Showing posts with label Robbie Furman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robbie Furman. Show all posts

Thursday, May 9, 2013

A sticky situation...which glue is best for you and your balloons? Updated October 2016


When it comes to sticking balloons and other materials, there are many different adhesives to choose from, but which is the best glue or adhesive tape for the job?

Latex to Latex
What could be more perfect than a rubber adhesive?  A latex-based glue! In the U.S, Elmer's® make a rubber cement that works perfectly — it dries fast and makes a strong bond. When I first wrote this post in 2013, it was not easy to find Elmer’s in Europe, but today it is readily available in a number of different stores.

Advice from Robbie Furman, CBA, when using rubber cement.

“So you are going to use rubber cement in your design?  Well, there is a lot to know about rubber cement before you get started.  
Always use acid-free and wrinkle free - The best that I have found is Elmer’s. It is the one in the orange jar.  
Letting your glue get thicker - I recommend when you first buy your rubber cement, you open up the jar and leave the lid/brush off for a day. This will thicken the rubber cement up, but it will not dry it out. Rubber cement is very liquid when you first buy it, and if you spill the jar, the rubber cement will come pouring out and making a big mess. Having it thicker will help to avoid these problems. (Keep the brush in a cup of water whilst doing this process so it doesn’t dry out.)

Static electricity - When you are using rubber cement, keep in mind that any dripping rubber cement will form into tiny thin strands. Often our balloons contain a little static electricity and this will attract the dripping rubber cement, and without you realising you start to get it all over your balloons. When you go to touch the balloon, you will leave thumb prints and make a big mess.  Keep your balloons far enough away from the jar to avoid this problem.  

Constant use of rubber cement - If you have to continuously use the rubber cement, the trick is to NOT put the brush back into the jar, but leave it sitting up on the table.  This will avoid the time it takes to keep wiping off the excess rubber cement. When you need to use the rubber cement again, just dip the brush a little into the bottle and this will save you time.

Gluing a small area - When you need to add a dab or a little bit of rubber cement to a balloon, the trick is not to swipe the brush over the area you need to glue, but swipe the balloon over the brush.  This will give you more control of how much glue goes onto the balloon and will give you more control of the area to be glued.
I hope that these tips help you in your work!" 

Balloonfully yours,
Robbie.





Another adhesive that works extremely well for securing latex to latex is 
Click-Click™ Balloon Bond®.
This is a two-sided adhesive that is perfect for connecting latex balloons and other materials to balloons.

In 2013 (when this post was first posted)  this tape was very new and its benefits had not been truly realised. However, today it is very much a tape that professionals keep in their tool boxes. 

Luc Bertrand, CBA, of Waw Balloons in Vichte, Belgium.
“I mainly use Balloon Bond for latex to latex balloons, but it works very well for securing foil/foil and latex/foil details. Balloon Bond may need some practice to use, but once mastered, it is a perfect glue for adding details and elegant as a bonus, as it is barely visible.”




For more information regarding Balloon Bond, check out my post Balloon Bond Saved the Day! http://theverybestballoonblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/clik-clik-balloon-bond-saved-day-this.html#


Foil to Foil


"Stretchy Balloon Tape is my number one tape by far. I use it a lot! It is the only sure connection for foil balloons without putting any stress on them. When using stretchy tape I take one side of the backing tape off and reposition across in the middle, I then take away the other half of the backing tape. I then position the stretchy tape on the two foil balloons that I am connecting. The repositioned backing tape now shows the distance that will be taken between the two foil balloons. Now turn the balloons around, take away the backing tape and an additional piece of stretchy tape on top. This gives a result of two foil balloons with only a few millimetres between only using the double stretchy tape. The tape kind of ‘melts together.’ I find that this is the best way to make very strong connection points onto foil, Bubble, and latex balloons. The fact that it is stretchy or elastic makes it a stronger connection as it can shrink, grow, and move with the balloon construction. In short, 
Stretchy Balloon Tape is a must in my tool box.” Best regards Luc!






I agree with Luc that Stretchy Balloon Tape is an essential item in a professional’s tool box. A few days ago, I was preparing designs for a class that I was teaching and accidentally pierced an inflated Microfoil
® balloon that I was using in one of my designs with a sharp floral wire! Rather than discard the balloon and replace it with a new one, I placed a tiny piece of Stretchy Balloon Tape over the hole and then re-inflated the balloon—perfect repair and good as new! See picture for the repair, you will need to look at the close-up to see the tape!





