In a time when supplies are running low, we have some important information about making masks and other gear at home.
FABRIC MASK MAKING
Makerspace Director Gail Sestito and Director of Public Purpose Rebecca Drago are hosting PublicPurpose@home classes with students to instruct them on creating their own fabric masks. Follow the instructions below to hand or machine sew your own masks.
Have additional time and materials? RCDS is encouraging students and families to consider making additional masks to donate to our community partners. If you are able to make extra masks to support our partners, please follow the instructions below for how to drop them off safely at school.
Materials you will need:
- Template (printed or draw your own!)
- Fabric (old, clean clothing, or even a breathable, but tightly woven dish towel)
- Scissors
- Sewing machine or needle
- Thread
- Pins
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Elastic, hair ties, or rubber bands
Templates & Tutorials
Ms. Sestito created a tutorial on how to make a machine- or hand-sewn masks for personal use.
HAND SEWING
Click here to view Ms. Sestito's template.
If you do not have a printer, you can measure and draw based on the values indicated in the pattern.
MACHINE SEWING
Click here to download the template*
Print at 100% for adult masks and scale smaller for children (try 75% for small children and 85% for youth). If you do not have access to a printer, you can draw a rough sketch using the dimensions in the image.
*The tutorial is based on the template, "AB Mask – For a Nurse by a Nurse," posted by Jessica Nandino on Instructables.com. All credits to Jessica Nandino, RN. Please respect her intellectual property. Disclaimer: Fabric masks are not an acceptable replacement for a proper medical mask.
3D PRINTED RIMS FOR FACE SHIELDS
For those of you that have a 3D printer at home and want to help make PPE, the Makerspace and members of the RCDS STEAM faculty are printing 3D rims for face shields to donate to healthcare workers. The RCDS rim printing is part of a larger collaboration with other makers and the Danbury Hackerspace to make PPE for hospitals and first responders. At the Hackerspace, volunteers are laser cutting and attaching the clear guard to the rims donated by RCDS.
Please click here to see the original design for these face shield rims along with images of the final product (the most popular version is the RC3).
Members of the RDCS Steam faculty started printing in early April and have already donated 65 rims, which were quickly assembled, sterilized, and donated to workers at the Danbury and Bridgeport Hospitals. If you are interested in donating your time and material to help print these essential parts, Ms. Sestito and Ms. Bischoff can share the files with you. Please contact them for details.
118 SHIELDS DONATED AS OF 4/9/20 |
DONATION INSTRUCTIONS FOR MASKS AND 3D PRINTED FACE SHIELD RIMS:
Drop-off dates/times: April 13 - April 24, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Location: Underneath the Library, near the Wildcat statue.
There will be two separate bins: one for fabric masks and one for 3D printed rims. RCDS faculty will pick up the donations and deliver them on a rotating basis.
Guidelines for drop-off:
1. BAGGING INSTRUCTIONS- Place up to THREE 3D printed cleaned rims in a gallon ziplock bag
- Place up to SIX fabric masks in a gallon Ziploc bag or THREE fabric masks in quart bag)
2. LABELING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Date it was bagged and donor name/family name
- The name of the material used (cotton, dishtowel, etc.)
- Disinfection methods used if any (For example, washing, lysol, wipe, alcohol; please be specific.)
3. PLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS:
- Do not lift the lids with bare hands. Use gloves or a tissue.
- Replace lid firmly
Maintain at least six feet of social distance at all times if others are on campus. If you see someone at the bin, stand back and wait until they are done dropping off their masks or rims. Please do not linger on campus when dropping off materials.