Will my sawmill bother neighbors?

[mrselfreliance]

Hi everyone,

I'm just about to order a Woodlandmills HM122 with the 9hp engine.  

I live on a 1 acre lot just outside of the city.  I'm wondering how loud these mills are?   If I put it in the back corner of my property, will I annoy the $#^& out of my neighbours?  

Ideally, I could set it up at home.  That way I could saw whenever I had a couple hours, instead of having to drive to my land to saw.  With kids at home I could still saw....  

What if I built a semi enclosure to block the noise?  Anyways.  Just wondering what your thoughts are.

[ladylake]

  It shouldn't be any worse than your lawn mower.  Steve

[doc henderson]

Depend on your neighbors.  you can be a little careful but if it is light outside, just like mowing, prob. ok unless you have some picky folks there.  No work at 6 am on Sunday morning.     

[tacks Y]

I told my neighbor if he had company or the noise was to much let me know and I would shut down for the day. Not real close but larger diesel with roof so not sure how the sound carries. He claimed never a problem about 150 yards away. I just putter with it not every day.

[Old Greenhorn]

I live on just over an acre in a rural area (lots of woods) and have neighbors on both sides and behind. About 60' between houses out at the road front. My mill is in the back. It shouldn't be an issue, it is, as was stated, just like a lawn mower. Operate during reasonable hours. I usually do my prep work in the morning, moving logs in, planning the days work, service on the mill, etc.. It also helps if you cut them a little lumber for their repairs, give them a load of slabs for their campfires or stoves, maybe make a quick table top for somebody who gives you a hand from time to time when you need it.
 If you shut the engine off when you are setting or turning the log, you really don't have as much run time on it as you might think. Handling takes the most time on a manual mill, so I would guess I have the engine running for only 20% or less of the time I spend milling.
 Of course, there are also the folks who would complain even  if you hung them with a brand new rope. ;D If that is the case, then just look up your local ordinances and have a copy handy.
 I am lucky in that my zoning allows for one home based business provided there is no public traffic in and out and no advertising on buildings or vehicles visible from the road. This was intended to allow trades folk to work out of their home property, such as electricians, plumbers, trucking owner/operators, etc. Except for some logs in the side of the driveway, you can't tell I have anything 'going on'. With all the folks who burn wood around here, logs in the driveway is like gravel in the driveway. Normal daily life.
 Best of luck with the new mill!

[doc henderson]

I agree and have only had a couple experiences in 20 years, unrelated to my mill.  my wife does not hear my mill, it is on the far side of the house.  I can barely hear it at an idle (I have left it on while loading logs) and got distracted for a while and forgot it was on. My wife will complain if I start early (before she is ready to wake up) and run the track loader 277c.  It does the traditional beep...beep...beep as I back up.  I had a "Neighbor" on another block turn me in for car parts in the yard (my dad's old 1970.5 GMC pickup).  Of course he had been turned in for his vicious pit bulls, cornering my neighbors and attacking there pets.  I had worked nights and was sleeping and woke to my dogs barking, and it was the "neighbor" walking in my back yard looking for his dogs.  they always got out of his 3 foot fence that was in bad repair.  I asked him to not just walk in my yard.  explained I was working nights and needed to sleep.  made him mad.  The good neighbor down the streets daughter is still afraid of big dogs.  We had chickens for a while.  they free ranged during the day.  an older neighbor who kept a pristine yard had just hired landscapers and our chickens were over scratching in his flower beds.  We had a cottonwood branch fall and damage a section of their plastic fence.  our insurance said they (state farm) and we were not responsible for an "act of God.  told this to the neighbor, but sent them a check for just over half the cost (150 bucks).  They were older and moved to a senior apartment.  We live on a long cul-de-sac block, and we have done favor for every single one over the past 20 years.  they know to let me know if my hobbies are interfering with their little chunk of heaven.  We participate in all school fund raisers just like our neighbors did for out kids.  Graduation or wedding, we make something for it to help with the celebration.  we have 3 acres.  most on our street have 1.5.  I am a hobby guy, so no charge for most things.  You can redirect your exhaust noise to an extent, up or down, and change right and left.  My log splitter has a small car muffler on it pointing into the trees.

