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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
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    emerald
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    Default Angle grinder and the neighbors

    Hi guys, Had a bit of an issue yesterday with the neighbor coming to the fence wondering how much longer I was going to be angle grinding for.
    I know it's noisy and I try to watch the time that I'm using it, but it left me feeling just a little guilty.
    Just wondering if others have had any encounters and how they approach it.
    PS. my misses hates it as well.
    Eric

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    melbourne australia
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    3,228

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    How many hours a day do you run it for?
    What times do you start and finish?
    Chris

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    71
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    5,942

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    Eric, I try to keep the grinding/sanding/wire buffing to a minimum, probably 5 minutes max, leave it for 10 mins or so then back into it.
    Another alternative is to learn to weld better JUST JOKING.
    My neighbours are pretty good, as anytime they want something repaired/made they come and see me. I don't charge them, only for materials, (expensive ones at that), otherwise that constitutes a business, so everyone is happy.
    My partner doesn't like the grinder either, nor the electric mower, whipper snipper, blower vac or any other power tool. She bought a hand mower to get some exercise, but guess who the silly mug is that gets to push it around.
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    Healesville
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    2,129

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    I use flap disc's as they are much quieter.
    l get them from the market for a buck 50 ea and can chew through them at times but the noise is much less offensive.

    shed

  5. #5
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Perth
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    I have very close neighbours on 5 sides so when I built my shed I made sure it was lined and insulated which really reduces the noise levels outside the shed so have never received a complaint.

    Have you checked sound pressure levels (plenty of mobile apps will do that) and compared these with what your local council allows?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    formerly from Sydney (north of The Harbour), NSW, Oz
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    My partner bought a hand mower to get some exercise, but guess who the silly mug is that gets to push it around.
    no, no, no.
    She meant that you should get the exercise
    regards from Canmore

    ian

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Perth
    Posts
    269

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    I am surrounded by barking dogs, new neighbour came over and said I make a lot of noise some days.

    Handed him a pair of ear plugs, he said " whats are these for", " its what i use mate, when you bugger off for the weekend and leave your dog at home, only way i can get to sleep at night is using ear plugs, as your mongrel barks all day and night, works for me mate" Went back to what I was doing, have since found out that the shire I live in has adjusted their noise times further out in the evening, but I dont woork past 4 pm.

    DD

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Mackay North Qld
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    6,446

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    I am fortunate then in living where I do. Due to the downturn our end of the street has the nearest full time neighbor 5 houses away.

    What I mean by that is that the houses are either vacant or the occupants work away at the mines houses and are home sporadically.

    I can sympathise with you Gestalt as its a large and lengthy project.The nature of the project means that use of the grinder is necessary for prolonged periods of time.

    Of course your neighbors make no noise themselves and never had barking dogs or loud all night parties. Perhaps your neighbor couldn't hear the roar of the engines and screech of the tires from Sundays Bathurst 1000 broaadcast.

    I can hear that most days from our local hoons.

    Grahame

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Everyones perception of what contitutes "noise" is very different. Shiftworkers who try to catch some sleep during the day will tell you that "everything" is noisy!

    I think it really depends on what they do in their own home as well. If they are into hobbies similar to you/us then it's less likely to be an issue. If they are a zen/yoga/vegan then it's probably going to more of an issue.

    Luckily for me I live on acreage and neighbours on both sides have sheds too. From time to time I also hear angle grinders so I think we are pretty much all on the same page. In any case I do most of my noisy activities during the day and do next to nothing after 5pm.

    Our concil bylaws are a little different to some. They do not stipulate times for when noise can/can't occur. Basically, anything that is deemed "nuisance noise" is banned all the time in residential areas. Roosters are also banned but one of our neighbours has them too. It's all about living together happily..... even if they do start up at 4am

    None of the above is any help to you though. I have always found in the first instance always be nice to your neighbours and listern to their concerns. You attract my bees with honey than you do with vinegar. Creating an enemy out of your neighbour will lead to a life of hell!

    Maybe he is a shiftworker and was trying to sleep at that particular time. Organise what time of day is best to angle grind. Perhaps entertain the idea of insulating your shed (as suggested above) I wish I had done that when I built mine. Maybe he has young children who still need a nap in the afternoon. Do you know how devistating it can be to finally get your child to sleep (so that you can have some afternoon time to yourself) only to have a neighbour crank up the mower to wake them up!?

    Get on the front foot, talk to your neighbour. Don't wait till it gets awkward.

