# Garage Workshops



## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

A few years ago I saw a video made by a well know router work expert in California. It looked like his shop was in his garage. The video was taken in front of the open garage door on the driveway where he had his router table set up. It was very noisy. I can imagine that most folks would leave their garage doors open while working during the warmer months.

I know a huge number of our members have their shops in their garages and I can't help wondering if this causes any issues with their neighbors. I'm not trying to stir up trouble, but ever since seeing that video I have been thinking about this. I sure would appreciate anyone sharing their personal experience just to satisfy my natural curiosity.

Mike


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Mike, I don't mind your asking this because it's a perfectly logical question. I don't have garage doors even though it used to be the carport. However, I often leave my doors and windows open and it's about the same thing. I just don't worry about it too much. I have neighbors that are fanatics about cutting their yards. They cut them at least a couple of times a week and use the weed eater and leaf blower as well. These machines are a genuine nuisance when it comes to noise. Now, the way I look at it I'm an easy going guy and I live and let live. Now I don't mind my neighbors making all of that noise but when it comes time for me to make my noise I expect for them to show me the same courtesy. :-|

helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## ParksArt (Apr 6, 2012)

My shop is in my garage as well. I tend to work with the door open.. and I too have wondered if I'm disturbing anyone. To add to it, I like to step out in the shop late at night to mess around. My neighbor that lives on that side of my house asked me in the driveway one day "What are you building in there?" hehe.. I asked if he could hear me but he said he only heard me when he was taking his trash out and was just curious. So, I don't think the noise is traveling that far past my house. At least I hope not! ha.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I can't stand inconsiderate neighbors so I sure don't want to be one, so I usually close my door if I'm going to be doing something that makes a lot of noise for any length of time.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

My shop is attached to the home, and on the "end" of the garage. All walls (including garage) are insulated, and the garage doors are the insulated models.
That being said, I've never had an issue from neighbors though I rarely work in the shop at night.
Now if I made horseshoes in the evening….......
Bill


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I reckon they see it the same way I do since I've had the same neighbors for years and we get along quite fine and they've never ever said a word to me about my noise and I haven't ever said a word to them about theirs.

helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

I'm more conscious of WHEN I'm making noise. Hand tools and/or quiet prep work before 9am (10am on weekends) and then I run pretty much anything I want with doors or windows open. I don't run a planer constantly for more than half an hour or so. Takes my neighbors longer than that to cut their lawn. I may run the table saw for a while and then shut it off and do quiet work, but the thing about lawn mowing and blowers and weed whackers is legitimate. All summer, SOMEONE in the immediate area is cutting the grass of weed whackin' or some such noisy endeavor. It's called livin' in the country. 

If something I'm doing is obnoxiously loud I'll be mindful of who is where and what they're doing. I won't do noisey stuff, for example, if the neighbor next door has family over for a cookout or something. Common courtesy.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

Where I work is either in the garage if it's cold or raining, or it's out on the back patio. For the most part, the noisiest tools I use are circular saws and routers, using the router more often, probably. I have yet to have any issues that caused the neighbors to complain, and they're not too far away (probably around 20-30ft from outside walls to outside walls). I also typically try to wait until around 10-11am or so before I start working, and quit around 7-8, just to try to be courteous, just in case… It probably helps that I have to drive a little over 30 minutes to get there, and back so I don't generally feel a need to desperately get started much earlier

I worry more about the little stuff I do in my second bedroom in my apartment… practicing dovetails, using handplanes, etc more than when at my parents' place (the above work area)


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## davidmicraig (Nov 21, 2009)

I don't work in a garage but, being a third shifter, I have a tendency to want to do things at night in the basement. The planer and the dust collection can be a bit noisy. I try not to run them in the late evening but do run into times where I need to do a little bit of milling before I can continue. I made it a point to visit my neighbors on both sides of me and explain the situation and inquire if any of my work would disturb their sleep. Both let me know they wear hearing aids and don't hear a thing at night so I am golden there


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## 308Gap (Mar 6, 2010)

My garage door is usually down, not for noise but for privacy as I live in an above average crime area. No sense in advertising and it keeps the noise down. 8am to 6pm for power tools and make shift spray booth in my side yard so I dont get overspray on anything. One night I had the police heli light up my driveway, instant day time. I also do home/car repairs for some neighbors and that always helps, mostly just talk to them before any problems start. Common courtesy goes a long way.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

My shop is in my garage also. My neighbors are over 300 feet away, so, I'm in good shape. It's a beautiful thing to have space. I luv the country!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Thanks guys for satisfying my inquisitiveness. It sounds like everyone is aware and being considerate. About what I figured considering the kind of members on LJ. My shop is all insulated top, bottom and sides so I can be out there all year around, The lack of noise is a byproduct, so no problems at my place either, and it's true that yard work is pretty noisy anyway what with all the motorized gardening gadgets we use nowadays. Now I can think about more important things, like what's for dinner or how long can I stay in the shop without the wife coming after me, lol.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

If your neighbors mow their lawn w/ a power mower, what can they say?


