Dropped $700 on a new forge blower and I'm still not sure if it was smart

I got tired of my old hand crank blower giving out on big jobs, so I bought a new electric one. It was a big chunk of change, about seven hundred bucks. The good side is it gives me a super steady heat, which is great for making custom shoes or doing repairs that need a lot of focus. But man, the noise is something else. It's loud enough that I have to wear ear protection the whole time, and I miss being able to hear the fire and the metal. Plus, it needs power, so I'm stuck near an outlet or running a generator. My old way was slow but quiet and I could work anywhere. Did I just trade peace and quiet for a bit of speed, or is the steady heat really worth the headache?

4 comments

4 Comments

jackson.faith2mo ago

Wow, my neighbor's new leaf blower has the same problem, it's so loud!

davis.noah7d ago

Earplugs help, but they don't fix the noise pollution for everyone else. Try building a sound dampening box around the motor part of that leaf blower. A little plywood and some foam insulation cut the decibel level way down. I did the same thing for my shop vac and it went from painful to just annoying. Neighbors will thank you for it.

hannah4002mo ago

Sounds like you bought a jet engine for your forge. My old truck makes less noise than that thing probably does. But hey, at least you can hear yourself think over the ringing in your ears now, right? That steady heat for custom work is a game changer, but man, trading the quiet crackle of the fire for a constant roar is a tough call. Sometimes the fancy tool just reminds you why the simple one felt so good.

anna5782mo ago

My last apartment had a window AC unit that hit 85 decibels on a bad day. I had to turn the TV up so loud just to hear dialogue over the constant drone. You get used to the noise after a while, but the second you turn it off, the sudden quiet feels like a physical relief. Makes you miss the simple box fan, even if it didn't cool things down as well.