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Dug out my planer and checked 'grounding'.

My version is a SS mount with Manual feed.

It has no feed motor, but does have the switch box intended to provide easy operator access to a power shutoff switch. So it does have a power cord.

Lo and Behold, the switch box does NOT ground the planer itself.

I do not know if the SS mount power feed is grounded. Maybe it is not grounded either???? Maybe the stand mounted model is not grounded either??????

JPG40504 wrote:Dug out my planer and checked 'grounding'.

My version is a SS mount with Manual feed.

It has no feed motor, but does have the switch box intended to provide easy operator access to a power shutoff switch. So it does have a power cord.

Lo and Behold, the switch box does NOT ground the planer itself.

I do not know if the SS mount power feed is grounded. Maybe it is not grounded either???? Maybe the stand mounted model is not grounded either??????

I have an older Pro Planer with the cast iron table. I just measured 1.5 Ohms from the ground prong to either the table or to a sheet metal screw in the leg. Which is high for a "protective earth" ground, but it is grounded.

BuckeyeDennis wrote:I have an older Pro Planer with the cast iron table. I just measured 1.5 Ohms from the ground prong to either the table or to a sheet metal screw in the leg. Which is high for a "protective earth" ground, but it is grounded.

I assume the stand mounted motor plugs into the control box and is grounded through the receptacle. With no other ground path, the table is grounded through the intervening stand parts interconnections so a relatively high resistance could be expected.

Two out of three nailed down. Thank You Dennis!

Sorry to be so slow in getting back to this thread with subduing static electricity while planing. With Christmas officially over yesterday and this being "Black Monday" and -24 degrees this morning, it was anything but black in my shop. What as a great day for woodworking!!

I am building a box for my son and daughter-in-law to set their flat screen TV on so the sound bar in the front doesn't interfere with the view. To match the coffee table it will be painted black. I decided to make the box with 1/2" stock (to cut down on bulk and weight) with dovetailed corners and an open bottom. I will rabbet recess a 3/4" top so it fits down and in about 3/8". Here is a picture before cutting dovetails:

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Now, when planing this wood I decided to attach a wire (the red wire) from one of the hex head nuts threaded into the front cross bar to discharge static from inside the planer to my collection barrel that is connected to my 4" system. The action of the blades hitting the wood charges the surface and the base plate to a high degree, especially with the house humidity at 22% (it needs to be lower on these really cold days).

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No success, as you can see by one of the boards set vertically. There is so much static on the surface of the board it will not drop the shavings from the surface, nor allow an efficient pick-up of them by my vacuum system. I have to use my hand to dislodge them after each cutting.

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In this picture you can see shavings standing-up on the 2 1/2" hose.

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So I wrapped the 2 1/2" vacuum hose with bare copper wire and ran it into the planer so it would drag the surface of the wood while planing. I would say it was at least 50% better. I think it could be greatly improved with a brass or copper brush attached across the black crossbar and the collector wire. It could then brush the entire surface of the wood for static as it exits the planer. Anyone got any ideas out there where to find a 12" potential collector brush? I know I could make one out of aluminum foil, and might yet try that today.

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Oh, I should add, that at no time did I get sapped with static. The vacuum system is well grounded. This is about annoying shavings that are difficult to suck-up and stick to everything.

Holy crap!

You weren't kidding about your static, were you?

WmZiggy, this SS upgrade is an improvement unrelated to static but worth doing to add to chip & dust collection efficiency. I recently added a sheet metal upgrade to my dust chute collector and it provided a significant improvement.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... eretro.htm

It would be worth adding regardless of your success with static reduction.

After I posted this morning it was back to the shop where I made an aluminum foil "brush". I folded the foil over three times and used a razor knife to brush the edge, then attached it to the cross bar using copper foil tape. I attached the collector wife to the foil. Drum roll......it works.

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Artlinux, I am having a hard time picturing how the metal shute fits and works. Can you take a picture of how it is installed on your planer and post it. Does it replace the plastic shute? Or does it work with the plastic shute? Thanks for the suggestion, I didn't know anything like this existed.

I'm sorry that I don't have a picture, but the Retro Attachment clips right into the plastic chute and acts to catch the chips as they are thrown off the top of the blades before they reach the board.

Mike

WmZiggy wrote:Artlinux, I am having a hard time picturing how the metal shute fits and works. Can you take a picture of how it is installed on your planer and post it. Does it replace the plastic shute? Or does it work with the plastic shute? Thanks for the suggestion, I didn't know anything like this existed.

WmZiggy, The SS part is 555643 and its image is below: