Custom molded ear plugs

[Hamar]

I did a search and didnt see anything so let me ask here.

Where locally (South Shore of Mass) can I bring my 14 yo daughter to get a set of those molded ear plugs made for her. I use the foam plugs but her ear canal is just too narrow. We are currently making due with the foam plugs but they do not fit right and we know it so she doubles up her hearing protection with muffs too. I think she'd do well with a set of molded plugs.

Thinking a gift certificate for them would be a nice stocking stuffer.

Thanks,
Hamar

 

[Adam_MA]

Not sure, there is a guy that goes to most of the gun shows that does it right there...

You can buy the ones that are kind of like silly puddy at the drug stores and do it yourself.

Adam

 

[Len-2A Training]

I'm about to recommend going to an audiologist to have them made, as opposed to the local gun show. The cost is higher, but the longevity and quality of protection is a lot higher. Here are the differences:

- Person at gun show pours the silicon rubber (assumption on my part) compound in your ear and waits until it hardens, and you are done.

- Audiologist pours a mold compound in your ear, sends it to a lab where they make a reverse mold, pour the silicon rubber compound into that and cure it in a bell vacuum jar to ensure that there are no air bubbles in the earplug compound.

- Done at a gun show, there is no way for the maker to ensure that there are no air bubbles (pockets) in the plugs they make.

- Done at a gun show, there is no way that the maker can properly cure the material, which ensures longevity.

- Air bubbles in the compound will NOT protect your hearing, but are not visible to the user.

- Both processes will work, and are better than stuffing a bullet in your ear, but for the marginal cost difference vs. higher quality of protection and longer lasting plugs, the cost effectiveness of a lab produced product is much higher.

Back in my days as a Co-Op Student from NU, I worked in the military-industrial complex and we frequently used the bell jar vacuum technique in "potting" electrical devices that we prototyped. When I worked as an engineer on Polaris-Poseidon Guidance Systems, Raytheon's production line used the same technique in "potting" the modules. What I stated above is NOT advertising hype, the electronics industry has been doing this at least since the 1960s.

Now for my recommendation:

Paul Milner
Hearing Care Center
450 North Main Street (location is Cobbs Corner, junction of Stoughton/Canton/Sharon town lines)
Sharon, MA 02067
(781) 784-1944
(800) 499-2212 (Eastern MA only)
http://www.hearingcarecenter.com/index.htm

Paul is former military, former acoustical engineer from MIT (I didn't realize that until reading his website to type this info), and makes plugs for a lot of shooters in the area. Tell him that I sent you! Paul teaches at a college in Boston, so it pays to call first as he isn't in the office all the time. I don't know if the other audiologists in his office make the plugs too.

My Wife also seems to have a small ear canal and has trouble properly fitting ear plugs, so my plan is to get her fitted with these custom plugs ASAP. I had a pair made a few years ago (cost was $60 IIRC) and they work great.

 

[Hamar]

Lens, Thank you very much for your help. I will look into this today. Pardon the thread drift but, You went to Northeastern University? I am a Machinist there currently. Which college does Paul teach at. Is it possible that he teaches here?

Thanks again,
Hamar

 

[Chris]

There is a guy who shoots shotgun at Hopkington Sportsman Club (one exit south of the Mass Pike off 495) who does the "While you wait" plugs. I've had mine for several years now and can't complain. Perhaps they are not the same quality as the ones you'll get from the pros, but they work great. I use them under electronic muffs when using centerfire on the indoor range.

Perhaps Rob knows the guy's name.

One of the things this guy mentioned that made sense was that most "While you wait" makers don't spend the time to coat the plugs to build up the thickness a little. This is what makes a better seal. He told me that if I had any problems, he'd add a few more layers of the coating. I never did, but it sure made sense to me. If you mold using the ear, it goes to reason that the result won't be a tight fit and that you need to make it slightly larger to fit tight.

Anyone ever use the custom plugs that don't use electronics (way too much $$) but rather a tube and flap type arrangement to allow some hearing, but still keep out loud impuses?

example:

http://www.earinc.com/p1-filtered-afiltered.php

They seem like a really good choice for all day wear while hunting. I've just never met anyone who's used them.

I've always wanted to get a set of nice custom plugs just because the muffs get a wee warm in the summer, and the plugs usually do have a better sound db reduction. I simply can't justify the $700-$1000 I've seen the electronic plugs selling for, and straight plugs usually are too much when teaching or running a shooting line. Can't hear very well.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Lens, Thank you very much for your help. I will look into this today. Pardon the thread drift but, You went to Northeastern University? I am a Machinist there currently. Which college does Paul teach at. Is it possible that he teaches here?

Thanks again,
Hamar

Hamar,

Paul used to teach at one of the Boston colleges (for many years), but he now teaches only at Bridgewater State (a lot closer to his office).

We paid him a visit on Thursday, so I asked him.

 

[Len-2A Training]

On Thursday, I treated my Wife to another Hanukkah gift . . . custom molded ear plugs from the Hearing Care Center. Cost is now $70/pair. Well worth it for custom plugs that will last many years and solve my Wife's noise sensitivity issues.

For concerts that we attend, where my Wife also complains bitterly about the noise, we bought some Etymotic ER20 High Fidelity ear plugs made specifically for music (cuts all frequencies by an even 20dB) so that nothing is muffled. These cost $15/pair, another good deal from Paul.

