_GOTOBOTTOM
Armor/AFV: Techniques
From Weathering to making tent rolls, discuss it here.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Static Cling
bgcmd59
#353
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: October 20, 2013
KitMaker: 90 posts
Armorama: 81 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 07:04 AM UTC
Has anybody else had a problem with small plastic parts sticking to tweezers, knives, cutting pads, other parts etc? They can re-position themselves and skip around like little magnets. Any ideas on defeating this static cling will be appreciated.
majjanelson
Visit this Community
South Carolina, United States
Joined: December 14, 2006
KitMaker: 1,355 posts
Armorama: 979 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 07:16 AM UTC
Yes. It means you are not grounded!

You need to provide some sort of ground connection to remove a static charge buildup.
mpeplinski
Visit this Community
Michigan, United States
Joined: January 17, 2006
KitMaker: 487 posts
Armorama: 182 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 07:43 AM UTC
Quit draggin yer feet on the carpet! Seriously though,wintertime here in Northern MI usually means dryer air due to forced air heating,making static cling a bugger.Try a small humidifier in the workroom.I have a humidifier hooked up to the furnace and try to keep 40-45 humidity during the winter..........cuts down on "zapping" everyone and the pets.Makes breathing a lot easier too.

Mike
retiredyank
Visit this Community
Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 01:48 PM UTC
Don't use tweezers. There are several tools for placing small pieces, without the worry of static cling. I prefer RB Productions Pick-up Pencil:


You can also try these


And, there are a few more if you search online suppliers.
GazzaS
#424
Visit this Community
Queensland, Australia
Joined: April 23, 2015
KitMaker: 4,648 posts
Armorama: 2,248 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 03:05 PM UTC
A tiny bit of blue tack on the end of a toothpick is cheap a d both materials have myriad uses for the. modeller.

Namabiiru
Staff MemberAssociate Editor
MODEL SHIPWRIGHTS
#399
Visit this Community
Rhode Island, United States
Joined: March 05, 2014
KitMaker: 2,888 posts
Armorama: 1,920 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 08:35 PM UTC
I've got the micro stix, and I personally find them to be not especially useful except under just the right circumstances.

Blu-tac on a toothpick is a technique I also use quite a bit, but I find the blu-tac has a tendancy to stick to parts more readily than the toothpick.

Have not yet tried the pick-up pencils Matt mentioned, but will definitely keep an eye out for those.

iowabrit
Visit this Community
Iowa, United States
Joined: November 06, 2007
KitMaker: 585 posts
Armorama: 557 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 11:31 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Don't use tweezers. There are several tools for placing small pieces, without the worry of static cling. I prefer RB Productions Pick-up Pencil:





That is so weird. I bought two of these pencils at a model show in England last summer and then completely forgot about them. Yesterday I opened the box of my Takom Turtle A/C and there they were....but I had no recollection of what they were for. Then today I see this post....
SSGToms
Visit this Community
Connecticut, United States
Joined: April 02, 2005
KitMaker: 3,608 posts
Armorama: 3,092 posts
Posted: Monday, January 04, 2016 - 11:54 PM UTC
Getting back to the original post...
Clay, if you Bing "anti static gun" you will find the zerostat gun, which was for records but will de-stat a bench. Also same page you have de-stat floor pads and bench pads. You can easily de-stat a large area.
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 - 12:01 AM UTC
Tacky-on-a-stick is a very versatile tool - and yes, sometimes one can encounter the problem of the tacky adhering better to the part than to the stick... My generally very successful approach has been to make a stick from stretched sprue (usually from the kit being worked on...!) and make a small tacky-wad tip around that stick-end. This way, there is a lot more and better adhesion of tacky to the stick than the small touched area to the part. The touch-tip can also be pulled and shaped a bit to get a fine tacky point for those tinier PE and styrene bits.

Bob
panzerbob01
Visit this Community
Louisiana, United States
Joined: March 06, 2010
KitMaker: 3,128 posts
Armorama: 2,959 posts
Posted: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 - 12:32 AM UTC
As did Tom, I'll also go back to visit the anti-static question. Try grounding your tools before you go for those tiny parts. I touch mine to a ground-block - mine is an old copper electroplating plate - sort of like a lead plate from a car battery! which is placed on my bench and connected by a wire to an available iron water-pipe.

And yes, the "zero-stat gun" works great if you happen to have one!

Bob
 _GOTOTOP