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recommendations wanted for noise attenuating ear protection

powerglider

Stainless
Joined
Oct 13, 2006
Location
Mediapolis, Iowa
My father retired 2 years ago and is into small word sculpting now as a hobby.

He uses some power tools (grinder mainly) to help with the initial removal of material but works within a club and in a room where other noisy power tools are often on.

He bought a pair of ear defenders at a local hardware store (he's in Montreal btw).

I've got some experience in recommending ear protection for my own main activity which is flying noisy ultralight aircraft. In that environment a gel seal is often chosen so that it stays soft in colder flying weather (a lot of ultralight aircraft are open cockpit and my particular one has no cockpit so temperature is a factor in the choices).

I've always liked to use Peltor brand like this one:

3M Peltor H10A Optime 105 Earmuff - Amazon.com

in my own shop but wonder now if others have experience with various brands or particular model that really helps reduce the noise level. My father mentioned he wanted to reduce the noise of the planer and various routers operating in that common room.
 
I'm going to have a real tough time getting him to try to put anything in his ears. I'll suggest those to him but failing that for the headset type are the ones I'm using (Peltor) are the ones he's used to.

Have to admit I've tried the in the in the ear ones many times and never got them to feel right. How long do you need to use them to have them feel comfortable? Is it just a matter of keep using them?
 
Have to admit I've tried the in the in the ear ones many times and never got them to feel right. How long do you need to use them to have them feel comfortable? Is it just a matter of keep using them?

Glider -

I think how they feel varies from person to person. At work (around helicopters) we used the foam ones and they worked well; also used them on way to many weapons ranges over the years. But make sure you 'roll' them prior to insertion to get them to swell up and fit right.

Actually I prefer what you originally suggested now that I am retired - have three pair scattered around. Tractors, mowers, or wood/metal bashing equipment they work fine for me and comfortable. Think they would work fine for your dad. Main thing is to use something.

But then what do I know - my wife of 43 years says I am numb to any temperature or noise anyway. And I'm half deaf from too many explosions and equipment in my life, not to mention bad genetics in that regard! Never bothered me until the grandkids comment about Papa being deaf.......

Dale
 
Yes on Peltor. At the range I use EAR brand foam earplugs but in the shop I have several pairs of muffs. I like to take them off as soon as the machinery is shut down and quiet. Wearing hearing protection for long periods of time can be very disorientating.
 
I'm going to have a real tough time getting him to try to put anything in his ears. I'll suggest those to him but failing that for the headset type are the ones I'm using (Peltor) are the ones he's used to.

Have to admit I've tried the in the in the ear ones many times and never got them to feel right. How long do you need to use them to have them feel comfortable? Is it just a matter of keep using them?

Different brands and shapes work better for some people than others. I use the EAR brand foam (yellow cylinders) and was taught to roll them between thumb and forefinger to reduce their diameter and then hold them in for 20 seconds or so to prevent them from popping out as they expand.

By the way, I always keep earmuff type protectors in my trunk along with work gloves and safety glasses. I also keep a package of foam earplugs in the pocket of various jackets.
 
That's what I experienced also, the feeling of them popping out either right away or while I work.

I haven't tried holding them in for quite that long, maybe 2-3 seconds but never 20.

Either way the ones you put in the ears are tough on me just because of the feel.

I can see that once well fitted in the ear they would protect probably quite a bit better and the cost is reasonable.

Different brands and shapes work better for some people than others. I use the EAR brand foam (yellow cylinders) and was taught to roll them between thumb and forefinger to reduce their diameter and then hold them in for 20 seconds or so to prevent them from popping out as they expand.

By the way, I always keep earmuff type protectors in my trunk along with work gloves and safety glasses. I also keep a package of foam earplugs in the pocket of various jackets.
 
Try custom molded ones they're comfortable and you can hear voices through them while still damping the nasty frequencies. I use them all day every day. Can't even tell they're in my ears.
Jordy
 
Try custom molded ones they're comfortable and you can hear voices through them while still damping the nasty frequencies. I use them all day every day. Can't even tell they're in my ears.
Jordy

I'm interested, what's the cost? Will my boss be able to see them? :)
 
It took a few weeks to get use to in-ear plugs, but now I feel naked without them. We use the cheap ones, but I put them in when I get to work in the morning and wear them pretty much all day. I don't even notice I'm wearing them sitting in my office listening to music. I've found myself walking through the grocery store after work or at a restaurant with my earplugs in. It's the same thing with the safety glasses. When I get out of my car to walk into stores my heart skips a beat when I reach for my safety glasses and they're not on my head :). Once you get use to using them everyday you'll never go back. The sound of an air blow gun makes me reach for the plugs. They don't tune out the useful sounds, just the harsh ones.
 
I like the David Clarke 805V style. Hearing Protectors | David Clark Company

They are the type that are used on airfields and I can wear them all day. The strap across the top allows you to use a face-shield or
wear a hardhat etc.
Not available at many places so I just order mine direct from DClarke Co. I am only on my second or third pair and I have been wearing this style
for more than 25 years.

Michael
 
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Bose active headsets. They are of course designed for music, but by themselves listen for external noise then invert the signal so that the amplified signal is 180 degrees out of phase. That out of phase audio signal is then used to drive the speakers in the head set. The net effect is very effective noise cancelation. They work extremely well. They are not inexpensive at around $200, but well worth it.
 
I 2nd the Bose, expensive but well worth it",noise canceling" not just muffling.
Just tried them with my daughters 40 caliber pistol,just alittle pop.
Gw
 
Haven't used them personally, but these seem like a good combination of active and passive attenuation: Electronic Hearing Protection, Active Noise Canceling Headphones, Industrial Safety Earmuffs | Pro Tech NoiseBuster They're probably not the only ones out there.

A small amount of attention to enclosing or partitioning noise sources can go a long way towards making loud tools more bearable for other folks in the shop who are not operating the noisemakers. Not talking about enclosing the planer in a box, for example, but placing shoulder-high sound-absorbent walls between it an the others around it, if space permits, cutting off the direct line-of-sight path for the noise.

Also, wearing in-ear products under head-worn products will help as well.

I've had good results with the shooter-style in-ear products that contain actual mechanical valves that close under high-SPL conditions, but remain open for normal conversations.

Chip
 
I too like the black and red 3m peltor muffs. Ended up with a lot of ear issues after wearing plugs on long shifts every day of the week. Would be very interested in the gel seals, they sound a lot more comfy than the vinyl encased foam std ones.

Over here theres ratings for different frequency's but there all done to the same std so you can really compare brands.
 
Before you spring (relatively) big money for custom formed earplugs, try 3M's Tekk brand earplugs. I get mine at the local Ace hardware, they're made of Silicone and both last longer and cancel more noise (IMHO) than the foam ones. I also like the neckstrap so that I can pull one and hear other people talking if they interrupt my loud work.
 








 
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