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Static electricity build up?

D

Don Bradway

Joined
Feb 17, 2007
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Location
Auburn, CA
Have any of you ever experienced a static electricity build-up on your lathe while turning, to the point that it discharges while you're touching the bed of the lathe? I got shocked twice yesterday afternoon :eek: and I'm sure hoping I don't have a short in my lathe. This is the first time it's happened, don't believe I have damaged my machine, don't have any damaged power cords, etc.
 
Don Bradway said:
Have any of you ever experienced a static electricity build-up on your lathe while turning, to the point that it discharges while you're touching the bed of the lathe? I got shocked twice yesterday afternoon :eek: and I'm sure hoping I don't have a short in my lathe. This is the first time it's happened, don't believe I have damaged my machine, don't have any damaged power cords, etc.
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Don, Never experienced this. Hawaii is not big on static electricity though. Got any electrician friends who can check your system?

Dave
 
Has to be pretty dry, but can happen. Good thick paintjob on the lathe will charge up from rubbing nonconductors. Mine's part of my dust collection system!

Still, I'd check to make sure I didn't have a buildup of dust or such inside the switchbox causing a "hot" frame. Could become worse.

Can't be that dry in the foothills this time of year.
 
Make sure you have a good ground and that your wiring is good. In my last shop I would get shocked when I touched the lathe but it wasn't static electricity. I found a bad ground in my wiring. I suppose it could be other things than the ground as well.
 
Don, there's a difference between an electrical shock from your supply voltage and static electric discharge. Roughly speaking, static discharge is more of a "snap" as opposed to the "buzz" that is typical of an AC voltage contact. That said, don't take chances with your gear. If you're not skilled at electrical work have a professional check it out. While you're at it, assuming you don't already have it in place, make sure your shop is equipped with GFI outlets. They can go a long way toward saving a life.
 
My question is, if it is static charge, is it originating in the lathe, or are you somehow building up a charge in your body? Like walking across a carpet with socked feet, for example. If in your body, just discharge yourself by holding on to a metal object (a turning tool) and touching that to the lathe--so you don't feel that discomfort of directly discharging yourself.
If the static charge is originating from the lathe, there's something weird going on. Static electricity is generally caused by some mechanical action, I don't think it would just build up on it's own. I could be wrong, however. Maybe the drive belt is rubbing on something? Just a thought. But if the machine were well grounded, you wouldn't notice it.
 
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Lovely stuff, static. All it takes is a couple of non-conductors. For instance the wood itself, with you sanding, all kinds of rubbing going on. Greeks used to use amber and fur to produce it. Only in Greek the word for amber was "electron."
 
You could just throw a sheet of Bounce inside your bowls! That would kill the static cling (I hate it when my bowls stick together!!), and make your bowls soft and fluffy and smell really nice!!! <grin>

Seriously, I just checked with an electrician friend and he said if it happened again, get things checked. An electrician should be able to spot a problem quickly and fix it, or assure you that all is well and you just need to try the sheet of Bounce! As he said, better safe than sorry. He also stressed a GFCI as well. Mine is at the breaker box.

Dave
 
I like using the 3M abrasive fiber pads after sanding - except on dry winter days. You would not believe how much static they can build if you are standing on rubber mats!! I guarantee you it will get your attention!!! :eek: I have actually had to take a wire with 2 alligator clips on it and clip between my clothes and the lathe bed to prevent the build up. I have considered buying one of the static protection wires for working on computers that you can put around your arm/leg and hook to the lathe but safety worries me. The little alligator clip hooked to my shirt will just snatch free if it did get caught in something moving..
 
Just a quick note, when I put in my dust collector ( some codes requier metal tubing) I ran the copper wire to every piece of metal equipt in the shop and attached to 10 foot grounding rod outside. the static in the dust collector ( if you use plastic can and will blow up in you face much like grain elevators do from the static of falling grain and plastic gas cans.) Pleeeesssseeee use seperate grounding on ALL electric equipt to be safe , nuf widows and fatherless children in this world..thanks
 
I don't want to step on anyones toes but, there is not one documented case of either explosion or fire caused by static discharge because of plastic pipe in a home workshop. There is an excellent article on this, if I can find it again, I will post a link.
 
whenever i vacuum up after some fun, i always keep one hand on the lathe bed so as not to get shocked. The nova and the shopvac don't go hand-in-hand that often.
 
