How latex balloons are made
260's are hard to make. This is how the mechanical action of making the 260 affects the
final product.
Making a 260 involves dipping a mold (the same shape as the inside of a 260) into
liquid latex. Once they're dipped in liquid latex, they are not allowed to cool. The
dipped forms go through a vulcanizing oven, the nozzles are rolled, the balloons are
washed, and then they're allowed to return to room temperature and pulled off the mold.
How the latex runs on the mold as you pull it out of the liquid affects the eveness of
the wall of the balloon. As you pull the mold out the viscous latex is going to run a
little or a lot but it is going to run.
If the mold hangs straight down, the wall of the 260 is thinner at the top, thicker at
the bottom. The nozzle will be weaker and fatter, the end of the balloon will be stronger
and thinner. If the mold hangs straight down as it dries the balloon will blow up
straight.
If the mold is turned over as the latex runs, the wall is more even from end to end but
one side is a little thicker than the other. This 260 balloon will blow up with a curve.
The drip that collected on the end of the mold as it came out of the latex runs down one
side a little way.
When you blow up a 260 you can tell how it was made. I assume the older balloon making
equipment let the mold hang straight down. Mechanically it is less expensive. To make
balloons that are more even from top to bottom a manufacturer has to invest in fancy and
expensive equipment. To make a really good 260 the mold would need to spin as it turned
over. This would give the best chance at an even walled 260. Twisters are a niche market.
No one has gone to the expense, yet.
The quality of the raw latex, how well it has been cleaned, the amount of
vulcanization, the type of color and finish, the kind of powder, the changing temperature
and humidity during manufacturing all combine to make every batch of balloons different.
How well the manufacturer balances the elements with the tools he has determines his
consistency.
How the rolled lip on balloons is formed
Each balloon mold is the shape and size of the uninflated balloon. For example, a
balloon mold for a round balloon is shaped like an inverted light bulb. The molds are
arranged into rows and dipped into liquid latex in assembly line fashion. The latex at the
top (thin) end of the mold becomes the "lip" when it is rolled down (toward the
wide end) by a device which looks like a small motorized brush. As the rows of molds
progress down the line, they pass between rotating, cone shaped brushes that are
positioned horizontally, one on each side of each row of molds, pointing at the
approaching molds. The brushes turn in opposite directions and are positioned so they
touch the molds on each side. The point of the brushes start rolling the lip, and the lips
continues to form as the row of molds moves along the line from the point to the larger
end of the brushes. This occurs while the latex is still uncured, just before it is
vulcanized.
Color issues
Balloons are made one color at a time. After stripping off the molds, they are counted
by weight with special precision scales (different colors have slightly different weights)
then packaged. Most entertainer balloons are packed 144 to a polybag.
For assorted colors, a batch of equal quantities of the colors to be assorted are
tumbled together, then counted (by weight) and packaged. Because of the tumbling process,
there will not be an exact division of colors in each polybag. In fact, you may have
received assortments which seem to have too few or too many of certain colors. If you need
a specific color, it's best to buy a solid color bag. If every assortment included a hand
counted precision mix, the handling cost would make the assortment too expensive.
I don't assume to speak for Qualatex. but this is how I've decided to think about the
pricing.
It seems logical that not mixing colors would make for one less step in manufacturing
but there is more to it than that. I understand the difference in price to be due in part
to the price of the coloring agent. Some colors are more expensive than others. The
Standard Colors of 260Q (White, Pink, and Light Blue) less expensive than the Jewel Tone
Colors. Solid bags of White, Pink or Light Blue are the same price as a bag of assorted.
A product that you sell a lot of can be priced lower than one that you sell a little
of. Consider assorted 260Q's and solid 260Q's separate products (Separate bags, separate
storage, separate inventory) and look at volume and pricing. They can afford to lower the
price of the Jewel Tone (a large part of the assortment) to the Standard Color price
because of volume. You could look at getting such a large percentage of Jewel Tones in the
assortment at the Standard Color price as a deal. Or not.
- Pearl Tones.
- Pearl tone latex is created by adding crushed mica to the latex. This process makes the
latex more brittle, and less twistable. If you want to see proof of this, you have to look
no further than at Tilly Pearl 130's. So, for now, there is no real chance of getting
pearl 260's.
- Gold/Silver/Metallic 260's
- Metallic latex is made in the same way as pearl latex. See above.
- Agate 260's.
- Agate balloons are made by dipping the mold into latex twice. A double dipped balloon
cannot be inflated very easily, much less twisted. Proof: A 321 is made by dipping just
the tip of the balloon into the latex twice.
Making balloons at home
The man who invented and patented the Geo, Ron Prater from Indiana, made all his
prototype balloons at home, and vulcanized them in his kitchen oven (of course, his dad
was a chemist at Pioneer Balloon Co, so you could say that there was some balloon making
knowledge in the family to start with...). I have a newspaper article (that was reprinted
in a clown magazine) which discusses this.
