Hi guys,

I'm going to make a balloon arch outdoors on Wednesday for our Make A Smile Challenge (sponsored walk).

I've done quite a few arches but this will be the first one using helium outdoors.

My question is do you normally use a frame or not? I mean, can it be made with 50lb line?

Many thanks

You dont need a frame with helium Graeme.

You can use 50lb lind but to be safe double it (use two lines together).. We have had 50lb dacron snap on us, so by personal choice use 150lb dacron and just to be ultra safe 2 lines of it. Probably over cautious but its just personal choice on our part.

You do need good weights (one to hold it down and 2 to keep it from moving around) - depending on size wrap a couple or more bricks (we use paviers as they have rounded edges) in foil or in a box or party bag etc,,, (to disguise/pretty up) they should hold it

Pam
xx

Thanks Pam,

I'm looking forward to making it. Although I would imagine it takes a lot longer than normal as there is no eletric which means I can't use my split second sizer with two balloons at a time, now it has to be one at a time and use the old fashion way of sizing it with a box.

Dissapointed with the weather, last night it was looking good with no rain at all, and now it's showing quite a bit of rain first thing in the morning.

Keeping fingers crossed for the weather now  8-)

Good luck with that Graeme sounds fun if not a bit scary too  :shock:   Just to rub it in that's one of the reasons I love my HEIDI as it comes with a car cigarette lighter lead     If only you weren't so far away I would have brought it along and given you a hand.

Quote from: "YvonneH"Good luck with that Graeme sounds fun if not a bit scary too  :shock:   Just to rub it in that's one of the reasons I love my HEIDI as it comes with a car cigarette lighter lead     If only you weren't so far away I would have brought it along and given you a hand.

Thanks Yvonne, just a shame you live so far away

We have heidi's with cigarette lighter attachments.. but are too far away as well!! (cant always guarantee they blow both balloons up to the same size either, whic is why ours are for back up)

We also have conwin batteries they used to sell - they have discontinued them now coz they stopped taking a charge on regular basis, but we loved ours they where fantastic, think we are down to one working out of 3 at the moment.

Take a trip to Halfords they sell cigarette lighter invertors ( different sizes, you need a big one) take your dual split with you and ask the staff - others are talking of using them, but we have not ventured there yet. So cant help on sizes, prices etc - have a look on the halfords website.... it may help

Other than that inflate the balloons to 10" and make duplets then turn them into clusters and figure 8 on the line just as you did your 4 balloon cluster column - only that was air filled.

If someone else inflates and you tie, twist and add them to the arch it will be easier and you soon get up a speed on a tilt valve:::: Honest:::

Pam

Good news, it looks like we might have the loan of a generator on the day . . . . fingers crossed  

Well I learnt something today!!!!!

I made the perfect outdoor arch with helium. The first thing I learnt was not to start from the base . . . . duh!!!!! The balloons just burst when touching the floor, pretty obvious now.

The next thing I learnt was not to make a balloon with helium when it's due to rain. The arch looked great until after about half an hour, it was lying on it's side with the weight of the rain.

There was no wind, so maybe I should have used a frame. We ended tying the middle up under a tree, so the arch then became more of an upside down 'V'. It still looked OK.

I'm just really happy that this was not paid for by a client, at least now, next time I'll know what not to do.

But the good news . . . . . . we had 'exactly' 100 children turn up for the sponsored walk, 35 didn't show probably due to the weather. And we raised £2340.80 for the two charities. Awsome result. Even though it rained non stop, everyone was in really good spirits and seemed to enjoy the day.