Sound proofing

[Justin]

Has anyone may a sound proof cover for the axiom to try and help with the noise

[johnb]

Not yet (mine's still on order), but here are some thoughts on that...
You'll see complete enclosures in YouTube videos and on demos at conventions and such, but there are other ways to cut down noise that are far less complex and restrictive.

A huge amount of "noise" is the result of reflectance from hard surfaces. It bounces off them with little degradation. We've all been in restaurants where the noise level is really annoying...look around next time and you'll see "hard" ceilings, concrete floors, hard walls (mirrors, metal paneling, melamine panels...things with no "absorptive" capability). The spindles on the Axiom machines are a LOT quieter than a screaming router, but you can still gain a lot of quiet by softening up the surroundings.

You can do a lot by simply hanging "sound blankets" on the wall behind the machine (and at the ends if it's in a "tight" place) as well as rigging something on the ceiling above. These are available at Northern, basically a "movers' blanket" with grommets for hanging. They regularly sell them for about $18 each. If your machine is "out in the middle of the shop", you could rig a frame to hold them on all four sides, enclosing it like the shower curtains they sell for freestanding bathtubs. Make the enclosure big enough that you can "bunch up" the curtains on the sides of the machine and have them out of the way for access. Expect a reduction on the order of 9 decibels from this type of installation. Doesn't sound like much, but that's a huge number. See chart at link below.

Rubber floor mats on a concrete floor will not only kill a lot of noise, they make it a lot more comfortable to walk or stand on. These range in price from "cheap" (like the puzzle mats they sell everywhere) to downright outrageous in price. Think outside the box a little here...composite rubber matting for horse stalls will cover a lot of floor, the drawback being that you'll need to vacuum them to get the dust out of all the little pockets where the rubber crumbs are glued together. You could also cut these up and incorporate them into your wall covering. Rubber exercise mats work as well. In my experience, the "purpose built" products tend to be overpriced (If it says boat, airplane, or medical on it, prepare to be gouged).

boomspeaker.com/noise-level-chart-db-level-chart/

[Deleted]

You could always make a five-sided rigid foam insulation box to put over the machine. While it is nice to use a spindle over a router because it's quieter, the reality is that once you're cutting the bit cutting the material is probably making more noise than either type of motor does.