Regarding making balloons at home - I've watched the hand dipping process and it's a
snap One good person with a few hundred dollars invested could make a gross in about 12 to
16 hours. At that rate, the cost would be prohibitive. - Marvin
Printing on latex balloons
Printed latex balloons are inflated while the printing takes place, screen printed,
then deflated, drummed in rotating industrial dryers to shrink them back to "like
new," and packaged. This is why printed latex balloons are so much more expensive
than unprinted balloons.
I just called Pioneer and they do not imprint on non-round balloons like the 260's and
350's because they are too small. Perhaps though, independent printers can do this for
you.
How foil balloons are made
The concept and technology for the "metalization" of plastic sheeting that
has given us foil balloons comes directly out of the NASA Space Mission. By the way, all
of us sculptors should stop referring to foil balloons as Mylar (a trademarked name for a
certain type of polyester film) balloons. The balloon industry refers to them as
"foil" balloons, because they are made of nylon sheet, coated on one side with
polyethylene and metallized on the other. It's evidently so much harder to make balloons
out of aluminized Mylar (and probably so much more expensive) that nobody does it.
Balloon Terms
The Name Game
- The name of balloons change with who is selling them. The person that names them for the
manufacturer may be the inventory control person, the promotion person or the inventor.
The reseller is going to promote the balloons and use whatever word he thinks will sell or
describe them best. Animal, Twisty, Pencil, Airship: the names may have had a specific
meaning to start with, but they have picked up wider definitions or been dropped from use
over time.
I started using the first letter of the manufacturer after the 260 to
help describe the balloons in my catalog. I think the term '260Q' was first published in
my catalog.
Rather than describing each type of balloon, here is a quick explanation on how to
interpret a balloon's name.
Long skinny balloons are initially identified by a two-part, three- digit, number
(example: 260). The first digit indicates the diameter of a fully inflated balloon in
inches. The following two digits refer to the length of the fully balloon inflated (also
in inches). So, our 260 example is two inches wide and sixty inches long, when fully
inflated. (Well, in theory this is what it should be, in actuality you'll notice a large
variation. Even within the same package you'll find that different colors inflate to
different sizes.)
In addition to the three-digit number, a letter is usually included in the name of the
balloon. This letter will generally stand for the first letter in the name of the balloon
manufacturer of the balloons. However, some manufacturers will use the letter to describe
how thick the balloon is (as an indicator of strength and difficulty to inflate).
A list of long, skinny balloons would include: 130, 245A, 250D, 260Q, 260A, 260E, 260P,
280D, 312S, 315S, 350Q, 360, 360P, 418S, 524S.
Those balloons not classified as 'long and skinny' are identified by a single number
that refers to their diameter, in inches (example: 6-inch heart). These types of balloons
include rounds (your standard 'party' balloons), hearts, and geo's.
Balloon types: by number
130s
- Tilly 130 balloons: These are great! Teeny tiny little balloon animals!
- The 130's aren't the sort of balloon I expect to use a lot. They're not easy to blow up,
but it can be done without pain.
- I got some Tilly 130's this weekend. I REALLY like the 130s. I have not had any trouble
blowing them up.
- The Tilly are not Qualatex quality. You can feel the difference.
- I like the "feel" of the Tilly rubber, too.
- Twisting them takes absolutely no effort and they can take quite a bit of manipulation.
In fact, they're almost as easy to manipulate as pieces of rope.
- I'm not real happy with the quality of the Tilly balloons, they're very inconsistent.
Many came deformed, there's no consistency of weight across colors... so the workability
varies with color, and they're much harder to inflate than Qualatex balloons). However, I
won't stop using 130s.
- The 130T's are great. It's good to work them a little soft. They are wonderful for
detail, decoration, and miniatures... those are things adults appreciate. Possibilities
are blindfolds on ninja turtles, small flowers on hats, lassos in a cowboy's hand. I also
like using them on costumes I make. Jewelry is a nice touch. They're really fun for giving
a balloon animal a balloon animal of it's own.
- If you can inflate them without a pump they're great for small areas or waiting in lines
to get into someplace. They get attention, but because of their shape, I've also found
them to be quieter to twist... so they don't tend to be disruptive. They've now become my
balloon of choice for leaving with the tip in a restaurant. (If I'm not working or looking
for work, I don't want the attention that a squeaking balloon will get.) I love 'em.
- The 130's are fun but I'd hate to inflate a gross by mouth. The number of balloonists
who can inflate one 130 by mouth is about the same percentage as the number of
non-balloonists who can blow up a 260Q. Technique helps a lot - getting the air to go into
that little nozzle is nearly as hard as getting the air pressure needed to blow it up. You
can get a 130 over the nozzle of a PumpO. Kind of bounce on the PumpO and it will inflate
the 130.
- I use 130's for a variety of things. Anything you make out of a 260 can be made from a
130! One of my favorite things to create with a 130 is "Hairbear". This is a
teddy bear face, no neck and a short, chubby, roll-through body, probably about 1 to 1 1/2
inches long, followed by two small fold twists. Pinch some hair in the roll-through to
hold it in place...voila, "Hairbear"! Little girls love this, big girls do too!