Uglu Dashes and Strips (Oasis©)

For me, finding this product was a complete revolution. It is not a product that has been readily available in the U.K., however it is now available from many UK balloon and party wholesalers.  Speak to any balloon professional and they will all tell you that Uglu Dashes and Strips are the best. David Mahoney of Balloons Everyday, in Dallas, TX, U.S.A says, “They stick to almost everything, the dashes are clear so clients won't see the mechanics that much.  The fact that they are pre-cut it makes it simpler to use.”
Anne McGovern, CBA, of Elegant Balloons in Pearl River, NY, U.S.A.  “I prefer to use the Uglu Strips. Firstly, you can cut them to size and into thin strips, which is great for attaching foils.  I find they are even more sticky than the dashes, and never lose the stickiness. Working with the roll is horrible. I found it stuck to the scissor when I cut it, but this does not seem happen with the strips.  Another thing I found out while setting up at an event is that it is very hard to get any glue dots or Uglu to stick to Super Agate balloons! I make sure that I have rubber cement if I am working with Super Agate balloons.”
Tommy DeLorenzo, CBA, of Balloons by Tommy in Chicago, IL, U.S.A. “I like Uglu because it holds very well and is easy to use because it is already in little pieces. We use it to stick all sorts of balloons together as well as to connect Lomey poles to tiles. Balloon Bond is great when you need a larger surface stuck together, just be careful because in cool temperatures it doesn't hold as well.”




Glue Pens are great for personalising balloons. You use them like a regular marker to write names or messages and then sprinkle with glitter to give beautiful results!



Hi-Float®
I don't suppose many people consider Hi-Float to be an adhesive, but it certainly is! I use Hi-Float to coat latex balloons so that I can add glitter to the outside, or you can do the same internally to create some truly great effects!









The 5" Balloons in this design have been “glittered” using the Hi-Float method! I wrote a BLOG on how to make his design:

There are a few adhesives that I have not mentioned in this blog, so I will just touch on them now.










Glue Dots and Balloon Sticky Dots






Works well with latex, Microfoil and Bubble Balloons. Easy to use for quick adhesion of elements, such as this red nose on the Smile Face balloon.









Lomey® Adhesive is a glue that has been designed to securely bond Lomey Design System components such as dishes and poles. It is waterproof and dries clear. I have used it on other plastic dishes and it does work, but it takes a long time to dry. Once it dries, however it’s permanent. Once it's dries, however, it's permanent! I tried it on glass and it did not work.




Low temperature or Cool Melt Glue Guns
You would probably think that glue guns and balloons would not be a good combination, however, low temperature or cool melt glue guns work perfectly well when making designs. They are particularly effective when building  Mosaic Frames for Balloons and also when adding the balloons to the frames. 

Be aware,  even cool glue is very hot, and yes, it can pop a balloon, so you need to be very careful when working with one. The main problem with this type of glue is that it reacts with temperature; if it's cold, the glue sets very hard and brittle, and in the heat it can soften off.








Gorilla Glue™
Earlier this year, I had a job where I needed to secure Lomey poles to floor tiles. I needed to find an adhesive that would glue to two different surfaces and that would be strong. After a little research I found Gorilla Glue.
TOUGH, WATERPROOF, STICKS TO EVERYTHING
The product that started it all. Original Gorilla Glue built a name for itself with its incredible, industrial holding power and versatility. Water activated, it expands into materials to form an incredibly strong bond to virtually anything. As your solution for almost any project or repair, Gorilla Glue is 100% waterproof, weatherproof, you-name-it-proof. It's safe for indoor and outdoor use and strong enough to stand up to intense heat or cold. Sand it, paint it, stain it. Simply stated, it’s the Toughest Glue on Planet Earth.




Pan Glue was something that I only ever used to see in the U.S. It always looked very messy to me, but those who used it would say not! It's a glue that can be used on both latex and foil balloons. It's a strong glue that dries fast, easy to work with, and is not effected by atmospheric changes.
The downsides of pan glue is that it’s difficult to be specific on application, can weaken the seams on foil balloons, and does not dry clear.
Colin Stewart, CBA, of Alliston, ON, Canada has been using this type of glue for many years. In 1997, Colin and his team built these Christmas Bells and he still uses the same method today.






Let me know your favourite adhesive when working with balloons and why you like using it, and I will add it to the blog!

Happy ballooning!

