Foil balloons are made from pieces of metallized lavsan film, with a colorful pattern or plain coating applied, connecting them by thermal welding. Since Dacron film with metal coating is very similar to foil, they are most often called “foil”, much less often - “Mylar” or “Dacron”. Foil balloons come in the following types:
- Decorative - made in the shape of various stars, circles, hearts, crescents from a single-color film of bright colors. Some manufacturers cover them with holographic paint, which makes the paint shimmer and sparkle.
- With a pattern - they are produced in the same forms as the design ones, but inscriptions are applied to them for all festive occasions.
- The symbols are monochromatic, usually made in the form of numbers or Latin letters 80-90 centimeters high.
- Figures - made in the form of animals, characters from cartoon films and fairy tales, various items. They can be simple or voluminous.
- Walking figures - they have special weights inside them that prevent them from flying up. At the slightest draft, the figure moves along the floor, turns, waves its head.
How and how to properly inflate a foil balloon?
Balloons small sizes more often they are filled with air, in which case the ball is usually attached to a tube with a clamp. Bulk ones measuring 18 inches or more are filled with helium. All foil balloons have an inlet (aka non-return) valve at the base, through which it is inflated with both air and helium.
To solve the question of how to inflate a balloon with air, you can use hand pump, which has several attachments and is suitable for all types. If you don’t have a pump at hand, you can inflate with your mouth through a cocktail straw. In this case, you need to carefully insert the tube into the inlet hole towards the center of the ball, move it 5-10 centimeters inward and exhale inward. If necessary, straighten the foil ball or carefully push the tube a little deeper. After inflating, you just need to pull out the tube, check valve It will close immediately and no air will escape.
To fill foil balloons with helium, you will need a portable helium tank, a balloon attachment, and an adapter for inflating this type of balloon. The lower, wider part of the nozzle is screwed onto the cylinder, then the adapter is screwed into it. This adapter is the tube that needs to act in the same way as when inflating with air. It is advisable to blow the balloon through the tube with air before opening the balloon (just one exhalation to make sure that the air is flowing). Then you need to press the neck of the ball to the adapter, open the tap on the cylinder and start filling the ball. At first it is inflated quickly, but when almost filled, helium begins to be supplied in small portions to avoid the balloon bursting. When the foil ball is fully inflated, the tap is turned on completely, the ball is carefully removed from the adapter, tied with braid or sealed with a sealer.
A well-filled balloon does not need to be tied, as the check valve keeps the filler inside. But to prevent the ball from flying away, a braid is tied to its neck. If you tie a ribbon above the inlet, the seal of the valve may be broken and the ball will lose its elasticity, so you need to tie the ribbon below the inlet. Balls without a valve are sealed using a specialized device - a sealer, and two welds located above the inlet. Then a braid is tied to it.
Life expectancy of foil balloons
Their lifespan ranges from several days to a month. Helium or air slowly escapes through a check valve or through the seams that connect the parts of the balloon.
In addition, life expectancy is influenced environment: cold, heat, rain. Therefore, it is advisable not to expose the balloons to large temperature changes, not to use them in the rain or wind, and to fill and tie them correctly.
Second life of foil balloons
In order to save money when decorating a holiday, you can reuse used foil balloons, but to do this you need to properly and carefully release all the air from them, and store them unrolled in a dry and cool place, with paper between them.
Inflating balloons with helium directly from a balloon
Latex balloons are most often inflated through the threaded connection of a helium cylinder. The inflation process is divided into three stages:
- putting the neck of the ball on the valve of the cylinder,
- filling the balloon with helium,
- I will remove the ball from the cylinder valve.
To fit the neck of the ball onto the cylinder valve proceed as follows:
- grasp the neck of the ball between the index and thumbs both hands and stretch;
- the lower end of the stretched neck of the ball is inserted under the thread of the cylinder connection;
- lift the upper end of the ball neck and place it over the cylinder connection thread.
The neck of the ball should lie deeply on the threaded connection of the cylinder and tightly grasp it. So deep that when inflating the ball there is no need to hold the neck of the ball with your hand.
