August topic of the month - Set up

Started by Danny the Idiot, July 24, 2008, 01:54:03 PM

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Danny the Idiot

As August is traditionally holiday time - a time for travelling and packing your bags. So as we often have to travel to a gig or a jam,

What is your set up for a balloon modelling gig....?

what do you pack in your bag?
What balloons? How many colours? What do you pack them in? How often? What pump? Do you have a spare?
Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do? What else do you pack?
How long to set up? Are you strolling or static?
What other balloon equipment do you have?
Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
I'm packing Sun Cream big time at the moment!

Its all up for discussion....


Danny
Danny Schlesinger
Balloon Excellence Award Winner
https://dannytheidiot.com
https://www.CircoRidiculoso.com
Follow me on Twitter at @danny_the_idiot

Danny the Idiot

#1
found this thread already on the forum...

//http://www.balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=272

danny
Danny Schlesinger
Balloon Excellence Award Winner
https://dannytheidiot.com
https://www.CircoRidiculoso.com
Follow me on Twitter at @danny_the_idiot

Smiggle

#2
Even so it's still an interesting question - I'd be interested in the answers to all the other stuff
C\'mon Let\'s twist again...

clownjoey

#3
what do you pack in your bag? -

What balloons? - Qualatex 260, Hearts, Aliens, Smileys, bee bodies
How many colours? - varied
What do you pack them in? - I bought a market stall money apron, added some material my outfit is made of to the front pockets, and thats it. I tie them in a bundle using a 260q and away we go. I like to keep things simple.
How often? - Whenever I have a gig
What pump? - Hand Pump Master Blaster or Faster Blaster or whatever it's called. Sturdy plastic hand pump, but I'm going electric soon.
Do you have a spare? - Yes, in the back of the car.
Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do? - Yes, unless I am doing walk-around.
What else do you pack? - Mints, black marker, sqeeker
How long to set up? - 5 minutes
Are you strolling or static? - Both, depends on the job. As soon as a line starts then I become static in most walk-around gigs. Law of attraction.
What other balloon equipment do you have? - Balloon sticks, table top balloon pump, name cards
Whats the most useful bit'o kit? - Pump

Billy Wiz

#4
What balloons?
I use 160's, 260's 350's and 646's. Also have white and red hearts, aliens, clears, eyeballs, smileys, red and white small rounds, white and black bee bodies.


How many colours?
Loads, too many too mention

What do you pack them in?
Triple busking bag

What pump?
Just a hand pump, used for many gags as well.
Do you have a spare?
Yes, a few in the van.

Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
No, just from memory.

What else do you pack?
I wear a waiter style round the waist apron with my logo embroidered on it. Also used for dumping broken balloons in the pocket as well as holding my pump.
A balloon cutter.
A pocket on one side of me with small postcard size colouring pic, with my advert on the back.
The other side has another pocket holding a cup with a lid, inside is a damp face cloth used for wiping my hands every so often.  


How long to set up?
I'm ready to start when I walk through the door.

Are you strolling or static?
Both

Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
My smile, when you smile, everybody else smiles.

YvonneH

#5
Even though I am a newbie I couldn't resist joining in  ;)

what do you pack in your bag?
Anything and everything ... well I am a girl!

What balloons? How many colours?
I use a mix of Sempertex and Qualatex.  Depends on what brand I can get the colours in that I want but given the choice I go for Sempertex every time.  I have lots of colours and a mix of 160's, 260's, a handful of 360's, hearts, alien heads, smiley faces, bee bodies ... I think that's it!

What do you pack them in? How often?
I have the Twist 'em Up Tuck & Go apron but I am going to have to up grade and soon as I am really cramming them in at the moment.  As I am only doing short jobs (usually to make up a 2 hour min face painting booking) I don't reload very often but am going to buy a couple more strips to go on the belt so I can have some already made up.

What pump? Do you have a spare?
I use the Sempertex hand pump and yes I have about 3 spares.

Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
No.  Not really seen one and not sure how it would work so any info people could offer on that one would be great since I am not able to do half of the awesome stuff I see on here yet  8-)

What else do you pack?
I pack my markers, balloon cutter, business cards, a rucksack with spare balloons in (just in case) and a pot of Vaseline.

How long to set up? Are you strolling or static?
Set up is as soon as I have found somewhere to dump my rucksack.  Like someone above I prefer to move around but often find I get hemmed in a corner and become static.

