# Don't give me no static, man!



## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

*Now, read that title again, only this time do it with Bart Simpson's voice in your head! *
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This afternoon I was gluing up a couple blanks so I can turn another bowl. Once the clamps were set I looked around for something else to do. I saw my shop-vac and thought why not? This place could use a good vacuuming. So I wheel it out into the middle of the shop, plug it in and attach the 12' hose with the floor nozzle on it.

And there I am, sucking up dirt and sawdust like it's nobodys business. As I move around the shop I give little thought to the plastic coil-hose that rubs against my leg with every back & forth motion I make. As I move to the far end of my shop I reach to pull out my home-made 12" disc sander so I can vacuum under it… I innocently grab the METAL LEG of the stand … and then it hits me … ZZZZZZZZAAAAAP ! 
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Next thing I'm literally sitting on my butt with that "What the heck just happened?" look on my face. DAMN! What a stupid thing to do! That hurt!
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So be aware folks, Cold weather outside, plus heater on inside the shop = warm, DRY air!
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It can be VERY 
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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

Joe, very enlightening!


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

WOW!

That's amazing Joe. Never would have thought something like that Could happen based on temperature and air difference.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Been there. When you feel the tingling in your toes, you know you got hit. Luckily, I was on my foam pads where I stand at the time.


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## jacquesr (Jul 3, 2014)

Where is the link to YouTube?


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Wow!!!! Thats wicked. I didn't think a moving coiled hose did that. Shocking, I guess.


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## Momcanfixit (Sep 19, 2012)

No laughing - but I keep a dryer sheet in the bin of my dust deputy for exactly that reason. The air here is really dry in winter. I also rub down some of my tools with one, keeps the dust from clinging, especially inside the door of my bandsaw.

Never got a zap like that though.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

To anyone for whom this is not an issue… it's the static electricity that gets you. Did you (as a kid) ever slide across a tile floor in your socks and then quickly touch the screw holding the light switch cover on the wall? Have you ever gone outside on a cold (dry) day and when you reached to put the car key in the door you got a little shock? ZAP!

THAT'S static electricity.

Some folks (me included) have a real issue with this every year when the cold weather gets here. just shuffling your feet while walking to the car in a parking lot can build up enough static electricity in me to give me quite a jolt when I unlock the car. I've gotten used to walking up to the car and VERY QUICKLY slapping the car door handle with my open palm to DISCHARGE me enough so I can unlock the car without getting zapped.

If you blow up a balloon and rub it back and forth against your pants leg, then let go of the balloon, it will stick to your leg. This same principle happened to me yesterday. As I was swaying back and forth by the motion of pushing the vacuum nozzle to and fro across the floor, the hose was rubbing back and forth on my leg. The rocking motion, back and forth, back and forth, made the hose to continuously rub my leg and that is what built up the charge in me. And when I grabbed the metal leg of my sander I effectively created a GROUND between me and the floor, causing the static electricity to discharge thru me.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

I have been shocked by static a lot of times and it has really hurt a couple of times. BUT…to get knocked off your feed onto your butt. Now, maybe it was a slight exaggeration but if it wasn't, I might look and make certain that eveything in you shop is grounded and you do not have an electrical problem.


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## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

> Did you (as a kid) ever slide across a tile floor in your socks and then quickly touch the screw holding the light switch cover on the wall?
> - JoeinGa


Oh yes ,you can actually see the spark if the room is dark enough.



> Have you ever gone outside on a cold (dry) day and when you reached to put the car key in the door you got a little shock? ZAP!
> 
> THAT S static electricity.
> 
> - JoeinGa


that's why in a gas station ,you are supposed touch a metal object to ground yourself before filling up.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Work in a plastics factory

Placing plastic parts into large bins with a plastic bag as a liner

Go to reach in, to level the parts out

do NOT touch any thing else, or you will see a bright, blue arc between you and the metal. Parts are charged enough, they will raise the hairs on your arms.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Oh it's not a ground problem with the electricity in my shop. I drove TWO ground-rods into the earth and made sure the electrician who hooked me up was aware that I wanted him to ground both the meter box AND the building itself. 
It actually wasn't the strength of the shock that knocked me on my butt, it was when I got zapped, the jolt made me pull my hand back with such force that I jumped back and stumbled, landing on my butt.

Like I said, I DO have "issues" every year when the cold dry weather starts. When we lived in Tennessee I got zapped pretty regularly when unlocking my car.

And bandit571 … I also worked at a plastic manufacturing company. We made hair care products, like combs, brushes, plastic bottles. Did both injection molding and blow molding. I was there for 11 years. So yeah I know EXACTLY what you mean


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## splatman (Jul 27, 2014)

> - JoeinGa


That's the trouble with staticy rubber tribbles.

Ever get zapped while grocery shopping? During one shopping trip back in the 90's, I was building so much static, that when I got the shopping cart about 1/4" close to a grounded metal object, Ping! Blue static spark. Had a ruff time getting my Dad to understand what was even going on.

Never had zappy experiences involving shuffling feet. Or using tools. Plenty involving getting in and out of cars.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

I never would have imagined a static build-up like that could set you down on your keister. Thanks for the warning! By the same token, if I knew I was charged up, I might just try to find someone else to zap. Just like rubbing feet on the carpet then touching your evil older sister on the ear. Not that I ever…..


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