To fill the attached balloon with helium, you need to unscrew the balloon valve flywheel in a counterclockwise direction. The more the balloon valve is open, the faster the helium fills the balloon, and vice versa. Therefore, for beginners, it is recommended to open the cylinder valve as carefully as possible until the necessary skill appears. When the inflated balloon reaches the optimal size, the supply of helium is stopped by turning the balloon valve flywheel clockwise.
Removing the ball from the cylinder valve is done with both hands. At the point where the neck of the ball meets the balloon, the neck of the ball is pinched between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand. Index finger with the right hand, twist the neck of the ball by the ring from the threaded connection of the cylinder. You cannot simply pull the ball off the cylinder valve, because... in this case, the valve thread may cut the ball neck. The inflated ball is tied simultaneously with the braid.
Tying inflated helium balloons
Balloons inflated with helium must be tied quickly and efficiently. Beginning designers often do this: first they tie a knot on the neck inflated balloon, and then tie a ribbon to the knotted ball. We consider this method to be too long and unreliable: the ribbon knot may come undone and the ball will fly away.
It is much faster and more reliable to tie a knot on the neck of the ball at the same time as the braid. The result is a knot that clamps both the neck of the ball and the braid passed through it.
A wedding, a family celebration, a child’s birthday, or any other holiday - they all have one thing in common - Balloons. Lightweight and colorful balloons can turn any event into a real celebration: a corporate party, a banquet, a family home holiday or a themed photo shoot, giving joy and energy Have a good mood both children and adults.
Inflating balloons in the classic way is no longer used often - it requires a lot of effort, time and well-trained respiratory tract. Modern way involves inflating balloons with helium, a light gas that makes the balloons rise up and float under the ceiling due to its lightness. This method has several advantages compared to the classic one:
· -- simple - even one person can handle a large number of balls;
· -- quickly - in just a few minutes you can get up to fifty ready-made balls;
· -- practical - balloons inflated with helium can stay in the air from several hours to several weeks, depending on additional processing ball;
· -- beautiful - it’s easy to make compositions from balls, as well as place them in space.
In addition, there are several alternative ways to inflate balloons using available items.
DIY ways to inflate balloons
Method one – inflate balloons with helium at home, or, in other words, get a similar effect with improvised means.
To do this, you will need to take care of purchasing in advance required quantity balls and additional materials:
- plastic or Glass bottle capacity 1.5 - 2 liters;
- vinegar solution 9% - regular table vinegar, which is sold in all grocery stores;
- household plastic funnel;
- baking soda.
The procedure is extremely simple: a jar or bottle is filled one-third or half with vinegar. First, use a funnel to pour a little soda into the ball (about three teaspoons) and place it on the neck of the bottle. The result will not be long in coming, and soon the soda will begin to interact with the vinegar, resulting in an inflated balloon.
For each ball you will need new set: vinegar + soda, and you can calculate the amount of ingredients experimentally than bigger ball, the more gas needs to be obtained for it.
However, during the chemical reaction of soda and vinegar, carbon dioxide is released, which is inferior in volatility to helium: the balloon will inflate quickly, but will not fly. You can "make" it stick to a surface on its own by rubbing it against a synthetic surface. An electrified ball will stay under the ceiling for several hours.
This method is not a simple one, and is quite labor-intensive, so to inflate huge amount it won't fit balls. But it will be great a clear example for playing with your child and learning the basics of chemistry.
Moremore difficult home method is the production of a substance similar to helium using aluminum and an alkaline substance. For this you will need:
· a flask or bottle on which you will inflate the balloon;
· finely cut aluminum foil (ordinary household foil is suitable for baking in the oven);
· warm water (half a prepared bottle);
· the last ingredient is alkali, commonly found in everyday life under the name sodium hydroxide (or caustic soda, caustic soda, sodium hydroxide).
The scheme resembles the latter: pieces of foil are added to a container with water, and then the alkali is carefully poured in. After this, you need to put the ball on the neck of the bottle and shake its contents to start the reaction. After the foil dissolves, you must quickly tie the balloon, otherwise it may quickly deflate.
Knowing these few simple techniques, you can perfectly entertain little schoolchildren, or use the methods for your own purposes: inflate balloons without using balloons and saving money.
