It’s been busy. About a coop a week through most of March and April. And the IT work. So I’ve unfortunately not had a lot of time to blog. Ah well.

One think I’d like to mention: If you want to save your hearing, buy better tools.

You see, we’ve been gradually upgrading our shop from our first-time tools (like the Skil miter saw, Rockler HVLP sprayer, Arrow stapler) to something more production worthy (Makita miter, Earlex sprayer, DeWalt electric nailer). It’s been a gradual swap-out, as the cheaper tools have either failed, have started to fail, or could not longer support the strain we put on them.

What I’ve found is this: With each (big) upgrade we’ve had a big decrease in sound levels. The Makita saw, while far larger and more powerful than the Skil, is at least 1/2 the loudness. When our $120 Chinese special HVLP sprayer started dying, I went to an English made Earlex — and it’s about 1/3rd as loud as the cheapie. And so on.

The loudness is important for a couple of reasons. First, we have a home shop, and want to be respectful of our neighbors. We realize that hearing banging or cutting all day long is no fun. Second, the quieter it is, the less stressful it is. I find I can cut longer, with less aggravation, with the quieter saw. (Even though I’d use earplugs.) Sure, the saw is of higher quality and makes better cuts, but the decrease in noise seems to make cutting more enjoyable.

In general, I’m finding that a quieter tool is a better made tool. Better fit and finish. Higher quality parts. More attention to detail. My loudest tools are also my cheapest.