Older girls like them pinched on the front of a sweater or blouse! You can make any animal
like this and pinch it onto somewhere....for boys I make teeny scorpions that pinch onto
their tee shirts.
- Compared with 260's, they provide some "extra" balloon at the end. I find them
easy to experiment with, because I can inflate them enough to do all the bubbles and still
have extra balloon at the end. When I'm comfortable with the general method, I can switch
to 260s for final refinements. (I should also mention that Prestige balloons are just a
little bit longer than Qualatex, and I miss those extra inches on some of my fancy
twists).
- They're excellent balloons for trying new sculptures, because they give you extra
play-room. I experiment with them, then refine the technique for 260s. I fell in love with
them when I was learning the unicorn with the tail that curls over the back so that the
end of the balloon can be used for the horn -- no worries about running out of balloon!
They're great for learning things like the kissing teddy- bears, too. 130s are good for
making balloon sculptures for other balloons to hold, and baby versions of 260 sculptures.
- The cool thing about 130s is that I can put animals in flowers, palm trees, etc., and
the relative proportions are about right.
- I make balloon hats for my balloon animals using 130's.
- I use the 130 a lot. The miniature poodle is always a big hit. They're also good for
making bees or butterflies to add to flower bouquets, and make nice flowers to add to a
bouquet. I don't do it much, but the poodle under glass with a clear 260 and a 130 is a
great looking balloon. They also make good leashes, hats or other additions to standard
260 figures.
- You can make anything with the 130 that you can make with a 260 - swans, dinosaurs,
lions, tigers, monkeys and teddy bears. Young girls and women of all ages love the tiny
sculptures. The smaller figures are great to add to 260 designs - especially hats.
- 130s make great stems for geo blossoms. I've always used 260s and the fact is, the stems
are too thick. I've mostly used 130s to make small animals to put into my trees or to hang
from hats. Blossoms and 130s make for a quick, attractive bouquet to add to another
figure.
- Most of what I do with them are extras, or accessories to other sculptures. I use the
palm pump to blow them up. Here's some of what I have tried:
- baby animals with the parent animals
- a tight spiral for a car phone antenna
- Bracelets or earrings
- little animals for the pneumatic tubes at the bank drive-up windows (don't forget a
business card!)
- First of all, I like adding a humming bird to a flower. I make the beak a little long,
then on the green 260 I make a tulip twist to attach it to the blossom and put the humming
bird beak inside the tulip to make it look as if it is sipping nectar from the blossom. I
also like to make a lady bug bracelet out of a 130 and put it on the stem before I twist
the leaves. If I could figure out how to attach a 130 bee to a flower I would try that
too.
- I once used a 130 sculpture on a birthday present instead of a bow. It went over quite
well.
- I also add pop twist series to my 130 sculptures to make them stand on their own and
still get the same final proportions. This is due to the fact that the 130s are
proportionally longer than the 260s. I have made decent poodles and horses, and a unicorn.
However, I can't make the kissy lips on the horse type figures without popping the 130s.
Otherwise I would use them to hold my business card or tips between the lips. (The 130s
just can't take the same amount of abuse as the 260Q.) But they still can be used to hold
your business card or a folded bill.
- I use 130's a lot in restaurants when I leave tips. When I make a swan I make a little
sailor hat out of the money and put it on the swan's head. If I make a wiener dog, I put a
bow-tie (made out of the money) around it's neck. If it's a bear, it holds the money in
it's paw.
- I often find 130's that are fused as the tips. They make wonderful kissing swans (which
look just as nice in the 130 format as 260) and the attachment of the "beaks"
makes for a real kiss/heart every time!
- I just got my first gross of Tilly assorted 130s. They're neat. I find, at first glance,
that the rubber seems to be lower quality than I'm used to. After inflating one smoothly,
I find it has lots of bulges, as if I'd used a pump or inflated it in a lot of small
breaths (especially the greens and yellows). Kind of like the old Ashlands, only more so.
They also squeak an awful lot. They are only slightly harder to inflate than 260Qs.
The
colors are pretty good, although the palette is limited (sky blue, yellow, red, light
green, dark purple). They twist nicely, and have lots of extra length to play with in
proportion to the usual 260. The size of the resulting creatures is really nice, too. They
fit comfortably in one hand, and seem to be more stable than similar creatures made from a
260. I'll definitely have fun playing with these.
260s
280s
- I DETESTED the Tilly 280's. They were pale (bad colors), weak, and horribly, horribly
squeaky!!! I tried them once and only finished the bag because I forgot to get restocked
one weekend and I was desperate. BUT, my distributor told me that a lot of people loved
the Tilly 280s, so I guess that it's all personal preference.
- They just give you some more slack when twisting. Given the quality they're not really
worth it. I'd use them all the time for the extra length, if they were better to work
with.
321s
- Qualatex manufactures a Q321B, which is more commonly known as the Bee Body. It is
available in the same color assortment as the 260Q. (see Bee Body, below)
350s
- Qualatex manufactures a 350Q: 3 inches in diameter and 50 inches in length when
inflated. It is available in the same color assortment as the 260Q.
