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My Griots Garage 6" DA is super quiet!
'Course, it could be because of my earplugs...
earplugs
Normally dB readings are done at standard 1 meter distance however when polishing some panels i.e. vertical ones the ear is much closer to the machine and consequently it is much louder.
I really do not understand why more effort is made to make these machines quieter or why there is not a demand to buy quieter machines.
My Silverline rotary is officially 92 dB (one meter) and I think it was about 95 when measured working on the car.
For your garage I would consider sealing all the doors with some draftproofing material, even a small gap will allow a lot of sound to travel through the hole. Most garages are full of hard surfaces so any soft materials will help a little
As far as demand, there ARE quieter machines but they are expensive. I can't answer for everyone but I can answer for me and why I chose to buy a louder, cheaper machine;
I just don't polish that often. Maybe I'll polish once a year. As I don't have a garage, I typically hand apply waxes and sealants. I have to 'borrow' a garage to use my DA. So, in my situation, I can just stick some earplug in and deal with it and spend the money I saved on things I use all the time; like microfiber towels, waterless wash, tools, and other things that help me to maintain my finish! In a day to day basis, my Mercury 2.0 bottle was a great investment over a cheap bottle since I do a waterless wash at LEAST 4 times a week (4 vehicles weekly). More frequently when rain, snow, and ice are a factor. So a $20 plastic bottle? A couple hundred in microfiber towels? Sure. But an extra $100 or $200 for a polisher just because it's a little quieter and smoother- in MY situation; no, it's not high on my priority list.
That's my $0.02. I just got done polishing, sealing, and waxing my car- all by machine. Loud and lots of vibrations but it really was no big deal. Not when the next time I'll use it may be spring when I do my wife's car and PERHAPS my car again should I decide to go a coating route in the spring (and I'll polish again to ensure a perfectly clean surface.).
Thank you for the information. It sounds like a rotary may not be as quiet as I originally thought. I may also have to invest in some insulation in the garage. The bedroom is directly above so I'll have to see what my options are.....