"psx1337" wrote in message
ps.com...
I'm 17 and thinking about going to a wooden yacht restoration and
construction school. Some people have told me that this kind of work is
bad on your hearing, and I've read some stuff that says by age 25 many
carpenters have the hearing of a 50 year old. As a musician, I value my
hearing. So what I'm wondering is. 1. What's the biggest cause
specifically of this, if anything. and 2. What could I do to avoid it?

1. Noise. In my younger days I made a living as a framing carpenter.
Between saws, hammer blows, compressors, nailguns etc., a jobsite is doggone
noisy - 120+ decibels (anything over 85 is bad).
2. Hearing protection, either disposable foam plugs or ear muffs. I was
considered a "wimp" by some on the crew for my diligent use of hearing
protection. Twenty five years later, I have my hearing - 'nuff said.
--
Mike Harris
Austin, TX