Re: Re: hello starting F1D

From: Tapio Linkosalo <tapio.linkosalo_at_iki.fi>
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:30:47 +0200

On 12.12.2012 1:18, Mark F1diddler wrote:
>
> Personal update on boron lore. Have claimed before that if you break off
> a splinter too deeply in skin, it may be there forever because the body
> does not recognize it enough to set up infection site. I've recently had
> a broken-off lost splinter reappear near surface of skin (foot) after a
> few months. I hypothesize that new skin layers growing outward simply
> pull the splinter up with it, making accessible to grab.

I do not think there is any mechanism for the body to "recognize"
foreign particles; if you compare the boron splinter to a wooden one it
is just that the wood is so covered in bacteria, that it causes an
infection, that develops the goo (whatever that is in English), and this
infection brings the wood splinter out of your finger. I have had
carbon/epoxy splinters in by fingers for days, that have been totally
inert, and would probably have stayed there for quite a while had I not
noticed them and used a needle to remove them.

Then again, I cannot figure out a mechanism that would drive a boron
splinter into you body from finger or foot palm (unless it was in a
position where stepping on it would push it in little by little). Rather
I would suspect that the end of the splinter would be exposed as the
outer layer of skin wears off (after all, you skin is renewing all the
time, kind of growing from inside outwards), and the splinter would then
break/wear at the tip until it was all driven out of the body.

> Can anyone confirm the report about FAI wanting to outlaw boron?

Never heard of such thing, but I'm convinced that if such thing was on
the agenda, there would have been discussion last summer in Belgrade.
Which there was none.

Then again, what difference would it make? If boron was outlawed, people
would start to make replacement of carbon fibers (which some are using
already at least on heavier models). If carbon was precured with epoxy,
it could be worked into tiny threads, that would be similar to use as
boron, almost as light, and would make equally nasty splinters to poke
into your fingers and feet!





-Tapio-
Received on Wed Dec 12 2012 - 05:30:54 CET