- At IBAC, I was told that the reasons Pioneer makes a 350Q (as opposed to the 390Q that
we'd love to have) are manufacturing related. Evidently the latex vats currently in use
were designed for the length of a 260Q mold; the 350Q is all we can get without Pioneer
investing in lots of new equipment (Notice that a 350Q has approximately the same
uninflated length as a 260Q). (see Airship below)
- Great 350 ideas include: 350 airplane (uses 2 balloons) with 260 pilot/stick . Also
makes a great hat. Fred Harshberger's Weeble in a tube. Use the 350 for the tube. Use a
260 for the weeble. (See T Myer's Ball In Balloon book for the weeble concept) Lorna
Paris' Electricity Hat. I use 350s for the antenna part. I also like the proportions
better when I use two 350s for a horse (or other 4 legged animal) and make the rider out
of 260s. My 350 flower requires 4 balloons. But, it's HUGE and sells for $4 or more
easily.
- My tips have tripled at TGI Friday's since I've been making the big multi-balloons. I
take more time at each table. While I am making the figures, the people see how much work
is involved and keep putting dollars in. Yes I don't get to everyone quickly. Yes the
waitresses keep coming over telling me which table wants me. Yes I make less balloons per
hour. But the fact is that everyone eventually gets a balloon and my tips are bigger. A
lot bigger.
360s
- These large balloons can be seen from anywhere. Your sculptures have to remain much
simpler, though. They're good for a lot of multiple balloon figures. I think I posted my 2
balloon horse a while back. The fatter balloon makes that work better.
- If you put two 360s together, you can make anything you make with a 260. There is
nothing like a teddy bear made out of two 360s. You get a full-sized teddy bear. Add a
6" heart, and you've got a $2.00 balloon (minimum). They're bigger, and the recipient
feels like s/he's getting more bang for the buck. I find the 360s easier to inflate and
twist than 260s.
Balloon types: by name
Airships
- A balloon that blows up around 6-8" long and 3" in circumference.
- They look like blimps. Some manufacturers actually label them as Airships.
- In general, an airship is shorter and chubbier than a standard 260, however a 321 (bee
body) is not an airship (I think because of the tail), basically they look like short fat
versions of 260's. Think of a blimp as an airship.
- The non-260 balloons aren't a substitute for learning the craft, but they open all kinds
of other creative options once you're grounded in the fundamentals.
- I use them for rocket races: fold a piece of paper in half, draw a rocket on it. Inflate
an airship inside, race it down a length of fishing line (either the rocket or the line
has to come apart long enough to get it on the line).
Animal Balloons
- Generally speaking, a term for balloons made specifically for twisting, 260s, 130's
280's. As far as I can tell, the phrase 'animal balloons' would be slightly better than
the slightly derogatory slang of 'twisty' balloons, just about comparable to the term
'pencil' balloons.
Bee Bodies
- These balloons are small and round-ish with a narrow point on them that forms sort of a
stinger. Probably the most under used balloons in my collection. I just make bees with
them. There's a cute little duck you can do with them too.
- You can also make a cute hummingbird with a Bee Body balloon.
Custom Shaped Balloons
- Bruce Walden has a technique for custom shape mylars in which, he actually cuts mylar
sheets or scraps of mylar balloons and seals them with a heat sealer. An example would be
Teeth and Claws for a Giant mylar dragon he had created and the mylar fish sculptures.
- At IBAC 1996, several competitors MADE their own *balloons* from mylar sheets or
reconfigured existing balloons to suit their designs... both types of creations were done
throughout the use of a standard household iron!
Foil Balloons
- The concept and technology for the "metalization" of plastic sheeting that has
given us foil balloons comes directly out of the NASA Space Mission. By the way, all of us
sculptors should stop referring to foil balloons as Mylar (a trademarked name for a
certain type of polyester film) balloons. The balloon industry refers to them as
"foil" balloons, because they are made of nylon sheet, coated on one side with
polyethylene and metallized on the other. It's evidently so much harder to make balloons
out of aluminized Mylar (and probably so much more expensive) that nobody does it. An
important point to remember is that the effective diameter of a foil balloon goes DOWN as
it is inflated (only it's thickness increases). A fully inflated 18" foil balloon
only covers about a 14" diameter of flat surface. A very hard foil balloon will not
cover as much as a very soft foil balloon.
Foil Gift Wrapping
- Forget about twisting. Buy a heat sealing machine, find a mall before Christmas and go
into the business of gift wrapping presents in balloons. Special pillow shaped foil
balloons with beautiful printed designs are available and are an incredibly fast way to
wrap gifts. You spend seconds rather than minutes per gift and it's totally unique and
novel (read "$$$"). Opaque 16" latex balloons printed with "Do not
open 'till Dec. 25" are also available, as is the stuffing equipment used to fill
them. The profit potential is unbelievable.
In this kit, the balloons are a 2 chamber
foil-balloon packaging system where the gift is lodged in the inner chamber, and
surrounded by the inflated outer chamber. You place your gift inside, seal it yourself,
and then inflate the outer chamber through a small straw. Christmas patterns, 2 sizes, 5
balloons for $9.95 (possibly with additional shipping charges).
