Local crafters rally to help with PPE's

[rashore]

I have seen in some places not UM of crafters that are rallying to help make PPE's... Making masks for themselves/family... making them for donations to various places. Elastic loops or long ties better? Hairbands with buttons sewed on as ear savers. Quilters cottons being turned out for quick medical gowns and washable scrubs.

Figured it might be nice to start a thread here in the UM community for crafters local to places in need. Share patterns for making stuff... What local communities are asking for. What you use for you.

I made myself a mask, based off this pattern: https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/

For the life of me I couldn't find my old pack of paint masks, so made one instead. For myself. Used a bit of craft wire to fit the nose.

 

[Kismit]

There was an enquiry on my FB page looking for 3D printers to help make goggles

[rashore]

I got a few strange looks today while wearing my mask. Not sure if it was the mask, or the material print.. it was a bunch of bees.

I've gotten in from a LOT of medical folks I know that using long ties made from bias tape, shoelaces, grosgrain ribbon and so on is better than elastic if you are donating. And calls for headbands with a couple buttons sewn on the sides for masks to loop around saves a lot of wear and tear on ears. And turns out a lot of craft store elastic does not stand up to medical sanitation practices.

If folks want to craft for donating.. PLEASE do leave a message to the switchboard, or check your areas donation request site for more information before making anything.

[LV-426]

1 hour ago, Kismit said:

There was an enquiry on my FB page looking for 3D printers to help make goggles

 

There's been quite a few of these floating around recently, such as:

Coronavirus: 3D printers save hospital with valves

I can't find the link now, but the BBC also showed one from your part of the world, where a couple of innovative young guys were adding 3D printed parts to Scuba masks to create full face masks for healthcare workers.

For all the bad news around at the moment, it's great to see some being so creative and generous.

[+susieice]

We've had a lot of people making masks here for the hospitals. Now our Governor wants everyone to wear one when we go out in public. The CDC has also recommended that all Americans do the same. A local company that makes professional baseball uniforms has switched to making masks and gowns.

https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/coronavirus/pa-mlb-uniform-maker-switches-to-making-medical-masks-gowns/2342288/

Edited April 3, 2020 by susieice

[aztek]

i printed 4 of those masks, different designs, all are unusable, and do not offer any meaningful protection,  not a single one had good fit, small filters are very hard to breathe thru, 3d printed valves do not provide good seal,  3d printed surfaces are never smooth enough to make good seal with a membrane.  (yes it could be made smooth by acetone fumes, but it also can warp a thin part which is what  size valves are)  i had much better results sewing a mask from hepa vacuum bag.  those 3d printed masks are good halloween props.

but i did not give up yet, i have an idea how to make 3d mask fit perfect for  a given person,  one way is to 3d scan your face, and design a mask to fit it perfectly,  but good 3d scanner are few grand.  or one can make a plaster positive mold of a face, heat up the mask, and press it against the mold.  either way is pretty individual and not for everyone, sewing is much easier and practical.

there are also designs that use existing industrial respirator filters, but those filters are just as hard to get as n95 masks, 

Edited April 3, 2020 by aztek

[rashore]

21 hours ago, aztek said:

i printed 4 of those masks, different designs, all are unusable, and do not offer any meaningful protection,  not a single one had good fit, small filters are very hard to breathe thru, 3d printed valves do not provide good seal,  3d printed surfaces are never smooth enough to make good seal with a membrane.  (yes it could be made smooth by acetone fumes, but it also can warp a thin part which is what  size valves are)  i had much better results sewing a mask from hepa vacuum bag.  those 3d printed masks are good halloween props.

but i did not give up yet, i have an idea how to make 3d mask fit perfect for  a given person,  one way is to 3d scan your face, and design a mask to fit it perfectly,  but good 3d scanner are few grand.  or one can make a plaster positive mold of a face, heat up the mask, and press it against the mold.  either way is pretty individual and not for everyone, sewing is much easier and practical.

there are also designs that use existing industrial respirator filters, but those filters are just as hard to get as n95 masks, 

To be weird.. right now your best use of your printer would be to producing buttons/clips that can be stitched onto headbands or ribbons to help hold mask straps into place rather than the cosplay stuff.
But if ONLY you are printing in high temp plastic... or plastic that can otherwise stand up to regular washing in alcohol and other sanitation agents.
Many medical sterilization practices steam stuff at high temps, and a large amount of printing plastics cant stand up to that. Plastics that can degrade or offgass with a bonding agent like supergluue can be problematic too.

