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Deb Malloy
01-15-2010, 8:59 AM
I've got my miter saw dust port connected to a shop vac. There is a tremendous amount of static, especially on the hose. I can see the dust standing up. A lot of dust also sticks to the base of the shop vac.
Is there a way to control any of this ?

Thanks

Bruce Volden
01-15-2010, 9:27 AM
Deb

What is needed is a "grounding" strap (usually bare copper wire) to dissapate the static charge. I'm not quite sure where you would need to attach it though. If your shop vac has a metal canister perhaps there is a screw you could use??

Bruce

Harry Hagan
01-15-2010, 10:20 AM
Bosch and Festool make anti-static hoses for their vacs. Maybe your brand does too.

Cliff Holmes
01-15-2010, 10:39 AM
What is needed is a "grounding" strap (usually bare copper wire) to dissapate the static charge.

Unless you completely encase the hose in metal, this won't work. Static will not travel across the hose, it's, well, "static" :) A grounded wire will only pull the charge from a very small area close to the wire.

Lee Schierer
01-15-2010, 11:07 AM
Give it some time. Once the hose gets dusty, it will quit having the clinging effect nearly so bad. The good news is that it isn't dangerous and it is pulling saw dust out of the air that you would otherwise be breathing. My shop vac hose used to do the same thing when it was new. Now it doesn't.

You can probably speed up the process by taking your hose an putting it in a plastic trash bag. Then dump the contents of your shop vac into the bag. Close the top of the bag and shake for 2 minutes. Wait 30 seconds for the dust to settle in the bag and then open the bag and remove your hose. It should no longer hold a charge.

Rod Sheridan
01-15-2010, 11:12 AM
You either need an anti-static hose, which is a hose that is electrically conductive so it can be grounded, or you need a metal flex hose that's grounded.

The grounding of either hose would require a ground wire to the closest electrical box, since your vacuum is probably made of plastic.

I had a static problem with my planer when I used a plastic hose, it would accumulate enough charge to give my head a static shock when I got close enough. I decided I didn't need to be jumping in surprise while using shop equipment.

I replaced it with a length of 5" aluminum flex, that's grounded through the metal dust collector ducting.

Regards, Rod.