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

I keep the shop door closed, and the air conditioner on. I have several neighbors with small, nap prone children. One of which decided to mow his lawn this morning at 6:00… I need to have a calm discussion about appropriate hours to make noise…


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## Sawkerf (Dec 31, 2009)

We've been in this house since '79, and I've been doing woodwork from the beginning. The garage became a full time shop in '85. When I retired from engineering in '04 and started my woodworking business, my shop time went from a few hours every couple of weeks to full time.

Even during what we call winter here I have the door open unless it's really raining. My one cardinal rule as far as the neighbors is that I NEVER start anything noisy before 8:00 am, and I rarely make much noise after supper time. On a couple of occasions, I've changed my schedule or shut down for the day if a neighbor has a sick kid who needs to rest.

It's worked well for 32 years and I have every reason to think that it will work for a few more.

ETA: Some of the neighbors like to stop by to see what I'm building, and I've sold quite a bit of work to people who walk or drive by and see what I'm doing.


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## SuburbanDon (Mar 15, 2010)

In warmer weather I tend to leave my garage door open and sometimes work just outside the door to keep the dust level down in my garage. It depends on the tool. I still attach my shop vac. I don't worry about the noise. I'm not out there too often and we all have to put up with each other to some degree. If I were busier I would have to close the door. Then again, perhaps I will try to be more considerate.


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## 559dustdesigns (Sep 23, 2009)

I live in a small California town with a main rail line running 20ft behind my back fence.
I rarely ever run power tools after 10 pm. 
There's no way I'm louder than the freight trains. 
I have never had any complaints, and try my best to not run my loud tools for a long time continuously.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

Luckily we have family and close friends as immediate neighbors so it's never a problem for me. I do keep the noise down during times when the neighborhood is quiet. I like to keep my garage door open when I'm working, and I've had many people wander over to chat. Being a considerate neighbor is very important to me and I have no problem being flexible with my hobby to help keep the neighborhood a friendly place.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

My shop is in my garage, when temps are between 50's and mid 80's. I like to have the door open, fresh air and more light are great. My concern is more of people seeing in to all the tools and getting ideas. I live where people get ideas : (. However, I try to avoid loud machines early in the morning or after 9pm, door opened or not. But I have never really worried about the noise because I am not out there at unreasonable times.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

A guy down the street has been running a router a lot. making cabinets is my guess. But it's daytime stuff only. Another neighbor has had a crew remodeling their house - roof, siding, etc. They all stopped an looked when I fired up the planer. Yeah it's noisy.

As for me, I think I do what most of you have already said. I worked shift work for over 30 years and I can appreciate a good days sleep. Mowers and weed eaters suck in my opinion!

Mostly I work in the garage with the door open in the mid day - late afternoon or until I get hot and tired. Been there 25 years so I know most of my neighbors.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

My shop is also in the garage but even if I turned on all four of my routers, my table saw, belt sander, and shop vacumm cleaner I would not be heard over the din of the gas powered leaf blowers.

I try to be considerate when using my power equipment by operating only during what I consider reasonable hours of the day … never before 9:00 am and very rarely after 11:00 pm!

I should have no complaints as I have helped some of my neighbors with my power tools.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I have asked my next door neighbor if cutting on the table saw outside bothered them. He said they couldn't hear it in their house. ;-)


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## stonedlion (Jan 12, 2011)

My shop is in my garage and I keep the doors open, Minnesota weather permitting. It's a good way to get to know your neighbors - since the weather has warmed up several have stopped by to chat when they see me out there.

Since our houses are all pretty close together, as a rule I do not run any power tools before 8am or after 10pm regardless of whether my doors are open or not. So far, no complaints.

