Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 22

Thread: Static Electricity while hand planiing

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    SE Kentucky
    Posts
    23

    Static Electricity while hand planiing

    I know i just sound like a nut but i am going bats trying to plane wood inside lately. The shavings/sawdust stick like glue to my planes(all i have used lately) and i remove it with a dust vac, brushing it off or pulling it out with your hands doesnt work it just gets all over everything. I understand its not a big deal in this case but it sure is annoying and i wondered if any of you had a easy fix?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Dublin, CA
    Posts
    4,119
    Quote Originally Posted by david beck View Post
    I know i just sound like a nut but i am going bats trying to plane wood inside lately. The shavings/sawdust stick like glue to my planes(all i have used lately) and i remove it with a dust vac, brushing it off or pulling it out with your hands doesnt work it just gets all over everything. I understand its not a big deal in this case but it sure is annoying and i wondered if any of you had a easy fix?
    Wax or oil the plane sole. Less dry friction, less static buildup.

    I've seen the same when planing in very dry environments BTW.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,582
    Get a bit of humidity into the room

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Longview WA
    Posts
    27,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    What kind of floor do you have.

    Static electricity can be created by a combination of interacting components. It used to cause all kinds of problems during my time as a silkscreen printer. Your shoes moving on the floor can be building up a charge on you and what you are holding. You might be able to rig a grounding wire to the plane and see if this helps.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  5. #5
    That happens in Minnesota in the winter. It just gets so dry here. In my shop at least if I tried to add enough humidity to make static go away, I would probably have a half inch of ice on the windows. It is just a fact of life; you kind of forget about it after a while.

    Even more annoying is getting zapped by the grocery cart every 10 feet. And basically having to bathe in moisturizer. And still getting skin spits on the ends of your fingers for 4 months.

  6. #6
    Rub dryer sheets on everything.



    * Disclosure: I'm kidding. This is probably a bad idea for reasons I'm not aware of.
    ** Disclosure 2: I don't use dryer sheets in the laundry.
    *** Disclosure 3: I should be working, not posting.

  7. #7
    There are antistatic floor paints available to dissipate static from you and anything else on it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    SE Kentucky
    Posts
    23
    Thank you for the advice everyone. It is sure not a big deal but i found it curious i guess. I must admit the dryer sheet idea did have me thinking, wish i had some i would try it just to see for myself what it would do.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Tokyo, Japan
    Posts
    1,550
    Quote Originally Posted by Patrick Chase View Post
    Wax or oil the plane sole. Less dry friction, less static buildup. I've seen the same when planing in very dry environments BTW.
    Ditto what Patrick said re oil. You may also tray wiping the surface being planed with a damp and clean rag prior to each pass. Stan

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    San Bernardino
    Posts
    203
    I have had the same experience here in SoCal. Plane shavings sticking to the plane as well as my clothing.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Johnstown, Ohio
    Posts
    67
    Quote Originally Posted by david beck View Post
    I know i just sound like a nut but i am going bats trying to plane wood inside lately. The shavings/sawdust stick like glue to my planes(all i have used lately) and i remove it with a dust vac, brushing it off or pulling it out with your hands doesnt work it just gets all over everything. I understand its not a big deal in this case but it sure is annoying and i wondered if any of you had a easy fix?
    It is not the plane or the wood, it is coming from your clothes as you interact with the plane or any other item that can accept electrons. When low humidity is present the transfer of electrons is quite easy, harder when moisture is around. Raise the humidity, a lot, to get rid of the electrons travelling.

    Don

  12. #12
    Have you tried a tin foil hat? I have no idea if it will work but if you try it please send pictures!!!

    C

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by david beck View Post
    Thank you for the advice everyone. It is sure not a big deal but i found it curious i guess. I must admit the dryer sheet idea did have me thinking, wish i had some i would try it just to see for myself what it would do.
    I wonder if dryer sheets have any silicone or something else that could foul up your finish?

    (I'm just raising it for discussion. I don't know that the dryer sheets contain such things, nor whether there would be enough to impact a finish. I know that I don't worry about this when using parafin wax on my plane soles, because any trace of wax that might be left on the surface gets dissolved in the shellac.)

    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    5,582
    You can buy de-ionizing fans. Some of them have heaters built in. They generate negative ions to reduce static generation. Note that using a steel plane is likely not the cause of the static problem. Also, using wax will likely just make the problem worse.

  15. #15
    You can get 'grounding anti-static wrist straps' for this very purpose (just search amazon or some place like it). You do have to clip it to something that will ground it. You could always shove it into the ground of an extension cord (if you are very sure you know which one is ground). You could also buy a replacement 3 prong plug and only connect a lead to the ground which you can then clip to. Anyway, if you are grounded, the plane will also naturally ground out as you handle it and dissipate the static so the sawdust doesn't stick.
    Last edited by Noah Magnuson; 12-29-2017 at 7:55 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •