randyb 1 Posted April 8, 2013 Since static electricity is such a problem, .esp with the MH series that dont have wires going directly to the blade. I have noticed on the TC model there is wires directly in the blade holder?From what i can see in pictures? Anybody ever try to attach a ground wire to the blade holder on a MH series and then go the stand or somewhere? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 8, 2013 great idea there - add a wire from the stand where the static builds and route it thru the blade holder to the motherboard . . . .the idea is to ground the STAND to the base of the cutter that is already grounded. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted April 8, 2013 The wires you see on the SC, TC, etc. are insulated wires that attach to a laser light. They're not functioning as 'ground' wires at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LLaurence 12 Posted April 8, 2013 When i bought my mh- it came with a ground wire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 8, 2013 When i bought my mh- it came with a ground wire. yes to go from the stand to the cutter bottom - not the blade holder Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted April 8, 2013 Yes, there's a ground wire that runs from the bottom of the MH machine and attaches to bare metal (scrape away some of the painted surface on one of the brackets or use a self-tapping screw to assure a good ground). What this thread noted was wire attached into the cutting head on machines like the TC. It's for the laser-alignment light. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyb 1 Posted April 9, 2013 Yes my MH has the ground wore from the base of the cuter to the stand.But i still have trouble and thinking of a better way to ground? The motherboard is not attached to the cutter so i am not sure if it is grounded or if it would make a difference?The motherboard is attached with plastic clips so it does not contact metal. I was just wondering if adding a ground from the cutter holder to the base or maybe even right to the motherboard? What you all think???? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted April 9, 2013 The idea of the plastic clips is electrical isolation of the motherboard - if you run a ground wire to the motherboard, then any static shocks will have a route to and through the motherboard - you do not want that. It would be like installing a lightning rod on your house and attaching it to your brass bed to try and keep yourself from getting shocked at night... you want the lightning to follow the ground wire outside of your house and to the ground post - same thing with your mobo - keep the electric charge away from it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 12, 2013 I see a lot of grounding threads, here is my 2 cents. Everyone says if you have your cutter on the stand, add a ground wire from the cutter to the stand. Well if you think about it mounting the cutter to the stand............ you just grounded the cutter to the stand. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,451 Posted April 13, 2013 The SC cutter, for instance, is attached to the stand by rubber feet and no metal touches metal. The MH sits on the stand, but the powder coating on the metal prevents a good ground. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 13, 2013 I see a lot of grounding threads, here is my 2 cents. Everyone says if you have your cutter on the stand, add a ground wire from the cutter to the stand. Well if you think about it mounting the cutter to the stand............ you just grounded the cutter to the stand. I wunders why so many fried motherboards then. .. . actually slice hit it dead on. but you can always wait until you have trouble then do it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 13, 2013 I am not challenging anyone's opinion here but.... hear me out I wunders why so many fried motherboards then. .. . actually slice hit it dead on. but you can always wait until you have trouble then do it The SC cutter, for instance, is attached to the stand by rubber feet and no metal touches metal. The MH sits on the stand, but the powder coating on the metal prevents a good ground. OK so when you ground it to the stand then where does it go? Through the plastic wheels and disappear? I used to do electrical work, only way it would work is if you actually grounded it to a REAL ground, your stand is still part of the cutter because those rubber feet do not separate the cutter from the stand on the SC cutter. You would have to put some sort of insulator between the stand bracket and the cutter if you wanted that to work. So unless you do that your just charging the stand with static electricity that is still attached the metal base of the cutter. That's where the grounding post comes out. But hey what do I know I'm new here lol! