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Static cling, or help my model is a dust magnet


hsr

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I am not talking about the dust a model collects sitting on the shelf. I can deal with that. My problem is that my models seem to build up a static charge while building and to suck dust out of the air. No matter how much I clean them before painting they will collect dust and hairs (I don't have a cat, but I seem to shed almost as bad as they do) just carrying them to the painting area. I have picked particles of dust off of them and watched them jump from my finger back to the model. I can chase dust all around the fuselage with a brush and it will just move from place to place but not come off. I have tried washing in water and that is a temp. fixe but it doesn't get rid of the static charge and it will just start attracting dust again.

 

So how do you "ground" you models so they don't attract dust?

 

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Years ago when I had a vinyl record collection I used a Zerostat anti-static gun which seemed to do the job. For some reason they seem to be quite expensive these days. I don't know it one of those would work.

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10 minutes ago, hsr said:

$85 on Amazon. I'll have to get one.

It always felt like such a cheap thing so I've no idea why they are so expensive. Bear in mind that I've only every used them on records before I don't know if it would work on models, $85 seems a lot for an experiment. Perhaps someone knows of a cheaper alternative.

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1 hour ago, hsr said:

So how do you "ground" you models so they don't attract dust?

Look for painters tack cloths,  they are meant for this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tack_cloth

 

Quote

"More recent developments have been made in tack treatments that are water-soluble, allowing them to be washed from hands, tools or a surface to reduce the incidence of tack transfer from accumulated resins or to wash the tack from the cloths. They can be recycled like utility wipes. Water-soluble tack also improves antistatic performance, and offers potential for improved compatibility with water-based paints"

 

which maybe be worth looking into.    There must also be anti static devices available cheaper than anti stat vinyl record guns, for static critical electronic applications.

 

PS a google of anti static for painting comes up with this US site

http://transforming-technologies.com/product/wp6200-static-dissipative-esd-wipers/

 

looks they may even send a free sample?  

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47 minutes ago, Gorby said:

$85 seems a lot for an experiment. Perhaps someone knows of a cheaper alternative.

They are a little cheaper on Ebay. I just wonder how long the effect lasts.

 

41 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

Look for painters tack cloths,  they are meant for this

I have thought about tack cloths but whenever I have used them on wood working they leave a residue on my hands and I was afraid they would do so on the model too. Also they don't prevent further dusting,

45 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

PS a google of anti static for painting comes up with this US site

http://transforming-technologies.com/product/wp6200-static-dissipative-esd-wipers/

That looks very interesting. I'll have to request a sample.

 

Thanks

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