Advices to cut melaminated (10mm)...So much static electricity !

[pierrearchi]

hello guys,


I have a lot of problems to cut 100% melaminated panels of 10mm thickness with my alpha and 3kw spindle. So much static electricity stop the shopbot each 5mns of cut ... I have used a thin copper wire outside the dust shoe all along the vacuum pipe to control the electricity.. but finally i always have the problem ... Any idea ??? i have grounded all the shopbot parts.

Speed : 30mm/s, 2mm thickness pass, acrylic purpose bit.

It happens even the vacuum system turn off ...Don't understand. The problem desappear when i come back to the wood ...

Thanks,

Pierre.

[paul_z]

Pierre,

You might try this http://www.mystaticguard.com/

You shouldn't need much and spray just a bit of a spot on the side. You don't want to wet the surface, just a light spray.

You didn't mention what your spoil board is made of but you might need a light spray on that as well.

You don't need heavy wire to drain the static; The current is likely to be in the nano amps.

Paul Z

[pierrearchi]

hello Paul,

Thanks for the tip ... I'm going to try.
My spoil board is made of plywood.

Pierre.

[harryball]

I keep a can of static guard around too, works decent at keeping bits off the machinery and hoses etc...

When I had static build up on some plastic I was working with, I used foil HVAC tape from the surface of the material off the edge of the table and down to the frame where a bare bolt was located. Worked well enough to keep the charge down. Before you could see bits of plastic standing up like iron filings over a magnet. Once grounded it behaved much better.

/RB