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Posted: 2/27/2012 12:13:09 PM EDT
| So I just got my reloading bench built in a room with carpet. Started reading the Spear manual and it says not to reload in a carpeted room because of static. How big a deal is this? |
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I did the same thing out of a lack of other options. I wasn't too worried about it, but I tore the carpet out of that room after a very short time. As mentioned above, you will spill powder. You will drop a primer or two. I use a shop vac to clean up and haven't had any issues, but I have been able to sweep up some powder and also find dropped primers since I took the carpet out.
At the very least, I recommend you get a large plastic runner like the mats made to go under office furniture. You will appreciate the solid surface later. |
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Newer carpets are made with low-static fibers. And frankly, if you don't shuffle your feet on it, you won't build a static charge when walking on carpet.
An inexpensive solution to this issue is to get a office chair mat-the heavy plastic ones for rolling chairs on carpet. It has a fairly smooth surface, so a whisk broom is all you need to clean up spills with, and these mats are almost completely static proof. |
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If static is a concern, get a spool of 20 gauge insulated wire and ground everything..
you can get a grounded plug from just about anywhere, run a wire from the ground lug to your press, powder throw, scale body, what ever. touch the press will discharge any static on you body. |
I usually get a static shock getting out of the truck because of the cloth seats. I have walked around the house scuffing and dragging my feet, taking off my jacket and trying to touck my wife's or son's ear. I cannot duplicate the static shock. So I hope this does not happen to me.
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Quoted:
Can you use a large office supply mat? They are made to apply over carpet to roll office chairs over. Yes, you can; I suggested that above, recommending use of a chair mat, but the larger ones, intended for mail rooms, would work fine too. There are two types of these mats, you want the type with a harder surface because it resists things like powder getting ground into it. You can do two things at once by using anti-fatigue mats at your bench, instead of office mats, since these are not likely to generate static at all. If you notice that you get some static from any kind of mat, a quick wash with soapy water (not while it is on the carpet!) fixes that. |
I've been reloading on an old piece of carpet that keeps my feet off the concrete for almost 20 years. I've never had an issue except for dropping 1 1/8 once of 7 1/2 shot at the wrong time occasionally. It's a very dense pile carpet so the shot stays on top until you step on it. When it happens it means an immediate stop of reloading so I can perform a 352 shot pick up.
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