3D PRINTING PROTECTIVE MASKS

SHIFTING FOCUS

Fossil fuel.

The coronavirus is prompting businesses to shift their focus in some unusual ways.

One tire shop has found a way to help those on the front lines of this pandemic.

Live kimt news 3's nick kruszalnicki is live to explain.

Nick?

George and katie?

Over the past few years 3d printing has really taken off for a lot of industries.

You can find these machines in lots of businesses and schools these days.

Now these handy devices are helping to fight the coronavirus.

"it just turned into something a little bigger than we thought when we started."

While the pandemic has put the brakes on tire sales, nelson tire and auto is putting their energies into a new venture?

Creating face shields with their 3d printer.

Owner dave martin says the company that made his 3d printer gave him the idea.

"they actually shut down all printing and started printing these masks and they gave the file out to everybody that owns one so we can contribute."

Each mask takes about two hours to print and costs about 10 dollars to make.

Martin has been preparing to donate them to first responders and hospitals.

"we just figured we would put it out for local and we've been getting phone calls from all over.

People wanting the masks and stuff like that.

So we're just going to try and fill the demand."

Lots of people in the charles city community are also helping out to make the masks, using cricut machines to cut the transparent pieces for the shields.

Those who aren't so crafty are opening up their wallets to help.

"we've actually had quite a few phone calls today at the shop of people wanting to know how to donate money to keep this going and produce more so we called the bank and got everything set up through them."

For martin, he's just glad he can do a small part to keep workers safe on the front lines of the pandemic.

"it feels kind both mercy one north iowa and charles city american medical response are reaching out to nelson to get their hands on some of these face shields.

Live in mason city, nick kruszalnicki, kimt news 3.

On nelson tire and auto's facebook page, they've posted the 3d file for printing the face shields and there's also information on how you can donate money to the cause.

We put the link up on our website kimt dot com, just look for this story under the local news tab.