power table saws

I'd suggest one of the older ones. I have a Boice-Crane one that is not very bad at all. But it is very heavy (shop, no way to go to a job site if that is important...), requires a dedicated 20 amp circuit. Up side, other than lower noise is that it is great at cutting. I frequently rip

Noise is a major factor with most construction tools. I buy those ear buds on a plastic line. One on each end, and in the middle I attach an alligator clip so that I can pin it to my t-shirt. They are always handy, always there, and never get in the way. When not in use I stuff them inside my t-shirt so they do not get damaged. I have at least 6 sets, ready to go, with little alligator clips. Most people I work with wear nothing, have ear protection but it is never there when needed. When I start a day, first thing I do is pop a pair of those ear buds inside my t-shirt and go to work. john

does anyone make a table saw that doesn't generate a ton of noise? the major companies seem to make it a point to make these damn things as noisy as possible. Even a hand held circular saw is fairly noisy. just curious.

Ear Plugs Go a Long Ways...

and what do my neighbors do about the noise? I"ve never understood why an electric motor has to be so damn noisy.

and what do my neighbors do about the noise? I"ve never understood why an electric motor has to be so damn noisy.

I'm concerned over the noise because my neighbors will complain. I live in an apartment complex and the powers that be don't like tenants using power tools indoors. And they might even bitch about the noise if I use one outside as well.

Here in Houston it 6 Am. 9 PM. it ok but that just a standard, for some neighborhood and Real Estate community it 8 am. to 4 pm.

Apartment complex Yes you right you Dam if you do and you Dam if you don't..

I had to Pre-Cut in a near by park, and go back to the Complex to do the Work...

not much they can do between 8 and 5. tell 'em to piss up a rope.

that's what I said. but apparently, property owners rule.

Richard,

Heavy belt driven cabinet saws are a lot quieter than portable construction saws. The induction motor, belt drive, enclosed cabinet, and the mass of the top all reduce the noise level. Still, they aren't silent and good luck getting one of those in your apartment (unless you have a garage you can work in).

Depending on what you are needing it for, you might look at a track saw. They are somewhat quieter than a standard circular saw (it's all relative), and almost as accurate as the table saw. They also work great for things like crosscutting a sheet of plywood, something that is difficult to do on the tablesaw. I prefer using my tablesaw for most ripping operations because it's faster to set up and repeat many times. However, I have the Makita SP6000K track saw and have been very happy with it, especially for cutting down sheet goods:

I use the "Work Tunes" headphones (the old style with the dial tuner). The radio quality sucks (drifts a lot and drops out from time to time when I move around), but the combination of blocking external noise while providing something more entertaining to listen to makes working in the shop a joy.

You have limited options in an apartment complex. I basically resorted to a handsaw, hammer, and power drill when we lived in an apartment.

I live out in a rural area now, but I still try to limit my woodworking between 10am and 6pm or so. For especially noisy operations like running the planer and dust collector at the same time, I close the garage doors to knock down the noise further. I have never had a complaint, I just do it out of respect (I wouldn't want them running power tools early in the morning or in the evenings).

Good luck,

Anthony