MadModder
The Shop => Wood & Stuff => Topic started by: John Lindo on August 06, 2013, 12:46:12 AM
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I had to reduce a piece of MDF board thickness the other day.
Using my mill and a standard endmill it worked ok,until I picked up my shop vac with a plastic hose to
clean up the DUST and at the same time touched the machine.
I got quite an electrostatic shock.
It's never happened before,with metal cutting so I did a bit more cutting and again same thing happened.
Is the MDF storing static?
John
Spain
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John
Does happen, I get it with machining plastic. Bits jump up and stick to the side of the nozzle rather than going up the tube. Never got a shock yet but it certainly could happen.
You've just made a rather crude but nonetheless effective 'Tribo-electric' generator with the dry dust and the insulated hose.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_generator (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_generator)
Dave
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hi John,
just a couple of thoughts :
1/ Try and avoid inhaling the MDF dust - the dust, and (if present) the formaldehyde binder aren't good for you (MDF health FAQ (http://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/faq-mdf.htm))
2/ Re dust / electrostatics - wood dust (= fine particles) is explosive, and commercial extraction systems have to be conductive so any static is dissipated to earth (useful info (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis32.pdf))
Dave