Effectiveness of air tool mufflers?

[AUDIHenry]

Hey guys,

Wanted to do something about the noise levels when using my impact, wondered if some kind of an exhaust device would provide some reduction and if anyone here had any experience?

Thinking of something along these lines:

http://www.toolrage.com/prodview.asp?sku=MIL-1086-6

What say you, worth it or is it useless?

 

[Robbie UK]

Worth it on some tools but not on an impact IMHO. Killed the whining noise quite a bit on polishing tools though (and grinding tools before the inevitable grinding noise!). Worked very well on an air wrench.

 

[AUDIHenry]

Thanks Robbie, appreciate the info!

 

[billybudge]

Hi, I had to research this matter for a production company that opperated nights, and ran all air powered, most mufflers / exhausts work ish, but can effect tool performance,etc,
My personnal opinion is a company called FESTO, they seem to make the very best mufflers at a realistic price, they make everysize and type imaginable, its well worth looking into,

 

[rlitman]

I reach for my Aircat impact before my SO, because it's so much quieter. And it was pretty cheap too.

The problem is, you really can't just add one of those mufflers to an air tool. You need one that has a real muffler built in. Adding one of those would just rob the tool of power.

 

[el tanque prohibido]

All those mufflers do is suffocate the air tool. Take the muffler off and 86 it.

 

[AUDIHenry]

Hi, I had to research this matter for a production company that opperated nights, and ran all air powered, most mufflers / exhausts work ish, but can effect tool performance,etc,
My personnal opinion is a company called FESTO, they seem to make the very best mufflers at a realistic price, they make everysize and type imaginable, its well worth looking into,

It looks like people are split, but I'm willing to give it a shot. How does one attach it if the air tool only has a plastic type exit? Are those applied only to those tools which have the means to be attached?

 

[rlitman]

You don't.
The device you pictured is not really a muffler. It is just a diffuser.
Air tools that have a plastic exhaust port, already break up the flow of the exiting air, and such a "muffler" will do nothing except for weaken the tool.
Air tools that have a threaded exhaust port will just dump exhaust air out, and those tools can be helped a little, by using such a diffuser.

Here's something you can try, that actually works to some extent.
See if you can find some really flexible and flat "discharge hose". About 1 1/2" diameter would be ideal. Attach a 5' swivel whip extension as the supply for your tool, and wrap that with about 4' of the discharge hose. Then clamp the flat hose around the tool's exhaust. This will divert the exhaust to run in that flat hose, back along the supply hose. Because it twists and turns a bit, this will do a surprising amount to muffle the sound.

 

[AUDIHenry]

You don't.
The device you pictured is not really a muffler. It is just a diffuser.
Air tools that have a plastic exhaust port, already break up the flow of the exiting air, and such a "muffler" will do nothing except for weaken the tool.
Air tools that have a threaded exhaust port will just dump exhaust air out, and those tools can be helped a little, by using such a diffuser.

Here's something you can try, that actually works to some extent.
See if you can find some really flexible and flat "discharge hose". About 1 1/2" diameter would be ideal. Attach a 5' swivel whip extension as the supply for your tool, and wrap that with about 4' of the discharge hose. Then clamp the flat hose around the tool's exhaust. This will divert the exhaust to run in that flat hose, back along the supply hose. Because it twists and turns a bit, this will do a surprising amount to muffle the sound.

That's actually not a bad idea, I want to give it a shot!