Chicirda Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 My shop is in a one car garage, in a twin home, sharing one wall with my next door neighbor's garage, which are attached to the homes. What is a proper time window to use loud power tools? (I work wacky schedules, and sometimes I want to get in there a little early or a little late.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post duckkisser Posted June 4, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 try talking to the guy he might work nights or does not care have you really talked to him? seems like most people don't know their neighbors anymore. i spent most of my childhood at the neighbors, i fixed the other neighbors roof when i was in high school, etc..... still get a card and cup cake every year from a neighbor that moved away 5 years ago. i say walk on over and talk it over with him he might say not before 11 am or after 11 am but most people would be decent. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 try talking to the guy he might work nights or does not care have you realy talked to him? seems like most people dont know there neighbors anymore. i spent most of my childhood at the neigbors, i fixed the other neighbors roof when i was in high school, ect..... still get a card and cup cake every year from a neighbor that moved away 5 years ago. i say walk on over and talk it over with him he might say not before 11 am or after 11 am but most people would be decent. Duck is right, it may not bother him at all, but it might drive him crazy. The only way you'll know is if you go over and talk to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Keep track of what time it is when the neighbor bangs on the wall, and work around those times in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Ask them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beechwood Chip Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 It's a good idea to swap cell phone numbers with your neighbor, anyway. Sooner or later something weird will happen when you are on the road, and you'll be thankful that your neighbor can let you know. Plus, you may get more hours if they can say, "Don't worry about it - I'll call you if it's bothering me." than if they have to pick a time when they won't ever be bothered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghmyn Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Know the legalities first before going into the conversation, just in case he comes back at you with some ridiculous time frame that would only best suit him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 "I know the town allows X:XX, but I sometimes work outside those times. Will that bother you and if so when?" Allows that you know your right but are extending courtesy. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Follow-up thought... With power tools, the DC is always in the background raising the noise floor... I get almost no feedback from power tool use... But when I’m banging-out mortises, the mallet strikes are high-impulse/short-duration --- I get the most complaints from mortising... One complication – when using power tools, I’m also using headphones. With hand tools, I’m using shop audio... So that may be a factor... Side poll for the peanut gallery – do you vary your shop tunes based on workflow? Something percussive for mortising? Melodic for planning? Trance for sharpening? Dance remixes for assembly? Opera for marking out (only kidding)... I caught myself doing that earlier in the year, so figured I couldn’t be the only one... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Follow-up thought... With power tools, the DC is always in the background raising the noise floor... I get almost no feedback from power tool use... But when I’m banging-out mortises, the mallet strikes are high-impulse/short-duration --- I get the most complaints from mortising... One complication – when using power tools, I’m also using headphones. With hand tools, I’m using shop audio... So that may be a factor... Side poll for the peanut gallery – do you vary your shop tunes based on workflow? Something percussive for mortising? Melodic for planning? Trance for sharpening? Dance remixes for assembly? Opera for marking out (only kidding)... I caught myself doing that earlier in the year, so figured I couldn’t be the only one... I only listen to music when finishing. Something mellow and moody like Pink Floyd or Coltrane. Its also the only time I drink when woodworking (no booze & spinning blades!). But a couple beers or some wine go a long way to fostering the patience necessary for finishing. Long term hearing damage from years playing drums prevents me tolerating volume levels that can compete with power tools, even if I am piping music directly into my hearing protection. In terms of the original question, I work pretty much all hours of the day. My garage is drywalled and insulated and I get no complaints from the neighbors. At night I do need to wait for the kids are sound asleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Side poll for the peanut gallery – do you vary your shop tunes based on workflow? Something percussive for mortising? Melodic for planning? Trance for sharpening? Dance remixes for assembly? Opera for marking out (only kidding)... I caught myself doing that earlier in the year, so figured I couldn’t be the only one... I would have to keep a log for awhile, but I certainly am a moody listener. As a hobby guy, I notice this a lot with other tasks but have not processed my shop leanings. With thousands to millions of tracks at my finger tips now, it is easy to be choosy. And yes, opera is not completely out of the question for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 my neighbors are ok with my woodworking and they usually stop in to ask if i can cut something or whatever but i don't start up the really loud stuff until after 8AM. classical (beethoven, mozart ect.) when doing layout and handwork, chisels hand planes , 60's and 70's rock when doing assembly and metal hard rock when doing all the rough cut stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 FTR I don't own many noisy power tools, like jointers or planers, and I avoid using my (horrible) table saw at