Because of my weird work schedule I do find myself in the shop well after 10pm some nights. On those occasions I try to do some clean up and organizing if I am so moved. Other times I use it as an opportunity to enjoy some fine pipe tobacco and brainstorm (or daydream) about a new project or a current one.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

I was in an area with lots of neighbours

I never machined with doors open

I also only ran machines tween 9am-4pm

Or on the weekends

I wish the gardeners had the same considerations 

Now

I can go down and machine at 3am

The doors are to far from the shop to worry

I have NO neighbours within hearing range

We do have a bowling green and I dont think

I would run the saws if they had a competition

Good Neighbours are wonderful, so I try and be one.

Jamie


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Sounds like more noise pollution from eager gardeners than woodworkers, but of course most of us woodworkers are gardeners too. Our neighborhood is pretty good when it comes to noise, so no complaints from us or our neighbors. It's good to hear that folks do for the most part take consideration to their neighbors


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

I work in the garage, and most of the time with the door open. I am a considerate neighbor though, so I don't use power tools after 9pm or before 8am. 
Lately I have been in the habit of pre-finishing my projects. I try to get all my cutting/planing/routing/sanding on at least a few pieces done by 9, then hand sand and apply some finish before I call it a night around 11. Then before work, if everything is dry enough, I give it another coat. This works out pretty well because I get a full days drying time while I am asleep and then working the next day.


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## BensBeerStShop (Jan 8, 2012)

My shop is in a garage on an alley in the city. There are a few other garages nearby, mostly guys working on cars. I am within view of an elementary school and there are a few houses fairly close. It isn't the best neighborhood, but I know most of the people who live nearby. I work with the shop door open and never have any complaints. I rarely work too late in the evening, so noise really isn't a problem. I keep it locked down like a mint when I'm not there because it is in a fairly high crime area. I like the doors open for fresh air, but also for the random conversations from people walking to and from the school. There are a lot of kids around going to the playground and I do a like of bicycle repairs. I have been teaching the kids a bit of respect, something it seems parents in the area do not. They all know that please and thank you is the only payment I ask, and a few kids are banned for general rudeness and causing trouble. One of those came back and apologised for his rudeness… "sorry I was a jerk last time", so he's cool now. Quite often I have a large crew of kids hanging around in the alley watching, but for liability sake, Only my own kids are allowed in the shop at all. The location and the population keep my days interesting to say the least


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

I usually put my garage door down when running the planer, and sometimes the table saw (depending on how much wood I'll be running through it). Both get hooked up to the shop vac. Anything else and I like to have the doors open, for fresh air and sunlight. I don't mind when the neighbor(s) stop by to see what the current project is.


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## jbertelson (Sep 26, 2009)

Garage shop, door is almost never open. And the shop is actually back of the garage stalls. no house is really close to it so it is not an issue. In the actual shop, there are no windows, and it is all insulated, with garage itself as a buffer, and an enclosed storage area in back as a buffer.

Frankly, because of the somewhat buffered situation, it is not an issue for me or my neighbors. I would say that 50% of the reason we bought this house in 1985 was the shop area. It proved to be a good choice.

Still programming, still overworking and getting tired. Hope it is all over in a couple of weeks…............

By the way, I did get my 11 year old grandson on the scroll saw this weekend and he did great…........


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Interesting stories here. I'm glad you gave your grandson a try on the scroll saw *Jim*. It's amazing how quick they learn to use it and with those small nimble fingers they can do some quite detailed work.


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Mike, you have to be careful in a small country like England. The neighbours are never far away. I have left my garage door open, walked over to the next door house and asked them if they find it disturbing. They said no, if they has have said yes then I wouldn't work with it open. Courtesy gets you somewhere in this world.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I totally agree Martyn. I find that most people in the average neighbor hood are pretty thoughtful. Before buying our current house we lived in a neighborhood that was one of the best we ever lived in except for one neighbor across the street who was continually improving his house and which usually involved using a hand grinder and the cutting of cement blocks and such all summer long.

It didn't bother us when we were indoors, but our terrace was right across the street where he was usually working. We never complained to him though because we liked him and his family so much. Eventually we moved to a smaller house with less upkeep, so the problem was solved. He is still doing those projects and his house just keeps getting better all the time, but I pity his neighbors!


