Replies

1. 
   Timberwerks | Jun 10, 2003 03:44pm | #1

   I don't think there is much you can do to quiet a planer. Moving the chip deflector farther away from the knives will help a little, but taking light cut's may be what you need to do.

   Dale  

2. 
   jeffn7 | Jun 10, 2003 05:09pm | #2

   about the only method I know of to reduce planer, or any machine noise, is to wear hearing protection.

   planers are noisy... large motors, long cutterhead moving at high speed, 3 or more knives cutting through the air banging into a piece of wood, chips breaking free and flying into a metal surface.... yeah, it's pretty much everything you need for a real noise maker.

3. 
   terryb | Jun 13, 2003 05:38pm | #3

   Most of the noise from my Grizzly 15" is caused by the air being pulled past the cutters by the dust collector. To see (hear) this, run the planer, then turn off the dc. The noise drops waaaay down. I experimented by loosening the shroud a bit to let some air leak in without being pulled past the cutterhead and it made some difference - not enough though. I'm thinking of building some type of easily removable cover that is lined with 2" blueboard. Don't know if it'd work or not.

1. 
   GaryRose | Jun 23, 2003 03:17pm | #7

   Thanks for the help.

   I'm experimenting with some muffling ideas myself.  I tried some crude ways of doing this until I hit on what seems to be an effective and practical method.  I've had some limited success, but am still working on it.  Sou8nds like you are trying about the same thing.

4. 
   Andrew | Jun 13, 2003 11:20pm | #4

   The only way to quite down a planer is to instal helical cutterhead. They are very quite, even when running, so much so that you might not even need to wear hearing protection. The downside is that they are very expensive. The cutterhead alone will cost as much or more than your planer.

   The reason they are so noisy is becuase of the amount of air that the blades move around. If your worried about the neighbours complaining then you may have to sound proof your shop.

1. 
   GaryRose | Jun 23, 2003 03:18pm | #8

   Thanks for your help.

   Gary Rose

5. 
   ChasStanford | Jun 14, 2003 12:55am | #5

   Set it atop some inch thick upholsterer's foam.  Wear hearing protection.

6. 
   jackiechan | Jun 14, 2003 03:55am | #6

   Gary,

   What is your planer mounted on?  If it's bolted onto some sort of box or cabinet structure, the already loud sound will be amplified (if you've ever touched a tuning fork to the face of a guitar for tuning - the planer is creating the same effect - resonance amplification). 

   The second question is, what is the stand (box, cabinet, etc...) placed on (poured concrete floor, wood, etc...)?  A certain amount of sound can be cut down by placing some sound deadening material between the planer and cabinet, and some anti-vibration foot pads under the cabinet.

   The majority of 15" planers recommend taking a maximum of a 1/8" cut at a time, try reducing the depth of each cut, this should also help.

   If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask!

   Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.