Mask Making - Covid Crafty Corner

[quimcunx]

So 'the science has changed' and we should be wearing masks. There are no masks. If there are masks other people need them before us Jo and Jessica Bloggses. So there is a exponential growth in mask making instructional videos, but whose is best? I don't know. Do you?

Here is one I saw yesterday which includes an insert for a paper towel which is a good thing, probably. (would kitchen towel do? Who knows!)



preamble stops about 6mins 30secs.

Anyone tried making them? I wore one made from a scarf and two hairbands the other day and it seemed good enough for a quick trip to a local shop I was only in a couple of minutes.

What is best practice for using them/removing them. What is too much of a faff for too little gain? What is your experience?

 

[xenon]

Non FP3 masks only provide psychological comfort don't they? The virus is small enough to breach the material. Wearers may also feel a false sense of security and touch their face more than usual to fit / remove / adjust.

Sorry, spoiling what is probably meant to be a bit of fun thread...

 

[quimcunx]

Non FP3 masks only provide psychological comfort don't they? The virus is small enough to breach the material. Wearers may also feel a false sense of security and touch their face more than usual to fit / remove / adjust.

Sorry, spoiling what is probably meant to be a bit of fun thread...

The science is changing to disagree with you! Also it's about my mask protects you, and your mask protects me.

If most transmission is through droplets as we breath and speak most droplets from me will be caught by my mask. for most of us who are not one of the essential workers who have to deal with people face to face we should already have very little time spent less than 2m from people but in shops for instance that just isn't happening as much as it should. If I can put a mask on before entering a shop. manage not to touch my face until I've gotten home, removed the mask carefully and washed my hands then that seems like an ok idea. Maybe.

 

[xenon]

hm could I get away with a motor cycle crash helmet.

 

[xes]

Non FP3 masks only provide psychological comfort don't they? The virus is small enough to breach the material. Wearers may also feel a false sense of security and touch their face more than usual to fit / remove / adjust.

Sorry, spoiling what is probably meant to be a bit of fun thread...

I agree.

And I think we should have masks too, proper ones. If most people are wearing them and gloves/eye protection, it'll cut down the number of people needing treatment. But they've got to be proper ones, not make shift cut up bits of t-shirt. That ain't stopping shit. If people (Joe public etc) buy masks that the hospitals are not using, then it shouldn't take anything away from front line workers who obviously need it most.

So non disposable masks that you have to clean and change filters on are what I'm talking about. Prices range from 20 odd quid to 100. (I don't think hospital staff are using these, I could be wrong) Add filters to that. Still cheaper than disposable ones.

 

[xenon]

Prob not in the bank...b

 

[quimcunx]

hm could I get away with a motor cycle crash helmet.

I was thinking last night that keeping a motorcycle helmet on sounds perfect as long as you're cleaning it properly when you come home.

TBF this is all a bit twiddling around the edges probably but there you go.

 

[spanglechick]

Certainly home made cloth masks are no good for those on the front line and at repeated and sustained high risk - but since there's a lack of the really effective ones, none of us should be buying those so that they can be purchased for people in most need.

The research I've seen certainly suggests that double-layer cotton masks (especially t-shirt cotton) do act as a filter at some level of efficacy, and that there is value in the gen pop wearing them if they have to leave the house, primarily in the extent to which the person wearing the mask is prevented from infecting others.

This is well-informed and shows good balance Can homemade masks protect you from COVID-19?
These making instructions were put together by researchers: (PDF) facemask instructions COVID-19.doc

I read something else which showed closeness of fit is a problem with home made masks, so I chose to make one like this: DIY Cloth Face Mask which includes a wire across the nose are to give personalised shaping. It also includes a pocket because in a higher risk situation there are potentially materials that could be put in the mask to increase its efficacy

I don't have a printer, so I measured my face (bridge of nose to under chin, and nose to ear) with masking tape, added seam allowances, and cut my pattern accordingly.

I sewed everything by hand and it took a couple of hours, while watching telly.

 

[xenon]

I was thinking last night that keeping a motorcycle helmet on sounds perfect as long as you're cleaning it properly when you come home.

TBF this is all a bit twiddling around the edges probably but there you go.

I've thought I should have had one in the past, from the number of occasions I've walked into bus stops / lampposts etc, Admittidly, when drink taken...

Possible I still have some rreally old masks from when I was at art college. Wearing them to break up dried cley and whatnot. Not sure they'd be any good now. If it does actually become mandatory for some time to lift lockdown eventually, guess I'll use a scarf, til FP3 are easily available.

