How Loud is My Lathe?

[Susquatch]

Using the NIOSH app

My NIOSH App does not measure sound. It only lists safe levels.

Regardless of which app you used, how did you calibrate it. I wouldn't trust any phone microphone to provide reliable sound level measurements without calibration. Even then I'd still be suspicious because of gain factors and frequency response. .

 

[Former Member]

@Susquatch I read some of your posts and all I can think of is a a grump old man waving his cane at new young machinists yelling "keep your new fancy gadgets out of my shop!"

:roflmao:

 

[YotaBota]

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

95db, and that's without any wood going thru it.

a grump old man

I didn't think he was grump.
@Susquatch - see how I defend you!lol
As to the tools for the test, you use what you have and that's close enough for a hobby guy.

 

[DavidR8]

95db, and that's without any wood going thru it.


I didn't think he was grump.
@Susquatch - see how I defend you!lol
As to the tools for the test, you use what you have and that's close enough for a hobby guy.

That's about what I figured it would be. Shockingly loud!

 

[Susquatch]

@Susquatch I read some of your posts and all I can think of is a a grump old man waving his cane at new young machinists yelling "keep your new fancy gadgets out of my shop!"

:roflmao:

You forgot to add "crappy" and "useless" to the list of adjectives before gadgets. And I may be in my 70s but I don't need a cane to make the young machinists scatter with their fancy crappy useless junk.

Want another good laugh? My kids, and all their friends think of me as a guy who loves gadgets. It's a bit of a joke around here. "He won't like it - not complicated enough. Needs more dials and settings."

 

[whydontu]

My NIOSH App does not measure sound. It only lists safe levels.

Regardless of which app you used, how did you calibrate it. I wouldn't trust any phone microphone to provide reliable sound level measurements without calibration. Even then I'd still be suspicious because of gain factors and frequency response. .

Good points.

Calibrated ears? 50+ years as a musician, 20 years in a welding shop, 35 years riding motorcycles, at one time when living on my own between ex wife and current wife I had a church organ and Leslie speaker in my living room.

But I digress. When all else fails, cheat. Compare the NIOSH SLM app reading against known available source, and against another dB app. Now that I’ve checked, NIOSH reads high, out of the box it’s maybe 10dB high. I should have done my research before posting.

My lathe is in my garage, next to my little motorcycle that has the factory stock exhaust that meets EPA 80dB, so I should be able to get a go/no go. Also give me an excuse to take the bike out for a ride - “Dear, I can’t go to the mall today because I have to do some noise level calibrations“

I also held the iPhone about .5m away from the lathe, it really should be at a standard 1m to get a proper value.

Common Noise Levels - Noise Awareness Day

While noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, it is completely preventable by taking simple steps to avoid noise exposure and protect your hearing.

noiseawareness.org

 

[Susquatch]

Good points.

Calibrated ears? 50+ years as a musician, 20 years in a welding shop, 35 years riding motorcycles, at one time when living on my own between ex wife and current wife I had a church organ and Leslie speaker in my living room.

But I digress. When all else fails, cheat. Compare the NIOSH SLM app reading against known available source, and against another dB app. Now that I’ve checked, NIOSH reads high, out of the box it’s maybe 10dB high. I should have done my research before posting.

My lathe is in my garage, next to my little motorcycle that has the factory stock exhaust that meets EPA 80dB, so I should be able to get a go/no go. Also give me an excuse to take the bike out for a ride - “Dear, I can’t go to the mall today because I have to do some noise level calibrations“

I also held the iPhone about .5m away from the lathe, it really should be at a standard 1m to get a proper value.

Common Noise Levels - Noise Awareness Day

While noise-induced hearing loss is permanent, it is completely preventable by taking simple steps to avoid noise exposure and protect your hearing.

noiseawareness.org

All makes great sense now. What caught my eye was the high numbers on your lathe. Looked unreasonable. Sounds like you are well on your way now.

