Static electricity problem

[Colin F]

It’s extremely dry humidity where I live this time of year and I’m running into what I believe is a static electricity problem in the paint booth. My models are like dust magnets. I use a homemade booth that’s essentially foam board on top of cardboard with a plastic container housing the blower fan - I know these surfaces can become charged. I also know that the very process of dry air going through the hose to the airbrush can cause static electricity. 

Any recommendations to mitigate this? Dryer sheets - are they safe to wipe down models prior to paint? Mist the inside surfaces of the booth with water? 

[Bob MDC]

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/wipes/0568146?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-CSS_UK_EN_Facilities_Cleaning_%26_Maintenance_Whoop-_-Wipes_Whoop+(2)-_-568146&matchtype=&pla-303525521271&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=9771206611&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gclid=Cj0KCQiAofieBhDXARIsAHTTldrbaQKcbD17ChbUTBwMZdcH3vpu5rOZufNin0rZMc2wvxP9NAilpWsaAqM_EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

We used similar when Vac-forming, I would shop around for price I think the last box I bought was about £5.00

 

Bob

[Woody V]

Electricity isn't my strong point, but have you considered grounding your booth, or perhaps using a humidifier? 
Probably a million reasons why these won't work but it's one way of following this discussion. 

[ivanmoe]

Three-prong plug on the fan's power supply?

[denders]

Well, if the booth isn’t metal, grounding it isn’t beneficial and I don’t think that is where the problem originates from. A humidifier might help assuming you’re painting in a room and you can close the door.

It’s the plastic parts that end up with a static charge that attract the dust particles. If you’re wiping down the parts, add a very small amount of moisture to the cloth and allow a small amount of time for it to air dry. 
 

It seems like spraying the booth and wiping it down will help with the dust that may have collected in the booth itself. If you’re like me, it’s only a few feet from the bench to the booth and sanding residue is bound to get there. Wiping down the parts to be painted will help too. Probably being a little more diligent this time of year on cleaning the area will be helpful. I recall from years past that car guys were suggesting using a wiping cloth used by 1:1 car painters to wipe down the car body. The correct name escapes me atm, but it’s a gauzy material that is mildly sticky. 

 

Another idea might be to use one of those straps that come with electronics to ground yourself. Depending on what you’re sitting on, a static charge will be created and transferred to the parts too. 
 

I’m not an expert, so YMMV. Thomas Edison defined an expert as, ex is former and a spurt is a drip under pressure. So an expert is a former drip under pressure. HTH

 

[ivanmoe]

Could be that Colin's body/clothes/shoes are the problem, rather than the model. If the model's carrying a charge, it's likely picking it up from being handled. If you use a nylon brush to sweep away dust, that could worsen the issue. To release the static charge, simply touch the metal case of the power supply for your paint booth. I haven't purchased a home computer from a store in thirty years, and long ago learned to discharge static electricity from my hands/body before handling components like memory sticks, again via the power supply. Assuming that the booth is properly grounded, that will release the charge and send it down the circuit to your home's grounding-rod. Finally, "anti-static-straps," typically worn around the wrist, will accomplish the same purpose.

[Out2gtcha]

Yep, go online and Google IT static wrist strap or similar. It might be a weird to get used to at first on your holding hand, but if you can clip it to a metal part of the spray booth (as above, assuming the spray booth itself is grounded) it will eliminate any static generated by friction/clothes/shoes ext.

[LSP_Kevin]

I've found that sanding and polishing a model in preparation for primer or paint can introduce a mild static charge to the model. This then attracts dust like nobody's business! It's frustrating for sure, and I'll be following some of these tips to see if it helps.

 

Kev

[TankBuster]

Try laying down wet tea towels under and around what your painting, I spray on top of my stove and use the extractor fan to clear the paint fumes and I use this method to help keep the dust a bay. I paint of to the side alot as the fan just pulls dust in from the air and straight onto the model if I do it directlly under fan. I brought a small paint booth years ago and it was a waste of money due to it pulling the dust in and all over my work. cheers.