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'Vette Parts Painting and Static Electricity

15K views 19 replies 13 participants last post by  scrimshaw 
#1 ·
I am having a horrible time with static electricity while painting fiberglass parts (no metal to help ground). What can be done? I once saw a show on Musclecar (on Spike TV) that had a solution that you can make up to eliminate - but I could not get it written down. Does anyone know what I can do to eliminate or reduce the problem? Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
There are a number of guys here who have shot a lot more "glass" than I have and are sure to have some great advice. But one thing that really causes static is blowing it off. The air going over the surface causes static electricity to build up. As well as wiping, that too, you are rubbing the surface just like you did as a kid with a ballon when you rubbed it on your hair and then stuck it to the wall.

Water is what dissipates it. That is one reason why wax and grease removers for plastic are waterborne, or at least it is an added benifit of it being waterborne.


So wiping it down with a waterborne wax and grease remover and not blowing it off so much helps a LOT.

Brian
 
#6 ·
i use my hand. your body will take the charge away. when you first touch it you will feel it i run my hand around edges and such until i no longer feel it. you can also run a ground strap to the floor. between the two i get pretty much rid of it.
 
#7 ·
What I do, (this drives everyone crazy)
I tack off the vehicle with a clean cloth sprayed lightly with Endust.
Endust has no wax and leaves no residue.
I've been useing Endust instead of tack rags for over 10 yrs now.
Never had a problem.
It does a better job of tacking the surface off and
it removes all the static.
I have dedicated clean shop rags I use just for this and run them through
the washer when I'm done.
I even tack between coats of base with them.
I'll never go back to sticky tack cloths again. :pimp:
 
#8 ·
Home made recipe is 80% isopropal alcohol + 20% distilled water.

I use Omni MX192 for cleaner on fiberglass. Before final tack I mist coat PPG DX 394, then final tack, the mist coat the DX394 once again.

Any type of ground wire ran to a good earth ground sure wont hurt, unless you trip over it while spraying!

This works for me, although it isn't the cheapest route , but neither is the wasted time and materials when you don't get rid of the static charge.
 
#13 ·
Endust:
Propane & Butane <25%
Hydrocarbon Solvent<35% (could be benzene, kerosene,xylene,mineral spirits or any number of other hydrogen and carbon based solvents. imho, mineral spirits is the most likely)
Methyl Chloroform <20%
Paraffinic Oil <25%

data from the Endust msds sheet.

Just wondered what was in it.
 
#17 ·
Fellas not giving advice here one way or the other but here's a little something that happened to me a couple of years ago. I had a plastic hood scoop a guy wanted painted to match his truck hood and the static was driving me nuts, I even went so far as to tape a piece of Aluminum foil (nope it didn't help) to the underside and run a ground wire from that. Then I remembered JC's little trick and told the owner about it, he said what the heck all it could cost is a little in material and we have tried everything else so why not? Well it worked like magic! We hung that scoop on a rack did the Endust as per JC's suggestion and NO MORE static problem (the paint is still on there)! I know it is a little unconventional and I am not suggesting anyone just wipe their car down with it prior to shooting 6 or 7 hundred dollars worth of paint but done properly it does work and works really good. :)
 
#18 · (Edited)
Yes, I believe it is. :D

I know that the first person that gets fish eyes will automatically
blame the Endust, and will probably tell everyone it's bad.
But I have never had a problem with it, and others that have tried
it have told me they liked it too, but didn't advertise it.
If you use it properly, you'll get better results than a tack rag,
I firmly believe in it. You can press harder and wipe more efficiently.

If you try it, make sure you use a clean rag and lightly spray only
the rag, not the panel. And a light mist is all that is needed.
The rag shouldn't feel wet. Try it, let me know what you think.
I bet you'll be surprised. :pimp:
 
#19 · (Edited)
I don't doubt JC has had great success with Endust, I was just wondering what is in it. I enjoy looking up msds sheets and see what the actual stuff we are being sold is made of. Lots of times there is a homemade brew for a lot less money to do the same thing once a person is informed.

btw: most tack cloths are made of cheesecloth which has no cheese in it and varnish and turpentine :D

While searching tack cloth msds pages I came across an interesting bit. Detromfg has tack cloths that contain parraffinic oil, the same ingrediant that is in JC's Endust !
 
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