My #4 Stanley Bailey Plane Builds Up Static
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- This topic has 52 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by Gary Mercer.
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14 February 2019 at 2:25 pm #555086
[quote quote=555083]Is there a coating on the plane? The reason I wonder about this is wood and steel are right next to each other on the triboelectric scale so should not develop much static charge when rubbed together. As you have noted, only the one plane behaves this way.[/quote]
In testing whether the static occurs while naked, I also tested using my #3, #4 and #5 planes and they all create the static the same way. I spent a couple hours on the internet doing research (googling), and it seems to be that rubbing just about anything produces static…and that positive and negative electrons transfer to and from each other easily, including insulators. One site indicated that standing in water will provide the best path to ground. Another site said the connection from my hands contacting the handles on the plane can be improved using moister hands by using hand lotion…so I may try lotion today. I’ll let you know. It could be my skin is too dry to pass the electrons to ground, causing the problem…so we’ll see.
14 February 2019 at 3:59 pm #555094Could you run a ground strap from the vise to the ground or a nail up through a leg to ground the bench?
14 February 2019 at 5:33 pm #555099I just tested using the plane after rubbing in hand lotion (Jergens), and after grounding against my table saw, the shavings would still cling to the plane and my hands… but to a lesser extent to my hands. I then run my hands and arms under the faucet and with a towel dried my hands and tried again…The shavings still cling to the plane, and barely to my hands. To me it must be too dry (humidity) in my shop so I will get a hygrometer to verify the actual humidity in my shop. I’ll let you know when I get it.
14 February 2019 at 5:41 pm #555100[quote quote=555094]Could you run a ground strap from the vise to the ground or a nail up through a leg to ground the bench?[/quote]
I just may try clamping a wire to the board and my table saw together directly, just to find out!
14 February 2019 at 6:21 pm #555107Dean, I just tried clamping a wire from the board I am planning to my table saw which is grounded (verified). I still get static cling to the plane and my hand. So I wrapped the wire around my wedding ring and tried again…Same thing, static cling to the plane and my hand…and it takes quite a flick to get the shavings to drop free from my hand and the shavings must be picked from the plane…no amount of shaking will get them to fall free from the plane, they must be physically removed. Quite puzzling.
14 February 2019 at 10:53 pm #555112The only other thing i could suggest is to take a damp rag barely damp. With a tiny bit of dish soap on it. Wipe the plane with it , dry it , but dont rinse it off you might wash your hands as well and see what that does. Thats how I get static cling off of plastic stuff.
Other than that them shavings just love you15 February 2019 at 12:18 am #555113Dean, That’s an old trick to use at a camp fire…You rub a dishrag with soap on the outside of a porcelain kettle, then fill with water for your tea and place in your campfire to heat it for your tea or cocoa. The next day…the soot on the outside of the kettle just washes off clean.
I’ll try your idea tomorrow.
15 February 2019 at 2:48 am #555116[quote quote=555113]Dean, That’s an old trick to use at a camp fire…You rub a dishrag with soap on the outside of a porcelain kettle, then fill with water for your tea and place in your campfire to heat it for your tea or cocoa. The next day…the soot on the outside of the kettle just washes off clean.
I’ll try your idea tomorrow.[/quote]
Just remember to take the wooden handles off your plane before putting it in the campfire! (:
17 February 2019 at 4:09 pm #555153I purchased a Hygrometer in order to measure the humidity in my shop and thought it would be extremely low. As it turns out it is 35%, and although it is in the range of 30% to 50% for comfort it may be one of the factors for the static occurring when I use my planes. It still is driving me nuts! I know at other times of the year (non heating/ac), the humidity is higher, and yet it still happens. I don’t know the solution…but if I find it, I will update my findings.
17 February 2019 at 10:42 pm #555162[quote quote=555158]If you want a comparison, my shop is at 35% right now.[/quote]
If you plane pine, does static hold the shavings fast to the plane and your hands…or do the shavings fall free from the plane? Yes, please compare.
- This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Gary Mercer.
Pine shavings are scooped out and flicked to the floor. In any season, some shavings may cling to me, especially if they are thin, but it’s not like taking socks out of the drier and, most often, shavings will drop from my hand when released rather than having to flick my hand. If I turned the plane over, I believe most shavings would fall from the plane.
18 February 2019 at 2:30 pm #555171Ed, Your description “socks out of the dryer” matches the static cling that is occurring.
18 February 2019 at 6:13 pm #555180Does it do it when you plane a hardwood?
It could be that whatever pine you are using is particularly resinous.
Franklin rubbed amber, which is just hardened resin to create static charge.
I was wondering about resin, too. Does the pine have a strong pine smell to it?
Just as a guess, if it is the plane itself, my guess is that what matters is the lever cap, chip breaker, and back of the blade and wonder if there is a coating on them. Is this a new plane? Any chance there is a coat of lacquer? I would try cleaning with lacquer thinner (good ventilation, double glove, & respirator). If that doesn’t help, I’d try cleaning with denatured alcohol. I would also guess that no amount of grounding and other electrical monkey business will matter/help.
What fluid, if any, are you using when sharpening?
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