Traditional methods of inflating balloons
Today, if you want to get beautiful, voluminous balloons, you can use several methods.
1. Method one: order the production of helium balloons from a specialized company - this could be a gift shop or a company that organizes celebrations. This method the simplest one, but it has a number of disadvantages:
· Such companies, as a rule, are not opened in large quantities, and find a suitable one for short term can be quite problematic;
· The problem of transporting inflated balloons will certainly affect you in extremely cold or hot seasons, and also if you do not have the opportunity to use a private vehicle - the balloons may burst or simply not fit into the interior of the car/bus;
· Variability - in many similar companies there is a rule that states that it is prohibited to inflate “your own” balloons, that is, you can choose only the balloons available in the store, but among them there may not be ones that suit you in terms of the theme of the event or color;
· Cost - inflating balloons with helium in a specialized office is quite an expensive pleasure, because you will have to pay for the balloons, for inflating and for the time spent by the store employee.
2. Method two: order or rent gas cylinder, filled with helium. This method is also quite simple, however, it has its own list of inconveniences.
The first is the limitation on the number of inflated balloons, because cylinders have their own capacity limits: 5, 10, 20, 40 or 50 liters, each of which is capable of inflating only a certain number of balloons, depending on their size. The most common volumes of cylinders for inflating balloons are 10 and 40 liters, they contain:
· forty-liter - from 110 to 800 balls, depending on the size of the balls;
· ten-liter – 15-160 balls.
The second is the high cost, which will only pay off by inflating large quantity balls.
You can buy helium cylinders yourself, or rent them from a store, but you will need to pay for both the use of the cylinder and the cost of refilling it.
And finally, third: You cannot track the quality of helium and therefore cannot guarantee how long it will last..
Balloons bring joy to both adults and children. They can cheer up the gloomiest person in the world. This is a wonderful bright gift that will be remembered for a long time. And of course this best decoration any occasion - wedding, birthday, corporate party and others important events. If you decide to give multi-colored balloons, decorate a room with them, or arrange a “balloon” surprise, then you are doing everything right!
From our material you will learn how to properly inflate a balloon with helium at home, where you can get helium for balloons or what to replace it with.
How to inflate a balloon without helium?
Of course, helium balloons look impressive. But let's look at another option. So, you have stocked up on the necessary balloons, and all that remains is to inflate them. If you just want to get many, many balloons so that you can later assemble some kind of composition from them, decorate the walls, or create an artistic “mess” in the room, then you can do without helium.
Everyone knows how to inflate balloons at home. This can be done using your own lungs. But this method is only suitable if you need a small number of balls. Otherwise, it will take several hours to inflate them, and you will have to involve several people in this activity.
When inflating a balloon, do not forget about the simple rules.
- You cannot pump the shell with air to capacity - the ball will burst in a couple of minutes.
- A foil ball, especially a shaped one, should be inflated slowly using a cocktail straw.
- Carefully tie the end with thick thread or braid.
How to quickly inflate balloons at home?
This activity is not very exciting, so many people, of course, want to know how to inflate balloons at home quickly, especially if they need a lot of them. What is needed for this?
- Manual mechanical pump
- A fairly simple device suitable for inflating both latex and foil balloons. A few movements and you will have a wonderful, beautiful ball filled with air in your hands. If you are in a hurry, you can use electric pump, for example, from air mattress or bed, the main thing is that it has a suitable attachment.
- Chemical reaction
- Instead of air, the balloons can be filled with carbon dioxide. How to get it? Good old baking soda and table vinegar, which can be found in any kitchen, will help. Pour in plastic bottle 9% vinegar. Pour soda into the shell of the ball through a funnel, and quickly and carefully pull the ring onto the neck. Now straighten the ball while pouring soda from it into the bottle. When the balloon is filled with carbon dioxide, tie it. For one ball you need 1 tablespoon of soda and 150 ml of vinegar.
If you need a lot of balls and you want them to fly, then you can do it yourself. All you need to do is stock up on enough shells and find out where to get helium for balloons.
How to inflate balloons with helium at home?
