Trying To Keep Our Saws Quieter

[troylee]

If someone has a modded 025 muffler, I will trade you for my stock muffler and pay shipping both ways.

 

[linkbuxRUS]

I like loud saws, there is just something beautiful about a 2-stroke engine that is not being choked up.

Plus, my wife can hear me from across the field. She knows that if she doesn't hear my saw for more than 15 minutes to either call for help or crack open a bottle of wine

 

[Genius]

Why does it call me a guest?

 

[sachsmo]

Loud gets annoying when working between houses or in the city all day with the sound bouncing off everything.


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Loud doesn't bother me nor my neighbors.

Even quiet ones will pizz off many biotchy people?

I for one would absolutely hate it if NHRA ever made them put 'silencers' on top fuel racers eh?

If'n you need 'quiet power' go electric!

 

[spike60]

Randy, is that 390 muff noticeably quieter than the 390 you did for me?

What? WHAT? Speak up I can't hear ya.

Seriously, it looks good!

 

[mdavlee]

Milling with some of them for an hour is almost painful with ear plugs in. The 9010 was awful the way the outlets were. Hope the 088 or 084 is better.

 

[procarbine2k1]

Awesome thread. I agree on the noise. I don't mind a loud saw if its cutting cookies at a GTG, but other than that.... I don't like wearing ear plugs when I'm in the woods. I know I should, and do at times- but don't like it.
I have seen more gains on Stihls getting rid of that bird cage than I have adding ports (depending on saw), by feel anyway.

 

[mainewoods]

Not many guys wore hearing protection back when I cut for a living. I sure wish I had. Today's saws are a heck of a lot quieter than those old Homey's and Mac's were, even modded. Whatever you did to my 346 exhaust - I like it! I don't find it loud, just pleasantly throaty.

 

[Chris-PA]

I always wear ear protection when running a saw, it's something my dad taught me. Even so I have two saws that are just too loud. One of them is a ported and muffler modded 46cc saw that likes to rev, and the exhaust note just goes right through everything. I know you can hear that thing for a very long way.

 

[CTYank]

I catch some flack from SOME people about the low noise level from most all my saws. OTOH, some folks who often work nearby like the low noise level and let it be known. Safe bet that others in earshot feel the same.

Far back as I can remember, I wear ear protectors, except sometimes with really quiet Echo 315 or JennFeng "Mac". For a quick cut or two only.

I sold my first saw, a Poulan S25DA, because even with the ear protectors available back when, it was soooo loud. The Poulan 2400 I have now has the same 38 cc engine; ear plugs and muffs now make it tolerable. It's not my 'go to" saw.

It's not a matter of the noise hurting your ears. High-frequency, high-level noise does cumulative damage to high-freq ear sensors. When that damage is done, you'll never undo it.

 

[LegDeLimber]

I like the foam in-ear plugs for yardwork and any time that I'll be keeping them in
for lengthy periods.
Just getting the hang of rolling them nice and straight then quickly inserting them
into your ears is the trick for getting best noise reduction and comfort.

For shorter or intermittent wearings when I might need stop and talk with someone
I'll often go with those corded silicon "tree" types.
put an alligator clip on the cord and grab the back of your shirt collar with it.
then dangle them around your neck when not inserted.
That way you aren't as prone to loosing them when you pull them out to talk.

For short and quick stuff like a blast with the air hose (those screw holes can really whistle)
I find the over-ear muff type to be handy.

It seemed weird wearing the foam ones at first (years ago)
but now I actually sometimes catch myself still with them still in
after I've put away all the yard toys and headed inside.
It's that funny thoomp sound in your ears from walking up the brick steps
that usually lets me know.

 

[KenJax Tree]

My whole crew wears foam earplugs all day we talk with them in we just talk LOUD. I sometimes forget i have them in.


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[nhlogga]

I despise a loud exhaust on vehicles and hate a chain saw being any louder than necessary. I like the performance of modded saws but the ones I have ran were way too loud and pigs on fuel.

 

[fearofpavement]

Almost all of my chainsaws have oem exhausts. Hearing protection is an absolute must if you want to be able to hear all your life. Many of us middle age guys already have hearing damage and one danger is that due to impairment, loud and damaging noises don't "seem" that loud to us but continue to do increasing amounts of damage. I demoed a Mac 10-10A today for a buyer and that thing is really loud. Not sure I could stand behind it for hours at a time even with muffs on. I usually have a pair of foam ear plugs in the pocket of my work pants. I wear them when running any kind of ope, running a shop vac, using most power tools such as circular saws, power miter saws, etc. I know I already have some hearing loss because it gets measured when I get flight physicals. I want to keep that to a minimum so I'm careful with my ears.

 

[Genius]

I like revving the piss out of my saw just for ***** and giggles

 

[Termite]

That machine in my avatar started my hearing loss. I worked at a test cell where the engines were tested after overhaul. If you went into the chamber, made of concrete, at the wrong percent of max power it made you tired all day. Certain engines at certain percents would make the fillings fall out of your teeth!
It was very interesting work.

 

[Chris-PA]

That machine in my avatar started my hearing loss. I worked at a test cell where the engines were tested after overhaul. If you went into the chamber, made of concrete, at the wrong percent of max power it made you tired all day. Certain engines at certain percents would make the fillings fall out of your teeth!
It was very interesting work.

Yeah, ear plugs and muffs, but you had to remember to keep your mouth shut or the sound coming in would hurt your ears.

 

[treesmith]

I was taught by industrial health and safety that ear plugs aren't protective enough, muff are far better as they cover the solid bit behind the ear, this can transmit sound vibration and may be why plugs are lower rated. Mining regs seem to be plugs and muff.

Found this too, interesting

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/ear_prot.html

 

[Philbert]

Plugs and muffs each have their advantages, and there are differences between models, if they are inserted/ worn correctly, etc.

Plugs AND muffs do provide additional protection.

Philbert

 

[LegDeLimber]

Yeah, ear plugs and muffs, but you had to remember to keep your mouth shut or the sound coming in would hurt your ears.

My last job involved setup & running an ancient ,well worn lathe.
One day my boss walked up to discus something work related
But started off with a good natured jibe about my leaning against the running machine and looking lazy.
I had my elbow on the cross slide and my knuckles under my chin.
I pointed out that I was listening to it running and the sound of the cut.
He gave me the "Spock" eyebrows and a look of "oh baloney"
and then a grin that conveyed " that's a new one, go ahead and talk some more..
with earplugs in deep it's easy to hear that vibration through your bones.
From my elbow it travled up to my first knuckles easy
and resting your chin on them just takes it right around the jaw bone
and over to your ears.
That carbide when cutting sounds a bit like a frying hiss.

For good measure, I was a tad lengthier with my answer .
I had learned that a greatly detailed answer was a good way to win
a debate about ordering unusual supplies or changing an old inefficient procedure.
______ "The rule of threes" ______
Have three answers for every one question
and three more answers for *each* tangential question of
"well what if that first thing doesn't work?"

That "baffle 'em with brilliance" reaction from a brash teenager
just sort of evolved into "The Rule of Threes"
and actually served me rather well for many years.