    Simon
    Girl, I don't wanna know about your mild-mannered alter ego or anything like that." I mean, you tell me you're, uh, super-mega-ultra-lightning babe? That's all right with me. I'm good. I'm good.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
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    Australia east coast
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    71
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    Quote Originally Posted by simonl View Post
    Everyones perception of what contitutes "noise" is very different. Shiftworkers who try to catch some sleep during the day will tell you that "everything" is noisy!

    I think it really depends on what they do in their own home as well. If they are into hobbies similar to you/us then it's less likely to be an issue. If they are a zen/yoga/vegan then it's probably going to more of an issue.

    Luckily for me I live on acreage and neighbours on both sides have sheds too. From time to time I also hear angle grinders so I think we are pretty much all on the same page. In any case I do most of my noisy activities during the day and do next to nothing after 5pm.

    Our concil bylaws are a little different to some. They do not stipulate times for when noise can/can't occur. Basically, anything that is deemed "nuisance noise" is banned all the time in residential areas. Roosters are also banned but one of our neighbours has them too. It's all about living together happily..... even if they do start up at 4am

    None of the above is any help to you though. I have always found in the first instance always be nice to your neighbours and listern to their concerns. You attract my bees with honey than you do with vinegar. Creating an enemy out of your neighbour will lead to a life of hell!

    Maybe he is a shiftworker and was trying to sleep at that particular time. Organise what time of day is best to angle grind. Perhaps entertain the idea of insulating your shed (as suggested above) I wish I had done that when I built mine. Maybe he has young children who still need a nap in the afternoon. Do you know how devistating it can be to finally get your child to sleep (so that you can have some afternoon time to yourself) only to have a neighbour crank up the mower to wake them up!?

    Get on the front foot, talk to your neighbour. Don't wait till it gets awkward.

    Simon
    I live on acreage too. It doesn't always help.

    The neighbours to me west owned 2 5 acre blocks and lived on the one furthest away. The block in between was heavily treed. They decided to rent out their existing house & build a new one on the vacant block relatively close to my existing workshop, where they knew I was building a steel boat.

    Time goes on, we get a series of windstorms which knock down the trees they'd left on the boundary, destroying the fence and blocking my drive, plus taking down my power line. No offers of help to clean up the mess or share in the expenses. I just get on with it.

    Couple summers ago the woman comes over to complain about the angle grinding as it's giving her a headache working in her garden - which they built between their house and my shed despite having 5 acres and lots of space to the north & west. I didn't like the passive-aggressive approach so told her it was unfortunate that they'd chosen to build close when they knew how much noise I made, but I'd be done soon for the day (ie, your desire for quiet on a Tuesday at 1030 wasn't stopping my working).

    Engineer friend of mine has a decibel meter so we set that up on the boundary & recorded the noise levels. I'm well within legal limits and time of day - I never make noise very early or late, usually 9-5. Funny thing, their tractor and brushcutter makes as much noise at the boundary as my angle grinder. We record all this.

    Second time, husband gets sent over except I'm inside programming while my engineer friend is working on his new steel rudder. Once again a week day. Neighbour engages Mike, Mike is pretty direct, points out laws, noise levels, decibel meter, tells neighbour their sound levels are louder than ours. Off the neighbour goes.

    Third time I'm running timber through the thickness planer on a Saturday morning & get a visit from the wife. Similar exchange WRT laws, she acknowledges that she's checked and I'm correct, but she doesn't like it. I point out I don't like their noise when I'm programming and the response is 'That's DIFFERENT noise'. Yes, you're making it not me. I asked if she ever complained about/to the other neighbours about them running chainsaws, brushcutters, tractors etc etc (not to mention lawnmowers) and the answer was that was different noise too. Not from my POV it's not. I don't like any of it but I understand the necessity.

    She then tried the 'Well, you could *try* to be a good neighbour' line. I pointed out that I'd been a far better neighbour to them than they had to me, lent them a generator during a power failure, cleaned up their trees, fixed the fence, let them keep their dinghy on my place down near the water etc, etc. That I thought they were quite bad neighbours for always taking and not giving back and I was giving them the same consideration that I'd received in the past (the trees blocking my driveway and no assistance with cleanup really me off the third time it happened).

    There the matter ended with neither of us exchanging words any more, which suits me. They still keep their dinghy on my place, though.

    My other 2 neighbours and I get on fine, FWIW.

    PDW

  11. #11
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    This is my favourite noise story - it happened about 10 years ago when was chainsaw milling at a tree loppers yard in outer suburbia.

    Had a bit of excitement today when a nearby (200 m!) angry and very drunk homeowner came to complain about the chainsaw noise.

    The complainant didn't have a leg to stand on because the yard is on industrial land and we were operating within acceptable times. If he had been half reasonable we would have tried to accommodate his request but he was abusive and threatening and yard owner Jeff and his lads (mostly rugby
    players) "assisted him from the property".

