DIY face masks

[Qxxx]

I'm reposting this in a new thread, as I think it got totally lost in the banter on the other thread. Some of us may want to be wearing masks in public as this epidemic hopefully subsides. (original courtesy of Minivanmotoman).

Materials:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/best...aterials-new-study_l_5e99b576c5b6a92100e63129

(vector of that page) Study of efficacy of materials, as well as breathability:
https://smartairfilters.com/en/blog/best-diy-coronavirus-homemade-mask-material-covid/

Original:
https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=39723&pid=491026#pid491026

 

[Ella1]

Even a scarf tied loosely over nose and mouth makes it almost impossible for me to breathe.

A different kind of mask:
I have severe COPD. I cannot breathe with a regular mask, even a scarf tied loosely covering nose and mouth quickly just about cuts off my ability to breathe.
I need to see the doc etc.

I made a mask--a face shield, a full face one, using a 2 liter soda bottle. I cut off the top and bottom, leaving as much middle as I could, then slit it open. Lo and behold, it covers my face, ear to ear, just above eyes to chin, and I can see!
Next I rounded the corners.
Then, using a small hole paper punch, I put a few holes around the top and strung a long cord through the holes and tied it tightly to hold it on my head. I can wear it while walking, I can talk, I can breathe with it on! It stays cool, doesn't fog. I can push the bottom out a bit for more air. I can push it onto the top of my head then pull it back onto my face when needed. I can take it off and hang it on the doorknob,, and slip it back on in a second.

As an extra precaution, I did add a cloth napkin to the bottom via masking tape. That cloth does make it a bit warmer, but it's light enough that even with the bottom of the plastic pushed away from my face, others are still protected. :happy

I have a few of those bottles to recycle. I'll make another one. Free, easy, quick.

 

[maki2]

Here is a link to an easy to understand youtube DIY video on how to make a face shield from a 2 liter plastic soda bottle. From the youtube channel: "Our Human Planet". The channel belongs to the veteran National Geographic filmmaker Karin Muller

 

[DannyB1954]

I have been making face masks out of two layers prewashed cotton and 2 layers of non woven polyester. There is also a space for additional filter material if desired. So far I have made about two hundred of them. I donated most of those to a nursing home in Utah. A nomad buddy of mine ended up getting a room there in exchange for working on the house. The home owner is a nurse. They were reusing paper surgical masks because they had none.
There are lots of patterns out there. Mine was based on the Olson design which some hospitals recommend. I went with behind the head straps so that they could be worn fo long periods without irritating the ears.

 

[sneaks]

Blue shop towels are good filter material, and with a few rubber bands and a stapler, can make a disposable mask.

 

[Ella1]

Some people are suggesting using furnace filter material for masks. Be aware that some furnace filters are made of FIBERGLASS. That's not good for your lungs... I checked the filters I have, and the material is not listed.

 

[trailer-t]

I ordered a couple yards of 14 oz denim. Now I am trying to figure out how to tie the noose thingees.

 

[maki2]

I have a commercially made washable woodworker's dust mask that being a woodworker I bought about 7 years or so ago.

The behind the ear ties are adjustable. Very simple adjustment, they slid a pony bead onto the pair of ties and knotted the end of the each of the pair of the ends of the tie strings so it would not slip off. The pony bead is just the right inside diameter so that it holds position but can still be moved for adjustment. You can likely buy a package of pony beads in the craft department at Walmart or other super grocery stores such as Fred Meyer that have a craft department.

If you don't know what a pony bead is, it is a large (often colorful plastic) bead with a large hole in it. The hole is large enough to slide onto leather lacing. But they do come in several sizes in the crafts stores such small, medium, large, XL.

A pair of flat, white shoe laces will also make good, soft, ties for a DIY fabric mask and the coated tip left on at one end will make it easy to thread into a pony bead and keep the end from unraveling in the laundry. But you will still need a knot to keep the bead from slipping off the end of the lace.

link to an image from a crafter's web page showing a DIY fabric mask with elastic cord ties made adjustable with a pony bead on the ties.
https://i2.wp.com/www.prettyhandygi...-Fit-Face-Mask-Stack.jpg?resize=634,791&ssl=1

 

[JeanInaBox]

I love crafty nomads. Lol.

My favorite thing is to see a problem and come up with a solution using repurposed items. Got that from my grandmother. She would disassemble any and everything to keep what “may come in handy someday” -she used to say.

 

[txmnjim]

i love crafty people in general. i hate that i was always so non-crafty and non-artistic but hey, ya'll
could sale those masks at our marketplace here! i just spent 7.99 each (4) for reusable cloth masks on
Ebay and i would definitely had preferred buying here. in fact, i have an order from Amazon that is way
back-ordered and taking forever that i would cancel if someone here had any? i won't even tell you how
much those were but it was a disposable pk of 40...
jim

 

[Riverman]

There's hand made masks on eBay for $10 with fast and free shipping. Just in case you don't want to do it yourself.