What other balloon equipment do you have?
No other equipment but getting a nice little collection of DVD's and books going at the moment.

Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
Probably my apron.  I hate not being able to find things and with this everything has it's place so I know where to find it quickly  :roll:
Yx
<a href=\"mailto:yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk\">yvonne@loonyballoony.co.uk</a>
http://www.loonyballoony.co.uk

Roger

#6
What do you pack in your bag?

What balloons?
How many colours?


160's not the full Sempertex range available in the UK but most of them
260's I am in the middle of a stock take at the moment but I think I have all the Sempertex range available in the UK. I will use Qulitex and have for many years but I do like the extra length you get with Sempertex.
350's/360's I have a mixture would like more Sempertex and as seen in other thread I am trying to obtain them.
I also carry alien heads (pre-stuffed in clear balloons), smiley faces eye balls (both types) beebodie's (mixed colours) geo blossoms (mixed colours) 5" & 11" rounds (mixed colours) and a whole range of hart's.  
Don't really have any bigger balloons at the moment but do intend to start stocking up on 646's etc.
 
What do you pack them in?

Depends on situation I have a twist-em-up jumbo apron & a triple busking bag (use the inserts for 160s and 350/360s and the rest are bound in acetate sheets). I have cool bags that the apron and busking bag fit in for when I am transporting them.

How often?
I sort them out when I think they look in a mess. This is quite frequently.

What pump?

Filbert I like the fact that it dose not have to be charged up and the non return valve works really well. Have tried others and still like it the best.

Do you have a spare?

I do want to get another Filbert as a back up but at the moment a good old Qulitex hand pump or my mouth is my backup.

Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?

Yes and no I have a folder that has examples of what I can do but it dose not have everything in it. I am working on a board at the moment it will be blank apart from my company info and then I will have a set of individual pictures laminated so I can put them on the board depending on the event if I just want quick ones or more complicated ones I will be able to swap them around.
I do have a little flip pad of some of the sculptures I make that can clip to my apron or busking bag largely for my inspiration.

What else do you pack?

Pens I have loads of sharpies and am trying several different whites at the moment. Aircraft cutter & round nose scissors . Glow sticks the little fishing ones and if I am doing a night event I will sometimes have the bracelet type. Water lots of water for drinking and if nowhere to wash hands I have a bowl and a towel.  I also carry an antibacterial hand gel (children's colds can hit adults hard).
A change of clothes you just never know I have heard of entertainers splitting trousersīŠ :oops:
Business cards & portfolio.

How long to set up?

If I am working tables wedding, ball etc as long as it takes me to take my apron out of my bag. If stationery I have a table that I put my bag on to get it up out of the way of little hands and with my other bits it may take me 5mins. OH yes and I have an easy up gazebo that I use some times that takes, a few mins to put up.

Are you strolling or static?

Both but strolling only really happens in venues were people are seated, as has been said before the crowd tends to stop you moving.

What other balloon equipment do you have?

Too much to mention as I decorate I have lots of other gear I have collected over the past 15 years including stands and different air and helium inflators.

Whats the most useful bit'o kit?

My Filbert I love it. I am just looking around locally to find some one who can make the nozzle that Whim designed as it looks really good.
When it comes to the day I arive at the pearly gates I hope to slide in sideways saying to st Peter WOW!!! what a ride.
http://www.iglobo.co.uk
http://www.twitter.com/@iglobouk

Billy Wiz

#7
Quote from: "Roger"[ alien heads (pre-stuffed in clear balloons), .

It's simple things like this that I like learning on here, such a simple idea but something I hadn't thought off.

Cheers Roger

Danny the Idiot

#8
Another thread of the set up discussion is here //http://www.balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=313

If there are other questions you wish to add to the list please do ask them. The list is what came out of my head, so I'm sure there are more!
I'll post my answers up in August.
Danny
Danny Schlesinger
Balloon Excellence Award Winner
https://dannytheidiot.com
https://www.CircoRidiculoso.com
Follow me on Twitter at @danny_the_idiot

Danny the Idiot

#9
Also I remembered this from early in June,

what is your favourite balloon colour?
Goldenrod! I loooove this colour!

What is your favourite balloon shape to work with at the moment?
Always the heart balloon. People don't know that you can twist them or use a raisin twist inside, seeing the look on their faces is priceless. Also the heart balloon always says it without needing words! And there's a lot of play with the heartballoon!

