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MrGreggy Loyal user 213 Posts |
I always use a pump. I get comments from people occasionally that I'm cheating. They thinks it's funny, and I laugh along with them. I'm not there to impress upon them how good I am at making balloons, I'm there to entertain them. Using a pump makes that much easier to do. I do get a lot of comments from people who think the pump is interesting.
I find it a bit gross when a mouth-blown balloon pops and the spit inside is then scattered everywhere. Eeewwwwww, especially in a restaurant. I have a bunch of balloon routines, gags, and show in my book "Kids Think It's Funny". The link is in my signature. |
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Kevinr Inner circle 1854 Posts |
[/quote]
Funny I have had many people say how "professional" I am because I don't use a pump! Some say that the pump takes part of the art out of it. I have never had someone say anything about "slobber" NEVER> and I work 3 restaurants a week and loads of birthday's. Use the pump to blow them up then let the air out. After this try it with your mouth and it will be easier. After awhile you will build it up. [/quote] I agree with this statement! I have had many say I am more proffesional blowing them up by mouth! I to work three dinner places... Try blowing up the larger 350's first. You will get the strength to do it later! Cheapest place to buy balloons hands down is http://www.balloonmerchant.com Now one has better service or price! |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
I have never used a pump. Always by mouth. What's even tougher is blowing a 160 by mouth. That takes some wind.
I have occasionally blown two balloons together. It impresses an audience, but it is tough to get both inflated at the same pace. But to answer Shane's original question, yes some brands are tougher than others. If you use some of the specialist balloons such as metalic or pearl, then they are thicker and more difficult to inflate by mouth. I got a bag of metallics from a dealer once by mistake, and I just couldn't blow them unless I stretched them while I was blowing. I normally don't need to stretch anything, even with the 160s. You probably just got the wrong bag from the dealer. It sometimes happens - make a note of what you got, and avoid it in the future. Tony.
Check out Tony's new thriller Dead or Alive http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alive-Varrick-Bo......n+carson
http://www.PartyMagic.ie |
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Jay Ward Veteran user Flowery Branch, GA 328 Posts |
I'm glad this thread is turning into the eternal debate of pump vs. mouth. I think you should be able to mouth inflate but use a pump. I think it's gross to give kids a thin latex shell of your slobber, especially if you leave the nozzle on so the kids can chew on it. However, most people won't see this as gross because inflating a balloon by mouth is how the general public inflates balloons. It's what you're supposed to do. I used to mouth inflate, make elaborate balloons at a restaurant for 3 hours, come home and pass out hard on the couch. Now that I use a pump, I feel great at the end of the night. If your balloons are good enough, you won't need to show off by mouth-inflating. If a customer gives me a hard time about the pump (which is rare), I give him a balloon to inflate while I mouth-inflate 2 at the same time. I then quickly explain that my method is "less gross." But ultimately it comes down to personal preference. The method you choose will make no difference in the amount of gigs you get, just how you'll feel at the end of the day.
Best pump by far is http://www.filbertpump.com. You can spiral your balloons without pre-inflating with it as well. As far as mouth-inflating, use your diaphragm, hold just below the nozzle with right hand while left hand holds the balloon about halfway down giving the balloon a little stretch. Your goal is to inflate the first inch of the balloon with all your might. Once you do that, hold the nozzle tight so the air doesn't escape, take another deep breath into your diaphragm and continue to inflate. The standard colors from Qualatex will be more difficult than the jewel tones. And don't mouth-inflate 160s. You can hurt yourself. The bigger the balloon, the easier to inflate (and harder to twist). |
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BIGmagiclV Veteran user 375 Posts |
Try blowing in the open end. J/K
I prefer the pump due to the burning sensation I get in my cheeks from blowing them up manually. I know some people (certain clowns that live in Vegas, and by clowns I mean actual clowns!) can blow them up like they are breathing air. It's nothing to them. For me, I get a good laugh from attempting to blow them up by mouth, making faces, turning red and then ultimately using a pump. I ask the kids if I should use the pump to blow the balloons up and after they say yes, I put the end of the pump in my mouth, give it a few pumps then grab a balloon and blow into it. gets a nice laugh. |
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Kevinr Inner circle 1854 Posts |
I can actually blow them up with my nose (no joke) a guy in the balloon section mentioned it and I tried and I could do it!
I know gross I would never give a balloon out that way.. |
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Wes Holly Special user Cincinnati, OH, USA 644 Posts |
We all have justifications for our choice about pump vs mouth and anecdotes about what the audience says about either method. And we are all correct. My preference for mouth inflation is that a balloon filled with warm moist air from the lungs acts & reacts differently to manipulation than the dry cool air from a pump. I'm not saying one is better than the other, only that I am used to it.