Answers my question about the app too. I have an Android.

I have an app I use for measuring sound but I keep in mind that it's all only relative. The app I use also acts as a poor mans frequency analyser so I can at least see what I can't hear. Works great for tuning the guitar that I can't play anymore.

 

[Former Member]

On a more serious note, I use a both my iPhone and Apple Watch to warn of sounds. Do I use it as a definitive measuring device, hell no. But as a warning device yes.

My watch buzzes when it exceeds 90dB for a short period as a reminder that there is exposure.

Surprisingly, because of this I wear ear protection more as some sounds and exposures are considered normal yet exceed what is considered good for you.

Basically it is a tool to help you stay safe.

For better readings I use Decibel X as it spectral breakdown on how the readings are distributed.

Sensors in modern devices have come a long way in consistent performance, not lab grade but close enough for what we do.

There are apps for determining vibrations and they can even identify the axis.

Remember the true limits we need, leverage technology and benefit, avoid the grumpy old man syndrome .

 

[Susquatch]

On a more serious note, I use a both my iPhone and Apple Watch to warn of sounds. Do I use it as a definitive measuring device, hell no. But as a warning device yes.

My watch buzzes when it exceeds 90dB for a short period as a reminder that there is exposure.

Surprisingly, because of this I wear ear protection more as some sounds and exposures are considered normal yet exceed what is considered good for you.

Basically it is a tool to help you stay safe.

For better readings I use Decibel X as it spectral breakdown on how the readings are distributed.

Sensors in modern devices have come a long way in consistent performance, not lab grade but close enough for what we do.

There are apps for determining vibrations and they can even identify the axis.

Remember the true limits we need, leverage technology and benefit, avoid the grumpy old man syndrome .

Sounds like a cool app. If a similar app exists on the android platform, I have not found it. I have to use all separate apps to do all that.

You are not that far away from me. If you ever get down past London, give me a shout and drop by. I think you will be surprised to find how much we actually think alike. Although I am old, I'm not nearly as grumpy as you might think! You would enjoy your visit - especially after a few beers......

 

[thestelster]

My tests:

Using a CheckMate CM-130 SPL Meter taken where my head would be in front of the machine.
Settings: dBA, slow

Ambient noise: 24dBA
w/Furnace running: 61dBA

Lathe: Standard Modern Utilathe 1656
VFD fan running: 46dBA
RPM dBA
240 71.0
390 75.0
600 80.0
960 81.0

40 67.0
60 67.5
100 70.0
160 72.0

By using the potentiometer to adjust VFD output frequency to vary the rpm:
RPM dBA
(Gearbox set to High/240)
50 50.0
100 57.0
150 61.5

(Gearbox set to High/600)
220 62.5
330 68.0
560 75.0

Have a look at the red hi-lighted lines! Needless to say, that when I have to do reaming operations, I set the gear box to High, select the 240rpm speed, and adjust the VFD potentiometer to the speed that I want. In this manner it reduces the noise which might affect the surface finish of the reaming process.

Other SPL's:
-Excello 602 milling machine: 69.5-85.0
-Shop-vac: 79.5
-Surface Grinder: 74.0
-Sandblaster: 81.0
-14" wood bandsaw: at idle (72.0) cutting a piece of 2x4 (80-84dBA)
-compressed air nozzle: 83-88
-5HP compressor: 85

And of course the machine numbers are all at idle. What are they when actually machining metal? Look at the wood bandsaw numbers: an increase of 10dB.

No wonder we all need hearing aids

 

[Susquatch]

Sound? Your machines make sound?

Check out the tool tray on top of the lathe head! Talk about push up devices! I love it!

Mine has a nice recess built right into the top of the head for that, but I'd like something deeper and more organized. Don't want too much up there but what is there should be well secured and appropriate. I love your wooden tool tray!

