How Loud is My Lathe?

[YotaBota]

On a different thread I was asked by @140mower how loud my lathe is and at the time I said it wasn't that loud compared to a belt drive. So now being as how I am sorta deaf in one ear I went in search of a more definitive answer. I downloaded a noise app called NIOSH SLM and went thru the speeds on the lathe and the belt drive milling machine. Then for comparison I checked the Shop-Vac, table saw, compressor and wood dust sucker. I took all the readings from where I would normally stand and at about ear level and here is what I found:

SM1120 Lathe		KBC830 Milling Machine
RPM	DB	RPM	DB
36	66	270	63.5
50	71	420	64.5
72	70	490	63
100	76.5 (gear noise)	700	65
144	72	950	65
200	76	1110	67
315	70	1420	67.5
450	75	1720	68.5
630	75.3	2060	69.5
900	90 (high pitch whine)	3200	75
1200	78
1800	81

Shop-Vac 10 gallon 4.5pk hp - 90dbdb

Compressor - CH 25 gallon 5hp twin cylinder - 86.5db

Table saw - General Int 10" contractor saw - 85db

Dust Vac - General Int 1hp - 75db

I wear Peltor ear defenders for the shop-vacs, table saw and the tractor but haven't found them needed for the lathe, yet. Most of my work with the lathe is under 900 rpm so the whine isn't an issue and I don't spend hours at a time on the machine.
@140mower - there are some numbers for you to work with for comparison to your lathe, I hope it helps in your decision making.

 

[YYCHM]

Did you check the lathe with or without the lead screw powered?

 

[DavidR8]

Pardon? I can't hear you over the noise of my router!

 

[YotaBota]

Did you check the lathe with or without the lead screw powered?

There was no noticeable difference with the lead screw running.

Pardon? I can't hear you over the noise of my router!

That's on I didn't try, I'll let you know tomorrow.

 

[DavidR8]

There was no noticeable difference with the lead screw running.

That's on I didn't try, I'll let you know tomorrow.

Pretty much guarantee that baby will be 90+ db

 

[Susquatch]

On a different thread I was asked by @140mower how loud my lathe is and at the time I said it wasn't that loud compared to a belt drive. So now being as how I am sorta deaf in one ear I went in search of a more definitive answer. I downloaded a noise app called NIOSH SLM and went thru the speeds on the lathe and the belt drive milling machine. Then for comparison I checked the Shop-Vac, table saw, compressor and wood dust sucker. I took all the readings from where I would normally stand and at about ear level and here is what I found:

SM1120 Lathe		KBC830 Milling Machine
RPM	DB	RPM	DB
36	66	270	63.5
50	71	420	64.5
72	70	490	63
100	76.5 (gear noise)	700	65
144	72	950	65
200	76	1110	67
315	70	1420	67.5
450	75	1720	68.5
630	75.3	2060	69.5
900	90 (high pitch whine)	3200	75
1200	78
1800	81

Shop-Vac 10 gallon 4.5pk hp - 90dbdb

Compressor - CH 25 gallon 5hp twin cylinder - 86.5db

Table saw - General Int 10" contractor saw - 85db

Dust Vac - General Int 1hp - 75db

I wear Peltor ear defenders for the shop-vacs, table saw and the tractor but haven't found them needed for the lathe, yet. Most of my work with the lathe is under 900 rpm so the whine isn't an issue and I don't spend hours at a time on the machine.
@140mower - there are some numbers for you to work with for comparison to your lathe, I hope it helps in your decision making.

Wow...... Now that's what a call a reply!

Easiest way to control machine noise in my shop is to leave my hearing aides in the house.

 

[thestelster]

I have a Bluetooth device which wirelessly connects to my hearing aids and controlled by an app on my phone, which will mute almost all surrounding noise. And get this, all while still streaming music or notified if a call is coming in. Blissfully listening to jazz while the lathe is screeching away.

I have found that as I have become deaf, noise bothers me more so than before.

 

[Chip Maker]

I have tinnitus and have become quite sensitive to shop noise. I always wear ear protection, even when using the shop vac. I'm not sure if it's coincidence or not, but it seems to get worse when my mother in law comes to visit. Easter is going to be a challenge!

 

[Susquatch]

I have a Bluetooth device which wirelessly connects to my hearing aids and controlled by an app on my phone, which will mute almost all surrounding noise. And get this, all while still streaming music or notified if a call is coming in. Blissfully listening to jazz while the lathe is screeching away.

I have found that as I have become deaf, noise bothers me more so than before.

Actually, I was just trying to be funny.

My hearing aides are similar. I LOVE THEM. I connect to my phone by Bluetooth, get the music I like no matter what others are listening to, can talk on the phone while it sits in my pocket, and can make out a private conversation the other side of a restaurant! Apparently, I can also use my phone to translate another language while someone else speaks! No idea how to do that and never tried it so I can't comment on how well it works.

@Chip Maker - They can be set to deal with Tinnitus too!

Never tried to silence my machinery though. That sounds worth trying to do! What settings do you use for that?

 

[thestelster]

Actually, I was just trying to be funny.

My hearing aides are similar. I LOVE THEM. I connect to my phone by Bluetooth, get the music I like no matter what others are listening to, can talk on the phone while it sits in my pocket, and can make out a private conversation the other side of a restaurant! Apparently, I can also use my phone to translate another language while someone else speaks! No idea how to do that and never tried it so I can't comment on how well it works.