[sawguy21]

How far would the saw be from the neighbor's house? If it is just over the fence and running all day they would have a valid complaint. OTOH, if it is well away from a dwelling and you are respectful with operating time they should be reasonable as well.
Of course there are those who will complain about anything like my next door neighbor. : If they do is bylaw enforcement overly zealous or are they willing to listen to both sides? A realtor was showing a house a couple of doors away from my buddy. The prospective buyer, a city girl, questioned the highway tractor in my friends yard which arrived home Friday afternoon and left Sunday evening. The realtor told her to lodge a complaint and it would go away! Buddy tore a strip off the idiot when he heard about that. 

[Southside]

Band mills aren't loud at all, circular saws of any type on the other hand can make the sound carry. You can hardly hear my 70 but the edger can be quite obvious.

[WV Sawmiller]

  If you can't pee off your front porch and sight in your deer rifle off the bannister you are too close to your nearest neighbor IMHO. 

   As mentioned above it should not be louder than your lawn mower. Check local noise regs and be respectful as to the times you run your equipment. Talk to your neighbors if you are on good terms with them and invite them to come watch or bring you a log to saw for them sometime.

[BandsawBen]

I worried about that myself. My neighbors are my parents, in their 60's but, i didn't want to be bothersome. so i built a sawmill shed. I try to saw in reasonable hours but i understand these machines are loud. I communicate with them and want to know if iam being to loud, so i ask all the time if its all good.i have also supplied them with free lumber and so far so good. I do realized some neighbors are not our parents and are a nightmare. My advice is to communicate, for sure

[Dana Stanley]

I have a HM 126 and it is quieter than my lawn mower. I was worried too, but I was able to tuck it away, and there is a 150' or so to the neighbor! My neighbors are good anyway.

[Haleiwa]

The easiest noise abatement would be an enclosure of foam sheets, like styrofoam insulation.   Angle them so the sides tilt out like a bowl, so the sound deflects up.

[esteadle]

About 92 db at operating station.
About 87 db at 150 feet.

[GAB]

About 92 db at operating station.
About 87 db at 150 feet.

Those numbers seem high.
I'd check with another instrument to make sure.
It might be time to see about a different muffler system.
GAB

[Gere Flewelling]

I have an country acre of land around my house in which to set up my saw and log storage area.  My neighbors house is about 100' away from where the mill is set up.  I take precautions to keep the peace.  I usually don't start the engine until 7:00 in the morning and keep an eye out for when they might have company over on the weekends and avoid sawing then as well.  In the evenings, I only saw until dark.  I don't stack lumber in my yard for the most part.  I have an area down behind my yard in a pasture where I keep stacks of lumber.  I keep the mess cleaned up so nothing is blowing over into their yard.  The biggest issue so far is the dog using their yard for his business.  So it can be done if you take the time to be considerate of your neighbors.  GF

[doc henderson]

@Gere Flewelling ,  what kind of business does you dog run?   :D :D :D  

[mrselfreliance]

Thanks, everyone!  Yes.  I'm about 60 yards from the closest house.  They are never outside. 

I will try it out and see.  If it's too our I'll move it to our acreage.  I'd just prefer to have it at home.  I might also build an enclosure and line it with styrofoam insulation.  

[sawguy21]

Be sure you allow for adequate cooling air, also realize that enclosing it will make it louder for you. @doc henderson his dog is in waste management ;D

[Gere Flewelling]

Doc, I think his business could be best described as spot fertilization.  A "solid" business most of the time.  He is consistent but not very appreciated most of the time. :D GF

[doc henderson]

adds new meaning to the phrase, "dog run"! :D  can you just yell, "urine the wrong yard!"  

[nopoint]

I don't think the bandmill will be very noticable. Although I imagine the chainsaw might be. It seams pretty rare that I saw and don't need to fire up the chainsaw for some reason. Especially when fighting with big or ugly logs. 

[alanh]

My mill is under a lean to open to the neighbors, I would guess their house is a good 300 ft away, through the woods, I've always been considerate of Milling times and such, we don't see them much as they're only summer residence I did talk to him the other day and asked him if the sawmill bothered him and he said I didn't know you had a sawmill...

[hacknchop]

Neighbour is about a quarter mile away they never complain about my saw Mill but they have mentioned they can hear it when I fire up the detroit in the skidder.

[RAYAR]

Should be nothing to worry about, no louder than a lawn mower and maybe even more quiet. If your exhaust is facing away from the neighbor, they may not even hear it.

[mrselfreliance]

Just an update for everyone.  Sawmill is running in backyard.  I talked to the neighbor, said he couldn't hear from his yard.  Then he stayed for an hour and helped me mill some logs!  All good!