Which spindle is quiter ??

[mitch_prest]

I am trying to decide which spindle to buy and it has come down to sound.. or the lack there of.. I am looking for a general opinion overall which would make the least noise regardless of the material used..

mitch

[joe]

Mitch,

Perhaps someone like Joe May could help with this. Most of us don't have several spindle's in our shops to give an acessment.

I can can that my 5hp Colombo is quiet enough that I have to make sure it's turned off before I try a tool change. I believe most spindles are quieter than any vacuum pickup, so it would be a mute point.

[handh]

Mitch,

I have to agree with Joe, I don't know about the other brand but you can't tell that the Colombo spindle is even running, I have been wanting to put a caution light that will come on ontop of the spindle unit to let you know that it is running. The noise when cutting will be the cutter noise not the spindle noise. I don't think the spindle brand will make much difference but I have not been around the other brand of spindle. Now a regular router is a different matter lots more noise.

[fleinbach]

I also agree with Joe, I can't tell when my Columbo 3 HP is running.

I have to be very careful as more then once I started to remove the dust shield to change a bit only to find it was still running.

[Gary Campbell]

Mitch...
Even tho a spindle is quiet, it is only quiet when not cutting. Bit noise is much greater, most vac pumps are noisy, and dust collection is very loud also. Unless you are able to not use vac hold down or dust collection, and only make very small cuts in soft material, the spindle noise will never be a factor. Choose your spindle based on the specs you need for a spindle, ie rpm/torque curves vs. budget.
Gary

[nschlee]

Another point, I've found the ER style collets on the Columbo's and Elte's to have better bit holding than the RDO collets used in the Perske's. The ER collets are generally cheaper too.

[butch]

I have the 2.2 columbia. It is very quiet until it starts cutting, then the bit noise can sing. Generally I believe the planer make much more noise than the ShopBot. I usually don't put on ear phones until I start using the planer. But then my wife says I ask 'Huh?' way too much.
Butch

[mitch_prest]

how do hsd spindles compare to the columbo ..is it worth the extra money to get the 3 horse columbo as opposed to the 4 hp hsd. Which is going to be quieter and which is really the best value. I am going to be running this in an area where the neighbours will not be amused to hear a router screaming away into the night and I want to be able to cut 3/4 board without bogging down.

[mitch_prest]

which spindle has the best low speed torque.. I will be cutting some 1/4 aluminum and that will certainly be a factor in which one to get. From a number of posts that I have read it seems the hsd has a higher torque at lower speeds and that is what I will need for the aluminum.. am I reading that right..

mitch

[knight_toolworks]

either spindle will be quiet running but like others have said the cutting noise can be great. solid wood and plywood can be very noisy. once the hsd spindle is warm it is very quiet. you can hear it run but it is quiet.