Quiet router motor?

[Bruce Page]

I am seriously thinking of getting a small CNC router when I retire from my day job later this year, possibly the new Stinger. I live in a residential neighborhood and one of my big concerns is noise. I’d hate to spend the money only to have my neighbors complain as soon as I fire it up. I don’t think I could get away with using the 7518 or even the little Bosch Colt for long periods of time. So, my question is; is there a QUIET spindle motor that would work with the Stinger?
I have metal working machines and experience so making an adapter mount for whatever would not be an issue.

Thanks

[Michael Schwartz]

If noise is a big concern, you could place a smaller machine within an enclosure. This would also provide the benefit of isolating dust from the surrounding environment.

A spindle is generally quieter than a router, however based on what your cutting more or less of the noise will come from the actual machining.

According to cammasters web site the stinger will be available with a 1HP HSD spindle.

At the very least I would get a router/spindle that can take 3/8" and 1/2" tooling in addition to 1/4" bits. More power, even for lighter cutting, lets you run your router at a slower speed, and stay closer to the intended RPM. The stinger would definitely take full advantage of the midsize PC router, or the small spindle, so they would be worth considering over the colt.

[Jerome Stanek]

I have a porter cable 7518 on my old Shopbot and a 2.2 hp HSD on my new bot. The HSD is very quite the only thing I hear when running it is the noise from the spinning bit and the fan that sounds like a computer fan. I will only use the router if it is absolutely necessary becuase of how loud it is.

[Matt Clara]

The quietest router today is the Hitachi M12VC at 72 decibels (as I recall). Once you start cutting with it, though, it gets louder!

[Keith Outten]

I have a PC 7518 in my ShopBot at home. ($280.00)
I have a Spindle in the ShopBot at CNU. ($2,800.00)

The noise of the router or a Spindle isn't pertinent IMO.
The majority of the noise is generated by the bit as it cuts so whether you purchase a router or Spindle it isn't going to make any difference in the noise level. Cutting plywood, in my experience, generates the most noise, metal withstanding.

The 3 step warm-up period necessary for a Spindles ceramic bearings is a pain, to me at least.
Routers can be rebuilt in your shop for a few bucks, find out what it will cost to have your spindle rebuilt before you decide.

At CNU our office is in a residential neighborhood, our (very close) neighbors don't hear a thing when the garage doors are closed. When the weather is nice I open the garage doors and machine almost all day long and we have never had a complaint. YMMV depending on your neighbors but I wouldn't be concerned about noise, the worst case is that you will have to keep the doors closed.

.

[Bruce Page]

Thanks for the replies. The HSD 2.2HP spindle motor at $2500 is not an option.
In my experience as a machinist the actual noise of the cut was, in most cases, directly proportional to the rigidity of the setup. Is that not the case with a CNC router? Is the aluminum base/table plate noticeably quieter than a MDF table?

[james mcgrew]

bruce, i have had several cnc machines and have the camaster x3 and a stinger in my shop now, if your garage is insulated chances are it aint that loud that it will offend your neighbors, now my moms garage is 25' from here neighbors bedroom and it is insulated, i tested motocross engines in there till the wee hours of the morning and as long as the door was closed no complaints. if you want i can crank up the stinger next week and you can hear it run on the phone while we talk, like was said here the hitachi is the quietest option for routers and it will be the bit cutting thu the material that will be the culprit, the most noise will be from heavy material removal with big bits kinda like the difference in a car tire and a 33" mud tire on a truck, just doing 3d with a ballnose will be less than the router.

jim

[Richard Coers]

Depends on what you are going to do. If you do lots of 3D work, the router or spindle will be the greatest noise maker. A spindle is so quiet you can talk to someone right next to it. I run a Motionmaster 5 axis all day long machining rigid polyurethane foam and don't need ear protection at all. I had a Digital Tool with a Porter Cable 7518 in my basement. It was painful without ear protection, even with just a small 45 degree bit engraving a sign. Remember two things, that investment in a spindle will pay off if you resell it, and you can burn up routers in pretty short order if you do 3D work with 4 to 6 hour run times without shutting off. The router is just not made for that duty cycle.

[Steve knight]

the materials that make the most noise are plywoods the harder the worse and hardwoods. tropical's can be really bad purpleheart really screams when I cut it. the size of the bit can make a difference too the smaller it is the less noise. the slower the rpms the lower the pitch on the screaming.

[Gene Crain]

Bruce,

Once you get the machine going your neighbors will be over not to complain about the noise but gawking at it and what it can do. Go with a 4x8 with indexer, you will not regret it.

Then they will want you to make 'em something!

The 7518 at 10k rpm for small 3d work is not as loud as a shopvac.

I wonder if I painted my machine yellow if it would run any faster.....

Gene

[james mcgrew]

i painted my first one yellow and sold it for more than i paid for it!!

[Bruce Page]

Bruce,

Go with a 4x8 with indexer, you will not regret it.

Gene

LOL! I'm trying to figure out how to make room for the 30" X 50" footprint of the Stinger!
I may have to part with my planer & joiner.

Thanks for all of the info.

[Mike Heidrick]

The quietest router today is the Hitachi M12VC at 72 decibels (as I recall). Once you start cutting with it, though, it gets louder!

M12VC is 79decibels and the 2.2kw Chinese water cooled spindle is 72 decibels.

[Keith Outten]

I doubt that a Hobby woodworker will ever see a return on investment for a spindle.
If you run your router all day long in a commercial shop that is a different matter.
The PC 7518 will perform admirably in a hobby woodworking shop or for light commercial work. According to Joey Jarrard the 7518 will fit the Stinger.
Over 90% of the material I machine at work and at home is Dupont Corian which is harder than most wood species yet I have not had any problems with the PC Router in five years. The cost of a PC Router is potato chips compared to a spindle (considering the money a CNC machine can make), they are cheap enough to just throw them away when they are worn out.......install another and keep going.

The spindle we purchased for the ShopBot at CNU was a good choice, we run that machine all day long and run it pretty hard. The good news is that when the spindle needs to be serviced I won't have to pay the bill The bad news is that I will have to prep the spindle for shipping and it is really heavy with cables permanently attached. I also expect that my CNC Router will be down from one to two weeks while the spindle is being repaired. Depending on our work schedule we may have to purchase a new spindle and then send the old one out for servicing. The ShopBot at CNU saves the University easily over a hundred grand per year, our management will not want to see the machine offline for two weeks.
.

[Russ Revels]

I use a Hitachi M12VC router on my Camaster. Unless I turn the speed up the router is relatively quiet. Much quieter than my dust collector. I can run the router without hearing protection for short periods but the dust collector requires the protection all the time. Even with both machines running when I leave the shop and go to the house (about 50 feet) I can hear a low whine until I enter the house. My nearest neighbor is across the street and a couple to times I have walked over to talk to them while the machines are running and I can't tell they are on.

My shop is fully enclosed and insulated. It has bubble foil wrap and vinyl siding.

Russ