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## AKSteve (Feb 4, 2012)

Same here Jim, I keep it closed 99% of the time only because it's too cold to leave it open, here lately I have been leaving it open for some fresh air and it has been in the high 50's lately which is nice. but I never get any complaints from the neighbors though. but I dont' crank up the tools until after seven am anyway.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Where I live, in SE Tennessee, the garage door is closed more for AC than heat. When the fans can't keep the temp below 80' in the shop, on goes the AC mounted in the window and the door goes down. Otherwise, my garage door is open save for a couple months in the winter. Since I got my spiralhead planer, nothing makes much noise outside since my main bench is in the back half of the garage. Also, my garage is about 80' off the main road, and I have a lot of trees, so most of the noise gets absorbed. I also look at woods from my open garage door, so most of the noise goes into trees. On the other hand, I have a neighbor about a block away who has a planer that is so loud birds take wing when he turns it on. About the only visits I get are the two neighbors who want to borrow a tool or just chit-chat. 
One of my pleasures is being able to look outdoors at the daylight while working on wood. If I work after dark the door always comes down.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

*Paul*. Your mention of looking out the windows while working in your shop is amusing to me because I also have windows and some full length glass doors looking out over our nice garden. The problem is, that once in the shop I wouldn't even notice if theres a blizzard or any other kind of extreme weather. I've gone into the shop many times on a nice sunny day only to come out to a hard rain storm to my surprise. This is not good, just me. I get so focused on fixing my woodworking mistakes that I forget to look out, lol (but true).


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## bluesmarky (Jun 1, 2010)

Here is the deal ~ during the warmer months (& even sometimes during the cold months) I open my garage door(s). As long it is not earlier than 10am or later than 9pm I feel I am well within my rights regarding the noise levels - the router, Radial arm saw & planer are the worst offenders. I know my neighbors & am friendly with them & they have never complained. I try to work & play well with others….........


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## NathanAllen (Oct 16, 2009)

I keep the hours reasonable, door open in nice weather. Neighbors haven't complained and often pop by when walking their dogs or kids to see what I'm building.


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## Dennisgrosen (Nov 14, 2009)

I do have neighbours that earlyer had a tendends to make noise early in the weekends with gardentools
and metalgrinders etc.
not what you like having worked 12-15 hours on the nightshift … LOL
so after a half year in the summertime on a hot wekend when I knew they had been to a party 
it wa time to make the wake up call (and my little revengetime ) for them 
so 7am I just had to make laud noise both saturday and sonday … he he 
and again at lunchtime …. oh yah allso at dinnertime 
now they never start before 10 am and they all respect eating time is no noise time

though they never have said a word to me I can see in the eyes that I got theres respect
since all do plant a finger in the ground to hear if any of the neighbours have gests or other reasons
to wish time without noise they never seems to talk about it …. they just behave 
so noise is mostly made the two hours 4 - 6 pm monday to friday

if one of the neighbours has a bigger house renovation in the summertime when all want to enjoy
there gardens and eating outside speciel in the weekends in silence
its sort of okay for all to make noise but they all still respect the abowe

when they all just made noise when they wanted to do it I think it was one of those bad side things
that came with the time we are in …......... people born after 1960 has only learned one thing
when it comes to what is best 
they only think on themself its me me me me what can I get out of it 
not what can I do for the comunity or my neighbours 
yes it has also hit the small islands in no where land 
where you are depending on that the hole comunity helps each other …...sadly but thrue

Dennis


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I leave my garage door open most of the time year round. I am in there working/playing 5 hours a day seven days a week. I have been here 6 years and never one complaint. I do not run my loud equipment before 8 AM and I quit by 4 PM each day. This is a 10 year old up scale neighborhood in a high desert . So everyone has their A/C on and windows closed and all the houses are made of brick and are quite sound proof.


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## Gatorjim (May 12, 2012)

Were I am we all have one or more acres mostly moble homes. I've asked my neighbours about the noise I got what noise for an answer. But since i have one neighbour that works on airboats and another that does autobody work I think I am safe.


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## PRGDesigns (Jan 25, 2012)

Agree with the sentiments about the lawnmowers, weed eaters, leaf blowers, etc. being used throughout the neighborhood, so live and let live. There is also a considerable amount of new construction as well. I usually try to work outside as much as possible for the fresh air, dust control, etc. I put a dust housing around my router and vent it to a DC, which cuts down considerably on the noise. I was surprised at the side benefit of the noise suppression. I also have a water cooled spindle on my CNC, and that machine is so quiet you can watch TV while it is running. I started off with a garage shop, moved to several basement shops, and am now back to garage shops. Lots of benefits to a shop at surface level.


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## rockindavan (Mar 8, 2011)

My last two shops were in the basements of rental properties while in college. The first one had 3 floors, two of the floors had people i didn't live with. Accidentally made some cuts (actually a lot) to finish a project at around 2am. Got an angry letter and didn't work past 9pm after that. Noise has a bad way of echoing through a house when its in the basement. Second house was with 4 other guys I knew, but still didn't work past 9pm. They didn't mind since I built some things for the house. The noise was noticeable on the first floor, but not too bad on the second.


