Ways to Reduce the Noise of Plasma Cutting

[Beefy]

Has anyone got any recommendations for ways to quieten the plasma cutting process.

Until the day comes where I can rent some commercial space I want to keep my table as quiet as possible so the neighbours don't get upset. It's amazing how a plasmerised jet of air can make such a racket while cutting.

Do water tables make a difference, plus has anyone made any type of shroud around the torch, something like a circle of broom bristles.

Thanks,

Keith.

[Mike 1948]

Originally Posted by Beefy Has anyone got any recommendations for ways to quieten the plasma cutting process. Until the day comes where I can rent some commercial space I want to keep my table as quiet as possible so the neighbours don't get upset. It's amazing how a plasmerised jet of air can make such a racket while cutting. Do water tables make a difference, plus has anyone made any type of shroud around the torch, something like a circle of broom bristles. Thanks, Keith.

I don't think a water table will help much with noise, it will induce another noise of the plasma jet hit the water and a loud gurgle sound. The water table will capture a lot of the black dust though. IMHO anyway.
A bristle shroud?? Sounds like a fire hazard to me. If you are trying to capture the smoke and black dust I would opt for a shroud over the top of the whole machine with a good exhaust fan to outside.

My 2 cents
Mike

[keebler303]

Keith

On either the front or rear of your plasma cutter, there should be a switch, possibly labeled with I and O. If you switch this switch to the O setting it will make your machine virtually silent.

But seriously I'd try to stick to daylight hours and keep the garage door closed. Maybe make some little widgits for them on the plasma table and then they will think its cool instead of annoying.

Matt

[CNCCajun]

I can promise you if you make some house numbers or anything and give it to your neighbors the sound problem will disappear.

Tell them you were practicing a new technique and really hate to waste the steel . .

Give them something finished . .

The wife and I used to do kettle korn for festivals. The popper I had built had burners that would not allow a conversation next to it. After giving away some kettle korn to the neighbors they got to where they LOVED the roar of the jet burners . . .

One neighbor started to say something ONCE & another told him to shut up and eat some kettle korn.

Steve

[jimcolt]

A water table dramatically reduces the noise of a plasma cutting torch. Part of the original development of water tables for high powered industrial plasma systems was to control audible noise.

Jim Colt Hypertherm

[Stout]

I recently upgraded from a dry table to a water table and it has made a huge difference in noise and dust. Less of both! My shop is about 50 feet from my office and I have to step outside my door make sure the plasma is running. There is no way I'd go back to a dry table!

[Beefy]

Thanks very much for the input guys.

That's music to my ears to hear that a water table will help a lot with the noise. My table is squashed inside a 3.8 metre square shed. I installed two fans in the back wall and keep the doors on the opposite side open slightly to get airflow through the shed but it's not enough to keep the smoke under control. I now have a huge incentive to do the water table knowing that noise will also be taken care of.

Nothing worse than putting your heart and soul into building a machine then you are scared to even use it because of noise.

Yeah I would like to dish out a few freebies for the neighbours in the hope that might help but another experience I've had when you are friendly + handy + have lots of tools and machinery, is you become very useful to folks and get lots of, "Oh could you fix this for me, etc". I'm battling to survive as it is without that extra load. And if you tell them you're too busy trying to keep you business alive, their liking for you can dwindle a bit. Sad but that's been my experience. I'll opt for the quiet, low profile, I'm not even there approach.

Keith.

[CNCCajun]

Never thought of that . . . I'm lucky I guess, I live in an industrial area where everyone is pretty handy . . .

In that case, remember a lot of your compressor noise is the intake . . . put a muffler on it . . .I didn't beleive it until I tried it . .

STEVE

Originally Posted by Beefy Thanks very much for the input guys. That's music to my ears to hear that a water table will help a lot with the noise. My table is squashed inside a 3.8 metre square shed. I installed two fans in the back wall and keep the doors on the opposite side open slightly to get airflow through the shed but it's not enough to keep the smoke under control. I now have a huge incentive to do the water table knowing that noise will also be taken care of. Nothing worse than putting your heart and soul into building a machine then you are scared to even use it because of noise. Yeah I would like to dish out a few freebies for the neighbours in the hope that might help but another experience I've had when you are friendly + handy + have lots of tools and machinery, is you become very useful to folks and get lots of, "Oh could you fix this for me, etc". I'm battling to survive as it is without that extra load. And if you tell them you're too busy trying to keep you business alive, their liking for you can dwindle a bit. Sad but that's been my experience. I'll opt for the quiet, low profile, I'm not even there approach. Keith.

[Beefy]

Steve, thanks very much. An intake muffler for the compressor is now on the cards too (and I didn't even have to ask for that advice, how good can life get).

Someone I knew had a large compressor and built a wooden enclosure around it for sound dampening. That's what I was going to do but now the intake muffler will be the first attempt at noise reduction.

Guess I'd better ask what you used for the intake muffler. Did you make it or buy one ready made ?

Keith.

[CNCCajun]

You can buy or make one from PVC pipe . . .

Steve

[Danno]

I have a 300 watt stereo that drowns out the plasma noise. The only thing the neighbors can complain about is the music !!

[CNCCajun]

Something tells me you live in the woods & are not operating a shop "illegally" in a subdivision as many of us do . . .

Steve

Originally Posted by Danno I have a 300 watt stereo that drowns out the plasma noise. The only thing the neighbors can complain about is the music !!