Quieting gear noise.

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Hukshawn

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My lathe runs really quite quiet when I don't have the gear box engaged, but it's quite noisy when I do. My sons bedroom is right over the garage and after he's gone to bed is usually the only time I have to play. But then the complaints roll in from the warden when I try to run the lathe. It's too noisy, it woke up the boy... yada yada yada...

The noise is split up between the gear train and the gear box. Just usual fast spinning gear noise. I can slather grease on the gear train to quiet that somewhat, but the gear box has oil wicks and drippers.
Is there a grease, or compound, or oil, (in place of the 30wt I use in the droppers) that would aid in quieting those gears?
 
How much gear slap do you have?
Do you find that they are all equally noisy or are the more used frequently used gears louder?
Are they meshing well?
Excessively worn?
Do you have a banjo or other means to adjust them with?

Daryl
MN
 
Shawn, spur gears such as the ones used on our lathes are inherently noisy compared to helical gears and too much space between the teeth (or not enough) can cause excessive noise. What Daryl is getting at is that gears that are worn will create more noise due to the wider spaces between the gear teeth. Gear mesh in the gear train may be adjustable which will help you, but mesh in the quick change gear box will not be, which will make noise reduction there quite difficult. Looking at the gear train on the end of the lathe, you may find that some of the gears are mounted to an adjustable frame or bracket which is often referred to as a banjo. Making adjustments there will probably help with your noise problem, but it probably will not get rid of it entirely.
 
As Terry said, straight cut gears are just noisy. I think you'd have much more success with taking some measures to insulate the sound from traveling through your garage ceiling. There are a lot of sound barrier products on the market and various methods of reducing sound transmission. Music recording studios use a lot of sophisticated methods and materials that may give you some ideas. Google is your friend.

Ted
 
i'd bet $100 that you are experiencing excessive or insufficient backlash in both the transfer gearing and the transmission, if the sound is that loud.
consider inspection and possible realignment of the transfer gearing.
you should consider a .001-.002" backlash as acceptable in the transfer gearing.
as far as the transmission gearing, there is not any adjustment, that i am aware of.
other than bushing/bearing replacement and individual gear replacement, there is not much you can do with those clearances.
inspection of the transmission may uncover the problem there.

if you really want to quiet the gears down without teardown, i suppose 140wt oil would do the trick.
i don't know what temperatures you experience in your shop, the 140wt gets pretty thick as it gets colder
STP oil treatment would also do in a pinch

good luck
 
My Atlas 618 makes a whining noise when the long feed is engaged, but I wouldn't say excessive. However I use Esso Gear Cover #1 (open gear lubricant). It makes a huge difference and runs much more quietly. However it is black and extremely sticky....read messy

David
 
Bose Noise Cancelling Earphones. That work for lathes, mills, saws, grinders. And if you want you can listen to your tunes at the same time.
 
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