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## timbit2006 (Jan 6, 2012)

I have a garage workshop. I never had any complaints… Yet.
Making noise isn't a problem on the weekends at all. There's always an orchestra of lawn mowers. It's like there's only one lawn mower in the whole neighborhood and everyone takes turns using it to cut their lawns.
There has been a complaint from Mrs. Crabapple up the road about my band's noise and that's about it.


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## toeachhisown (Eddie) (Mar 30, 2011)

i worked under my carport last year ,but now have a shop but i always checked with the neighbors and used my planer only in day hours as it is the loudest.never had any complaints .


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## cjwillie (Sep 6, 2011)

My workshop was a 2 car garage, now dedicated workshop. I work with the overhead door open when weather permits. I get along with most of my neighbors and try not to bother them. I only work during the day and if it's too loud, I'll close the door. If there's a problem, they'll let me know so I can take care of it. The only ones that give me any grief are the ones that make the most noise themselves. They don't believe in mufflers on their vehicles, they have 3 wolves that bark constantly, and they seem to go out of their way to annoy the rest of us. If they complain, I make more noise just for them!


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## DonOtt (Jul 10, 2009)

I work in a 2 car garage and I like my garage door closed for my privacy. I just feel a lot more comfortable with the door closed.

We also have a lot of squirrels and chippies around our house and have had them run in the garage and get up in the rafters when I had the door open.

On weekends, I typically don't start the power equipment until after 10 and knock off before 9 when I'm out there late.


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## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

When I work in my parents' garage, I usually leave the door shut too. Privacy, as Don said, and also because typically when I'm working in the garage, it's either raining, or cold… Otherwise I work on the back patio, which is relatively secluded. Trees on both sides of the house. Noise hasn't ever really been an issue, I don't typically use power tools for too long

Otherwise, I work out of my apartment's second bedroom, and try to keep things that are noisier (hand sawing, any mallet work, etc) to a minimum. Or anything that causes lots of vibration on the workmate, that might transmit through the floor.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

It's a non issue for me because my nearest neighbor is out of earshot. Montana weather permitting I open the garage door and much prefer to have it open.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Two issues, privacy and politeness have been talked about throughout the thread. There is a third issue. When you work with the garage door open you invite everyone to look in and see what's in there. No matter what type neighborhood you live in there will always be strangers passing by. I only open mine in nice weather about 1/3. That way no one will get ideas about coming back later and "borrowing" some of my tools. We have a lot of money invested in easy to carry tools.


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## Oldelm (Jun 11, 2012)

I am retired and most of my neighbors are working younger people. I work in the garage with the door open in nice weather with no one around. My neighbors like it because I'm the unofficial neighborhood watch person. On weekends my neighbors come over to see what's going on or get me to cut a board for them or help me do some lifting that I am no longer able to do. My rules for myself are 8 to 5 weekdays, and 11 to 5 weekends unless someone cranks their mower up first. It is nice to have good neighbors to help me out when I need it.


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## elingeniero (Aug 16, 2012)

I'm lucky. I have exactly 1 next door neighbor, and everyone else is across a street. My house is oriented so that the garage doors are at least 100' from the nearest neighbors, and I have fences and a nice big minivan to block the view into the garage.

But I do leave the doors down when I use the table saw or routers during quiet hours. Drill press and bandsaw not so much.

But this thread reminds me of the time 25 years ago a friend and I were spending some late nights sanding a floor. First night we left the window closed. Second night it was stifling hot so we opened the windows. All of a sudden the sander just stopped. We looked around and standing by the door was the next door neighbor, in his bathrobe, bloodshot eyes, holding the plug. He didn't say a word … just dropped the plug on the floor and walked out.


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## NedB (Aug 21, 2008)

Very late to the party here, but I follow the 'when' I make noise camp more than the 'don't make waves' camp… I do woodworking, tailed tools make noise, so I try and be respectful of the one neighbor whom it would impact the most. My shop is about 30' from the back of his house so I tend to wrap things up by about 21:00 hours at the latest for planer, tablesaw and what not. Sanding, sweeping up etc… or using the lathe, 22:00. Oh, and Nothing gets started out there much before 10AM.


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I'm late to the show as well; about 7 months, but I don't have much problem with neighbors. Occasional bobcat, deer or coyote walking past, sometimes wild turkeys dig up the yard, but I'm in the middle of 40 acres of woods.


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