Take some bluetack with you

freenote · Apr 7th, 2008, 04:04

Evidently it has a medical use as well .As advised by a doctor it can be quite useful for sufferers of perforated eardrums ,you can stuff it in your ear before getting on a plane or going swimming and it is supposed to help ? I always carry some but have never had the occasion to use it yet , maybe it belongs in the "what not to take to India " thread

kristinm · Apr 7th, 2008, 05:29

I wish I had had it in India - I spent hours fiddling about trying to get the adaptor to stay in the power socket - the weight of the plug + adaptor pulled the plug so it kind of fell out of the socket... it seemed that the pins were always a loose fit. Going on the list for next time for sure!!!

tacita · Apr 7th, 2008, 06:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by freenote

Evidently it has a medical use as well .As advised by a doctor it can be quite useful for sufferers of perforated eardrums ,you can stuff it in your ear before getting on a plane or going swimming and it is supposed to help ? I always carry some but have never had the occasion to use it yet , maybe it belongs in the "what not to take to India " thread

sorry, both OT and school-marmish.

anyone contemplating this, please ask a doctor about your own situation. (i am not a medical professional, but am a deaf scuba diver and and admittedly overzealous advocate when it comes to protecting ears.) wearing ear plugs may be good protection in some cases such as freenote points out but, generally, the ear canal should never be blocked completely during ascent/descent when flying and especially not during descent when diving. routine swimming's probably ok.

just please check with your doctor.

tacita · Apr 7th, 2008, 06:26

back OT...

blu-tac--or something like it, such as "pritt" or another poster-stick-up-putty-stuff is indeed a godsend and should be available (in the US) in any "staples" or similar store.

obione980 · Apr 7th, 2008, 06:58

blu-tac sells at stationers, newsagents, school supply stores and the like. Malleable, reusable putty stuff. Great idea to use it to hold plug convertors in place - beats using a book tower, my usual solution.

capt_mahajan · Apr 7th, 2008, 08:16

I thought a blue tack was when you went sailing and the boom hit you in the unmentionables.

But seriously, wonderful stuff, and very useful on ships for sticking not too heavy things on your table so they don't fly away in bad weather.

brownboy66 · Apr 7th, 2008, 09:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

I thought a blue tack was when you went sailing and the boom hit you in the unmentionables.

ouch, that would be black tack - followed by by a very good impersonation of a soprano for a couple of hours after that...

luv2go · Apr 7th, 2008, 10:15

I remember it being called funtack in the US. I think I have bought some before at Wal-mart. It has alot of great uses.

Nick-H · Apr 7th, 2008, 11:37

Quote:

But seriously, wonderful stuff, and very useful on ships for sticking not too heavy things on your table so they don't fly away in bad weather.

That's why I was thinking, blutack, ashtrays and wondering why on earth one should want to stick an ashtray to the table. Boats: that's why

And the radio, and the notes with the days tides etc over the chart table, and how many sugars in everyone's tea stuck in the galley.

Ears? too sticky. Especially with purpose made wax plugs available it would seem a bad choice. Tacita's warning also noted. No, the thought of trying to get it all out again is quite dreadful!

There are earplugs for flying, which are made to equalise the pressure gently. Tried them without any great success.

obione980 · Apr 7th, 2008, 14:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Ears? too sticky.

Nah! The authentic blue-tac doesn't stick to skin. Clever stuff. Just the same it definitely is not suitable for diving. OK for a temporary plug to keep swimmers ear at bay. Real ear plugs are better.

Nick-H · Apr 7th, 2008, 14:24

It does!

Maybe not like some tacky stuffs do, but having spent hours fidgeting with the stuff* I can certainly say that, when warm and soft enough, it sticks to skin, at least a bit.

*That was before I discovered IndiaMike

iwanttogoback · Apr 7th, 2008, 14:53

you mean we get stuff down here that you guys don't get in europe or america???

karuna · Apr 7th, 2008, 14:56

Funny to think whole swathes of the world have yet to hear of blutak. How have you all survived?

I agree with Nick that when blutak gets warm it gets sticky and stringy, and it does stick to your skin. I would have thought putt(y)ing it in your ears would be a very silly thing to do. This is from someone who, aged three, had to go to hospital because she shoved plasticine up her nose to see what happened. What happened was, I got plasticine stuck up my nose. I know whereof I speak.

Nick-H · Apr 7th, 2008, 16:05

I wish I could remember the way we wrote it at school!

