to ears caused by a router. It's a real concern. Take care of yourself, buy a spindle.

You tight wads.

[coolhammerman]

I've made a full time living out of my two car garage in a residential area since 2002. Before that, I earned part time income since 1969 in garages of various homes. Although a Bot makes plenty of noise, nail guns and table saws make lot's more! I've always been concerned about the neighbors.

The rules I follow that keep me out of hot water are:
Don't make noise real early (especially on weekends) or real late.
Keep the clutter down.
Keep the garage door closed as much as possible. An insulated garage door and garage air conditioner help tremendously.
Be extremely willing to help the neighbors when they ask or volunteer for little stuff.
Share the wealth - Randall is exactly right - Come bearing gifts, especially during the holidays.
Do everything you can to avoid being obnoxious with your work, and workplace.
If you do get a complaint, do your best to fix it quickly.
I check with the neighbors regularly to make sure they are still happy.

I recently learned how to cut marble. Attached is a photo typical of the gifts I made for free for all of my neighbors. The 12x12 marble tiles were on sale for $1.59 each.


8445

This works so well that I actually have neighbors bringing me business. Not to mention that I sometimes do work for them, always at reduced rates of course.

When I checked into a business license for a cabinet shop, I discovered that, at least where I live, you can't have a cabinet shop in a residence if you do any finish work at all! Plus the other regulations would have made it impossible. Also would have run afoul of the subdivision covenants. In this case, silence really is golden.
Good Luck in your situations,
Ron

[dana_swift]

Since I have gotten my shopbot I also have been concerned about annoying the neighbors. However in years past I have done work with room acoustics.

Randall's advice is gold, thanks! I hadn't given that a thought.

Here is a link you all may be interested in:

http://www.sonex-online.com/Acoustical%20Foams.htm

I have used these extremely absorbent acoustic materials and they can make a significant difference. But they are not magic.. and they are expensive and mega dust magnets.

Another thing I have done is just cover the walls with carpet scraps. I have gotten them for free from carpet installers, they are usually happy to have them disappear.

Giving the sound energy somewhere to go other than out-the-door will always help.

There are websites on what makes noise annoying which can give some insight- search for "noise pollution".

The last thing we need is somebody to decide there is a problem that needs the government to "fix".

D

[magic]

How about renting an industrial building then you can run you bot... at-will 24/7

[gundog]

I wish that was an option. My business is small and it is not my main source of income the rent on a commercial building would end my business.

Most of my machines are not real loud but with the Bot and dust collector running it is rather noisy and it runs for much more prolonged times than my other stuff.
Mike

[richards]

I started out with a PC7518 router and then upgraded to a 3hp Colombo spindle. The spindle is much quieter - until it starts to cut, then the noise is similar.

As you've noted, when the dust collector is running and the Shopbot is cutting, there is going to be a lot of noise. A cutter chomping through wood causes a lot of vibration, and vibration causes noise.

I work out of my garage. The only solution that I have is to be a good neighbor and to respect the rights of my neighbors to have peace and quiet in the neighborhood during "quiet" time.

[ljdm]

Lets not rule out the damage to ears caused by a router. It's a real concern. Take care of yourself, buy a spindle.

You tight wads.

HUH? CAN'T HEAR YOU! TOO MANY ROCK CONCERTS? I totally agree with the ear damage aspect. As far as "Tightwads", any time you want to help save my hearing, I would welcome a package in my mailbox(spindle in package). Until then, I am "Budget-minded" (translation - some of us have to wait longer than others to make that purchase). Ear plugs vs dinner tonite.

[Gary Campbell]

Michael...
The structure around the router is called a workshop! Seriously... I worked as a general contractor in MI for close to 20 yrs out of a workshop in residential areas. Licensing requirements required either an area where a home occupation was permitable or use of a commercial/industrial site.

I had complaints in my first location due to use of shapers, planers etc. When I built the second shop I used 2 by 6 walls, blew them full of cellulose insulation, added 1/4" sticky back rubber sheet (dynamat), metal "hat channels" and then 5/8" drywall. It was not cheap, but worth it. That system had been suggested by a commercial drywall contractor that used it in a state building. As long as the door are closed, there was NO detectable noise at a distance of 5 feet outside. (except by the garage door) I also had to add a pair of Delta indoor air filters. I wish that I had the wall space to add loose hanging heavy carpet to muffle the indoor noise & echos.

Sound control is not cheap, but if you are doing commercial work in a residential area, every effort that you make will be worth it. Consider the cost of being forced to rent a small commercial building. Be kind to your neighbors as has been mentioned above. Every little bit helps.
Gary

[bcammack]

Gary, if you can hang rectangular panels (say, 1'x3') of 1/4" mdf, covered in fiberglass batting from the ceiling in a alternating squares where the panels are perpendicular to the adjacent squares, the sound will travel upwards into that area and "die". It makes for a much quieter space.

[beacon14]

Be careful hanging fiberglass or anything else that is considered flammable from the ceiling. Insurance companies don't like that - for good reason.

[Gary Campbell]

Brett..
Thanks for the info. We dont have a need for sound deadening in our shop these days as we are in a commercial building. All my prior problems stemmed from semi commercial use in a residential area. Having gone thru that I wanted to share with Michael. Having code enforcement at your door is not a fun thing when you have a job to get done.
Gary

[myxpykalix]

Several years ago i had a guy come out and give me a quote to spray expanding foam to insulate the building to also deaden the noise but for a 16X24 building it was $2200.00 and i couldn't justify that cost.

[bcammack]

Fiberglass burns?? Ultra-thin strands of spun glass burns?

Okay, mdf might burn. Substitute thin metal panels instead.

This is a common technique in recording studios to eliminate standing waves caused by the parallel surfaces of the floor and ceiling. Hanging baffles like I described and then covering the whole thing with acoustically transparent cloth makes the ceiling "go away" as a parallel surface, eliminating the problem of standing waves.

[khaos]

But ... that would make that fun echo go away too.

Just the ramblings from a guy who lives outside the box and has issues with common conceptions of whats possible. Couldnt we just get some appropriately dense foam and cut the sound damping cones or waves in it for far less than the cost of retail sound material?

For the record I believe most botters are well outside the box.

[myxpykalix]

We had a recording studio in one of my buildings years ago and they hung this foam that was shaped like an egg crate in the recording rooms that to my ears worked pretty good. I think it was the same kind of foam like they make pillows out of.

[bcammack]

Jack,

That stuff *is* extremely flammable. That's what happened when that lounge burned down during a concert and killed all those people.

Here is an assortment of fire-retardant/non-flammable acoustic foam products from a good vendor:
http://www.markertek.com/SearchProdList.asp?off=0&sort=prod&skuonly=0&searc h=acoustic+foam&pagesize=0 (http://www.markertek.com/SearchProdList.asp?off=0&sort=prod&skuonly=0&searc h=acoustic+foam&pagesize=0)

[dana_swift]

The sonex products I listed above can be ordered in fireproof versions, but being the dust collectors they are, the only part of a shop I would consider using them is the ceiling, but they would be a huge improvement.

Then I like the idea of build-it-yourself, so if the same base foam is available.. its just a matter of a medium size ball nose and time!

D