    Then he stood outside the back fence of the yelling more abuse and threatening to burn the yard down.

    When he finally left a couple of the lads quietly followed him back to his place to find out where he lived and knocked on his door and introduced themselves just to let him know they knew where he lived - they also took a photo of him. The yard owner also reported the threat to the cops who were very happy to pay the complainant a visit and indicated that his place would be the first place they would call if there were any fires in the area for the next couple of years .

    Meanwhile I kept milling.

    After the cops had paid their visit they called the yard owner back to ask if I was still using the chain saw. The yard owner said I had just finished milling for the day and apparently the policeman said, "so soon? too bad, couldn't you keep it up for a little longer?"

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Sydney, NSW
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    I've been pretty lucky. My neighbours don't mind me making noise in the shed but I try to be considerate. Plus my wife aways tells me when enough is enough.

    I do remember though when I lived in a townhouse at Kingsford in Sydney. The nearest neighour had a split cycle A/C unit right next to my balcony which they used all night. Used to drive me crazy, the compressor starting and shutting down all night. So I emailed the council. Turns out you can't use A/C between 10 pm and 6 am in Kingsford or you cop a huge fine then the council has the right to take the A/C out!

    Also in NSW there's no time curfew or decibel amount, it just has to be unreasonable noise and times. I sure there's more to it than that but essentially you can call the cops at 9 pm if your neighbour's are throwing a party which involves really loud music / swearing et.c

    Ben.

  13. #13
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    Jan 2011
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    PDW, that sadly sounds like a typical sort of human reaction. Worried about the here and now without regard to past situations and logic. Unfortunately people are pretty bad with logic in general.

    The main reason that I live where I do is because of barking dogs. We used to live in a small town in a row of 4 houses in front of a timber mill. The timber mill was pretty constant with noise, except when someone picked up a 6m skip bin and dropped it onto concrete from about 30cm height to settle the offcuts it held at 3:00 am. The manager said "you can't ring me at this time". I said " I already have and if your people wake me at this time I see no problem with passing on the complement". The mill finally bought the houses at very good prices.

    Anyway, the house either side had little drain mop dogs that were not trained or controlled much. It got to the point where barking dogs was a real nuisance to me.

    Simon has the right idea, but I don't think there is any real solution except for the one I used.

    Dean

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    Mackay North Qld
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    My partner doesn't like the grinder either, nor the electric mower, whipper snipper, blower vac or any other power tool. She bought a hand mower to get some exercise, but guess who the silly mug is that gets to push it around.
    Krynn,
    Sometimes its not just the outright volume of the noise but the pitch and frequency. In my case it is the bloody vacuum cleaner. When she who must , turns it on I am gone.The high pitched whine destroys my ability to think or concentrate.
    My beloved vacuums the house quite a lot as our city is a dusty place particularly when the crush is on.
    Tree mulchers are another item on my "hate to hear" list but I can hear an A/G all day long and barely notice it .

    As PDW and SimonL commented its the POV. Years ago when I lived in Emerald the dog kennels were deliberately built out in the boonies but as Emerald grew people built adjacent to them and then proceeded to loudly complain about the noise.
    Those points about getting onside with the neighbor and working around certain mutually convenient times are excellent ones.

  15. #15
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    Jun 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    As PDW and SimonL commented its the POV. Years ago when I lived in Emerald the dog kennels were deliberately built out in the boonies but as Emerald grew people built adjacent to them and then proceeded to loudly complain about the noise.
    Those points about getting onside with the neighbor and working around certain mutually convenient times are excellent ones.
    Funny thing - those same neighbours have been running the tractor with slasher and chainsaws all morning today right next to my shed while I've been peacefully wiring up my boat. Perhaps I should complain about the noise.....

    Here the sound can't exceed a certain decibel limit as measured *inside the house*. Not at the fence - zoning is rural residential, everyone has noisy power machinery. It's why I bought land here in the first place, we all have acreage and need power machinery to do the maintenance. I don't even run a lawnmower or brushcutter etc after 1800 even in summer when it's light to about 2130 or so - which is a lot more consideration than the other neighbours show. I've never complained about that even though it's quite irritating 10m from my house.

    My favourite neighbours are the Aboriginal Land Council who own the land on 2 sides of my place. We get on fine, control weeds, have control burns, maintain both sides of the boundary. And they never, ever complain about how much noise I make. Or anything else, now I think on it. Funnily enough the passive-aggressive neighbour can't stand them either. Some people should just stay in suburbia.

    PDW

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