Flying Saucers
- A flat, round balloon with a nozzle coming off the edge at an angle. It spins as it
deflates.
Geos (Donuts and Blossoms)
- Made by Qualatex. Geo balloons inflate to look like donuts or segmented blossoms. (kids
love GEO balloons). Blossom geos come in 6-inch and 16-inch sizes, Donut geos come in the
16-inch size.
- Too expensive to use for much of anything. I usually don't use geos in crowds because of
the cost involved.
- The geo makes a fast flower with a 260 flower stem and leaves.
- I fell in love with geos after the first flower I made with the blossoms. Yes they cost
mucho, but I usually buy enough at a time to get a discount :) I also get an average of
$1.50 for an 18 cent item on tips. People love them. On average, I use about 1/4 gross of
these on a very busy day. I have used as much as a gross in a day (I also made almost $500
that day, so who cares? :)
- I use them mostly for flowers. Yes, they are an expensive flower, but they are much
faster for me than a 5 or 6 petal 260 flower. Plus, most people have never seen them, and
they add to the astonishment of your audience. I have also sold bags of pre-made flowers
to department stores in the area, and they hand them out to the first 500 customers on big
sale days, or use them for special a thank-you for their staff. (Think White Flower Days
at Bullock's and Macy's)
- White ones make a quick saucer section for the starship enterprise,
- Geos are fun to put on wild hats; make a helmet hat with several spirals, leave a tail
on the spirals and push a poodle tail through the Geo to hold it on the spiral.
- I use the green Geo for the Ninja Turtle on a Stick. I also use the green with a blue or
other bright color stem, and call it a Warhol Flower (nobody gets that one).
- A 6" Geo Blossom makes a great heart if turned inside out. After you turn it inside
out, adjust it so there is the same amount on both sides (or your heart will be lopsided).
It can even be hung from the top: blow it up and the part that was the sides of the donut
hole makes a little tunnel and you can thread a ribbon or whatever through there and hang
them.
- When turned inside-out, the 16" Geo Doughnuts make a much better looking heart than
the 6" or 16" Geo Blossoms.
- At the last IBAC, Marvin told us that he thinks inside-out, 16" Geo Doughnuts look
more like hearts than do 11" heart balloons! He has made arches out of helium-filled
inside-out 16" Geo Doughnuts by tucking the nozzle of one into the latex
"bridge" that forms between the lobes of the previous one. No monofilament
required! Another "Pure Sculpture" to use Patty and Royal's terminology.
- Geos are great for the Energizer bunny rabbit, one of my most requested balloons, was
submitted to Laughmaker Magazine by Paula Large, Lyle Balcom & Jerry Darkey. It uses
one 6" geo and one pink 260 and one blue 260. Inflate Geo and tie off. Inflate pink
260, leaving a one inch tail, and deflate two thirds, thread through geo and re-inflate,
and tie off. This leaves you with a pink 260 through the geo. Make simple bunny head at
knot end, wrap front feet around geo, and make body, hind feet, and tail at other end.
Draw sunglasses on head using knot for nose. For the kicker inflate two inches of blue
260. Squeeze half of the air to the tail of the balloon, tie two knots in the middle of
the balloon and tear or cut balloon in half, between the two knots. Tuck each
"drumstick" into the place where the hands go through the geo.
- The Myers have a good saxophone made with a 260 and geo by blowing up a 260 leaving a 6
inch tail. Four inches from nozzle, make two ear twists, side by side, repeat four inches
down, two times. put the geo at the end of the balloon, thread though tail, then make a
one inch poodle tail, to hold it on, then wrap nozzle of geo around last set of ear
twists.
- I've been playing with making a Donald Duck using a geo for the hat and the Daffy duck
in white with a blue body.
- I heard Ralph Dewey is teaching this in his new class: Turn a Geo inside out, then
inflate. Stop inflating when you see a cute little kitty head. The ears will be rather
tiny, and you may have to grab them and pull them out from under the latex
"bridge" that forms in between them. The front and back of the kitty head are
flat and featureless, so you'll have to get out your marker for this one.
/\_/\
{ @.@ }
\_~_/
Y
It is the only kitty-head I have seen with pointed ears. Then attach a standard animal
body. If you want to hide the joint where you tie on to the body, you can make a leash or
collar. Another way of hiding the joint and creating a collar is to tie together the knot
of the head and the knot of the body. Now do a small tulip twist in the body. Presto - you
have hidden the joint and it doesn't ruin the look of the model.
- I frequently find a small chevron shaped cut ``>'' in the side of many of the Geo
blossom nozzles. I don't know if it's a manufacturing problem, but it sure is annoying for
a balloon that expensive.
- I use the clear geos with clear 260Q's on my double-barreled shot-gun as smoke rings on
the blast.
Giant (Latex) Balloons
- It is impossible to find balloon sizes between 16" and three foot in the U.S. (i.e.
20 or 24 inch round balloons). However, in Europe or Australia I was able to get 20"
and larger round balloons very easily.
