Quiet Table Saw

[Welsh Brian]

Having moved for somewhere where I did not have to worry about noise, I now live with houses around me and noise will be come an issue unless I take care to minimise the noise from my machines and of course when I use them.

dB levels have raised themselves high on my check list for the choice of a table saw and may well have ruled out the Dewalt /Bosch and other contractor type of saws! I guess I am going to have to look for an induction motor and change the blade.

Top of the list currently is the Axminster AC 216 with a claimed 81 dB (Bosch 10XC stated 111 dB!!!!) possibly with a Diablo blade. Anyone got any other suggestions / ideas? 8/10" good fence and quality around the Axminster offering is my target but would pay a little more for better/quieter saw. (+ need mobility and size to suit single garage.)

Thanks in advance...

 

[Ttrees]

Since you are concerned about noise, I'd consider getting a large 20" bandsaw
instead of a tablesaw.
If it will do the same job you want...but is height a consideration?

If you look at something about 200 kgs at the least, so the thrust guide won't be
constantly in contact with the blade and screaming...
anything lesser and it will likely be noisy machine.

You can stick a decent blade on it and it will be much quieter and less dusty.

I'd like to get a reading of my saw, might go looking to see if there's an app for that on a tablet.
Just a thought
Tom

 

[TRITON]

I've got their TS254m2 in the bedroom workshop and to be honest its not that loud, and I've checked this with it running and me going outside to listen to what that sounds like and outside the window I can hardly hear it. Inside ,outside the room with the door shut it sounds about the same as a washing machine or hoover.
Obviously cutting timber it is louder, but not drastically, and if youre not doing it constantly then it shouldnt annoy the neighbours.

Bandsaw is an idea but its small throat means you lose a lot of capacity, and als its a smaller table so sheet material will be trickier to cut, without making side, in and outfeed tables.

 

[NickVanBeest]

I'd like to get a reading of my saw, might go looking to see if there's an app for that on a tablet.

Not sure what tablet you have, but I use Bosch iNVH on my phone, and it seems to be quite accurate

 

[Sideways]

Induction motors are pretty similar - most are similarly quiet and most noise comes from their fan.
Some noise comes from the table saw belts. Bigger machines need 2 or three belts to handle the power and that will increase noise a little.

Most noise comes from the blade.
There is an optimum straight line speed for a tooth through any given type of wood. This suggest there may be little diffrence noise wise between a small blade spinning faster or a larger blade spinning slower. Be a little wary of a "quiet" saw that is that way because it's RPM is lower than optimal.
My own saw has multiple pulleys for different sized blades and for something small like an 8" blade it can go upto 6000 rpm.
Rip blades with big gullets between the teeth spinning fast create a lot of wind noise. Slots in the blade needed for expension and anti-vibration do the same.
Google "Silent + saw + blade" and you will find some specialist designs that try to reduce blade noise by use of small gullets (so only suited to cross cut / sheet goods, not ripping) and epoxy etc filling of the expansion slots.
Blades with fine laser cut expansion slots may be a halfway house without the cost of the blades with filled slots.
Thin kerf blades are quieter than thick ones I suspect.

 

[Welsh Brian]

Thanks both, I had a quite large band saw and as you say, it is a very capable machine and quiet. I retained a smaller Inca band saw which I hope will be sufficient for all those jobs a band saw is best at so I will have to. think hard to see if a large table saw would suit all my needs - thanks for the suggestion especially as it would be so much quieter than a table saw.

Running a TC 254 in a bedroom workshop without causing major noise issues is an eye opener! I really wanted the 10" saw but as it is quoted as 94dB and the smaller TC 216 is only 81dB I was going to go small. (?) If the TC254 is hoover noise level with the door closed then I will think again. I wish there was somewhere where you could genuinely compare machines both running and in action.... I did find a youtube review where several machines were tested and another where the blade was changed with quite dramatic results.

 

[RobinBHM]

The old Elu flip saws were almost silent running, huge different from universal motors with brushes

 

[Sandyn]

I use Decibel X on my phone. My Dewalt saw (Radial arm with induction motor) is 70dB at 1m. C weighting. not cutting. My Record BS350 is 80dB at 1m, but it probably could be tuned to be quieter.

 

[bp122]

I've got the ac216 and it is indeed quiet. But the fence assembly is not good, if you want to build your own fence, it is a good buy.

It is indeed very quiet, most of the noise comes from the cutting action

 

[Welsh Brian]

bp122 - can I ask what it is about the fence that you do not like? I thought it was one of the strong features!

 

[Jacob]

A lot of woodwork stuff is high frequency, which doesn't travel. Can seem extreme in the room but much less noticeable outside. Worth experimenting - switch things on, go outside with all doors and windows closed. You may be surprised!