 

[phaxtris]

I might be one of the few who trys to always wear ear plugs, riding motorcycles, snowmobiling, working in the shop, you name it, I find long exposure to loud-ish noises fatiguing and it puts me in a very irritable mood. I'm not sure how guys run grinders or table saws all day without ear plugs, I couldn't do it

Now that's not without conciquence.....the current cat likes to eat the stray ones...and ended up costing me 2600$ to have one removed....stray ear plugs are a big deal now

 

[Susquatch]

Now that's not without conciquence.....the current cat likes to eat the stray ones...and ended up costing me 2600$ to have one removed....stray ear plugs are a big deal now

OK, I confess I don't get it.....

Sounds like a very interesting story though....

 

[DPittman]

OK, I confess I don't get it.....

Sounds like a very interesting story though....

I had to think about it also but then I figured it out cuz I have a dog that does the same . Never saw her actually eat one but when I pick up after her in th yard it has been obvious more than once she eats earplugs.

 

[Susquatch]

I had to think about it also but then I figured it out cuz I have a dog that does the same . Never saw her actually eat one but when I pick up after her in th yard it has been obvious more than once she eats earplugs.

I should have guessed it would be a crappy subject.

I prolly got thrown off thinking his cat was a cat killer. (His cat likes to eat stray cats.) I thought my God, I've heard of Tom's killing kittens, but full grown strays? Must be one very big cat! Too funny! But I bet the vet bill wasn't funny at all.

 

[phaxtris]

I should have guessed it would be a crappy subject.

I prolly got thrown off thinking his cat was a cat killer. (His cat likes to eat stray cats.) I thought my God, I've heard of Tom's killing kittens, but full grown strays? Must be one very big cat! Too funny! But I bet the vet bill wasn't funny at all.

ha now that would be funny

no my cat is very tiny (3lbs ish), with very tiny intestines, and had definitely eaten them before....but for what ever reason this one became lodged causing an obstruction.....vomited everything she ate....the vet was unsure, took 3 visits, x rays (which showed something...they didn't know what, or were sure that was the problem) and finally exploratory surgery which revealed a very orange, and very swollen ear plug

adding it up with all the visits, the various medications, etc, was somewhere in the 2600$ range

so that's my story of why you don't leave stray earplugs laying around if you have tiny pets

bonus was that my wife and i got to watch our cat stumble around the house like a drunkard for an evening...pretty entertaining

 

[Susquatch]

ha now that would be funny

no my cat is very tiny (3lbs ish), with very tiny intestines, and had definitely eaten them before....but for what ever reason this one became lodged causing an obstruction.....vomited everything she ate....the vet was unsure, took 3 visits, x rays (which showed something...they didn't know what, or were sure that was the problem) and finally exploratory surgery which revealed a very orange, and very swollen ear plug

adding it up with all the visits, the various medications, etc, was somewhere in the 2600$ range

so that's my story of why you don't leave stray earplugs laying around if you have tiny pets

bonus was that my wife and i got to watch our cat stumble around the house like a drunkard for an evening...pretty entertaining

Nice story. Thank you!

 

[StevSmar]

…Shop-Vac 10 gallon 4.5pk hp - 90db…

Those bloody shop vacs!
I used to have a “Quiet Shop Vac” brand and I’m sure there was a salesperson in heaven who laughed every time someone bought one, thinking it would actually be quiet.

I hated using my shop vac, so much that last year I spent an insane amount of money on a Festool shop vac. It sure hurt financially for a while but after a very short time I wished I’d had it years ago. So nice not to have to use hearing protection when it’s running. Make sure you’re sitting down if you look at their prices out of curiosity…

 

[6.5 Fan]

Jeeeeez $2600 for a cat, i have 30 in the barn with more popping out every day. I will send you 15 or so.

 

[phaxtris]

Jeeeeez $2600 for a cat, i have 30 in the barn with more popping out every day. I will send you 15 or so.

I know I know, but what would I do with out my safety advisor

As you can see she is always on top of it, making sure I have the vests and such