Doctor Mud Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Hi guys, I have been putting off upgrading from electric engraver to air scribe since I live in an apartment. Doesn't look like I will be moving soon and I realised that (depending on the compressor) it may actually be quieter than my Dremel engraver. I have some crabs I have put on hold since I could finish with the engraver but would much rather use the right tools. I used a sound meter app (free decibel 10th) and my engraver is 100 decibels. I realise this is not 100% accurate but gives you an idea that my engraver is LOUD! I had read reviews for some air scribes and compressors and looks like at least they could be quieter than this..... So my neighbors wouldn't turn up on my doorstep with flaming torches and pitchforks if I was to upgrade now. Thanks for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Ive not thought of how loud my airscribe is? Its my compressor that's loud! I knew a guy years ago who built a wood box for his compressor and insulated it and also put in 2 small holes for it to breath and said it worked Purdy good. Hope this helps. RB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 I find a Dremel engraver to be a pretty noisy device. However, I don't think it louder than an air compressor. As an extension of RJB's suggestion, you might consider constructing a "home-made" acoustic shield to deaden the sound of your engraver. A large cardboard box with one open side and egg crate foam glued to its interior would have a suppressing effect, if you worked within it. Even with that it's a loud activity. Have you already had complaints or are you just being considerate? Another alternative would be to go mobile. If your city has a gem/mineral society, they sometimes have a workshop for members use. Your engraver would scarcely be noticed amid the din of the rock saw and polishers. Since your crab projects are small it would be easy to transport them. Have fun. Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 (edited) Like you say, it depends on the compressor. The air scribes aren't the problem. You could invest in a "silent" compressor, but they usually cost at least a thousand bucks and up new. Or you can go the way of building an insulated box around a cheaper one as RB suggests, which is what I did. It's no louder than a vacuum cleaner now and the neighbors can live with it. Some guys I know have their compressor in the basement and run the pipes into the workshop, but I don't know if that's possible for you in your apartment. Edited July 27, 2014 by Ludwigia Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 Thanks as usual for the top notch advice. Sorry for the slow acknowledgement..... Busy times - applying for a new job and just finished a huge project at work. Time for a holiday soon and back to New Zealand. Just down the road from crab ville :-) I haven't had complaints yet..... about my buzzing but just want to be a good neighbour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolmt Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I run lines from the compressor in the garage to the basement prep area so the noise is not an issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old dead things Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 There is always one more solution. When I moved to my current location, one of the prime requirements was to be somewhere where I could run my compressors as long and loud as I pleased, so I moved to the country. All my neighbors (except for the one who thinks he is a musician ) know that if things get too loud all they have to do is call or stop by and I'll find another time (except the musician ) to prep, but so far in the fourteen years I've lived here it hasn't been an issue, so I would suggest a visit with the neighbors. Jim Old Dead Things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Jim... The musician? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Jim... The musician? That would be Nigel; his amplifier goes up to 11. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old dead things Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 (edited) Auspex, ah ha, so you know him too . A mixture of bad country and old rock every Sunday morning and lives a quarter if a mile away, yup same guy(s). Edited August 28, 2014 by old dead things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted September 4, 2014 Author Share Posted September 4, 2014 Hi guys,Sorry to fire up a thread and not be around to follow up.....its been a busy time. But now I'm on vacation for a month I'll be off to New Zealand and will also have a chance to collect some more crabs for prep.I did a bit of research and there are some really quiet air compressors out there. I have one in mind that is that is silenced off the shelf: https://sydneytools.com.au/chicago-hush30-aluminium-silenced-30l-air-compressorLooks like you can even buy compressors with silencing cabinets that are 20 decibels quieter.Also I just had my 40th birthday and got an airscribe !!! Joy!! no more working with engravers. I'm so looking forward to it.When I say I got an air scribe I mean I still have to buy it though My wife didn't feel comfortable getting the exact one.......probably since I don't even know yet!! I've been advised that an ME-9100 and a micro-jack would be good. Is it possible to get an "all rounder" for starters? This will be for working on crabs. I also remember someone saying that a chisel stylus might be useful? I've been looking on the Paleotools website. One thing I've found with the crab I've been working on is that a longer stylus for access in behind the claws. I have one with claws that are about 2 inches thick, tucked up towards the carapace and getting in there has been tricky - its all about angles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ptychodus04 Posted September 15, 2014 Share Posted September 15, 2014 I have an Aro and run it off a small pancake compressor. Note the hearing protection in my profile picture... It's loud as snarge. I too have thought about the sound attenuating box but a chronic case of lazy has kept me from it. I just have to prep during bank hours! Regards, Kris Global Paleo Services, LLC https://globalpaleoservices.com http://instagram.com/globalpaleoservices http://instagram.com/kris.howe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renmanart Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Now I have a 20 gallon in a different room...sort of. My first setup was in a box, and it was about twice the size of a pancake comp. I put a fan on the box so air ran through it. I lined it with thick sound dampening foam, and I ran mine inside my house...with no complaints. I hope this helps. Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I started with a pancake, and that thing ran constantly. Even then it didn't keep up with my CP scribe. I recently bought a bigger compressor and couldn't be happier. As for noise, it is loud. I usually use a magnifying visor for eye protection (small mistakes in it are micro mistakes when I take it off), and ear protection. I can't imagine using my set up in an apartment, but where there is a will there is a way. Good Luck Ramo For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplomado Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 100 decibels is potentially dangerous level of noise over time. I would highly recommend ear muffs or plugs for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renmanart Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Hi guys, Sorry to fire up a thread and not be around to follow up.....its been a busy time. But now I'm on vacation for a month I'll be off to New Zealand and will also have a chance to collect some more crabs for prep. I did a bit of research and there are some really quiet air compressors out there. I have one in mind that is that is silenced off the shelf: https://sydneytools.com.au/chicago-hush30-aluminium-silenced-30l-air-compressor Looks like you can even buy compressors with silencing cabinets that are 20 decibels quieter. Also I just had my 40th birthday and got an airscribe !!! Joy!! no more working with engravers. I'm so looking forward to it. When I say I got an air scribe I mean I still have to buy it though My wife didn't feel comfortable getting the exact one.......probably since I don't even know yet!! I've been advised that an ME-9100 and a micro-jack would be good. Is it possible to get an "all rounder" for starters? This will be for working on crabs. I also remember someone saying that a chisel stylus might be useful? I've been looking on the Paleotools website. One thing I've found with the crab I've been working on is that a longer stylus for access in behind the claws. I have one with claws that are about 2 inches thick, tucked up towards the carapace and getting in there has been tricky - its all about angles. The ME is a good all round scribe. I have microjack's 1 to 6, and I would suggest the 6 with a two inch stylus for a general small scribe. If you get the long stylus for the ME you will have to get a separate long end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Thanks Renmanart, I did end up getting the ME and a microjack 6. The 6 is a good scribe for details if you are careful. I have had them for a couple of weeks and I'm getting used to them - and haven't had any noise complaints yet! I work from 10 AM till 5 PM in the weekdays while my neighbours are at work. I found if you have the 6 just turned on you can get some finer work done. I may want to get a 5 or 4 in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renmanart Posted December 19, 2014 Share Posted December 19, 2014 How's the crabbing going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted December 21, 2014 Author Share Posted December 21, 2014 How's the crabbing going? Hi Renmanart, All good thanks. I have one on the go now (see post: Tumido Prep number 3). But i'm on break while I'm on holiday in NZ. No complaints from the neighbors - so far so good. I work between 9 AM and 5 PM and keep the doors shut. Chiselling off bulk matrix is the only challenge right now as I go to the downstairs garage where it is hot and humid. My safety goggles steam up! I got an extension hose and have the compressor in the spare room so - if the worst happens - the tank ruptures - I'm not sitting next to it. Being in a hot, humid environment I find I get a lot of water in the system, but regular lubrication seems to do the trick. I now have it figured out how much oil to use to keep the scribes running well without squirting excess out the end for the first few minutes. I don't know how I put up with the engravers for so long! Where abouts in Canada are you from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renmanart Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hi Doctor Mud, I'm in Vancouver, there are crabs in the general area, but not as big as Tumidos. I am have a Tomido that I'm working on right now,but I kinda did a stupid, I'm used to working an much smaller crabs, so I started with to small scribes...so now I have to remove fine layers of rock. It takes forever, you have inspired me though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Mud Posted February 18, 2015 Author Share Posted February 18, 2015 Hi Doctor Mud, I'm in Vancouver, there are crabs in the general area, but not as big as Tumidos. I am have a Tomido that I'm working on right now,but I kinda did a stupid, I'm used to working an much smaller crabs, so I started with to small scribes...so now I have to remove fine layers of rock. It takes forever, you have inspired me though. Sorry! I missed your reply. Yes - there sure is s a lot of rock to remove on these big tumidos. I'm going to have a break for my next prep. and either prep. a nautiloid or the smallest tumido I have ever found. Its tiny for Tumido concs, but the crab looks to be complete. Hang in there. Post pics if you can of your progress. I love to see how other people prep these big fellas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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