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I'm in the process of recovering from some ear surgery. It looks like I'm going to have some hearing loss in my left ear. This wasn't woodworking related, but while I'm thinking of it, I'm wondering what everyone does for ear protection when they are in the shop.

I generally use a set of these and am pretty diligent about putting them in when I turn on something noisy.


I asked my doc what she reccomened and she said to use the ear plugs and also use some over the ear style protectors like they use for shooting. I like the idea of the noise cancelling ones for shooting, but am wondering if there is something similar geared to woodworking. I know I can Google it and probably will, but what are you using? Is there something cool that I might want to try?Ideally I'd like something that I can keep on so I don't forget.

Thanks,

John

I use the over the ear muffs, although they aren't noise cancelling. I think they have a NRR of 26. I wear them anytime I use a power tool, I like to hear the instruments I'm making! Clinton

I've used a variety of hearing protection over the years. Through 30 years at G.M. I wore ear plugs and head phones, and in the shop, I use head phones, and noise cancelling phones with the iPod jack. I've been very diligent about using hearing protection over the years, so any hearing loss I have is age related. Although we think of hand tools as being quiet, they still generate a few db. I wear the head phones even while using a hand plane.
You need to replace the foam and vinyl ear pieces on head phones, as they compress, and lose their effectiveness.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

huh? yell louder.
I wear plugs now, but it's a tad late.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

I use over-the ear cans so I can take them off and put them on easily. I wish they made them with Bluetooth speakers inside!

I use these http://www.amazon.com/3M-Peltor-Optime-98-Earmuff/dp/B0017YLTAI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393117126&sr=8-1&keywords=optime+98

Kind of uncomfortable when combined with safety glasses, though. But still preferable to the feeling of stuffing plugs in my ears, at least for me.

I mostly use hand tools, so the main thing I need them for is hammering to split brace stock. The Dremel router I use for inlay work is quiet enough that I don't think it's a major concern, but maybe I should start wearing them for that too...

Musicians ear plugs.
I will swear by these.

I went to the ear dr. He squirted silicone into my ears, let it set a little and pulled out a perfect mold of my ear canals.
Then he made these ear plugs that are custom fit, specifically to me.

I can honestly say, that there are VERY few things in this world smaller than the tip of my finger, that I have had for more than fifteen years and didn't dare lose. They work great and are worth every penny I paid for them. And IF I were to lose them, my Dr. could just make another set from the original molds.

https://www.etymotic.com/hp/erme.html

Dave

when i go out to hear music i wear the plugs dave recommended. i've been doing carpentry, metal and woodworking for about 20 years and think the big foam ear plugs are the best, i think i've tried everything. they really cut out a lot and don't get in the way of safety glasses. they are comfy too, i'll wear them almost the minute i walk into the shop or job site and not take them out till i walk out the door.

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After 28 years with Boeing I'm into hearing aids, Should have been more diligent about hearing protection. I now use ear muffs. I have a couple of pairs of noise canceling for shooting but I don’t trust them in the shop. I can run my phone through my hearing aids via Blue Tooth but that’s not a good reason to get them.

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Filippo, is that the "31" or the "26" model? Those really look interesting. Do you know the difference between the two?

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I'm using the Home Depot version of those. I was very dubious about them when I first saw them online. They look like something you would see in one of those late night Ronco infomercials. I read up on them and decided to give em a try. They do work quite well. They are very light weight and I think they are way more comfortable than the big ear muffs which means I actually use them. And they don't go missing like my foam ear plugs.

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Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Over the ear cans. They go on and off so often that plugs aren't practical to me..

Over-ear cans. I've gotten so I wear them whenever I'm in the shop.

Over-ear cans for me (I never knew that's what you guys called them, so I just wanted to type it, this is how I learn English you know...). They even have a built-in radio, now that's hi-tech!

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I wear "Earasers" which are designed for musicians. I started wearing them while performing with my band in noisy environments, or loud sessions. But I have started wearing them in my shop on days where I am doing lots of intermittent loud stuff, like running the shop vac, hammering frets, running air purifiers full blast, etc. They are so comfortable I put them in when I start in the shop and leave them in all day. For really loud stuff like running the dust collector and band saw, or router, I will use muffs on top of the Earasers. I highly recommend these. They are just a step below what you get from the doc (what Dave posted above), but quite a bit cheaper. I even use them now at the movie theater, or a day of walking around downtown. They really help keep my tinnitus calm.

http://www.amazon.com/Earasers-M1-M-Mus ... s=earasers

Ear muffs(cans) here, too. A lot of sound comes-in via your skull and these protect better than plugs. Plus, as often mentioned, they;re easy on easy off. I hang mine on a nail right next to the dust collector switch. Best. Move. Ever! I can't miss seeing them and remember to use them every time I fire-up the DC; it created a deeply imbedded habit! I have a second pair hanging by the jointer which I don't have connected to the DC and found I was forgetting to wear them there because of that.

I wear ear plugs for lawn mowing, snowblowing and any other outdoor noise-making activity because they're more comfortable and I'm not likely to take them out until done anyway..

Those Earasers only have a dB attenuation of 19, where the foamies I have are 32dB. Careful of using those for really loud operations!

I use the Peltor -30db cans. No ear
plugs are going to protect you as well. A lot of sound transmission happens through the bone around your ears, so the cans do more. Folks on the tarmack use cans not plugs.

I guess I should have been more clear in my previous post. I use the Earasers for activities that aren't excessively loud, that you wouldn't think to (or have the will to) put on the muffs, like running a shop vac, or hammering, etc. You can wear them all day, and still easily carry on conversations with people. But, yeah, a dust collector close by, or chainsaws and similarly loud activities...use muffs.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

My doc gave me the approval to start using the in ear style plugs again. In another month or so, once they figure out where I'm at with my hearing, I'll probably be seeing the audiologist. At that time I'm going to look into having them fit me for something similar to the musicians ear plugs like Dave suggested.

I went ahead and ordered a pair of the Howard Leight Impact Pro over the ear protection. These are an electronic pair that have the noise cancelling and the microphone so you can hear everyday noise. The noise reduction rating on these without the electronics is 30 NRR.

They are designed for shooting but I found a few reviews from people who were using them in the woodshop (and lawn mowing) and they were favorable. My plan is to wear these as well as the in ear plugs.

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-R-01902 ... t+earmuffs

I don't really care for ear plugs as they tend to get gross after a while. I like the ear muffs, easy to just grab and put on.

I use an old pair of gun muffs.

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Another day, another dollar.

I have a pair of the red 3M cans. They're really comfortable, and definitely help after a spell of loud power tool work. My router makes racket, the table say is loud, the vacuum is loud. I love having these around. My only complaint is that they're a bit of a pain to wear over safety glasses. Glasses first, then cans.