- I know there are a lot of distributors for giant balloons, but it is difficult to find
one that will sell to individuals. I found a distributor for 3 foot balloons in Portland,
OR.
- I don't recall any manufacturers in the U.S. that make latex balloons bigger than the
five foot rounds from Qualatex. In fact, many of distributors I order 4 or 5 foot latex
balloons from get these balloons from outside the U.S., so I feel it best to look at
manufactures in Europe or Asia. My experience with large weather balloons are that they
may not be rugged enough for outdoor display usage. (see weather balloon section, below)
- Over 5' I use vinyl instead of trying for latex. This company also will do artwork on
round, airship or blimps. I have used him for 10' rounds and airships for company
promotions, and have found him to be good to work with.
Glow in the dark balloons
- Mr. Lovik in Washington makes glow in the dark balloons. He is well known as one of the
top ventriloquist figure (dummy) makers in the country, and also makes glow in the dark
balloons.
Hearts
- These inflate into the shape of a heart. Very handy for some types of sculptures.
Qualatex makes two sizes, 6" and 11". I use them for heads, or sometimes I just
give out hearts. People usually think I've done something with a round balloon to make it
a heart. Since I usually do this as a magician, I don't mind the deception.
- I honestly mostly use them just as they are... people really do love getting a heart. I
will usually inflate a heart and use the line to a lady... as I'm reaching the balloon out
towards them, "I would love to give you my heart", then pull back just as they
reach out to take it and say "but please promise me you won't break it". It
always gets a warm smile, and gets the audience on your side.
- Go for the jewel tones. They cost more than the packages of white, red, and pink, but I
like the color variation. I find them very worthwhile to have around.
- I sometimes make insects with hearts. For a fly, twist one lobe. Then with one 260 make
a set of wings (a figure 8 ). By twisting one of the lobes you get a nose on a face. BUT,
turn that nose skyward and add a figure 8 and you have the makings of a helicopter. Really
under inflate them and they make the cutest little fish. Three hearts tied together makes
a Shamrock.
- I use hearts for helicopters, a heart in a heart with the teddy bear on the outside,
heart hats, googly eyes, heart wands, etc. Do you know how to mend a broken heart? With
"ticker tape". T. Myers has several good books, and Captain Visual has a book:
Heartbreakers. Also on the back of one of the True Inflations are some cute ideas for hats
for your heart face made with 130's. The use of a semi-inflated heart balloon for the eyes
of a fish is a wonderful effect. This could also be combined with some 5 inch helium
filled clear balloons on microfilament as fishy air bubbles. They waft in a breeze to add
a hint of realism.
- I only partially blow up a heart. Makes a really cute cat. The unblown up portion
becomes little cute ears. Then just draw on the face. It's wonderful.
- I have created a balloon bow tie from two heart balloons and one 260. The Bow ties I
have seen are 2 hearts tied together with a short piece of inflated 260 wrapped around the
knot and tied. The remainder uninflated 260 was tied in a loop to go around the neck. (I
first heard of this from Roger Siegel in Chicago.) A ribbon or string works better. Make
it polka dot by sticking on self adhesive dots from an office supply store. This also
makes a great hair bow for a girl. A bigger bow tie is the same center but instead of
hearts or around the hearts use a large loop of 260 for each side of the bow. It can be
bent at severe angles by pinching the balloon at the bend. Make each loop resemble an
"M" on its side to give it that bow tie look.
- Dress up your fishing poles. Use one 6" heart of any color for bait by blowing just
a little bit of air into it, tie it off and squeeze the air back toward the knot. It looks
like a tiny fish ( the rounded points of the heart are the tail fins). Tie this onto the
uninflated 260. Then you can say that you have baited their hook for them. If you want you
can put a big fish on and have the bait hang inside the bigger fish or you can leave it
with just the bait.
- The "Magic Heart" trick. I first saw this presentation/patter done by Mike
Decker on one of his videos. By calling these "magic hearts" I create an
expectation that there is a "trick" to what I'm about to do. I'll ask a little
girl if she wants a magic heart on her hat/twisted wrister/teddy bear. I tell her that
she'll need to help me. I take a 6" heart from my pocket, and blow it up slightly,
until it looks round. Pause and let them all see it. While I'm blowing it up, I'm holding
it behind my hand, so that it's never seen uninflated. (Alternatively, start by folding
the balloon so they don't see the heart shape. It makes it look like you're holding a
round balloon.) I never tell them it's a round balloon. I let them decide that from my
actions. When you do magic (and as far as your audience is concerned this is magic) it's
better to let them come to certain conclusions on their own than to point them out. If you
make a point of mentioning it's round, you're drawing undue attention to it and they might
question that fact. I show this tiny balloon to the crowd, and explain that I can make
this balloon turn into a heart, with a little help from the child. Then, I ask the child
if I can borrow her finger. I have the child push her finger between the lobes of the
heart. You know where the correct spot is, because you can look for the two drips that
mark the tops of the lobes. The child does not see these, and has no clue. Then, with the
child's finger still in place, I slowly blow up the balloon. There's no need to rush it.