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 13, 2013 I am not challenging anyone's opinion here but.... hear me out OK so when you ground it to the stand then where does it go? Through the plastic wheels and disappear? I used to do electrical work, only way it would work is if you actually grounded it to a REAL ground, your stand is still part of the cutter because those rubber feet do not separate the cutter from the stand on the SC cutter. You would have to put some sort of insulator between the stand bracket and the cutter if you wanted that to work. So unless you do that your just charging the stand with static electricity that is still attached the metal base of the cutter. That's where the grounding post comes out. But hey what do I know I'm new here lol! scares me -the cutter is grounded thru the 3 pronged plug into the wall - hense when you connect the grounded cutter base to the stand with a wire you are disappating the static that would be buiding in the stand and vinyl thru the cutter base - thru the ground plug in the wall to the electric box ground that is hopefully connected to a true ground. Other option is to not ground the stand and let the static build until it dissipates from the stand and vinyl thru the cutter head frying the motherboard - this methoed has been proven many many times now on the sc I don't know how they are attached but on the mh the stand and cutter never have real metal to metal contact Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 13, 2013 I'm not arguing the issue of static with these machines, I am new to this hobby but not new to other hobbies that would include 12v and 120/220v wiring. Look at it this way, 12 volt electric in a car is a good example. In a car they use the chassis as ground because of one reason it is separated from the body with rubber body mounts. If you wanted to ground your cutter to your stand to dissipate static you would have to do something similar or you are not doing anything different in my opinion. And you would have to have a place for that static to go or otherwise when you went to go touch it you would be shocked. Your cutting stand is insulated with the plastic wheels so the static electricity will hold in the metal stand. Has anyone ever been shocked touching the stand after cutting? You would think people would be complaining about an issue with this because there is no place to go with the static but keep charging the stand. It can not pass through the wheels and dissipate. Idk its just science, so is there really a problem with static? Or is it just cheap junk mother boards perhaps? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 13, 2013 with the more expensive cutters like the roland and graphtecs the stands have metal to metal on the stand to the cutter - on graphtec the top of the stand is chrome and the bottom of the cutter is bare metal. It takes far less static to fry a ic chip than you can feel from a shock. On the car- how many metal parts can you find that are not connected to a common ground? In the old days before unibodies there was more of the body attached to the frame with rubber mounts - but the bolts that held them together still provided a path to ground Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 13, 2013 But my argument is this...... if you ground my SC cutter or the MH the stand would hold the static charge because it is truly not grounded. So if you had a static issue with the cutter adding a ground wire from the bottom of the cutter to the stand wouldn't do anything. It would build a static charge and hold it, would it not? Are we not making it worse? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knockonwood 10 Posted April 13, 2013 I had the same problem when I got my mh 14" 2 months ago. It came with a grounding wire. I had a old metal filing cabinet. I attached the grounding wire to screw on the bottom of the machine. I got a sheet metal screws at home depot and attached the grounding wire to the back of the filling cabinet. No more static electricity problems Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 13, 2013 But my argument is this...... if you ground my SC cutter or the MH the stand would hold the static charge because it is truly not grounded. So if you had a static issue with the cutter adding a ground wire from the bottom of the cutter to the stand wouldn't do anything. It would build a static charge and hold it, would it not? Are we not making it worse? lets try this again - if the cutter is grounded thru the plug - stand is then grounded adding a wire fromt he stand to the cutter that is already grounded THRU THE PLUG then the static is disapated to the house ground from both the stand and the cutter - How on earth (pun intended) would a static charge be stored. it can only be stored if the stand is not grounded Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted April 13, 2013 I think the confusion come from people saying they are "grounding their cutter to the stand" when they are in fact "grounding their stand to their cutter"... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 13, 2013 Thats how Im feeling buddy! Because my SC Cutter is allready mounted to the stand ... metal to metal contact and the electric static is not going to go anywhere by adding a ground wire! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nudisuzuki 8 Posted April 13, 2013 I think the confusion come from people saying they are "grounding their cutter to the stand" when they are in fact "grounding their stand to their cutter"... I think thats the same thing Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 13, 2013 Thats how Im feeling buddy! Because my SC Cutter is allready mounted to the stand ... metal to metal contact and the electric static is not going to go anywhere by adding a ground wire! then it is not like the mh series - where it rest on rubber feet and any contact made between the cutter and stand is insulated by painted surfaces - not bare metal - if you feel your stand it properly grounded then ignore the advice. without seeing a sc then I really can't say on that cutter This entire thread was about the original posters mh series cutter the pictures of the sc looks like all painted surfaces on the stand and cutter - sitting on rubber feet also but without actually seeing it in person it is impossible to tell Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