First of all, you need to purchase a cylinder with this light gas. When choosing a volume, focus on the number of balloons you need to inflate. Of course, for the sake of 10-15 birthday balloons, it’s not worth making such an expensive purchase for three reasons:
- A heavy, bulky cylinder needs to be stored somewhere.
- You will have to pay extra for delivery and lifting to the floor.
- In order to handle the balloon, you need some skill.
If you decide to buy helium in a balloon, also take care to extend the flight of the balloons. To do this, the shells are treated from the inside special means in the form of a thick gel. Where can I get this gel for balls? It can be purchased at a store that sells party accessories.
We will describe below what helium balloons are inflated with, besides helium. Believe me, there are proven ways to do without helium at all, which give good results.
How to make a gel ball at home?
The best thing about gel balloons is that they float. They can be used to decorate a room in an original way or arrange a grand launch into the sky and thereby arrange an unforgettable surprise for a loved one.
Few people know how to inflate a balloon at home so that it flies without helium. We will be happy to share our secret with you.
As you know, gel balloons can fly because helium is much lighter than air. Therefore, we will need to produce the same light gas, for example hydrogen. After all, it can be obtained through a simple chemical reaction.
- Pour a glass of water at room temperature into a plastic bottle.
- Drop a few lumps in there aluminum foil and 3 teaspoons of caustic soda.
- Place a ball onto the neck and gently shake the bottle. As a result of the reaction, hydrogen will be released and fill the shell.
Unfortunately, this method has a serious disadvantage: hydrogen is explosive, and the slightest spark can lead to a strong fire. Be careful, and most importantly, extremely careful!
Where can I get helium for balloons?
So, after you have learned how to fill balloons with helium yourself, you are probably already looking for a site where you can buy caustic soda or a gas cylinder. But think about it, is the party worth all the hassle?
It is much easier to purchase ready-made air compositions from specialized companies, where you can order excellent helium latex and foil balloons of any colors, shapes and sizes.
Balloons are a wonderful decoration that will make your holiday truly bright, cheerful and unforgettable, rest assured!
Based on materials from Mechtalion.ru.
The best decoration for any event are colorful balloons. And if adults prefer multi-colored helium balloons, then foil balloons (balls made of foil) in the form of various cartoon characters, animals, numbers and letters are especially popular among children.
Such balloons themselves are decorations and do not require any compositions, unlike latex and helium ones, from which the masters of http://sharrlin-dise.com.ua create real masterpieces: arches, swings, figurines. All this brings creativity to the decoration of the hall and gives a truly festive atmosphere.
But children always want a holiday, and they welcome balloons every day.
Considering the cost of a foil ball, this is a very cheap toy that brings a lot of pleasure to the baby. In addition, such a balloon is not disposable: it can be inflated several times. The main thing is not to pierce it with anything sharp.
For an air toy to become fully functional, it must be inflated.
The first thing that comes to mind is to inflate the balloon with helium. This air allows the ball to fly up to the ceiling and keep its shape for 3-4 weeks without swelling. But it’s worth considering that helium is not a cheap gas, and for such a service you will pay twice as much as the cost of the balloon itself.
Most perfect option For home use- This is to inflate the foil balloon yourself with ordinary air. This process is very simple.
First, find the inflation valve on the balloon. As a rule, it looks like a round hole of silver color.
Now you need to decide which handy tool will be more convenient for you to inflate the ball: a cocktail tube, a body from a untwisted handle, or a pump from an air mattress or bicycle.
The choice must be made based on the size of the ball. If you have a large balloon, then it will be much faster and more convenient to inflate it with a regular pump. Small balls, up to 30-50 cm, are easily inflated with the most ordinary tube.
Carefully insert the tube or hose from the pump into the valve hole. Sometimes the valve tends to stick together, and therefore any sudden pressure can rupture the ball and complicate the task. If, after a control exhalation, air does not enter the balloon, then it is worth straightening it or pushing the tube even deeper. And now slowly, slowly, inflate the foil balloon.
We inflate the balloon until it becomes strong and has clear contours. We pull out the tube and tie the ball with a ribbon above the valve. This way, if the balloon swells, you can untie it and re-inflate it.
