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   katharine (thatkatharine@ohai.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 13:55:46 JST katharine

   Do we know how well elastomeric respirators hold up (by which I mean in physical construction, not warmth) in cold temperatures (minus double digits in Celsius)?

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 13:55:45 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

     in reply to

     @thatkatharine Silicones generally do just fine at cold temperatures.

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:02:09 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

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     @thatkatharine Did some light reading and most silicones will have little change to their flexibility down to safely around 35 degrees below zero C. You might get ~1.5% shrinkage at that temperature. There's a change that usually occurs around -45 degrees C where it will become harder and less flexible, but it's actual glass transition temperature is like -120c. Silicones are generally known for their wide range of temperature applications.

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:05:27 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

     in reply to

     @thatkatharine Haven't personally played around with the low end of the temp spectrum, but I've done some low melt metal alloy casting in silicone molds made from things I've 3d printed. Silicones are tough stuff!

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:44:28 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

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     @thatkatharine People sometimes wear such masks simply to warm and humidify the air. It can be really tough on your lungs when it gets that cold. I'm from MN originally, so I know all about cold.

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     katharine (thatkatharine@ohai.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:44:29 JST katharine

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     • Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

     @Infoseepage Appreciate the info! My partner may be walking in the feels like -20C temps for half an hour or so while wearing an elasto and I suddenly realized I didn't know if what temps they can handle or for how long. Cool to think of new things to fret over and worrying that these things will crack at the most inopportune times.

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:49:14 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

     in reply to

     @thatkatharine Oh, and this is kind of random...but here is a picture I took of the Museum of Flight's "Huey" helicopter.

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     Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide (infoseepage@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 18-Jan-2025 14:52:17 JST Infoseepage #StopGazaGenocide

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     @thatkatharine So, why am I sharing a photo of a helicopter most associated with the hot jungles of Vietnam?

     Well, they painstakingly restored all the proper stencils and markings, including this one:

     Imagine the poor sod who keeps having to change out the oils at an Arctic weather station as the temperature goes up a little or down a little.