Static Electricity while hand planiing

[Lee Schierer]

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

Years ago my son was playing with our Commodore 64 and he slid across the carpeted floor and touched the computer as he did a large spark jumped from his finger. That was the end of the computer. We got it repaired and I purchased a cam of 3M anti static spray. I sprayed the carpet and no matter what you did you couldn't generate any static.
3m.jpg

[Stanley Covington]

Wood shavings and wood dust can create static. This is a serious problem in production situations, where the solution is to provide adequate grounding to bleed-off charge before it can accumulate and discharge violently. I have never experienced it using wooden planes, but I have when using metal-bodied planes in dry conditions.

If you are serious about eliminating static and are willing to spend some money, then there are industrial solutions used at cleanrooms, where the specified and tightly-controlled humidity, special clothing, and equipment tend to create lots of harmful static electricity discharge. Some of the solutions include the ionizing fans mentioned above, ionizing bars, anti-static floor mats, and body grounding equipment. None of this is cheap. Here is a link to website that has a decent listing. http://www.cleanroomshop.com/anti-static-esd.html

[david beck]

Thank you for all the advice everyone, and for some giggles(tin hat lol). No, industrial solutions and or expensive ones are not an option for me, i am disabled and it is only a annoyance not a fire risk or such in this case. Humidity levels have been over 54percent in here so i cant just do that, i use wax on my planes so since someone mentioned that can make it worst i can try none on one and i think i will try the spray or such on my shooting ramp. Right now i just simply use a shop vac and silicone brush to wipe it off the tool and me lol.

[Simon MacGowen]

I am very very surprised that no one has mentioned this simple and readily available solution from Lee Valley. It works every time regardless of where or what humidity condition you work in.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...02&cat=1,42401

Simon

[Frederick Skelly]

You're right Simon - one of us should have brought that up! That "preen" step is extremely important.
Fred

[Lee Schierer]

T i think i will try the spray or such on my shooting ramp.

Spray the 3M spray on your floor and on the soles of your shoes. Most likely your shoes and floor are creating the charge on you. Wear cotton shirts instead of wool.

[Patrick Chase]

I am very very surprised that no one has mentioned this simple and readily available solution from Lee Valley. It works every time regardless of where or what humidity condition you work in.

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/pag...02&cat=1,42401

Simon

Yeah, it's been almost exactly two years since I last brought that one up. Apparently I'm slacking. Thanks!