Balloon Chat
Uncategorized Boards => Topic/Discussion Of The Month => Topic started by: Danny the Idiot on June 01, 2009, 03:09:35 PM
Hi all,
as June as started off with great warm weather, and there is a hot summer forecast I thought it might be useful to open up a discussion on twisting in the heat.
How do your balloons cope in direct sunshine?
How do you cope in the heat?
I'll spell out the basics to remember but please add your own....
If you can - get in the Shade. Its good for the balloons and for you!
Suncream
Hat
Water
danny :ugeek:
I always ensure that I discuss with clients where they are expecting me to work and will not work in direct sunlight. I am fair skinned and not only burn easily but I also get sunstroke very easily :roll: so I find I cannot work outside without adequate shade.
Having said that, this weekend could be interesting as I am working at a school fete and have been told there is no cover available!! I am just hoping there will be at least some trees or a wall to hide under or I will be fit for nothing after 5 mins.
Not had too many problems with my balloons yet but not really done too many jobs on really hot days. I do keep my spares in a cool bag and I keep a bottle or 2 of water which I have frozen in there too though.
I have a 9ft x 9ft canopy that we can set up to offer some shade. I also have a small battery operated fan that I sit on my table & drink plenty of water. As for my balloons, I store & carry them in a cooler. If it's really hot I'll even work out of the cooler instead of laying my balloons out on the table. When scheduling anything outside I tell them my balloons nor I like extreme heat so if they could locate us near as much shade as possible that would be a great help. I hate it when the balloons pop one after the other because they've been in the heat too long.
I found the pink ones suffer most in the heat - non-stop popping, no matter how careful I am.
Liz
I try to use a gazebo, but I also drink lots of fluid. Usually an electrolite type drink that use when I am cycle racing, I find it keeps my fluids up but also is a form of 'food' intake which makes it easier to get in and keep going.
Tomorrow I am twisting at a Town centre bike race for 3 hours and I have been asked to 'roam' I think I will roam from shade to shade :D
I will only work in the shade also and drink lots of water. When I have events that are over 3 hours, I keep my spare busking bag in a cooler with ice packs. When I get too hot and start popping balloons, I take a break, hold the icepacks for awhile to cool off my hands then swap balloon bags. It seems to work well.
Quote from: "LizzyB"I found the pink ones suffer most in the heat - non-stop popping, no matter how careful I am.
Liz
I thought it was just me. I had a nightmare with little girls all wanting pink stuff one day!!!
I had an issue with blue ones at my last outdoor event. Oh it was horrible. Everything I tried to make with that particular blue would pop part way through twisting... if it didn't do it from just inflating! I kept having to tell kids "That blue's a cool color. It doesn't like the heat. How about this color blue instead?"
I always have a spare balloon kit bag filled in the cool of the van and if my ballons get too warm I change bags, its amazing what a difference it makes.
I too am fair skinned so keep in the shade when working and drink lots of water. I also always wear a hat as part of my costume, I find it helps
Pam
Pretty much the same here I have a gazebo and will use that if the organizers don't have anything - I had a nightmare last year trying to twist while walking in a parade in 28C (90F) heat so I now use a cool box if I'm static and am thinking of loading a cool bag as a busking bag to see if that helps.
I always drink a lot of water on an outdoor gig as I also do do the compering MCing at fetes and carnivals so I spend a lot of time in the middle of an arena with no shade at all. Best sun protection I've foud is a thing called P20 it is a little exepensive but it is really good - non greasy, waterproof and genuinely lasts all day and best of all the top of my head doesn't end up glowing red :D
I always work in the shade, drink lots of water and I keep my balloons soft!
Sometimes happen that the end of the balloon becomes to hard (and I'm to lasy to ty on a new one :oops: ).
But when it's hot, I always take the time to ty on a new one. Otherwise they come back quickly because the balloon popped! (and that gives me even more extra work :mrgreen: ).
Petra.
This is an old thread I started a long time ago about popping..
http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3265&KW= (http://www.mbd2.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3265&KW=)
Use fresh balloons!!!
Did beach gig and used some 2 year old 360's and well pop pop pop!!
With you on that one Mark
Pam
Where I live, summers are not only hot but humid. I insist on having a place with shade to twist in and a ready supply of water to drink.
Here's what I do to help make my twisting go smoother and with less pops:
1) Add extra powder to my balloons before adding them to my apron. This is most important to do with colors like red, royal blue, and black. (I don't mean turn the balloons white with powder. A little powder goes a long way.)
2) Powder my hands before twisting. (I do this all year round because I have moist hands. :cry: )
3) Work with even softer bubbles. Once the creation goes from shade to sunshine, those bubbles are going to expand so I plan for it.
4) Choose designs that have fewer amounts of twists per design (but not fewer amounts of balloons used).
5) Try to slow my twisting down a bit. This is a hard one to do when doing line work, but I try anyway.
Happy twisting,
Bonnie, The Balloon Lady