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I have a car sign to do on black plexiglas. I have done these before but had a problem with static electric. You know, when you wipe it down to remove dust before you start to paint, and then when you get a loaded brush about an inch away...ZAP, your paint is sucked off the brush and splatters all over the surface?
In the past I have made a ground clamp using a #16 gauge wire with an alligator clip on one end and small bolt on the other end and then stuck the bolt into a ground part of the plug on the wall. I clamp the alligator clip on the edge of the plex, that tends to ground the whole thing. Also, I have gotten the back wet or layed it on a wet towel, then lettered.
Any one have any other ideas? I am always wanting to try new ideas, and so this is a good time. Also, I am sure there are others out there that would benefit form the great storehouse of knowledge that exists.
Thanks
Jackson
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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If you have an Electro Pounce, lay down a moist paper towel between your plex and the steel sheet. That will act as a positive ground.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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I used Static Guard sprayed on the back sde and lay down on my elecrto pounce bench.
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6454 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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I do that too Jake . . . I just run it lightly across the surface not allowing the 'oils' to get on there . . . but the other ideas are much better
You could just 'go with it' ya know . . . letter on it when your freinds drop-in and amaze them with the uncontrollable power of your brush . . .
A new 'air' brush??
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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We use a product by Sprayway called ANTI-Static. This stuff is great! Comes in 14oz spray cans. After cutting PVC, Plex or other static substrates, when sprayed on the particles fall right off. I have never had it affect any kind of painting that we have done. It's great for spraying down around work areas when working with digital prints and applying vinyls. Have used it for 14 years and wont go without it. Sprayway, Inc. Addison, IL
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1697 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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hahaha "new air brush" That's funny! I enjoy your wit, Shiela.
Thanks everyone. great ideas. I think my prefered way will be a wet towel on my easel. It has a metal sheet on it for my electro-pounce. I will also try the drier sheet...that makes sense.
Anyone ever try the "rube goldberg" device with the alligator clip and wire into the ground in the socket? I did a couple of frame off bodies for small race cars. I tried laying wet towels on it, but that only lasted so long. Had to keep wetting towels. So I "McGyvered" this setup figuring it couldn't hurt. It worked. I could letter the whole thing at liesure.
Thanks again....
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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The ground socket works. When we screenprint vinyl labels in long runs we have a wire drying rack with a coat hanger spun tight to the one end and when time to print we have an extension cord with the hot and nuetral cut and we just plug it in. Works great! fun to watch customers come in and see it them really fun when you look like you accidental grabbed on.
-------------------- Sam Staffan Mackinaw Art & Sign 721 S. Nokomis St. Mackinaw City, MI dstaffan@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1697 | From: Mackinaw City, MI | Registered: Mar 2004
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Used to ground Corvettes, to stripe them by using a chain around the front and back axles hanging into a pan of water. Sometimes i'd have fun with a customer before the grounding procedure by rubbing an area vigorously and approaching the car with a loaded brush. You should'a seen thier eyes bulge out. What fun. I would send them home and stripe that sucker after they left cause I told them they were puttin' bad vibes on the critter.
CrazyJack
-------------------- Jack Wills Studio Design Works 1465 E.Hidalgo Circle Nye Beach / Newport, OR Posts: 2914 | From: Rocklin, CA. USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Let them see ya standin' in a puddle of water when ya do it.
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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I have not had to hand letter on plex in quite a while, but what used to work well for me was to place the plex against a wet bath towel while lettering it...
-------------------- Tom Rose 1938 Model Sign Dude T.Rose Signs Whitehall,PA Posts: 327 | From: Whitehall,PA,USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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WOW!!! If you must repeat yourself three times...then I need to pay heed.
Wet towel it is!
(funnin' ya')
-------------------- Jackson Smart Jackson's Signs Port Angeles, WA ...."The Straits of Juan De Fuca in my front yard and Olympic National Park in my backyard...
"Living on Earth is expensive...but it does include a free trip around the Sun" Posts: 1000 | From: Port Angeles, Washington | Registered: Jan 1999
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Well, i found some stuff that we used to use back in the day... K Lux plastic cleaner
made by KSH Canada Inc. 1810 Steeles Ave. E. Bramalea, Ontario
Directions: shake well ... spay light mist on surface(just a plastic bottle) clean & wipe dry w/ lint free cloth John Now...wearing a wet towel whilst doing this.... guaranteed good results!
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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After removing the protective sheet or cleaning with wax and grease remover, I take a damp paper towel and lightly wipe it across the surface. If you rub it all that'll do is recharge the surface.
Bottom line Jackson, it looks like ya can't go wrong laying the panel on a wet towel. I like your grounding strap idea too. Dryer sheets?? These are all cool ideas!
-------------------- Mark Neurohr "Ernest" Paintin' Place 141 Sunnyside Road Kittanning, PA 16201
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Cool, someone came up w/correct/easiest way to letter plex...lay it on wet towel...over the years I have tried at least all of prementioned ideas and more, many times experimenting w/electrical methods(almost always left w/smoldering eyebrows or hair standing on end), forget that angle, key word here is electricity, wet and electricity are to never to be used together if not knowledgeable in such matters, if that word comes up, look elsewheres...anyway, wet towels are the simplest and most effective...add a silk glove to that equation and you'll never suffer static again... To those using dryer cloths, ever research what's in them? It's silicone!!! Now...that isn't exactly what we want, is it? Entire cleaning process is about eliminating it, wiping w/dryer cloths is like waxing before painting... Another trick is to layer plex, using wet towel as buffer...
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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I have always had kept soft leather chammois in the shop. Goes back to the days of dusting off the charcoal layout lines on lettered and dry showcards and boards. Better than any eraser.
For static I get it wet (always needs a washing anyway) wring out the water and wipe the back of the plex.
-------------------- Curt Stenz Graphics 700 Squirrel Lane Marathon, WI 54448 Posts: 593 | From: Marathon, WI 54448 | Registered: Dec 1998
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I was going to say that somewhere I heard that Rapid Tac sprayed in the area around where there is static would help...or does it just scare away those bad vibes!! lol
Rapid Tac...also a bad vibe repellant!! It's that lovely vanilla scent
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I enjoy your wit, Shiela. 
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