[aztek]

2 hours ago, rashore said:

To be weird.. right now your best use of your printer would be to producing buttons/clips that can be stitched onto headbands or ribbons to help hold mask straps into place rather than the cosplay stuff.
But if ONLY you are printing in high temp plastic... or plastic that can otherwise stand up to regular washing in alcohol and other sanitation agents.
Many medical sterilization practices steam stuff at high temps, and a large amount of printing plastics cant stand up to that. Plastics that can degrade or offgass with a bonding agent like supergluue can be problematic too.

what temp are we talking about?

[rashore]

40 minutes ago, aztek said:

what temp are we talking about?

Boiling water and steam temps for 10-20 minutes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had printed pieces tanked from running through the dishwasher or having boiling water poured over them. Medical sanitized is high heat for several minutes.

[aztek]

Just now, rashore said:

Boiling water and steam temps for 10-20 minutes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve had printed pieces tanked from running through the dishwasher or having boiling water poured over them. Medical sanitized is high heat for several minutes.

i now print only abs and petg, they are good for 95 and 80c respectably, nylon can stand 110c on paper,  but i never printed it, polycarbonate  116c but i never printed it either.  pla will get soft and warp at 50c

all plastic can take alcohol just fine,   best way to disinfect any plastic is uvc light.  but i'm not aware of hospital in usa use this technology,   even thou it is common in hvac, plumbing, and even used in aquarium filters.

 

 

[rashore]

 

[rashore]

Quote

Health experts are bumping up protective measures in the fight against COVID-19. New recommendations released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that people should wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures may be difficult to maintain, like grocery stores or pharmacies.

Recent studies (here, here, and here, to name a few) show that a number of people who are infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, are asymptomatic and can transmit the virus before showing symptoms. The novel coronavirus is spread through respiratory droplets that infect a person when inhaled or when a person comes into contact with contaminated surfaces and then touches their face.

US Surgeon General urged Americans to stop buying facemasks, warning that they were largely ineffective adding that healthcare workers need them to care for sick patients. The World Health Organization echoed these sentiments today, telling the public not to buy medical-grade face masks, adding that “shortages are putting health workers in real danger.” Experts are reminding the public that surgical and respirator masks should be left for healthcare providers.

https://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/here-s-how-to-make-a-government-approved-face-mask-at-home/?fbclid=IwAR3T1wVopmFceoE63xc0nynKjYgM5WuhwZAJq_eOFhjMMF1McA4ggUjtkC0

 

[+Desertrat56]

On 4/5/2020 at 9:07 AM, rashore said:

 

That is the kind of mask my sister wore in March made out of a bandana.  Now she uses the disposable masks.  I just found this thread.  I am glad it is here.  Now that I have my sewing machine out I am sewing other things besides masks.

[+Nuclear Wessel]

55 minutes ago, Desertrat56 said:

That is the kind of mask my sister wore in March made out of a bandana.  Now she uses the disposable masks.  I just found this thread.  I am glad it is here.  Now that I have my sewing machine out I am sewing other things besides masks.

What else have you been sewing?

[+Desertrat56]

13 minutes ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

What else have you been sewing?

I have started a doll for my baby granddaughter and I have mending piled up.  I am thinking of getting a pattern and making a purse so I have pockets for keys, phone and hand sanitizer.  Before the virus came along I had bought some material for a couple of projects that I never did, so that material turned in to masks at a time when I would not have been able to buy stuff since there was a closure of stores.  I even had ties and muslin for the inside of the masks because I never get rid of anything.  

 

 

 

[+Nuclear Wessel]

1 minute ago, Desertrat56 said:

I have started a doll for my baby granddaughter and I have mending piled up.  I am thinking of getting a pattern and making a purse so I have pockets for keys, phone and hand sanitizer.  Before the virus came along I had bought some material for a couple of projects that I never did, so that material turned in to masks at a time when I would not have been able to buy stuff since there was a closure of stores.  I even had ties and muslin for the inside of the masks because I never get rid of anything.  

Ah, a baby granddaughter! How old?

[+Desertrat56]

1 minute ago, Nuclear Wessel said:

Ah, a baby granddaughter! How old?

She is almost 5 months old.