Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: static shock when using kelmar make up bench

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Posted by Neil Robinson (Member # 2459) on 11-11-2005, 07:20 PM:

I have a problem with static shock when using the kelmar inspection table for example when checking the film with my left hand if I touch the control unit on the table to slow down the speed or stop with my right hand I get a really bad static shock, has anyone had the same problem, if so how to prevent it.

Than you.

Neil Robinson.

Durham ( UK )

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 11-11-2005, 07:38 PM:

If your work stool is tall enough and your pants not too heavy, try placing your knee against the edge of control box. I do this whenever using the Kelmar bench and most of the time the static dissipates without incident; anytime I do get zapped at the knee it is less painful than getting it on the fingertips.

[ 11-11-2005, 11:42 PM: Message edited by: Jon Miller ]

Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 11-11-2005, 08:50 PM:

while controling the speed knob with your right hand, touch one finger to the control knob number plate and leave it there while the film is inspected with the left hand. You will not experience static discharge when doing this so long as you keep your finger up against the plate around the knob with the numbers on it.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-12-2005, 02:06 AM:

Get you one of those ESD bracelets from a electronic shop, strap it on the free wrist and clip the other end something ground on the table. You might have to adapt a longer cord from bracelet to ground for better and free-er movement.

Or.. just do the finger trick as what Darryl has mentioned, but you'll still feel tingles if not pressing the finger down hard enough on the metal since your'e allowing less resistance when not pressing down hard.

-Monte

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-12-2005, 04:01 AM:

They also make static discharge bracelets that are wire-free; a virtue that becomes painfully apparant the first time you get the bracelet wire caught in a spinning reel. How they work is a mystery to me, but they do. I just got a few to prevent me from making those very unmacho yelping sounds when I am working on the Kelmar rewind benches. Damn nasty those shocks.

Posted by Raphael Friedland (Member # 3453) on 11-12-2005, 06:31 AM:

Dear Neil
The easy way to solve the problem is to buy a cold steamer machine
In every pharmacy. The Aida is by solving the amount of humidity in your booth (more humidity less pailful)

Posted by Michael Cunningham (Member # 210) on 11-12-2005, 09:36 AM:

As mentioned above, just keep your right hand on the speed control knob. Allow the side of your hand / fingers or a finger tip to touch the metal ring around the knob, the one with the numbers printed on it. No extra pressure is required, so long as there is solid contact.

Running a strip of synthetic material through your hand at high speed is going to cause a static buildup, no way around that. But all you need to do is ground yourself so that the charge bleeds away harmlessly.

Posted by Olivia Coleman (Member # 3193) on 11-12-2005, 10:18 AM:

What most of do at my theatre is just take our shoes off as it helps ground you...

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-12-2005, 01:58 PM:

Yah, shoeless will work, sometimes....but if you have carpet, and you don't take off your socks, walking around in your stocking feet could 1) cause even more static, 2) get nasty things stuck in your feet. In my booth where I wet-wash the floor every week with a wet/dry vac, I wouldn't be afraid to walk around shoeless, but in some of the booths where I free-lance, I wouldn't risk it.

As for holding on to this that or the other metal object, I used to do that but find it annoying to have to be grabbing something while I am concentrating on dealing with the print. Anti-static wristbands are definately the way to go, and they are dirt cheap. And the wireless ones are the cat's meow. Check it out: Cyberguys' Cordless Anti-Static Wristband
"Our high-tech wrist strap is now cordless! Utilizing the Corona principle to harmlessly rid your body of static electricity before it can damage your data or computer equipment. Just wear it on your wrist at least 15 minutes before performing computer work or repair, making sure its stainless steel back touches bare skin on your arm. Elastic fabric wrist strap is completely adjustable so it can be comfortably worn all day long. And because its cordless, you have complete freedom to move about without having to worry about clipping or unclipping the grounding cord!" 13 bucks each.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-13-2005, 01:55 AM:

Course, you could have some fun with this: Hold on to the film, building up a healthy charge, take a coin out of the pocket and hold on to it pretty good. Then when someone is walking by, touch the coin on the back of their ear and watch a very healthy blue 2inch spark blow off the edge of that coin to the ear.

You don't feel the shock, but the metal of the coin (or a key) amplifies the current and with you holding on to the metal making you a part of the circuit instead of the end of the circuit, thus why you feel the shock when touching ground.

You can do this if you want to discharge yourself to the bench and not feel the shock. You still get the same 2inch healthy blue spark results.

I bet that if a bulb had the voltage potiental hooked up to each end and we build up enough charge, I bet we could easily ignite a bulb without thinking about it just by static electricity alone.

Course, we know that static electricity can easily cause flourscent bulbs to flicker when we are holding onto a tube and build up a charge and let the contacts of the bulb discharge, thus watching the bulb light up for a second.

-Monte

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 11-13-2005, 10:47 AM:

quote "Dear Neil
The easy way to solve the problem is to buy a cold steamer machine
In every pharmacy. The Aida is by solving the amount of humidity in your booth (more humidity less pailful)"
Cold steam units are a bad idea as they also cause mineral dust deposits a evaporative unit is best if the room volume is small enough otherwise a hot steam system

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 11-14-2005, 09:25 AM:

quote: Gordon McLeod was the last to post

The easy way to solve the problem is to buy a cold steamer machine
In every pharmacy. The Aida is by solving the amount of humidity in your booth (more humidity less pailful)

I agree with Gordon that while maintaining a moderate humidity level will help control static, you should NOT use a "cold steamer" (misting, ultrasonic) humidifier. Any humidifier that sprays the water mist into the air also sprays all the minerals that are in the water, causing salt deposits on work surfaces, optics, and electronics. You also run the risk of actually wetting surfaces close to the vaporizer. Use a humidifier that evaporates the water, such as one that blows air through a moist foam, paper, or ceramic element. Steam vaporizers that boil the water don't have the salt problem, but are very expensive to operate.

For projection rooms, best to keep the relative humitity near 50% RH. Today, there are very good digital humidity gauges available for moderate prices.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 11-14-2005, 12:59 PM:

Yep, don't want to run a booth "wet or dry" - seen both and trouble evolves with both.

Saw a booth that ran the AC on on the time since the owner decided that having the AC on would prevent static cling. But, with it being at 60 degrees all the time, I bet the humidity was hitting close to 20 percent in there with the AC drawing out all of the moisture - and he wondered why he was still having big problems with static cling until I told him that he was actually taking the moisture out of the booth with the AC running all of the time.

Then, there are those who have swamp coolers in their booths- shoving water into the air and getting everything rather sticky feeling.....

Monte

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 11-14-2005, 01:10 PM:

quote: Monte L Fullmer
Then, there are those who have swamp coolers in their booths- shoving water into the air and getting everything rather sticky feeling.....

Really damp conditions (above 70% RH) can cause rust and corrosion, have issues with high voltage electronics (e.g., lamp ignitors), and make the gelatin film emulsion softer and sticky.

Best range is 50 to 60 percent RH.

Measure it to be sure.