Static electricity problem

[CFster]

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? 

[habu2]

Try one of these, I still have one from my vinyl  LP days 50 years ago ..

 

https://www.amazon.com/Milty-5036694022153-Zerostat-Anti-Static-Blue/dp/B0033SHDSS

 

and/or one of these:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Anti-Static-Electronic-Wristband-Grounding-HPFIX/dp/B07X7VL7VR/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa

 

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Edited February 4, 2023 by habu2

[WymanV]

I've used Pledge based on a recommendation on one of these discussion groups but I can't say with certainty that it helped. I still get dust. I can see it suspended in air and suddenly drawn to the part I'm painting like a magnet to steel. There are anti-static solvents I've used in my auto body days to prep plastic parts for paint that I should look into and I have some specialized anti-static tac rags but it just seems to be an element of life in this part of the world.

[Bob Beary]

Put some old towels down and mist them with water. You can also tape some newspaper up on the sides and mist them as well.

 

Use the airbrush to blow any dust off the model just prior to spraying.

 

I do it all the time.Bob

[habu2]

Misting the air with water can "wash" dust particles out out the air but it has nothing to do with removing electrostatic charges that attract dust to surfaces.  To prevent that attraction the electrostatic charge must be neutralized. 

[CFster]

19 minutes ago, habu2 said:

Misting the air with water can "wash" dust particles out out the air but it has nothing to do with removing electrostatic charges that attract dust to surfaces.  To prevent that attraction the electrostatic charge must be neutralized. 

My understanding is water sprayed onto a surface reduces its static charge, because it’s an excellent conductor. 

[habu2]

1 hour ago, CFster said:

My understanding is water sprayed onto a surface reduces its static charge, because it’s an excellent conductor. 

 

It depends upon the relative charge level of the water and the surface. Even then, you'd have to spray water onto the surface of the model.  Subsequent efforts to dry the surface of the model, either by wiping with absorbent towels or blowing with air, would most likely reintroduce a static charge on the surface.   

 

Placing the model on a properly grounded surface (an anti-stat mat) and using a "zap gun" neutralizes the charge level between the model surface and the model.

 

Having said all that, it's usually easier to try to minimize any dust in the air in the first place using filtration and misting the air. Note the intent of misting the air is not to raise the relative humidity in the room, the intent is to make any dust particles wet and "fall" to the ground, as they are now too heavy to float about in the air. 

 

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Edited February 5, 2023 by habu2
Tpyos

[Ben Brown]

I’m still mad I lost my old ZeroStat that I had in the ‘80s. Still have the rest of the DiscWasher set I bought with it. 100 bucks for a replacement is a bit steep. I went looking for mine a couple of years ago when I was doing some touch ups on a model car body. When the brush got within a couple of mm of the body, the metallic flakes would jump across the gap and form lines on the body. 

 

Ben

 

 

[habu2]

I still have my DiscWasher set, with a wooden base and plastic cover.  I don't think I still have one but, back before digital cameras, I used to have a small darkroom at home.  There were these anti-static brushes used  to remove dust from negatives (and slides), pretty sure they no longer make them because they contained a small radioactive strip of Polonium to induce the negative charge on the brush bristles.

[Scott Smith]

Endust, not Pledge. Different products!  
 

We used Endust on cars as well.  Especially fiberglass hoods. Just blowing air across coming from the paint gun can build up static.  
wipe your booth down with Endust as well. 
 

You can try grounding your model and paint booth.  Not sure how successful this would be, but we also did it with cars. Simple on a car.  Hang a chain over the axle.

 

For a model and booth you could try buying an electric plug to put on power cords, 3 prong only.  Attach a ground wire to the green (ground) terminal only and plug it into your outlet.  Clip the other end to your booth and model. 
We use to make these at work when doing circuit board work. We would wear the static wrist strap and clip the alligator clip onto wire hanging out of a plug that was attached to ground only. 
 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Scott Smith

[CFster]

Thanks Scott

Edited February 7, 2023 by CFster

[fulcrum1]

I use a large room humidifier down the hall and keep the doors open.