Now for some background:

- My Wife has always complained about noise and runs the radio at barely above a whisper, TV volume never trips over the "stereo" threshold (on Sharp TV it shows on screen as you increase volume). Even with roll-up plugs and muffs (for shooting) she was always complaining about the noise! [Muffs are very difficult for women unless they have ultra-short hair as any hair that gets under the cups "breaks" the seal needed for good attenuation.

- Thursday my Wife attended the funeral for the Mother of one of her managers and I convinced her to take the rest of the day off and see Paul for some custom plugs. He did a hearing test on her first and the results were that she has very acute hearing, much like that of an 18 yo (Paul's pronouncement). He also said that her ear canals were small, making it very difficult for her to use "off the shelf" roll-up plugs.

 

[C-pher]

Good for you getting her to take the day off for that.

And I'm glad that she was able to find a good pair of plugs. And that's not much more priced than the guys that do them at the shows.

SO you might as well go and get one from a ear doctor...

 

[M1911]

Another alternative is roll-up ear plugs that are tapered. These work better for me than the cylindrical plugs and I believe will work better for those with narrow ear canals. I get them from http://labsafety.com. I use Howard Leight Max earplugs, item number 12137.

 

[sal]

I was up in Rockingham today and the guy wanted fifty five dollars for the plugs. For just 15 bucks more I am going to get them professionally done. Len thanks for the info.

 

[dwarven1]

Another alternative is roll-up ear plugs that are tapered. These work better for me than the cylindrical plugs and I believe will work better for those with narrow ear canals. I get them from http://labsafety.com. I use Howard Leight Max earplugs, item number 12137.

I've been using the Howard Leight Laser Lite ear plugs; very comfortable and you can get a small pack of them at CVS for a few bucks. ('course, now I know where I can order them in bulk! )

You can even sleep with them in if your spouse snores...

FWIW, I had gotten a set of the molded plugs several years ago and wil have to replace them. Not sure why, but one of them doesn't seal so well any more. I suppose it could be because I've lost weight since they were fitted. Can't think of any other explanation.

 

[M1911]

'course, now I know where I can order them in bulk!

Yup, much cheaper in bulk. They also carry lots of different eye protection and ear protection. I wear latex gloves when cleaning guns and get them in bulk from the same place. I've probably placed a dozen orders with Labsafety.com and always had great service -- never a problem with an order and always very fast processing. Highly recommended.

 

[dwarven1]

I've probably placed a dozen orders with Labsafety.com and always had great service -- never a problem with an order and always very fast processing. Highly recommended.

I know. I used to purchase Gatorade in the bulk packets - mix up a gallon at a time for heavy lists practice when I was fighting in the SCA. Wearing 60 lbs of armor in the summer sun makes you sweat a lot. (note: the Society for Creative Anachronism studies the Middle Ages by reenacting it - including tournament fighting)

But anyway, Lab Sarety gave me great service, too.

 

[matt]

I was wondering what the benefit of wearing plugs + muffs and found this:

The Noise Reduction Rating System

Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) is the measure, in decibels, of how well a hearing protector reduces noise, as specified by the Environmental Protection Agency. The higher the number, the greater the noise reduction. When dual protectors are used, the combined NRR provides approximately 5 decibels more than the higher rated of the two products. For example, using ear plugs (NRR of 29 decibels) with ear muffs (NRR 27) would provide a Noise Reduction Rating of 34 decibels.

So you get a benifit of ~3.2X

 

[Len-2A Training]

I purchased a 200 pack of EAR 312-1256 33dB earplugs, hoping this would work for my Wife. Problem is that my Wife can't get them into her ears fast enough after rolling them, due to hair getting in the way, etc. Thus, custom plugs were the best solution for her.

I've used these same earplugs and they work great for me . . . of course I don't exactly have long hair hanging over my ears! [lol]

I'll be selling off these earplugs at the next BR&P Swap Meet!

 

[Len-2A Training]

I was up in Rockingham today and the guy wanted fifty five dollars for the plugs. For just 15 bucks more I am going to get them professionally done. Len thanks for the info.

Sal, glad to help!

 

[C-pher]

I love Lab Safety.

Being that I was in the Enviromental field for years before I got into Computers I used to order from them all the time.

And being a dork, I used to love to get their HUGE catalog and just lay in bed and go through it...

 

[M1911]

I used to be a geotechnical engineer. My wife is an environmental geologist (and LSP).

Now I write software...

 

[C-pher]

I was an Environmental Engineer for some time. Worked for Brown and Root and then Tetra Tech, worked on several Land Fills at Wright Patt Air Force Base.

Was also a UST inspector for the Ohio State Fire Marshall. That's how I got into Computers. I ended up working for a company that wrote Enviro Software, worked on thier Underground Storage Tank software.

Now I'm a System Admin...

 

[Broc Tuah]

Resurrecting this thread.

I am looking for someone near the Boston area that can fo custom ear plugs. Cost is not an issue.

Can anyone recommend someone?

Is that guy on post #2 still around?

 

[Bison]

I need also for my son and I. The person I talked with today said he is still shut down. Any contacts would be appreciated.

 

[citoriguy]

I used an audiologist to custom fit ear plugs that are dead to gun shots (mostly shotgun, so very close to the ear), but will pick up audio in a split second. They also have volume controls in the off chance I need to wear them elsewhere and need to hear my surroundings better. Not cheap by any stretch, but worth every penny. My audiologist was pro-2A and she and her husband were active shooters, so they knew exactly what I was looking for.

 

[bigpick]

Mass eye and ear did mine. I'm very happy with them.