Using Alcohol and Distilled Water for Static Charge Removal

[Miatatom]

Recently, someone left a tip on the forum about using alcohol and distilled water to remove static charge from models before painting. Can't for the life of me seem to find it and I had more questions anyway.

I'd rather not wipe the part off and prefer to use compressed air or a hair dryer to dry it. Would using the dryer cause a static charge?

What was the mix ratio of the alcohol and water?

[Jantrix]

Wow. This is the first I've heard of static issues when modeling. Materials like plastic are normally electrically balanced. So it would take a great deal of friction to develop a static charge. Plastics are insulators and will not discharge any sort of charge when grounded. If this is an issue for you a hairdryer is not an option. You need a device called a de-ionizer, which is used in low humidity areas when handling electro-static damage susceptible electronic devices.

Unless you are in a very dry climate, I can't imagine static being much of an issue.

[10thumbs]

The ratio is 8:2. 80%.

8 parts water and 2 parts alcohol. I use denatured alcohol and distilled water.

Gently rub the surface with a big soft brush doused in the solution. Dry it of, compressed air is OK.

Since I do this, I have ZERO dust particles in my paint.

This tip was from our member jwrass, engineer, custom painter, and Fuel Altered pilot!

Michael

PS: The "static charges" are from manipulation of the surface area, rubbing and such things. This may not be a static charge as such. Experts will have to chime in here. The surface area needs to be neutralized so that the paint will not attract particles. The solution does neutralize the surface. Guaranteed.

Edited September 21, 2014 by 10thumbs

[Chillyb1]

This comes as a very welcome suggestion. I've had lots of problems with static charges on bodies and it is frustrating as can be.

[10thumbs]

Tom, Rob and Curtis, it works!

I had for my first car model in almost 40 years big time problems with dust particles on my otherwise fairly good paint jobs. It was driving me nuts and had become really discouraging. Air Brush was new to me at the time, and I figured after countless efforts, the two or three dust particles in the room environment at the time I wanted to paint, were going to land on the roof and the trunk of my Color Me Gone Dodge! Mind you, these were not puny small pollen flakes of some obscure budding tree somewhere out there, but real hard-azzed tough little particles that were a pain to remove.

Solution on there, blew off the excess, and it was like a paint job out of a 1:1 booth!

It works.

My ongoing build, a 32 Ford has 12 coats of paint on it, no dust particles whatsoever!

Michael

Edited September 20, 2014 by 10thumbs

[Miatatom]

Thanks for the replies

[David G.]

Isn't the paint initially drawn to the surface by a static charge between the paint and the surface?

If so, I wonder how this plays in with the above technique.

David G.

[JohnU]

No that would be powder coating.

[jwrass]

To All:

Now that the subject is out there I thought I would give a little history lesson on how I found and defeated the Static problem on any thing that is not metal (Fiberglass, Kevlar, Plastic) I started doing freehand pinstriping when I was sixteen (see my profile) about a year into my journey a friend of mine asked me to bring some of my work to one of their Snowmobile meeting in a effort to get my name out there. It was a very productive night! Just guessing I think I got about 7-8 people contact me to do work for them which was great.

Up until this point I had never done a Snowmobile Cowl. The project entailed registration Numbers, Old School, Pinstriping and the name of the sled ( can't remember the name) with a cartoon of a half moon.

I wiped the whole cowl down twice with wax and grease remover and did my layout for the moon and the name of the sled which was to be placed on the front of the cowl.

When I went to put the brush to the surface to do my thing I got about one inch away from the surface the paint literally was being draw out of the paint brush like a magic trick. I was what was that!! So I wiped the paint off and went to apply the art work and the same thing happened after about a hour of this wipe on wipe off. I got some windex or fantastic or something of that nature wiped the surface down, went to apply my artwork with no problem. A wet rag works to

Back in the day custom painters pinstripers were very secretive of techniques, the information was out there I had just never heard of this magic brush wonder of the world.

The problem was the more I rubbed the fiberglass cowl the more static charge I was putting into the fiberglass. The static charge that was created was pulling the paint from the brush in a very random pattern, it looked super trick but I wasn't looking for a effect I was looking to do the original artwork the owner wanted.

On helmets that I do today I sometimes incorporate this wild random pattern say inside a taped off graphic and people dig it because it looks so cool. The way I do this is I rub the living day lights out of the area with a cotton cloth to build the static charge, bring the brush to the surface and move it around in random patterns and let the brush create the magic. Depending on how much static is built up I can empty a fully loaded brush of all of it's paint.

After I had this original problem I had found out from a old sign painter/pinstriper that it was a static charge that was pulling the paint from the brush.

By wiping the surface down with a water based product it killed the charge and that's how I was able to continue with the project.

I still use this effect and people ask for it as it really does make certain graphics pop!

