I have started building a set of 2 chairs from African Mahogany. When I go to the point where I was fairing the curves with a plane and spokeshave, all of the shavings are sticking to the tools, the bench the wood and my clothes. It is clogging the throat of the spokeshave and is making everything a mess. I have been woodworking for over 30 years and have never seen this. I thought there might be too much friction and that my rubbing on the wood was indcuing a charge, so I waxed the sole of the spokeshave and no difference. I am not at home right now, but this evening I can post a photo of my bench. Any advice? Thanks.
Jay
Replies
Jat--I don't know what causes this either, but I have noticed it often on wood just as it comes out of my planer.
Get a humidifier. It's pretty normal to see that kind of thing in the winter, when the air (not to mention the wood) is dry.
-Steve
I agree, that it is more likely during cold dry periods. Once while doing a pretty long run on the router table. I was using a vacuum trying to pick up the dust / chips, but some were getting out and scattered around the table. It was fun to watch some of them jumping from the table up about 6" to the vacuum hose, forming stalactites, then changing charge, jumping back to the table, then back up to the hose. I wish I could get my mind around that.
"It was fun to watch some of them jumping from the table up about 6" to the vacuum hose, forming stalactites, then changing charge, jumping back to the table, then back up to the hose. " Holy Smokes! If it were April 1, I'd think this thread an April Fool's joke. Never would have imagined such an event. Guess working wood in the Great Northwest isn't likely to produce such entertainment, LOL.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Yea, I spent a bunch of time that night trying to find information to help me understand it, but found out how to make ball lightening in my microwave instead.During this time of year, having a fair amount of body hair, combined with wearing Patagonia capiline underwear, with polar-tech over that, then some outer shell over that. I can generate some pretty impressive sparks just walking around, and even can block the FM signal to my radio when I stand in certain parts of my studio. Ha, If that is not weird enough, I suspect this is relative to static charge. Sometimes when I get into my car or suburban on a really cold morning, when I close the door, the inside of the windows will instantly flash over from totally clear, to totally fogged, and will need scraping, or just sit until the inside heat melts it. Maybe the moisture is already there, just needing the sudden compression of the door slamming or something else, I don't know, but it is all related to cold dry periods.But I would think that wood being a good insulator would make it immune to magnetism of any sort.
I am working in a shop in my basement which is climate controlled. It is at the same temp as the rest of the house - about 68 degrees. I'm sure the hiumidity is relatively low, but winters have come and gone and this hasn't happened before. I can understand the static electric charge generated by a vacuum with a plastic hose, but I'm talking about hand tools at a bench. I can try the humidifier but was wondering if it is species specific. I have used Honduras mahogany but never African mahogany. When I get home later today I am going to do an experiment with some other boards to see if the same thing happens with pine, oak, walnut or maple, all of which I have in my shop. I'll let you know.
Thanks.
Jay
I don't think it's species-specific per se, but it will certainly depend on the moisture content of the wood.
-Steve
Wood is a good insulator, but, we're dealing with static electricity, not current. If the the wood conducted better it will ground and not build up the charge. This baffled me for a while. I was making some trim for my house out of silver maple and noticed that the pieces that I had wiped with water (to prevent rip out on figure) did not get a static build up. According to the hygrometer in my shop this doesn't occur unless the humidity is 34% or less. I wish I could keep it higher, but found it took too much time to track and control.
Thats wierd. I've never seen that.
Pardon my spelling,
Mike
Make sure that your next project is beyond your skill and requires tools you don't have. You won't regret it.
You could try wiping everything down with a fabric softener sheet. Dunno it it'll work for wood wood, but it works with plastic wood (Azek).
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Interesting, but I'm a little hesitant to wipe some unknown subnstance all over my wood and tools since I don't know how it might affect finishes.
Jay
"...fabric softener sheet. Dunno it it'll work for wood wood, but it works with plastic wood...." Also works on the inside of the receptacle for my coffee grinder. Once in awhile, the coffee grounds get reallllly static-y, cling all over the sides of the container and fly around attaching themselves to other things. I wiped the inside of it with a dryer cloth, and voila! problems gone!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Jay,
If it is static electricity as you think (it does seem logical), try spritzing work pieces with fabric softener. Don't soak it, just dampen it. I've heard it used without problems in bending wood that doesn/t want to bend. No problems with finishing later, and the little bit of grain raising would be taken care of by the planes, scrapers, etc. Hope this helps.
Steve
There are two secrets to keeping one's wife happy.
1. Let her think she's having her own way.
2. Let her have her own way. President Lyndon Baines Johnson
I have seen this many times. Especially with a planner. I only use a block plane when needed so I cannot comment on that. FRICTION causes Static among other things.
See WOOD PROPERTIES, page 553, G. Electrical Resistance
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1994/winan94a.pdf
If you Google wood static you will find that this is a common problem. Well, at least under curtain conditions. Wood is a good insulator. However, What happens on the surface (in my mind) is like how a capacitor works and will collect an electrical charge. I could be wrong about that but pretty sure it is true.
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