By Mike Davey
Toronto, Ontario — September 8, 2015 — It’s hot and humid, exactly the opposite of the kind of weather that produces static electricity. Nevertheless, when Roger Turmel of AutoQuip lets a thread go near a recently tacked bumper, there’s enough static to draw and hold the thread to the bumper’s surface. A charge big enough to hold a thread is certainly enough to draw dust, dirt and airborne impurities. A recently tacked bumper can attract airborne particles from up to three feet away.
We’re in a paint booth for a demo of the Wedge Clamp Stat Gun. As Turmel explains, static buildup attracts trouble. Winter is the worst time for it, but even in the heat and haze of summer, there’s enough electricity in the air to cause painters some serious grief. Anti-static devices have been around in the industry for several years, but Turmel says this is the first one that can legally be used in a paint booth.
“Even when you tack and blow your parts, you’re still going to wind up with some dirt on there because the process of tacking down a bumper actually creates the static, and that means an inconsistent laydown, mismatched blending and other problems. This translates to more time spent polishing and more time correcting mistakes,” says Turmel. “It’s a big cost in time and productivity.”
The Stat Gun from Wedge Clamp eliminates all of that. It works by adding an ionized charge to the air emerging from the cordless gun. When this air hits the positively charged static on the piece to be painted, the charges cancel out. It eliminates the static and therefore eliminates the magnetic draw.
“It’s an expensive and time consuming problem. It’s even more pronounced when you’re painting with a flake or metallic colour,” says Turmel. “For the best results, flakes need to lie flat and be uniform in order to reflect light, giving it that sparkle. Any kind of static charge on the piece is going to interfere with that effect.” The result is shown by bumpers looking darker than the rest of the vehicle.
Wedge Clamp’s Stat Gun attaches to the regular air line in the booth and is used at the same point where a painter would normally blow off the piece. It’s just as easy to do from the perspective of the painter, but the effect on the final product is dramatic.
Turmel says using the Stat Gun has several benefits. For example, it reduces the cost of materials by eliminating the need for anti-static wipes. However, most of the savings are realized by cutting down on polishing time and quality of finish.
“Most of our customers who have used the Wedge Clamp Stat Gun see polishing time reduced by at least 70 percent without making any other changes,” says Turmel. “The Stat Gun is a simple addition that has a dramatic effect on quality of finish and reduced cycle time.”
Wayne Faria is Operations Manager of Don Valley North Collision Repair Centre in Toronto, one of the highest volume shops in the country. While he was initially skeptical of the claims made about the Stat Gun, he says that changed after seeing it in action.
“I’m thoroughly impressed,” says Faria. “It’s made a tremendous difference. With some panels, we’re not even polishing. It’s well worth the investment for anyone.”
For more information, please visit wedgeclamp.com or call 1-866-325-2886.
