Jump to content

Banner.jpg.b83b14cd4142fe10848741bb2a14c66b.jpg

A Howl of Rage - and a Plea!

michigoose

By michigoose
in Star Parties & Astro Events

Recommended Posts

michigoose

michigoose

Posted
Posted

At the last star party I woke up (late as usual) to find myself staring at a very bright light. Nothing supernatural, but there, in my newish (yet to be hemmed) curtain was a small, round HOLE, through which the sun was streaming.

I've ironed those curtains enough times to know that there was no manufacturing fault. The hole was simply... THERE. No burn marks, no tears, no snagged threads, no frayed or dirty edges. Nothing, just a perfect, tiny (about 3mm) round HOLE.

I simply cannot think what can have happened. But then I had an idea. I don't like mysteries, so I went on the web and yes, LASERS will cut fabric. In fact they are used to cut out intricate designs.

So my plea is, will everybody PLEASE avoid leaving laser lights pointing at peoples property. Tents, Curtains, Granma's unmentionables on the Washing Line, 'Scope Covers, anything that may get burnt.

Remember lasers are industrial strength cutting equipment!

PS. If anyone has a better explanation I'd be happy to hear it. No fairy rings, wizards wands or such like pls. :o

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 29
  • Created
  • Last Reply
michigander

michigander

Posted
Posted

I don't believe moths eat synthetics.

Not a burn hole - no scorch marks or frayed edges.

I (Dana) can't see how a laser pointer would do it; but I can back Marion up that it's not a cigarette burn.

I really have no idea what could be responsible. Should've taken a picture before she sewed it up!

Dana

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RobH

RobH

Posted
Posted

You'd need a much bigger laser than most of us can probably afford to punch a hole in a curtain, and if one that big was pointed at you, you'd probably notice :o

I'd suggest a near miss from a Klingon disruptor :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Moonshane

Moonshane

Posted
Posted

hey! leave moths alone! as mentioned, they certainly don't eat synthetic materials and the species that eat clothing, fur pelts and leather etc are really quite rare now. the most likely culprit where moths are blamed is the larva of a museum/carpet beetle. these are the little brown 'ladybirds' you may find on the window ledge.

as to the hole, could it have been an anomally in the glass (or even something like a drinking glass in the camper) by pure chance due to the angles at the time, focusing the sun and burning a small hole?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Carbon Brush

Carbon Brush

Posted
Posted

Possibly a more mundane explanation. Certain synthetic (and natural) fibre materials react very badly to to certain cleaning chemicals. I have seen clothing burnt through by 'ordinary' washing compounds applied neat. No not bleach! This leaves a very neat edge without scorch marks. So somewhere in cleaning, could there have been a splash?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mikea

Mikea

Posted
Posted

Obviously the moff didn't realise it was a synthetic curtain until he had sunk his moffy gnashers into it, at which point and having made said hole, he realised his ghastly error and flew off to find a pair of socks or other woolly feast. (and yes, I do realise that it's actually the larvae that make the holes...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
michigander

michigander

Posted
Posted

I really wish I'd taken a photo of this before I repaired it. Apart from moffs (or larvae) not being stoopid (would you nibble an ornamental china apple) this hole simply did not look as though it had been nibbled. The hole, and it's edges, were perfect - as though they had been cut with the tiniest, sharpest circular hole-punch.

The fabric is 'satin' weave, which essentially means that the warp is fairly substantial gauge thread, but the weft is the finest, silky thread imaginable. It's so fine that immediately upon being cut the ends become 'unspun' and pretty quickly they become frayed and tangled. The weft threads on the hole were simply perfect. They had obviously lost their 'spin' but the ends of the fibres were neat, even, and sharply cut.

These moffs have to have been the daintiest eaters ever bred.

Marion

Link to comment
Share on other sites
michigander

michigander

Posted
Posted

I've been pondering (occasionally) on the possibility of its being caused by some kind of cleaning fluid, as suggested. Apart from the fact that I use very, very few (vinegar, white spirit, that jif/cif stuff, VERY RARELY bleach), it simply does not look like a burn hole. From my school lab days (think: first day at new school, conc. sulphuric, and a pristine, new lab smock) chemical burns tend to look untidy, irregular and 'frayed'. Nope - it's a black hole going straight through at very high speed, or a corn circle.

At least the repair worked - very neat and almost indistinguishable from the front, just a few tiny loose end on the back - and it provided me with a challenging, painstaking, but ultimately straightforward task at a time when I was somewhat stressed out.

Marion

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Astro_Baby

Astro_Baby

Posted
Posted

Could be something like bleach. I had a jacket once that got a bleach splash on it and it just burnt a perfectly clear hole through it. DIdndt appear for a few days - similar to what you experienced so it could have been a spot of a chemical that reacted with it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.