Noise level on Grizzly planner w/ spiral cutter?

[Dominic Carpenter]

May be a crazy question, but has anyone determined the dB level on the new Grizzly spiral cutter head? The new Hammer runs at about 80dB. Called Grizzly Tech, but they did not have dB levels for their planner jointers headstock spiral cutter heads.

[Jamie Buxton]

Even if Grizzly gave you a dB number for the machine, the comparison might not tell you what you want to know. Sound-level measurements depend on the measuring condition -- most significantly how far from the machine to the microphone, and somewhat significantly where the mike is positioned. The measuring room is involved too -- whether the walls reflect the sound or absorb it. AFAIK, there is no industry standard for these parameters, so if a manufacturer wants to advertise a lower noise level, he can just move the mike.

[Jim Stewart]

I have the Byrd and it is very quiet. That is on the G0490. Don't know the decibels but it would be fine to run without hearing protection. I mean it is extremely quiet. My dust system is supposed to be 80 decibles but I wear hearing protection because it is much louder than the jointer.

[Erik Loza]

Even if Grizzly gave you a dB number for the machine, the comparison might not tell you what you want to know.

This... ^^^^. Statistics like sound level are subjective and easily manipulated. Also, and this is just my personal opinion: They really are sort of moot because the machine will get 2X louder as soon as you put a piece of wood through it and we're not testing that part. I know that our factories use a room like a recording studio, with foam baffles all over the walls, to take sound readings from machines.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have Grizzly G0490X jointer with spiral head. I can tell you the 3HP Oneida DC in the opposite corner of the shop is far louder than the jointer. More than once I have moved away from the jointer to check fit and forgot it was still running until I shut the DC off.

But of course that isn't a planer.

[Ben Burns]

I have a Griz planer with Byrd cutter. It's more of a rumble than the buz of a straight knife planer. It's quiet and I don't really hear it over my dust collector.

[Cary Falk]

I had a Delta benchtop planer that was a real screamer. I never used to plane wood with the garage door open. I don't have any problems(or complaints) planing wood with the door open now that I have the G0453 with the grizzly spiral. I can talk over it. As someone else pointed out it isn't any noiser than my cyclone. My Shop Fox jointer quieted down a lot also withthe addidtion of the Byrd head.

[Dominic Carpenter]

I currently have a Delta bench top planer and a bench top Ryobi 6" jointer, both of which are embarrassing loud. I too work in my garage with my neighbors close. Have fully insulated the walls and ceiling, but the noise makes me cringe every time I fire them up. I upgraded my table saw this spring with a Hammer and now need a combo J/P (space). Want a great quality machine that won't break me, and make me and my neighbors happy. Sounds like the Grizzly may be a good compromise.

[Mark Henshaw]

I have owned the Grizzley jointer/planer with the spiral head for 18 months and am quite pleased with it. The sound level during full width planning is much lower then my previous 12" lunch box planers with straight knives. It also planes figuered wood with less tear out then was previously possible. I am more pleased with the model then I thought I would be.

[glenn bradley]

I don't know about 80db but, the G0453Z spiral head planer is pretty quiet when running. Much quieter than the oscillating belt sander or the tablesaw but, not as quiet as the G0490X jointer with a similar head and motor.

[Ralph Butts]

+1 on the manipulation of sound level readings. I will however share that my Hammer A3 41 w/ Silent Power cutter head is WAY quieter than either my Grizz G0500 or my 453. There was no comparison not even close.

[Chuck Saunders]

+1 on the manipulation of sound level readings. I will however share that my Hammer A3 41 w/ Silent Power cutter head is WAY quieter than either my Grizz G0500 or my 453. There was no comparison not even close.

Hi Ralph,
Was the 453 a spiral head? I was impressed with how much quieter the spiral head 453 was than the 3 knife planer.
Thanks
Chuck

[Ralph Butts]

The 453 was a straight knife that I never got around to changing out the head before I sold both. I had however been fortunate enough to test drive a spiral head equipped unit, which incidently was the catalyst for me purchasing a spiral head for my 453. That being said the unit I test drove did have a spiral head and while it is no doubt quieter than the straight knife version neither was as quiet as the Hammer combo.

[Chip Lindley]

Isn't that why they make sound deadening OSHA approved ear muffs??? Straight Knife cutter head planers/jointers are much louder than spiral head machines. Adding a dust collector probably triples the noise of a machine! Unless you bother the family or neighbors, deafen yourself and do your THING!

~~Woodchipz~~

[Pete Esposito]

I bought the Grizzly G0453PX (spiral cutter head) last year and it's very quiet even when taking off 1/8" on a 8" board. I used to have a 13" lunchbox palner with straight knives and that was really loud even when taking off 1/32" on a 3" board.