I also believe that mouth inflation is much faster, which allows me to make more detailed creations in a shorter amount of time than pumping. If you can prove me wrong, then I accept your challenge and will meet you on the field of honor -Wes Holly- |
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randyburtis Inner circle 1256 Posts |
I have had folks appreciate the pump version even though I can inflate by mouth and may do the first few that way because of the health issues(flu, colds etc), the pump is a cleaner version which my clients have appreciated
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Tony James Inner circle Cheshire UK 1398 Posts |
The health issues Mark referred to was the findings that a disproportionate number of non-smoking magicians were showing symptoms of emphysema. This was put down to coating the lungs with zinc stearate, a white, talc like powder found inside balloons and used to release the finished balloon from the mould. Seems years of mouth blowing can result in an intake of the powder.
Blowing should be a combination of cheeks (like a brass musician) and diaphragm (like a trained singer). The cheeks inflate the first inch or so and the diaphragm produces a long, steady follow through. I have only ever produced a small number of animals as a reward to those who help with the magic. No question of everyone having a balloon. That way it loses it's value. And that way I only ever have to blow a half a dozen. I've worked with balloon boys and they all use a pump. mostly electric. Without it they would never produce the volume of balloons required for the complex designs now fashionable. Mine are all simple, one balloon animals. Their very simplicity is their USP.
Tony James
Still A Child At Heart |
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Police Magician Special user Georgia 648 Posts |
I remember giving a balloon to a guy who was all muscle. He tried and tried and could not get the first bubble. His face turned redder that the color of the balloon.
I have only used a pump once, but perfer to blow them up by mouth. I am a smoker and when my non smoker friends try it, they are astonished that I have the lung power they don't have. If they only knew. There is a lot of comedy you can do before and during the process. I always try to include a balloon routine in my children shows. Glenn
Glenn Hester
P.O. Box 3095 Brunswick, Ga. 31521 912-571-8071 www.policemagic.com https://www.facebook.com/PoliceMagic https://www.facebook.com/groups/235078277679470/ |
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Tony James Inner circle Cheshire UK 1398 Posts |
Those with long memories may recall that in the 1960s - when we were regularly using 3 and 4 inch balloons for multi balloon models - the first one balloon animal balloons were made from 2 x 40s and they came in two qualities.
Standard 2 x 40s were very thin and quite easy to blow and manipulate. You needed to handle them with care or they would break, quite easily. Much information circulated at the time about preparing your hands and keeping the skin soft and supple. A bit of rough skin was all it took to destroy a completed model. Along came 2 x 40E which stood for Entertainer quality and these were thicker, stronger and less inclined to break. They were also harder to blow but having learnt to blow the standard variety you soon adapted to the thicker E quality. Eventually standard 2 x 40s disappeared and around the same time E quality 2 x 60s became the standard for one balloon models. The designation E also vanished. These days there are several makes on the market and some of them are so tough even practised blowers struggle. They really are intended to be blown by pump.
Tony James
Still A Child At Heart |
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A Birthday Magician Regular user 191 Posts |
Use a balloon pump. Blowing balloons by mouth is bad for your health and unsanitary. Nobody is impressed because you can blow by mouth...that is not entertainment. I have seen balloon guys suck on the tail of a dog to get the ball and then hand it to the kid...yuk!
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Kevinr Inner circle 1854 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-20 17:43, A Birthday Magician wrote: Your kidding right? I can't tell you how many peopel thing blowing them up by mouth is amazing... So many time when I blow them up by mouth they talk about the folks who CANT DO IT!.. No joke... |
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Police Magician Special user Georgia 648 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-11-20 17:43, A Birthday Magician wrote: I have never done that to get the ball on the tail of a poodle dog. I squeeze the tail and ball comes up on the top of my hand. Some may feel that blowing up a balloon is unsanitary, but I never use a pump and have never had anyone complain about this method. As far as others trying to blow the balloon up and failing, it is fun to watch. I have given balloons to so called muscle men who ended up red in the face trying to blow the balloon up. They were amazed when they found out I smoked and could do it. To each his own. Glenn
Glenn Hester
P.O. Box 3095 Brunswick, Ga. 31521 912-571-8071 www.policemagic.com https://www.facebook.com/PoliceMagic https://www.facebook.com/groups/235078277679470/ |
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Ed_Millis Inner circle Yuma, AZ 2292 Posts |
I never could get the hang of inflating by mouth. I eventually got a large PVC floor pump - one push and the 260 was fully inflated. Not very portable, though.
Ed |
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Markymark Inner circle 1686 Posts |
I used to love blowing balloons up by my mouth..untill I gave myself a hernia that
took over a year to get rid of!
''In memory of a once fluid man,crammed and distorted by the classical mess'' -Bruce Lee
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