You can do it slowly and get a big reaction. When I'm done. I show the balloon to the
audience, and praise the child for making a great heart. This *Always* impresses the
child. It becomes a great "Me-Too" item, as every other child wants to make a
magic heart. It almost always fools the parents too. It is all in the presentation. The
child is convinced that THEY have done magic.
Hot Water Bottles
- When I was a kid I saw a guy on TV blow-up a hot water bottle until it burst. Now that's
lung power :-)
- Someone remembers from their childhood seeing someone blow up a hot water bottle on TV.
I don't know who did it in the past, but I know Todd Robbins, magician and side show
specialist, recently did it on TV and also at the '96 SAM (Soc. of Am. Magicians) national
convention. (A joke was made about the guy who was trying to blow up a turtle balloon...)
Inflatable Women/ Men
- Inflatable dolls are made from vinyl/ plastic. Because of their weight and capacity,
they will not float when filled with helium. It is best to inflate the doll with air and
use 36' helium balloons to float it. You will need to experiment with the doll and the
balloons, to give you the number of balloons required to lift it. Factors you will need to
consider are how many dolls you will need to inflate and how long you need them to float!
Be careful of when ordering the dolls, some are very explicit in their anatomy! This is
one centerpiece you will not get back after the party!
Jell-O Balloons
Knobbies
- A Carnival balloon that is 5 to 6 inches in diameter and roughly 60 inches in length.
These balloons are available through Rainbow Balloons . They make great dragonflys!
Latex Gloves
Mickey Balloons
- Four styles of really neat Mickey and Minnie mouse heads in microfoil are also
available.
- Because of the Disney license, the balloons all have some form of imprint on them. They
can not be purchased plain. They CAN be imprinted, but this requires the authorization of
one specific person at Disney, and can only be imprinted for a Disney related event.
Another note, they are really expensive. I mean REALLY expensive, so be prepared.
Novelty-Shaped Latex Balloons
- At one time Pioneer was the US distributor. Pioneer stopped distributing them a few
years ago and Gummiwerk advertised for a new US distributor but I never heard of anyone
picking up the line. It's a shame too because their large round balloons (up to 1.6 meter)
are great. Some of those shapes, like the (grosse naese) big nose come in very large
sizes. One thing to consider with these types of shapes is that they take a little
practice to learn to inflate successfully.
Pencil Balloons
- Generic term for 260's, 280's, 130's, 360's, etc.... You should probably substitute 260
where these are mentioned.
- Any balloon that is generally pencil-shaped i.e.: long and thin.
- Pencil balloons is a term used by companies who sold balloons to the public. They are
usually 260's, but could be any long skinny balloon. As a twister, you would not buy them
because they are small Quantities of cheap, over-priced balloons.
Punch Balloons
- A punch balloon is a thick walled latex balloon with a rubber band attached. Push your
hand through the rubber band and bounce the balloon back and forth.
- Some people put in a teaspoon of sugar or rice inside, and then blow up the balloon.
Makes a great noise and the kids love it!
Round Balloons
- Your standard "party" balloons. They are identified by a single number that
refers to their diameter (example: 9-inch rounds). A clown friend, Yummy from Tucson
showed me how to use 5" pearls blown up one and a half inches, tie three together,
and put them in the arms of a bunny rabbit, Presto - Easter Bunny. If you play with the
shape of the 5" balloons a little, you can shape them just like eggs.
- Smiley face balloon: now available in 5" These are great to have on hand for the
kid who is afraid of balloons, and they look great on a hat. They make a great "Happy
Stick." Put a Smiley on top of a "Twisted Wrister" - a single full 260
folded in half and wound around itself.
Self-inflating Balloons
Spaghetti Balloons
- "Spaghetti" balloon seems to be a 'slang' term for 130's and 260's. Generally
speaking, it is a term for balloons made specifically for twisting, 260s, 130's 280's.
(geo's and hearts etc are not specifically made for twisting).
Spinners/ Spiral Balloons
- 'Spinner' and 'Whirly' and 'Spiral' were terms used for Ashland's 260W. It was held
sideways right after the mold was dipped causing one side of the 260 to be thicker. As it
inflated it naturally spiraled. The method they used was just a guy holding the mold
sideways for what he thought was right. The quality of the balloon and the amount of
spiral varied a great deal.
- There used to be a balloon that would curl automatically when you blew it up; when you
let go of the balloon, it would spin as it flew away.
- There used to be a balloon known as the 260W (for whirly-bird) that had extra latex on
one side. This balloon curled as it inflated and would spin as it deflated. They were made
by the Ashland Rubber Company. I called the company who bought their molds and they are
not making them. 'Spinners' refer to the old 260W's.
- The mold was turned while the latex was still wet, causing uneven wall thickness.
Squiggly Worm Balloons
- I just bought a package of Squiggly Worm Balloons (12 balloons, pack #5140, Made in
Mexico by Unique Industries Inc., Philadelphia., PA) for $1.80 at a party supply store.