all costs. My bandsaw is my tool of choice for ripping and crosscuts and everything else and it's pretty silent. I only do my woodworking on weekends, not all of them, starting at 10AM and never after 8PM. All my noisy routing gets done between 12PM and 2PM or between 5PM and 7PM. Never received a complaint, and I live in an apartment... but it's a noisy area anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 I respect the noise limits of my municipality. My neighbors have never complained, but I try to keep the noise down whenever I can. My municipality noise hours are okay until 9 pm, which works out pretty good for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodbutcher74 Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 My closest neighbors are Harley people and don't think anything of cranking them up at 1:00 or 2: 00 AM. So I wood work when ever I damn please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 I am pretty sure noise limitations start at around 21:00 here, but with DST the sun is still up at 22:00. That makes for some obvious seasonal flex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Cancelleri Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 Follow-up thought... With power tools, the DC is always in the background raising the noise floor... I get almost no feedback from power tool use... But when I’m banging-out mortises, the mallet strikes are high-impulse/short-duration --- I get the most complaints from mortising... One complication – when using power tools, I’m also using headphones. With hand tools, I’m using shop audio... So that may be a factor... Side poll for the peanut gallery – do you vary your shop tunes based on workflow? Something percussive for mortising? Melodic for planning? Trance for sharpening? Dance remixes for assembly? Opera for marking out (only kidding)... I caught myself doing that earlier in the year, so figured I couldn’t be the only one... My general rule for my shop is, no planer, or router table after 9pm. I live in a single family home, but my neighbors houses are about 15-20 feet away. The rest really depends on your machines. My jointer is pretty quiet, and my dust collection is also pretty quiet, I however wouldn't do major tasks or big operations. Minimal type work, minimal heavy hammering. Drill press, assembly, light sawing (quick cuts, etc) bandsaw. I try to avoid tools with high whining sounds, or produce higher pitch sounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 My shop is on my moms land, I try not to do much powertool work real early or after dinner, I'm normally not there that early or late but on occasion I am, her neighbor is a younger couple with small kids so I try not to run anything after 8 if I'm there in case the kiddos are trying to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 My shop is in a commercial warehouse . I was spraying a cabinet that was due for delivery the next morning at 3 am, had the stereo cranked up and a cop walked in the back door, scared the crap out of me. He was just curious and had driven around the building on his watch. Never had a noise complaint. My neighbor repairs electronic gear so I hear loud guitar riffs sporadically all day. Tablesaw, router or compressor doesn't seem to bother anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orbb Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 My general rule for my shop is, no planer, or router table after 9pm. I live in a single family home, but my neighbors houses are about 15-20 feet away. Same here in terms of distance to the neighbors. I try to limit my really loud tasks (table saw, planer) to weekend afternoons, and I always keep an eye out to see if the neighbors are using their patio or yard. If so, I quit. This has caused me to really plan for these activities. Saturday of Memorial Day weekend was rip day - I ripped lumber all day for 3 different projects, to get it all out of the way at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tcarswell Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I built my shop up from bare studs so luckily I had the fore sight to double sheet rock and install the max allowable insulation in the stud bays. I have neighbors 15 feet away and I work all hours with absolutely never a complaint. I ask often if anything is too loud. They always think I'm crazy for asking so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
splinterdawg Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 We used to live in a neighborhood where the houses were about 15 to 20 feet apart, and I had to limit my woodworking to daylight hours. Cranky people on the HOA board! We moved to an area where we are now on 3 to 5 acre lots, and now I can work anytime. But I think you should talk to your neighbors and find out what they think. It might not even bother them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Reading this thread has me feeling really rude! I mostly work at night after the kids go to bed. 8pm-1am are my prime woodworking hours. My neighbors house is about 20 ft away. But I just assumed that with drywall, insulation, sheathing and brick separating me from the word everything is pretty quiet. I will set up a decibel meter and see how bad it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim0625 Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Reading this thread has me feeling really rude! I mostly work at night after the kids go to bed. 8pm-1am are my prime woodworking hours. My neighbors house is about 20 ft away. But I just assumed that with drywall, insulation, sheathing and brick separating me from the word everything is pretty quiet. I will set up a decibel meter and see how bad it is. And you may be right Mike...with drywall and insulation in YOUR shop and in THEIR house, they may not even hear you. If you set up a decibel meter, go in their yard and set it down by their house but you'll probably find it's low. Duck has the best advice....ask them. Even if they never hear anything, they will appreciate your consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 I hear more than my neighbors. They all air condition. That also plays a part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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