Ok now that we know how the static is created and killed how does this relate to plastic models? It's the same principal the more you rub it the more static charge you create. The only way to kill it is to give it a bath with a water based product. Their are commercial based product like Rapid Prep made by Rapid Tack or you can mix your own. This is been used my Custom Painters, Pinstripers, Sign Artist for more years than I have been doing it. The formula is as follows 1-2 parts rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol to 9-8 parts distilled water by volume (I use the rubbing alcohol because the solvents in the denatured are more harsh) place this in a hand pump spray bottle and right before you paint lightly mist the part with this solution and gently wipe it off with a micro fiber towel. You have now killed the static charge and dust particles will not be attracted to the pieces like flies to honey. Your paint work will thank you for it!

Rob, It is true that plastic is a insulator for many things electric, there is however a difference between man made electricity and mother natures static electricity, I could go into a whole dissertation of electrical theory as I have been a digital control specialist since 1978 and hold a minor in electronics from one of the finest engineering schools in the world. If you want to talk electronics PM me. This thread was intended to help get cleaner paint work not electronics. With all do respect most of what you posted doesn't hold water for me. I can prove the process and you can too!!! Again pm me and I will tell you how to do this experiment. If you would want to make a wager of a kit trade If I am wrong I'm all in!!!! To keep it fair and honest we can both film the process with the same set of rules and materials. I am 100% confident this process takes place. I have to deal with it all the time to pay the bills. I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you and your opinion. I know the mechanics and science of this process and I know it to be true. It's not my opinion this subject, it's facts.

David, The process you are referring to is more like powder coating, I could explain the process but I'm not interested in doing that. My goal was to help builders get cleaner paint work, not electrical theory. Google Powder coating and you will find how electronics plays a part in that process.

In closing I did not start this thread I posted this process some time ago. I merely chimed in to explain how a negative problem turned out to be profitable and how to control that problem and benefit from it. I use this solution on anything plastic before I paint them (not just models) and my paint work is turns out pretty much dust free. In all fairness the painting is done in a 1:1 Booth but I know if I don't use this solution my paint work is not as clean.

Their have been many who have tried this process and PMed me to thank me for the tip, I would say that the technique must be is working for some.

EDIT 9/22/14 I failed to mention that when I wipe the solution off the project to get ready for paint I do dampen the micro fiber cloth with a few sprits of the solution from the spray bottle, I wipe gently in one direction and any hint of the solution that is left behind I just let it evaporate. When you are certain the surface is dry apply your coating.

Respectfully, jwrass

Edited September 23, 2014 by jwrass

[Skip]

Styrene/plastic model bodies are like rubbing a balloon building static as you go. Part of the issue is the buildup of static within or around the body itself, from doing bodywork, sanding removing the sanding debris all contribute to the buildup of static. Atmospheric conditions are another contributing factor, most of us don't paint when it's muggy, but we do bodywork. Models are too small to utilize a static bleed off strap, so static must be removed by rinsing or washing the body. Using damp wiped down cloth helps minimize static buildup to a point.

Doing the prep for sign writing and pinstriping on plexiglass and fiberglass panels builds so much static that the paint literally jumps an inch or more off the brush, creating a spiderwebbing effect. I have read in more than one source where Ed Roth used to spit water on the surface to dissipate the static, I was taught to spray the backside of the panel with a spray bottle of water it's always worked for me. Model bodies are too small to spray the backside so you pretty much have to rely on washing and air drying. The only wipe down after the body is dry should be don't with a Tack Rag with he minimum amount of wiping possible.

[jwrass]

Skip,

Thanks for defining the static deal, I was having a hard time putting the word together today. I couldn't find the original post and from what I remember I explained the process in more detail the first go around I have been using the water alcohol mix for years on helmets, race car bodies any thing plastic and it really does make a difference. I used it on a whim on a model just because it's plastic and the results were awesome, Give it a try!

Thanks for substantiateing my claim of paint being pulled out of the brush from static electricity, unless you've been there most people would think you were nuts that paint could actually be pulled out of a brush through static electricity. I have had it work to my advantage a few times over the years on custom painted helmets, people go how did you do that and the response is ancient Chinese secret. I know you have been swinging a brush for a long time so I appreciate you sharing in the static debate.

I have been trying to get ahold of John Hanukane the last few weeks with no luck, but I did talk to Bonnie and she said all is well have you seen him lately?

Again thanks for sharing! Keep it Wet!!! Jimmy 'Rass

[10thumbs]

OMG!

Guys, I had this happen to me during my 2 tone CMG paint job! I was touching up a small area near the door handle with a small paint brush, and paint shoots out of the dang tip!!!! Like it was a stream from an air brush, dark blue paint over a wonderful white body. I thought wtf? I never even bothered to tell anyone, or even ask because I thought for sure I'd be lynched.

jwrass, thanks a bunch for telling it like this. I feel better now!

Michael

[JohnU]

This is some great knowledge shared here! Never new about static and pinstripe painting before! To relieve the static and dust on my plastic models I use my old zerostat gun for cleaning vinyl record albums and a light blast of air. I also make sure to wipe down my booth and dampened with a spray bottle to keep dust down. Thanks for the info! Gonna mix up a batch of that alcohol and water to use from now on!

[Mike_G]

I have an old Zero-Stat gun around here somewhere

It'll come in handy when the robots attack