@Chip Maker - They can be set to deal with Tinnitus too!

Never tried to silence my machinery though. That sounds worth trying to do! What settings do you use for that?

Start streaming your music, go into your app, and mute the volume. The surrounding audio is muted, but streaming music is still present.

 

[Hacker]

Actually, I was just trying to be funny.

My hearing aides are similar. I LOVE THEM. I connect to my phone by Bluetooth, get the music I like no matter what others are listening to, can talk on the phone while it sits in my pocket, and can make out a private conversation the other side of a restaurant! Apparently, I can also use my phone to translate another language while someone else speaks! No idea how to do that and never tried it so I can't comment on how well it works.

@Chip Maker - They can be set to deal with Tinnitus too!

Never tried to silence my machinery though. That sounds worth trying to do! What settings do you use for that?

This is great, my hearing has been declining over the last couple of years and I have been thinking about getting my hearing checked again. Will definitely look into the Bluetooth for noise dampening and listening to music.

 

[Susquatch]

This is great, my hearing has been declining over the last couple of years and I have been thinking about getting my hearing checked again. Will definitely look into the Bluetooth for noise dampening and listening to music.

Other than the cost, I do not understand why anyone would resist good hearing aides.

FWIW, mine are also virtually invisible. Then again, I still have all my fur.

 

[YotaBota]

For me everything in my one ear is muted and sounds buzzy, I tried a hearing aid but all it did was amplify the distorted sound. On the plus side it did help with my tinnitus but not enough to justify the cost.

 

[YYCHM]

Other than the cost, I do not understand why anyone would resist good hearing aides.

FWIW, mine are also virtually invisible. Then again, I still have all my fur.

How much did you pay for your hearing aids and from where?

 

[kevin.decelles]

I also have hearing aids. Changed my life. The first week was mind blowing. Did you know that water from the tap made that noise? On the drive home I didn't know that the signal lights made a ticking sound, or that my keys were tapping against the steering column......

I went with Philips brand, purchased from Costco. Bluetooth, rechargeable batteries etc. Flawless. I can stream music, background noise etc. Can also do handsfree easy on the phone. All it took was one conversation with my dad after I got mine and he finally went in to get some. Changed his life too.

I had tenitis pretty bad before (still have it, never goes away) but I only notice it now when I'm not wearing my hearing aids.

Hearing aids can be anywhere from 1500 - 5000 from what I saw. I think I paid 3200 or something like that (benefits covered it from work).

 

[Tom Kitta]

I also have hearing aids. Changed my life. The first week was mind blowing. Did you know that water from the tap made that noise? On the drive home I didn't know that the signal lights made a ticking sound, or that my keys were tapping against the steering column......

I went with Philips brand, purchased from Costco. Bluetooth, rechargeable batteries etc. Flawless. I can stream music, background noise etc. Can also do handsfree easy on the phone. All it took was one conversation with my dad after I got mine and he finally went in to get some. Changed his life too.

I had tenitis pretty bad before (still have it, never goes away) but I only notice it now when I'm not wearing my hearing aids.

Hearing aids can be anywhere from 1500 - 5000 from what I saw. I think I paid 3200 or something like that (benefits covered it from work).

To be honest a lot of people want to hear less sometimes. It would be a nice feature to have variable hearing - like be able to make it very sensitive or turn it to low sensitivity.

 

[kevin.decelles]

I agree Tom. I can turn it up/down manually or with the phone..... I found I have to do this whenever my wife is talking. After 30 years together, her voice was one of the most frequent things I heard and something my brain trained itself to hear (must obey!). Now, with everything else amplified, her voice is so loud I have to mute her. I wish this was a joke.... it's not

About one weekend a month I pull out the hearing aids and go about 10 hours without them..... like putting in ear plugs.

 

[Susquatch]

How much did you pay for your hearing aids and from where?

I believe they were around 3500 for the pair.

I have programmable volume range. I can increase or decrease the volume using buttons on the hearing aides as well as answer or hang up the phone from there. I can also increase or decrease the volume in either aide independently or simultaneously or change modes (meeting, TV, music, outdoors, theater, restaurant, etc) from an app on my phone. The range of authority can be changed by the audiologist. Apparently I am not allowed to change that myself.......

 

[YYCHM]

Back to lathes......

After downloading a DB meter to my IPad I measured these levels for my 9" Utilathe.

RPM DB1 DB2
50 55 55
100 55 58
180 60 60
250 55 57
300 65 67
500 58 60
900 62 67
1500 70 71

DB1 = DB lead screw not powered
DB2 = DB lead screw powered

 

[whydontu]

Using the NIOSH app:

Background noise from heater & fan: 47 dB

BB CT129 mill
350 RPM 72 dB
700 / 81
900 / 85
1300 /78
1800 / 86

Above 1100 RPM is using the high range gearing. Very high pitch.

BB B2227L lathe, leadscrew spinning but carriage feed not engaged
115 RPM 73dB
210 / 74
350 / 76
550 / 74
970 / 76
1620 / 84
and then 1620 dropped to 35dB when it tripped the breaker and shut off everything in my garage. Some day I'll get proper outlets installed on a separate breaker.

I generally don't wear hearing protection when in the shop, but it's obvious now that I should.