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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Thanks!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
I use the Filbert pump. They're $100 but they crank out the balloons like a bear in the woods. During festival season here in OH I go thru 3000 to 4000 balloons a month and have had my Fibert for 5 years and still going strong
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
A hundred clams??????
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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TKD27 Elite user Wallingford, CT 458 Posts |
Practice, like everyone else says. I started with 350s (the thicker balloons). I preinflated them with a pump and just kept practicing until I could get them inflated. Once I could, I started inflated them without preinflations. Once I had that down I moved on to preinflated 260s, etc.
I am familiar with Dan Harlan's routine (this is that giant octopus thing, right?) and I don't think you need to mouth inflate. It's been a while, but the only two bits that jump out at me from that routine as needing mouth inflation were the balloon whacking your nose and the "I tried to blow it up but it blew me up" thing. Maybe there were more, I don't remember. There are still plenty of bits you can do with a pump. I don't remember which of these are on Dan's DVD, so I may be repeating things you already know, but you can do these with a pump: *You can try to stretch the balloon out before inflating (tell them that stretching the balloon is key to it not popping) and then let it hit your thumb. Yell and promise you won't let it hit your thumb again, then let it hit your other thumb. * While inflating with your pump, let go of the balloon so that it flies off your pump and zips around the room. "Hey, get back here!" * After pumping it up, pretend to tie it (but don't really tie it) and hand it to a kid. "Here, hold this!" Be sure to release the balloon before they grab it and it will fly all over. I pretend not to notice and inflate another one and do the same thing. It's only when I go to hand the kid the second balloon that a "notice" the first is gone. I hand them the second and it flies away. For the third I say, "since you can't be trusted to hold on to it, I'll hold it" and I tuck it under my arm, but it flies away on me. Then I remember (out loud) that a need to tie the balloon first. * After the not-tying it bit, actually tie the balloon. You can get a really quick bit where you tie the balloon to your finger and scream (this is funny to kids, I dunno why). Then, hand the balloon to the kid but press your finger in to the knot so that your finger pushes up in to the balloon. When you let go, the inflated balloon flies off your finger and the kid goes scrambling to get it. * Finally, if you use the red "ketchup bottle" style pump, you can put spring snakes inside it. The pump will still function normally, but you can pop snakes out whenever you want. I use the pump for a while, then pretend the pump is broken. I wonder what's wrong, open the bottom of the pump and then snakes pop out on me. For me, I discard my pump after this and go to mouth inflating, but you can just as easily decide you've "fixed it" by getting rid of the snakes. Interestingly, even though the pump functions normally with the snakes in there, the kids don't know that. So there's a mini mystery around "where did the snakes come from? How did he do that?" Side note on the snakes: I just bought a couple "peanut" cans from the dollar store for the snakes and I stuffed some printer paper in to the bottom of the pump so that the snakes don't go all the way down (otherwise they wouldn't have any tension to "spring" off. As far as that Filbert Pump that Paddy recommend: the Filbert is WELL worth the money if you are going to be doing any actual balloon twisting. But it is not worth using in this routine. I have a filbert with me all the time, but I keep it in the corner during my show and only bring it out afterward for the actual balloon twisting.
Connecticut Kids' Magician, Matt Matthews (formerly known as Matt The Balloon Man)
Magic Shows, Face Paintingand, Balloon twisters. |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Man, these are GREAT TIPS!!! I'm eating up every word!
Is the Filbert pump electric or something?
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Dollarbill Inner circle Colorado 1005 Posts |
Filbert not electric..
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Dollarbill Inner circle Colorado 1005 Posts |
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TKD27 Elite user Wallingford, CT 458 Posts |
Filbert is just a floor pump. It's nice because it's really fast... one pump will fully inflate a 260. It's great for line work, but it's not good for what you're trying to do.
