[TheForge] Another stupid mask idea -- no metal content

[jerry Frost]

Heh, heh, heh. Just brainstorming that's a relief. Brainstorming is good
even if it doesn't turn up something useful it helps folks get their
thinking out of the box. We need some out of the box thinking.

It's probably a good idea to forget about infusing a mask with copper
sulfate, CuSO is really toxic, even to handle it's probably not a good idea
to breath air filtered through it, even as dilute as I was thinking. Silver
might work it's not nearly as toxic for us but I don't know if silver oxide
or colloidal silver would work best. Colloidal would be easy to apply and
silly easy to make though you could see if Jim Baker still has any. Maybe
his prices have dropped since the charges. Wait till after the indictment?  

Staying isolated is probably the best. Don't trust any precaution unless you
must. Treat EVERYBODY as if they're infected. PERIOD. SARS-CV2, COVID 19 is
as far as they've determined infectious several days before symptoms
display. And that's just the folk who are symptomatic, too many the % keeps
changing, never show symptoms. 

It's very infectious, maybe even pneumonic so masks are questionable. Can't
tell if anybody you meet is infected. scrubbing with soap and water is
effective for surface contacts IF you don't touch yourself above the collar.


Our best bet is to avoid everybody. 

If I actually had to make my own mask I'd be thinking on the lines of plasti
dipping one of my less porous ski masks, one of the ones that aren't
knitted. I'd glue in a pair of bug eye safety goggles I keep a couple pair
in the shop for visitors Lastly plumb one of the Hepa filter refills for the
vacuum cleaner. That filter box would live inside my sweat shirt as another
layer of filter. 

As much as I dislike (understatement of the morning) TV ads & pitchmen it
might be a good time to buy a few Flex Seal products the: spray, calking,
tape and thick trowel on goop all seem useful to me. In current conditions
that is, I don't need to make a motor boat from chicken wire.

Frosty

-----Original Message-----
From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bruce .
Sent: Thursday, April 2, 2020 5:07 AM
To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Another stupid mask idea -- no metal content

 "So, tell me Bruce what is so special about your beard that makes it worth
taking an unnecessary chance with your life?
"Mine is just hair, it'll go in a heart beat if I have to use a Bic lighter.
A surprisingly painless way to get crazy close hairless skin. I'll probably
just lather up and shave though.
"Frosty"

Nothing, of course.  But socially isolating as I am, I don't feel taking
such a risk.

The subject line was deliberate.  I don't propose "caulk" (or wax,
actually) as a good idea to seal a mask.  But maybe it's a better idea than
petroleum jelly?  It's a great deal firmer than petroleum jelly.  An
excellent, and possibly rather appropriate analogy, is the wax ring that
seals a ceramic toilet to the flange atop the sewer pipe.  Petroleum jelly
wouldn't last a week as a seal in that (static) application and probably
wouldn't last more than a few minutes in the "dynamic" one between mask and
beard and face.  I expect the wax would work, but I have no reasonable means
of testing it.

I have no confidence that any mask I can make or get will filter out the
bare virus, beard or no beard.  OTOH, I figure any mask with enough
tortuosity will cause droplets to impinge upon it and likely stop hang them
up -- and that's the best I can do.  Others are using only two layers of
cotton fabric as masks, even in ancillary functions in hospitals (not for
medical staff).  I'm using two layers of cotton, two layers of paper
toweling, and one or two layers of Kleenex. The lack of a hermetic seal
around my lower face is compensated for (IMO) by the very long path air
would have to take to go under and around the bandana and my other clothing
and up through the snug fit between my chin & beard and the bandana.  I have
no proof, but I'm pretty sure I'm breathing *through  *the mask, not around
it.

I trimmed a number of valid points worth consideration but we have to
remember the listbot and list mom. 

Bruce
NJ