Theory: Plasticine, when insertd into nose, gets stuck.

Apparatus: Plasticine, nose, fingers.

Method: Work the plasticine until soft, and insert into nose, pushing with fingers.

Observation: After a certain amount of plasticine has been inserted into nose, it will not come out again.

Result: the theory is proved correct.

Reminds me of a comment made by Richard Feyneman (sp?), on visiting one of these huge particle accelerators. He was told that their latest multi-million dollar experiment proved one of this theories: "You couldn't just trust me on that?"

gp3 trainee · Apr 7th, 2008, 16:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

But seriously, wonderful stuff, and very useful on ships for sticking not too heavy things on your table so they don't fly away in bad weather.

Ah, Cap'n, you clearly didn't spend enough time on VLCC's running Gulf to Gulf. Bloody things never rolled enough for anything to fall to the deck....

Apr 7th, 2008, 04:04	#16
freenote senior member refused Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: cornwall UK Posts: 1,466	Evidently it has a medical use as well .As advised by a doctor it can be quite useful for sufferers of perforated eardrums ,you can stuff it in your ear before getting on a plane or going swimming and it is supposed to help ? I always carry some but have never had the occasion to use it yet , maybe it belongs in the "what not to take to India " thread __________________ eyes ,eyes that have seen all , come back to the white chrysanthemum (Basho)

Apr 7th, 2008, 06:26	#19
tacita Maha Mutant Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Gotham Posts: 1,410	back OT... blu-tac--or something like it, such as "pritt" or another poster-stick-up-putty-stuff is indeed a godsend and should be available (in the US) in any "staples" or similar store. Attached Thumbnails

Apr 7th, 2008, 08:16	#21
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 8,758	I thought a blue tack was when you went sailing and the boom hit you in the unmentionables. But seriously, wonderful stuff, and very useful on ships for sticking not too heavy things on your table so they don't fly away in bad weather. __________________ . The cynic must remember that he is a spy (Epitectus) Indiamike moderating team ..ich bin ein oneliner

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Apr 7th, 2008, 05:29	#17
kristinm Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Beautiful Bondi (not Bundi!) Posts: 1,261	I wish I had had it in India - I spent hours fiddling about trying to get the adaptor to stay in the power socket - the weight of the plug + adaptor pulled the plug so it kind of fell out of the socket... it seemed that the pins were always a loose fit. Going on the list for next time for sure!!!

Apr 7th, 2008, 06:58	#20
obione980 Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Brisbane Posts: 39	blu-tac sells at stationers, newsagents, school supply stores and the like. Malleable, reusable putty stuff. Great idea to use it to hold plug convertors in place - beats using a book tower, my usual solution.

Apr 7th, 2008, 10:15	#23
luv2go Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: usa Posts: 22	I remember it being called funtack in the US. I think I have bought some before at Wal-mart. It has alot of great uses.

Apr 7th, 2008, 14:24	#26
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,220	It does! Maybe not like some tacky stuffs do, but having spent hours fidgeting with the stuff* I can certainly say that, when warm and soft enough, it sticks to skin, at least a bit. *That was before I discovered IndiaMike

Apr 7th, 2008, 14:53	#27
iwanttogoback is sorry Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: perth Posts: 1,501	you mean we get stuff down here that you guys don't get in europe or america???

Apr 7th, 2008, 14:56	#28
karuna umop apisdn Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: UK Posts: 862	Funny to think whole swathes of the world have yet to hear of blutak. How have you all survived? I agree with Nick that when blutak gets warm it gets sticky and stringy, and it does stick to your skin. I would have thought putt(y)ing it in your ears would be a very silly thing to do. This is from someone who, aged three, had to go to hospital because she shoved plasticine up her nose to see what happened. What happened was, I got plasticine stuck up my nose. I know whereof I speak.

Apr 7th, 2008, 16:05	#29
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 24,220	I wish I could remember the way we wrote it at school! Theory: Plasticine, when insertd into nose, gets stuck. Apparatus: Plasticine, nose, fingers. Method: Work the plasticine until soft, and insert into nose, pushing with fingers. Observation: After a certain amount of plasticine has been inserted into nose, it will not come out again. Result: the theory is proved correct. Reminds me of a comment made by Richard Feyneman (sp?), on visiting one of these huge particle accelerators. He was told that their latest multi-million dollar experiment proved one of this theories: "You couldn't just trust me on that?"

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