 

[desert_sailing]

Our local news here has been toeing the "party line" and on Monday they reported a nursing home here had ONLY 8 positive patients and 11 positive workers... wtf.. Are the workers infecting the patients!!??

An outside news source put the pressure on and today it was revealed they actually have 34 positive patients!!! stinking liars.

Crappy thing is my sister who is a nurse at the facility has dismissed the whole sickness.. in fact she traveled across the state just 8 days ago.. throws her face mask onto the food counter in her kitchen.. doesnt even care about her son that lives with her... and has hidden the truth EVEN from her family!!!!!! disgusting. I dont go around her at all... insane.. cant wait til my van is done!!

All this talk about masks.. and I DONT have one(... but I was thinking I could just move the bra down from my head a bit??..LOL.. stay safe everyone.

The LIES ARE REAL!

 

[desert_sailing]

https://newatlas.com/emergency-bra/16474/

A bit spendy for me...

Mod edit, I am getting sick and tired of doing this and will just start deleting any link without a description. the above link takes you to a website that shows a bra that you can use for a face mask. why did I even waste my time.

 

[desert_sailing]

"Mod edit, I am getting sick and tired of doing this and will just start deleting any link without a description. the above link takes you to a website that shows a bra that you can use for a face mask. why did I even waste my time."

Well... excuuuuuuuuse me. I have not seen anywhere that states that I needed to put a description of the link. IN fact I can cut and paste for you hundreds of examples all over this forum that do not have a description of a posted link. It is also my first link I have posted.... and yet somehow you are sick and tired of doing this??... If you are not referring to me..can you please go direct your comment to the one you are refering too???????

Don't displace your annoyance onto me.

I also just did a search of "posting links" and nothing is displayed.  Can you please post one and I would be happy to bring myself up to speed.
Are you also the mod that has been gettng pissy over people using an acronym you dont know???

I also searched for "acronyms" here and there is nothing posted either for that.

Are these unwritten "rules" or is there actually forum policy that you can link me too?

 

[Cammalu]

Desert sailing. I’ve been on this forum for about 100 years. Those things have been a sore spot the whole time. If you are new you wouldn’t know it of course. Don’t take it personally. Anyone could get tired of saying the same thing over and over but it was a bit pissy.

 

[desert_sailing]

Desert sailing. I’ve been on this forum for about 100 years. Those things have been a sore spot the whole time. If you are new you wouldn’t know it of course. Don’t take it personally.  Anyone could get tired of saying the same thing over and over but it was a bit pissy.

Thanks Cammalu!

 If I had known. If there was a posted notice somewhere.

Never a reason for folks to get all pissy.
Can you imagine what the reaction would be if you took "their" parking space.. or bumped into them?

Those sorts are a huge part of why the World sux.

100 years..

 

[desert_sailing]

"Mod edit, I am getting sick and tired of doing this and will just start deleting any link without a description. the above link takes you to a website that shows a bra that you can use for a face mask. why did I even waste my time."

Well... excuuuuuuuuse me. I have not seen anywhere that states that I needed to put a description of the link. IN fact I can cut and paste for you hundreds of examples all over this forum that do not have a description of a posted link. It is also my first link I have posted.... and yet somehow you are sick and tired of doing this??... If you are not referring to me..can you please go direct your comment to the one you are refering too???????

Don't displace your annoyance onto me.

I also just did a search of "posting links" and nothing is displayed.  Can you please post one and I would be happy to bring myself up to speed.
Are you also the mod that has been gettng pissy over people using an acronym you dont know???

I also searched for "acronyms" here and there is nothing posted either for that.

Are these unwritten "rules" based solely on your mood? Or is there actually forum policy that you can link me too?

 

[B and C]

Think of it from a receivers end with very little data to spare. Will it be worth their time and data to click the link? I have unlimited data but not unlimited time, is it worth it for me? I am old and there seem to be a ton of acronyms that I have never heard of and can't remember a lot of them afterwards anyways. It is just polite to understand that not everyone knows what you know and including a description or definition helps a lot of people.

 

[desert_sailing]

Think of it from a receivers end with very little data to spare.  Will it be worth their time and data to click the link?  I have unlimited data but not unlimited time, is it worth it for me?  I am old and there seem to be a ton of acronyms that I have never heard of and can't remember a lot of them afterwards anyways.  It is just polite to understand that not everyone knows what you know and including a description or definition helps a lot of people.

Of course I agree in that not everyone knows what all acronyms mean.  What something is worth as far as a link is totally subjective. Folks post kitten pictures all the time.. are they a waste?..Maybe not to the person who gets a smile from them.

There is a way of approaching a person that eliminates rude behavior. Me not knowing what is going on in someones melon is not rude.

I would like you to scroll up and understand that I searched the site for "rules" regarding both posting of links AND defining acronyms.. I came up empty.....

Anyhow... I do understand what you are getting at.. my problem was ONLY in the approach taken with me from a "mod".

 

[Almost There]

Try checking here for information on what's allowed here, how to do it, and what will get you in trouble.

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=10289

And here's the one specifically on posting links:

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=14156