How noisy is your studio?

[Renee]

Is it just me, or does anyone else have a work area that's simply too noisy? It's starting to drive me nuts, not to mention deaf!! If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears . Here are pictures of my setup (excuse the bad photos & the mess)

The first photo is a general shot of my work area. The second is the vent hood.



I have two oxycon's immediately to the left of my workbench, and the ventilation. The fan itself for the ventilation is about 15 feet behind me. It's an in-line fan attached to the ceiling joists, and it's about 5' from the window where the duct exhausts to the outside.

I think the fan is something like 600+ cfm. I do have a rheostat for the fan (the little blue thingy on the left side of the hood) but I almost always keep it at full speed. The hood, by the way, is 2'x2' and almost touches the back wall.

My thought is that the sound of the fan is being transmitted through the duct work, and that in combination with the sound of the air being pulled through the duct is what is making it so loud, but I'm really not sure. The only thing of which I'm certain is that it's too loud! The duct, by the way, is 8" diameter (possibly also part of the problem?). The only things I can hear while torching are the doorbell (and just barely), or when my dog's outside, I can hear if she barks (the sound travels through the duct, and, no, she's not barking at the duct!). There's no music playing, which I'd like to change, because then I'd probably not be able to hear anything at all!!

Anyway, if anyone has any ideas or suggestions (please don't suggest ear plugs!) that would help quiet things down, please let me know!! Thanks in advance.

[Feldt's Glass]

My fan is actually mounted outside so I don't hear that much at all. However the two OGSI-15's well they are loud! Runs the torch good though so I won't complain to much. I can't play music either because I just wouldn’t be able to hear much of it unless it was blasting.
Is the fan vibrating? That would make extra noise. You might try insulation where it touches the ceiling. We have mine mounted so it doesn’t move at all and can’t vibrate against anything. Just a thought. Good luck on fixing it!!

[Wonker]

Hi Renee,

I think all of our studios are probably pretty loud. You add a vent fan and even one oxycon and it's a lot of clanking. I don't wear ear plugs, but I have a CD player cranking out Pink Floyd, but it's not for everyone.

[Dale M.]

Ok... Try a few things.... Wrap some insulation around vent ducts... it will deaden vibration noise along duct, also cover hood with insulation... Try removing tools and other things from hood, the magnet strip and tools are a source of noise believe it or not.... Put oxy cons in other room....

Work your way around studio with only one "thing" running at a times ( powered equipment) identify the noise and do something to reduce it....

With everything going its just a fusion of noise.... Seek source of each individual noise and quell it....

Dale

[Heidi von Frozenfyre]

We finally go the ventilation finished to my specifications last week. We put the "fan" part mounted in the attic of my studio against the outside wall - with rubber washers you can find at any hardware store. I can't even hear it now!

A $3 investment made a world of difference!

[SheilaM]

Deaden that sound!
Rubber washers,
Are you in a basement with concrete walls?
Even if you wrapped insallation panels with fabric and put it on the wall, it will help!
You could put a drop down ceiling in..
My DH is studying sound deadening right now. that is his solution.
He is a music collector...I have panels wrapped in fabric on my wall!
WOW! What a difference. He even put pieces of wood stacked on his equipment to prevent "sound vibrations".
I think you can see it on my studio page of my website...Where I show the speakers...that, by the way...I PLAY PINK FLOYD with! FOR THE WHOLE HOUSE TO HEAR!!
Wa hoo!

[artwhim]

I do think adding baffles from the hood all the way down to the work surface contained the noise for me. The rest of the basement is not noisy at all. However, where I sit is a different story. The fan reminds me of a jet plane! I purchased a pair of noise reduction headphones for the boom box and they work like magic. I'm amazed how low the volumn needs to be turned on when using the headphones! Since I'm keeping the noise out by listening to music, I figure it is better for my hearing over time. Think the headphones were $40 or 50 on at Best Buy and worth every penny!

[Renee]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your ideas and suggestions! On the one hand, I'm glad to hear I'm not alone with a noisy studio. My studio is in my basement with concrete walls & floor. I didn't think about insulating the ducts or adding something to absorb the noise. That's a very good idea! A drop ceiling is also a good idea, but it would take me too long and I'm afraid the project would become a major pain in my butt.

The hood doesn't vibrate at all. I added the tools only recently, and the magnetic bar is attached with adhesive velcro tape. I could move the oxycon's to the other side of the basement, which I guess would help to some degree.

The mount that secures the fan to the joists has rubber washers. The noise the fan makes (right there at the fan) isn't objectionable. It becomes objectionable at my workbench. What do you use for the insulation around the duct work? Do you use the "pink" stuff, or is there something else?

Kathy, you know, it's too funny that you mention the noise cancellation headphones! I've been eyeing them specifically for that purpose, too! Are yours over-the-ear headphones, or small in-the-ear ones? Also, with them on, and music on, can you hear anything else?

All of you are so wonderful for making your suggestions and telling me about your set-up! I so appreciate everyone's input!!! Thanks!!!

[Norskiglass]

I would like to draw ya a little picture......lol!! I will tell ya what worked for me a few years back I built a box out of MDF (sound board) then mounted the fan inside with a divider in the center of the box. ~All you heard was 2,000cfm of air moving out the duct!!

[pmoores]

Between the furnace and my 2 5 lpm concentrators, its so loud I have my little 19 in tv at max volume just to hear it properly.

[beadygirl]

Mine is loud too. I went from the noise of the Hot Head to the noise of the stupid exhaust fan!! I think the fan is louder! My oxycon hardly makes any noise at all though....I think they are supposed to be fairly quiet aren't they?

The kids always want me to use their MP3 players while I'm working, but I'm affraid I won't be able to hear anything else!
Great advice in here guys!

[pmoores]

I wont do it right now but if I ever upgrade to those 8lpm/15psi units ill put them upstairs, run a extension cord to them so I can turn off and on without climbing the stairs and pipe the oxygen all the way down to where I work.

[sunnyone]

ha ha...had to reply to this....my DB recording studio occupies the other half of our basement....

answer....unbearably noisy at times ..hehe

crystal

[Just Nancy]

Wow. Is it generally the oxy cons? This is the exact reason I stick with a tank. I'm afraid I'll get a noisy one. As it is I think my studio is fairly quiet. ~ Unless I turn the radio up too far.