Connecticut Kids' Magician, Matt Matthews (formerly known as Matt The Balloon Man)
Magic Shows, Face Paintingand, Balloon twisters. |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Ok
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Quote:
On Nov 30, 2014, daffydoug wrote: Yep, but it's WORTH IT!! CRAP, just look at return on investment. At a festival I average, using my Filbert, between $40 to $50 an hour. Pay for the thing in 2 hours. Try doing that with any other pump. Also if you use a pump it's bag of ir, if you mouth inflate it's a bag of germs, which do you want to give a kid? |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Is it large in size? The show I'm working on is pack small play big, so everything must fit in a briefcase.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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TKD27 Elite user Wallingford, CT 458 Posts |
The Filbert is a floor pump - it is quite large in size. Once again - it is not a good option for a magic show. Here's where you can buy it, though: http://www.filbertpump.com/
Connecticut Kids' Magician, Matt Matthews (formerly known as Matt The Balloon Man)
Magic Shows, Face Paintingand, Balloon twisters. |
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Josho Special user Albany, New York 758 Posts |
DaffyDoug,
Did you watch the youtube video that Dollarbill linked you to a few messages ago? It shows the unboxing of a Filbert pump. There's also this thing called Google. |
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TonyB2009 Inner circle 5006 Posts |
To blow up a 260 stretch it a few times, then place the nozzle to your lips. Hold it gently so that your fingers don't block the air from going in - that is a big problem. The airway has to be unimpeded. Don't blow from the cheeks - there is no power there. Blow with the diaphragm from the bottom of the lungs. Blow hard to get it started. As you begin, pull out the balloon with your free hand so that there is a stretch on it as you begin. With practice it will go up.
I have been able to blow 260s in one breath from the start, and can do the same with `160s (which are tougher). This is despite being asthmatic. But I suppose it helps that I used to be a runner, and a powerlifter, so I have big lungs. But I have known small people, elderly people, and petite women who can blow them up, so keep at it. You will get there. Just make sure that the problem is not you closing the airway through the nozzle with your fingers.
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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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
I finally did order the red pump from LaRocks. Thanks for the tip!
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Josho Special user Albany, New York 758 Posts |
You're welcome! Enjoy! And I hope you finally conquer the mouth-inflation!
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Yeah. I really think that red pump will make the job easier. I wish I had posted here before I ordered on Amazon. The one I ended up with is long and clumsy. It's green and black, but it does say qualitex on the side. But I just don't like it.
Where do you guys go to buy your balloons? I was going to buy some on Amazon, but I read some negative reviews, so I deferred on that. I went down to my local balloon store, but she doesn't normally stock twisting balloons, so she had them shipped in for me, and after shipping it cost me an arm and a leg! Where are the best deals?
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Josho Special user Albany, New York 758 Posts |
DaffyDoug,
The pump you ended up with from Amazon *might* still be useful -- I'd carry it as a spare, although the big red Qualatex ones are, I would think, almost indestructible! There's a whole thread on the best balloon suppliers (http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=567851&forum=181) and you might find it worth reading. It does have a lot to do with shipping costs, as you've discovered. But yes, I would avoid Amazon -- their balloon prices are not competitive to begin with, and their turnover rate is probably a lot lower than the dedicated balloon merchants, so you're more liable to end up with stale balloons. I buy my balloons from either TMyers, LA Rocks, or Balloonmerchant.com. Others here have their own favorites, so definitely read the thread about it! Josh |
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14077 Posts |
Ok. Good advice.
Speaking of stale balloons, I think that may have been one of the complaints I read about on the Amazon review that turned me toward my local balloon merchant. The lady who sold them to me told me her thoughts on balloon shelf life. Up to that time, I never realized there was a shelf life on balloons. But she tells me it is definitely so., So let me ask you what you think. Is there really a shelf life on these? How long can I expect them to last, and last but not least, what can I do to preserve them or extend this life??
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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TKD27 Elite user Wallingford, CT 458 Posts |
I actually prefer the green and purple one to the red one. I use the green and purple as a backup in my balloon kit and use the red one in my magic show (for the snake gag).
I buy my balloons from LaRocks.com . They're customer service is second to none and they have free shipping on orders over $150. They also sell magic, so it may be the ideal place for you if you're just going to throw some balloons on to a magic order. In general, people say that balloons last about a year. I think they actually last much much longer than that, but that's what the pros say. Even then, with the stuff your going to do you'll get more mileage out of older balloons. If you start trying to create more elaborate designs and using more advanced techniques like pinch-line twists, marriage twists and other forms of manipulation it will matter more. For balloon gags and a big octopus... not so much. So long story short, you shouldn't worry much about it As far as preserving life of balloons, the most important thing is keeping them out of hot environments and out of direct sunlight. If you live somewhere hot, don't leave them sitting in your car or in your attic. Keep them somewhere that's mostly climate controlled and out of direct sunlight.
Connecticut Kids' Magician, Matt Matthews (formerly known as Matt The Balloon Man)
Magic Shows, Face Paintingand, Balloon twisters. |
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