I just hate it when my shorts get tangled in the lathe, or sucked into the dust collector.

Seriously, some good advice above re. having stuff properly grounded.
 
Dave,
Mythbusters did an episode where they tested the static buildup in a piece of PVC pipe by sandblasting it. The myth was that the static buildup could create such a shock that it would kill a person...The myth was busted....


Could it cause an explosion in a dust collection system? I'm not really an expert on the subject, but you would think that if such an event happened (for a home user/hobbiest) that there would be some article on it somewhere? (The "my-neighbor's-brother's-best-friend-had-this-happen" stories don't cut it for me) I also think you would need some sort of highly flamible agent mixed in your dust system to create the right environment (say vaporized gasoline, lighter fluid, or mineral spirits, etc.) -- but again, I'm not an expert on the topic.
 
Dust collection explosions

There was also a mythbusters episode where they used static to cause explosions of gasoline fumes, they did it. But petrol fuel-air mix is a long way from dust explosion.

But just I took note of a one point in the article about DC hazard with regards to collection bags and disposal of waste. My dust system probably has about 18 inches of fine particles in it in the lower collection bag right now. Any spark carried into the collection bag could smoulder and ignite without anyone noticing until it is too late. The spark could be caused by the DC itself, or be the result of an action at a tool, maybe cutting through a nail on on of the saws or something like that. I suspect many other shops are the same way. I'm thinking it is probably worth a slight adjustment in my cleanup behavior.

Jeff
 
It gets extremely dry out here in the early summer. I have never been shocked by a lathe or seen one build a static charge while it's spinning. I have two (Powermatic & Delta), and have turned on other folks' lathes out here (Jet).

My shop vac on the other hand shocks me *everytime* from the hose building up a charge, me holding it, and then I touch the metal handle.

My experience - your's may differ :) .
 
jastop said:
.... The spark could be caused by the DC itself, or be the result of an action at a tool, maybe cutting through a nail on on of the saws or something like that. ....Jeff
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This is the reason why many DCs have aluminum or plastic impellers. No sparks on impact with metals.
 
Not to step back on toes, but to err on the side of caution , no one can fault that, its like murphys law. You just gotta know that if it can happen it will and by the way if any of you out there put your life on the line cause Myth Busters says so , then ask them to insure your shop and life baised on their " certified " tests.... :D
 
chips29 said:
Not to step back on toes, but to err on the side of caution , no one can fault that, its like murphys law. .... :D
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Chips,

No one said or meant, do not take reasonable and prudent precautions. I just took issue with the statement "if you use plastic can and will blow up in you face much like grain elevators do from the static of falling grain and plastic gas cans." By all means err on the side of caution, I did when installing my original system, and will always make an effort to do so where safety is concerned. In that respect you are 100% correct. I hope this negates the need to watch out for each others toes.
:D
 
Hi Don,
You could set up a humidifier in your shop to reduce the level of static you are generating. You could also change out the rubber mat you are standing on to one that is graphite impregnated and grounded. I used to visit a factory that assembled ejection seat boosters and we had to stay on the conductive flooring to avoid a static spark, that would just be bad.
just google "Anti static, anti fatigue mats"

Larry
 
Steve Worcester said:
This is the reason why many DCs have aluminum or plastic impellers. No sparks on impact with metals.
Click to expand...

Betting it has to do with weight, personally. Good reason to make the things so that they can't suck chunks into or through the impeller like mine, which drops them into a can before they reach it.

Question to the ground wire people, just how well can you ground a non-conductor? They make insulators out of plastic, don't they?

I've got a wire to stiffen inside the hose on mine, and clamping it to frame ground doesn't stop the dust from sticking inside or out.
 
MichaelMouse said:
.........................................................................

Question to the ground wire people, just how well can you ground a non-conductor? They make insulators out of plastic, don't they?

I've got a wire to stiffen inside the hose on mine, and clamping it to frame ground doesn't stop the dust from sticking inside or out.
Click to expand...


MM,

That question is covered quite well in the article linked in an earlier post.
 
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