What is in your balloon bag when on a gig?
15 colours 260Q, 6 colours 160Q, 6 colours 350Q, 3 colours 646Q, 6 colours hearts, 5" and 11" round balloons, eyes balloons, black donut balloons and a rod to double stuff.


The answers are from Tom Bibo in Belgium.

Danny
Danny Schlesinger
Balloon Excellence Award Winner
https://dannytheidiot.com
https://www.CircoRidiculoso.com
Follow me on Twitter at @danny_the_idiot

Graham Lee

#10
Quote from: "Billy Wiz"What balloons?
I use 160's, 260's 350's and 646's. Also have white and red hearts, aliens, clears, eyeballs, smileys, red and white small rounds, white and black bee bodies.


How many colours?
Loads, too many too mention

What do you pack them in?
Triple busking bag

What pump?
Just a hand pump, used for many gags as well.
Do you have a spare?
Yes, a few in the van.

Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
No, just from memory.

What else do you pack?
I wear a waiter style round the waist apron with my logo embroidered on it. Also used for dumping broken balloons in the pocket as well as holding my pump.
A balloon cutter.
A pocket on one side of me with small postcard size colouring pic, with my advert on the back.
The other side has another pocket holding a cup with a lid, inside is a damp face cloth used for wiping my hands every so often.  


How long to set up?
I'm ready to start when I walk through the door.

Are you strolling or static?
Both

Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
My smile, when you smile, everybody else smiles.

I just spent 30 mins writing out all my answers & for some reason unknown to me all that got posted up were Graeme's answers??????????? :roll:
I was using his post as the template to add mine into..........Deep breath & start it all over again
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Graham Lee

#11
Here we go again, I wrote this all in word & the pasted it over :)

What balloons?

I have with me the majority of the Sempertex range, all 260 & 360 colours, hearts with a good selection of 160 mixed fashion solid colours with a smaller selection of the 160/260 metallic & satin.

How many colours?
Approx 30 different colours.

What do you pack them in?
When working in a shopping centre/funday situation I use the lovely grey table that others were most complimentary about on another post on balloon chat :D  Sitting on top of this is my screw box that holds all my balloons with the colouring posters & business cards if I'm not booked through an agent.
For a posh evening do I use the busking bag sitting in my balloon stand which is extra heavy so that it's difficult to knock over and can be loaded so that it's top heavy.
I don't carry such a vast selection of balloons with the busking bag but will have extra balloons either in the car or where ever we have been allocated to set up for the event.


What pump?
For the shopping centre with the big grey attractive box :D I have my stand alone electric balloon pump with a big manuel one stroke balloon pump.
For the busking bag arrangement the 160/260 hand pumps in black are attached to the stand with uninflated balloons. You can just about see tham in the picture. The black pumps are available from IBS Belguim.


Do you have a spare?
Yes I always carry a few spare pumps, don't forget sods law as if it can go wrong it sure as hell will when your least expecting it too.

Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
I carry with me at all times my 3 portfolio books so that people can look at & see what they cant have made for them today, (insert evil laugh here)
The sculptures in the portfolio book would just take too long to make, but it gives people ideas of what can be done with latex nowadays & that you may be the person to do it for them at their next event that they will be holding. Don't forget we all do a job so that we can advertise to get the next job coming in.
I just make from memory for the punters although I think it's a good idea to have a list as I'm all sure we've done it & our minds have gone blank as we try to remember what we could make for people.
A picture list is good as the punter can se what they are getting but sometimes it may be better to just have a written list so that on those quiet occasions you can make the elaborate version of something & then when your rushed off your feet they get the economy version which to the punter is still amazing.


What else do you pack?
Black markers, cutter, balloon sticks, colouring posters & business cards. Deodorant!!

How long to set up?
I like to get to the venue early if I can so that I can relax & get a lovely cup of coffee before I start, but if push come to shove I can be ready almost straight away.

Are you strolling or static?
As others have said I can do either but as we all know that if we've been booked to do strolling wherever we make the first balloon in 90% of the time that is where we end up for the rest of the day although there have been the odd occasion when I have been able to move around as the punters were few & far between but not often.

Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
My sense of humour as sometimes when dealing with Joe Public it's definitely needed.
I also like having in a shopping centre/larger venue my PA system as they've got to be able to hear you so that they definitely know that they dislike you :D
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Graham Lee

#12
This is the one stroke balloon pump that I use. Not so much now as if I'm working an event for a few hours it does affect the biceps ;)  So much easier with the electric floor pump, here's a link for the floor pump that I just happen to sell.  ;)  
http://sempertexballoons.co.uk/index.ph ... 6&parent=7

This pump has some history to it, so here's a trip down memory lane for me.
I bought this from Mel Moore at playtime balloons who is a really nice man, a true gent. I met him in a lay bye just off the M4/5 intersection around Bristol way witha brown envelope & some money. At the time I was in a touring old time musical show travelling around the UK and we were off on our way to do a show in Wales. Barbara Windsor was the star of the show & an absolutely lovely lady to work with, I only have kind words & thoughts about Barbara as I was the new person in the show & she looked after me & I'll always appreciate that. I was in the dressing room having a play with the pump & all the other show members were looking in trying to work out what I was up too, fun memories. I have a poster of the show signed to me hanging on the wall from Barbara. I can see it while typing this but it has no year but does say Sat 31st Oct so if someone fancies playing detective that may narrow down the year.......
At a guesstimate the pump is about 12/15 years old, since having it I've painted it up like a wand & have put a really heavy microphone stand base onto it so that it's very difficult to knock over. The pump is approx 36 inches high; I think that's about 900mm in new money  :)  
Can you see a theme with all my props, yes there all very dull & bland and as I've said in the past I like to think that in the show I'm the colour.
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Normski

#13
what do you pack in your bag?
.................


What balloons? How many colours?
I only use qualatex for my main assortment, i carry 24 (260) different colours,5 colours of 160,14 colours of 350 and 5 colours of 646. Stuffed aliens,stuffed eyeballs,eyeballs,stars around stuffed with gold,hearts,beebodies,11" rounds,5" rounds red/whites and mix,agates,

What do you pack them in? How often?
 Twist 'em Up deluxe and a twist em up quick draw

What pump? Do you have a spare?
I mouth inflate,carry a spare ventolin though!!
Get about 5 gigs before restocking my core colours


Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
Mostly done on memory but i still carry a list in case i get stumped and forget what i can make!!
Mt list  is split in two,
1)wearables and hat designs 2)something to hold
What else do you pack?
I pack my sharpies all colours,white edding 750,scissors,small glow stick,business cards,ventolin


How long to set up? Are you strolling or static?

Most of the time i am strolling mix and mingling!!!
What other balloon equipment do you have?
dvd`s
Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
like others my balloon belt..love it.

My favourite colour is lime green and the new purple by q

PS I havent properly tried sempertex but when i was once shown them i found them hard to mouth inflate!!![/color]

P_Outen

#14
Let me begin by apologising for any mistakes and typos. i've broke my keyboard and am having to use an on screen mouse activated one.  :)

i dont twist for a proffesion, but roady for a dj, and we some times model to add to the evening.

that said, to my answers...

What balloons?
i currently only use qualatex balloons, and 5" and 11" rounds from card shops (cheaper for greater varities in smaller quantities)
How many colours?
every 260Q and 160q except neons and metallics, a bag of each 350q assortment, bag special assortment 646q, google eyes, safari print, smiley faces, alien heads, cats faces, 17" yellow hearts, 6" hearts in love, carnival, jewel assortments,
What do you pack them in?
Currenly use a DJ record/laptop bag, arranged in same way as a busking bag
 How often?
not very often, as i dont model out very often
What pump?
Qualatex 2 way purple pump and 160 pocket pump, but tend to mouth inflate
Do you have a spare?
not normally with me, as i mouth inflate these are essentially my spares
Do you have a balloon list of stuff you can do?
not currently, although thinking about doing one for my own reference as i cant normally remeber what i can make
 What else do you pack?
12 different coloured sharpies, balloon sticks, glue dots, scraps, mini glowsticks
How long to set up?
in theory im ready to go straight from my bag
Are you strolling or static?
N/A
What other balloon equipment do you have?
Balloon sizer, QBN Decorater course material, Dvds, books, pdfs etc
Whats the most useful bit'o kit?
Mouth - tend tofind people seem more impressed when you inflate by mouth as opposed to pump
Hands - very quick, supple fingers, (use finger exercises from Card Manipulation DVDs to loosen up)