 

[xenon]

There's a guy round here apparently, goes about with a full on gas mask on. Nothing to do with Covid19, he does it for fashion. (According to FB nonsense.)

 

[JuanTwoThree]

I'm surprised by people's faith in what's written in little black letters, like N95, on a mask made in a country where some manufacturers are prepared to put the CE mark on any old toxic crap and produce knock-off goods of all descriptions. There's no saying that a 3M mask is just that.The folded bandana gives 8 layers of fairly high thread-count cotton which isn't as good as the real non-woven material etc but might well be better than something claiming to be.

 

[Boudicca]

OK, I have just spent all afternoon crafting the Rolls Royce of home made masks, supposed to be 'medically approved'. It has wire in the nose, a pocket for a piece of hepa filter cut from vacuum cleaner bag, an extra piece for the chin and bias binding to finish it off.

 

[Boudicca]

A friend sent me several pictures of ludicrous outfits seen in the supermarket but I particularly like this one. I mean there could be some real science behind this, don't you think?

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

I'd fairly certain that's just a very elaborate bong

 

[campanula]

This is the pattern I have been using - 3 layers of cotton (because there is a pocket for the filter), lined with a piece of Numatic Henry vacuum cleaner bag. Takes about 40 minutes...but most of that is cutting out and fiddling with making ties - ribbon or bias binding would probably work. I have made 8 so far. Mine look far groovier than the dull one on the video...mainly because I am a manic fabric hoarder and have some really nice printed cottons.

 

[quimcunx]

I put my last vacuum bag in the vacuum last week.

 

[Johnny Doe]

I made this earlier, after someone posted a Guardian link with a guide. I had to drop a sample at the hospital for my Dad, If nothing else, it reminded me to follow all the rules

 

[T & P]

hm could I get away with a motor cycle crash helmet.

Whereas I’ve stopped myself from wearing mine when walking to the local shops, on the few occasions since the lockdown when I’ve had to go on my bike somewhere, I’ve kept my helmet on while waking on the street and when visiting shops, petrol stations, supermarkets or pharmacies, and nobody asked me to remove it.

I drew the line at the bank though, as pandemic or not they don’t take kindly to people walking in wearing full face motorcycle helmets

 

[T & P]

There’s always these as well...

 

[girasol]

I tried wearing a mask, but my glasses steam up with every exhalation... I don't know how I can stop that, I don't think I can.. And I have a proper dust mask as well, my son had a couple from work... (UC-P3V)

 

[gentlegreen]

Hopefully I still have a tyvek decorating overall downstairs ... I seem to recall tht was supposed to be OK for mycology..
- though viruses are much smaller than bacteria and fungi ...

 

[gentlegreen]

I tried wearing a mask, but my glasses steam up with every exhalation... I don't know how I can stop that, I don't think I can.. And I have a proper dust mask as well, my son had a couple from work... (UC-P3V)

View attachment 205560

I wore mine for the first time today and reckoned that meant it wasn't a good fit ...

 

[gentlegreen]

Human hair approx 1/10 mm or 100 uM

 

[xsunnysuex]

 

[killer b]

I made a mask from an old t-shirt as directed by the guy in the video - feels a bit ridic, but everyone's going to be doing it by the end of next week anyway, what whatevs.

I need to reinforce it a bit though...

 

[killer b]

What are the black bloc anarchists going to do when the government tells them to mask up?

 

[gentlegreen]

Turns out my Tyvek coverall is chemical grade - can't find the pore size anywhere but I reckon it will do - I may cut up a tee shirt too ...
I learned the other day that the magic component in an N95 mask is shredded electret material - which has a permanent static charge.

At the end of the day I see it more of a message to encourage others to wear one to protect everyone else.
I have a bad habit of spitting when I speak so I've been avoiding speaking at all.

 

[gentlegreen]

I made a mask from an old t-shirt as directed by the guy in the video - feels a bit ridic, but everyone's going to be doing it by the end of next week anyway, what whatevs.

I need to reinforce it a bit though...

I wish I'd had the foresight to order some cheap bandanas...
I have polyester tubes I use for cycling - I may use those as they dry very quickly.

 

[Epona]

Speaking as someone who wears PPE for work, if it doesn't make your face sweat so fucking much that you feel as if you are having a hot flush and have you panting for breath after a bit of exertion, it isn't doing much.

 

[existentialist]

I'm definitely going to give the al-quaeda mask an outing next time I'm out, if only for the piss take potential...