Is static electricity a common problem?

[chrisinbeav]

While using my belt sander or my buffer wheel, quite often I get a lot of static electricty discharge. Sometimes I get zapped pretty good!! Is this very common? It has caused me to screw up a couple handles due the involuntary muscle contractions that it causes. There has got to be some way to ground these out so this doesn't happen. I'd hate to be grinding on a set of $150.00 Mother of Pearl scales and get zapped. Any advise would be appreciated?!
Chris

[Jeremy Krammes]

I get zapped sometimes, but not bad enough to flinch. Try running a ground wire from the BACK of the platen to see if it helps.

Jeremy

[AwP]

Someone else had this same problem. Try wearing different shoes, if your problem was the same as his that should fix it.

[Ed Caffrey]

Here in North Central Montana, where there is very low humidity, it's always been a real problem for me. Just stepping up to a running grinder in the winter months can make you wince. Generally if the humidity in your shop is below 45%, you'll have a problem with static, especially when your grinding man made materials like micarta and especially G-10. Its a little imbarassing to tell, but I was nuzzled up the grinder one cold winters day a couple of years ago and had a huge blue spark jump from the bottom of the platen to my "body", now keep in mind it came from the bottom end of the platen, so you can guess which part of my body was closest ..........I was on my knees groaning in a split second! Since that little incident, I have wired both of my grinders up with one of those anti-static wrist bands that are used for computer work. I also keep a humidifier running during the winter months which not only holds down the static, but also lowers the heating costs in the shop.

[Darren Ellis]

Well, if there's one advantage to living in the humid South, I guess this is it! I've never had a problem with static charge build-up while grinding, even with a ceramic platen liner on the grinder.



-Darren

[TJ Smith]

Find a anti static floor mat that took care of my problem. Very nice to stand on also.
TJ

[george tichbour]

Static gets to be a problem around here in the winter as the air dries out. I also experience more of a problem if I wear rubber soled running shoes when grinding so I usually switch to proper work boots in winter and the problem goes away. I guess the leather of the boot and the composite sole dissipate the static before it gets bad enough to arc.

I have heard of people using anti static wrist straps like the electronic assemblers use but have never tried that for fear of getting tangled up with the wheel.