I seem to recall that you can fabricate a "do-it-yourself" nuclear fallout protective suit simply by soaking a set of coveralls in a solution of dishwashing liquid mixed with soap shavings. Does anyone know anything about this technique ? It would sure beat the hell out of spending mega-bucks on a manufactured suit, providing that it really works. LW.

Under what circumstances would you want to wear this suit? Specifically, what would you be doing that you would be wearing a fallout suit?

Just buy one. They only cost about $10.

http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shopscr1555.html

You will probably need the following also;

British Army NBC gloves - http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/...ish-325215.html

IPK kit - http://www.surplusandadventure.com/shop/bargains/genuine-british-army-individual-360959.html

Respirator NBC S10 - http://west.loadup.com/military/surplus/50020.html

Mk4 NBC overboots - http://www.strikeforcesupplies.co.uk/stock.php?page=bigpic&item=12013

You may also need an entrenching tool - but a garden spade will do the job more efficiently.

There is no such thing as a "radiation suit". What you're referring to is a suit to protect oneself from chemical and biological agents. At least there is no suit that will protect you from receiving a radiation dose in a "HOT" environment.

The best suit available for that is the US Army charcoal (green) that can be found @ surplus stores for about $50-$75.00 each. You still need a gas mask, rubber boots and gloves, worn as described down below.

A suitable gas mask accompanied by the appropriate amount of masking tape in the appropriate locations is required to provide complete protection in the chemical and biological area.

For nuclear protection: Dress for the climate, put a slicker suit over that (with a hood). Wear rubber boots. Don a gas mask and pull the hood up over your head. Don rubber gloves. Use masking tape (or duct tape) to seal all gaps and connections of the slicker suit, rubber boots, rubber gloves, around the hood and the gas mask.

This DOES NOT protect you from radiation!!! This prevents you from ingesting radioactive particles via breathing, the eyes, and/or open cuts in the skin. You will have to have arrangements made beforehand to decontaminate yourself BEFORE you re-enter your shelter or else you will contaminate the shelter interior and everyone/thing inside of it with radioactive particles. Decontamination is a subject for another thread.

Before one goes outside, into a "hot" environment, one should know what the radiation levels are outside, in order to know how long (how much exposure) one can stay outside before getting an overdose.

Approximate Radiation Doses/Effects:
150 rads/hr = radiation sickness
250 rads/hr = military command max dosage
450 rads/hr = death

I strongly suggest you got www.oism.org and go to the ebook: Nuclear War Survival Skills. It has most of the information that you are looking for, judging from your question.

Just as a general point, the IPK was designed to provide a base for overhead cover on battle trenches. It is not chemical proof nor is it radiation proof.

Nuclear fallout protective suit is just some pieces of clothing so that you don't get contamination on your skin. Tyvek coveralls, rubber boots, rubber gloves, hood, mask and respirator with all edges sealed with duct tape would make a fair approximation of what's needed.

Then you need a decontamination shower to rinse off with if you go anywhere the suit is needed OR you carefully remove and dispose of it w/o getting any on you. (a LOT harder than rinsing)

You'll also need some dosimetry to know whether you don't need the suit, whether you'll need to minimize time you are out using it, or whether you'd be risking your life going outside suit or not.

Let's hope none of us needs to use this info.

Except for leadsuits, there isn't much that will REDUCE the level of exposure.

Protective suits will only provide protection by preventing radiation particles from comming inside your body.
Alpha and Beta radiation are fairly harmless on the outside, but can kill you on the inside.
Gamma wil just go right through you, with or without a suit, but the dose will be reduced if no particles are inside of you. if it's inside you, it will be a permenant radiation source. If it's just on the outside, than it's removeble.

protective suits are only usefull if you know how to use it. I see too many people buying protective equipment and not know how to use them correctly. Those who know, know what type of suit to get.

Please don't buy supples millitary masks, some have reactive cartidges on them, which turns toxic over the years, besides most supples masks are leaky and generally fail testing.

A dosimeter only tells you how much radiation you have received, not the amount of radiation at a certain location. You neet a geigercounter for that.

Ummm, no. Those are dose rates. If I walk through an area of 150 rad/h and it takes me 15 minutes, then I only get 38 rad, and I don't get ARS. I don't even come close. The low end for ARS is approximately 200 rad, and it will be higher for most people. The LD50/60 is around 350 rad (closer to 500 rad if there is modern medical attention available).

And GM (geiger) counters do not measure dose rate, no matter what the little piece of paper behind the needle says. They also saturate easily, becoming useless if not dangerous. They are for measuring contamination on surfaces, not external dose in an area. That is what ion chambers are for.

If you are wanting a suit to protect from contamination, go buy some tyvek coveralls. That is generally what we use to clean up spills. Nothing is going to protect you from the external radiation exposure from photons (at least nothing you could still move around in).

Greg

I wonder what the logic behind this method is? I can't think of the science behind why this should "work".

It makes washing them easier? (But has little other value I can see other than making the surface slicker so less particulate remains.)