They inflate to a little over 2 feet long and have a body diameter the size of a 350, with
a pair-shaped "head" about the size of a fully inflated 5" round. At the
tip of the head is an antenna which stands erect but does not increase in diameter upon
inflation. Each balloon has a printed happy face on it. Because the head (the nipple end)
inflates larger than the body, these worm balloons inflate "backwards". Also,
the ribbing on the 3" diameter section is helical, which gives a very interesting
visual effect for the person doing the inflating!!! I like these balloons *a lot* !!!!
- My only suggestion in inflating the worms is be careful. The "head" has a
tendency to pop during inflation.
- I have seen, but not purchased, a larger version of these worm balloons. They were
packaged in pairs and displayed in a supermarket for $2.00 a package.
- They already have a face on them (although I like to improve on the eye, by making them
bigger and adding eyelashes). I made a (great) butterfly with one. Inflate the balloon
almost all the way, where the wings meet the body I put two ENORMOUS ear twists (both
facing the belly of the Butterfly). I attached two 260 hearts as wings. They stick out
beautifully, because of the ear twist placement.
- I like to make a "Huggy Bug". Inflate a 260Q so that it looks like two arms.
(Twist a 1" bubble followed by a 6" bubble. Fold twist the 6" bubble. Then,
do the same thing on the other end of the balloon). Now inflate the "worm".
Attach the 260Q to the "worm" a little below the head. Now, you've got a great,
2 foot tall creature ready for hugging it's owner 'cause it's arms stick and it looks so
cute. I suppose you could put little legs on, too, if you wanted.
- A worm in the hand is better than... er, well... a slug, I guess :-)
- I called Unique, Kim said: minimum orders for 1st order is $200 (MC/V/check, or credit
reference, fill out, and then they'd return. $1/per package.), subsequent orders must be
at least $100 (Three orders total).
I then spoke to Debbie Bear, she said: Maybe they
can do a bulk package, if someone (a retailer) says they'll order a lot (like in the
thousands). Her reasoning was that there isn't a demand for them. I tried to explain the
there could be, if the cost weren't prohibitive. She said she'd drop it in the suggestion
box. And we all know what that means...
Talking Balloons
- Remember the "talking balloons"? They had the plastic ribbon with ridges on it
and when you ran your fingernail down the ribbon the balloon made a sound like it was
saying words. The Incredible Balloon Machine Company that makes the Balloomers stuffing
and the puffPAC mylar wrapping machine offers them. Their number is 1-800-748-6995. That
is the only place that I have seen that offers them yet.
Twisty Balloons
- "Twisty' balloon seems to be a 'slang' term for sub-standard brands of 260's. It
does not refer to any/ all balloons that can be twisted... it's a term mostly for the
knockoffs. Generally speaking, the term for balloons made specifically for twisting, 260s,
130's 280's. (geo's and hearts etc are not specifically made for twisting).
Water Balloons
- Balloons filled with water instead of air. Usually very thin- walled, round balloons are
used.
Weather Balloons
- Totex is one of the worlds largest makers of weather balloons. All of their balloons are
sprayed into a rotating mold rather than dipped and are of very high quality (and price).
In addition to weather balloons, they also make a line of balloons that are a chloroprene/
latex blend and come in several colors. These balloons are called "AB Balloons"
and unlike weather balloons are designed to be tethered.
- They are a wholesaler of balloons they do carry an 8 foot giant Chloroprene and a small
selection of giant meteorological balloons is a wholesaler of balloons they do carry an 8
foot giant Chloroprene and a small selection of giant meteorological balloons.
Whirly Balloons
- 'Spinner' and 'Whirly' and 'Spiral' were terms used for Ashland's 260W.
- See the 'Spinner' section, above.
Yo-yo Balloons
- Yo-yo balloons are thick-walled, small, round balloons that are filled 1/2 and 1/2 with
water and air. There is a rubber string attached to the nozzle so the balloon bounces up
and down like a yo-yo. I saw a service organization selling them for $1 a piece as fast as
they could make them.
- You can buy Yo-Yo balloons directly from Suzuki latex, but their minimum is pretty high.
(5000?) . . The clips are invaluable - don't try to make more than 10 without the clips.
- I have been doing the yo-yos for a couple of years, . I have also put the 2' glow sticks
into them, and tried to get $2.00. Sometimes they sell great, other times - not so well.
The additional problem with the glow sticks yo-yo is that you can't make them more than
about an hour in advance.
- When we have sold them, we have filled a great big tub with them, and set it on a low
table, so the kids could pick out their color. We also fill some with more water for
little kids (it bounces easier with less effort on their part), and some with less for
bigger kids (less chance of the elastic breaking when they throw it around). There is also
a 4-color cardboard display unit that you can buy from All American - it's nice.
- You can make these up weeks in advance and store them in a cool place. The key to
selling them seems to be to play with them as you're standing there. Get some into the
hands of the carnival organizers, and let people see them being played with. They'll come
rushing to find you. Also, they can be imprinted, which would make nice goody bag stuffers
for party entertainers. Or, you could get them imprinted with the name of a store or mall,
and use them as an add-on sale to your Grand Opening clients.