Sue
Follow me on Instagram @suebowler










Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Balloon Industry Heroes and Inspirers. Part 2


Heroes and Inspirers! 
Part 2

Ted & Betty Vlamis - Pioneer Balloon Company
I am so excited to present the second part of this blog. Just in case you did not read part 1, I asked some of my balloon industry friends to share with me who their ‘heroes or inspirers were? I limited each person to a maximum of three people knowing that it would be hard to select only one, but easy to list many! As you will see, not everyone stuck to the rules of only 3 heroes :)


Once again, if you would like to add your own personal heroes please feel free to add them to this post in the comments section below. 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

What is your 'Top Selling' design versus your most 'Profitable Designs or Decor'?



Last week I asked some of our VERY BEST Industry Instructors to share their top tips and personal experiences on how to get the very best from attending a balloon convention, if you missed this blog you can simply click here - they have all given a great account of how they felt when they attended their first balloon convention and have offered some truly great tips and advice!

I thought that since I had their attention (sneaky me), I would ask them to share some more of their secrets...

Please will you tell us what your Top Selling Design or Decor is?


For long time on the top of the list was the composition, special for wedding, we called “The Magic Touch” that is the 3’ to pop with 6” Hearts inside which fly away. Now we are selling very well a composition called “Elegance Bouquet”.
It’s a bouquet which have like base a detail made using 15” Solid Colour Bubbles. - Alberto Falcone CBA
Elegance Bouquet by Alberto Falcone - This design and many others using this technique is available on Alberto's  new DVD - Bubbles Chain - The Evolution of 15" Bubbles Solid Colors

My top selling decor pieces (I hate to say it) are columns and arches.  I create them in different patterns but of course the spiral is the most popular. I think they are the most popular because it's what people see the most of, unfortunately.  Oh, also I sell alot of 10 balloon bouquets because they are reasonably priced. - Amanda Armstrong CBA

Columns & Arches by Amanda Armstrong CBA


Azusa Ieizumi CBA says that "Balloon Dolls" for gifts is her top selling design!

Azusa Ieizumi working on her Balloon Doll creations




My 'funky' designs - Funky Buddies & Funky Dancing Men! I designed them in  2008 for my Aussie National Tour. David Taylor CBA

'Mad' Dave Taylor with his 'Funky' Men.
Our top seller has to be our balloon dolls.  We make them for all sorts of occasions and usually make 1 or 2 every weekend - LIsa Swiger CBA 


Lisa Swiger's amazing Balloon Dolls




Colin Myles CBA - "Just now our bestselling design is the thistle design".

Colin's 'Thistle Design'.




For Tope Abulude CBA it's 3' Pink Heart Foil balloons
Magenta Heart #99338


My Lootles have been some of my most top selling designs I have created over the years.  These designs can be transformed to create the perfect centerpiece for almost ANY event.   - Robbie Furman CBA


'Lootles' by Robbie Furman
'Wizard of Oz' - Lootles by Robbie Furman



What is your most profitable decor or design?

Every time I consider also the visual impact as value in my compositions. I think almost all the compositions including a 3’ are for me the most profitable items. - Alberto

An Alberto Falcone 3' balloon design.


Arches of course but also Outdoor Balloon Trees (that's what I call them), which consist of a 3' with 2-3 quads with ribbon on pvc.  They are staked into the ground for stability. -Amanda.


Balloon Tree by Amanda Armstrong
Garland Arch by Amanda Armstrong CBA
For Azusa 'Photo Spots' are her most profitable decor!
Azusa in one of her 'Photo Spots'





For Colin, 646Q stand-up figures are his most profitable design!

Colin Myles 646Q Elvis

Tope's best seller "Floor standing arrangement with a 3ft pink foil (personalised) "



Classic balloon decor - to be sure! Arches and columns are the best when it comes to profitability! - Lisa

Garland Arch by Lisa Swiger CBA




Cruise Captain! By Lisa Swiger CBA



"Big Stuff. Squiggly Arches  have been very popular this year, as have 3' balloon decor"! - David

5' Balloon with fabric and lighting!
Squiggly Arch


Robbie says "My most profitable designs are my large scale pieces.  These designs are one of a kind and most of the time use one of the deco-twisting worlds most versatile balloons…the 321q.  This balloon allows me to create large scale designs very quickly with a staff with very little experience".     

Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band! Robbie Furman


For Alex Arroyo CBA & Pepe Posada CBA their top selling & most profitable decor is Toparies & Centerpieces !

Centrepiece design by Alex Arroyo CBA & Pepe Posada CBA

And finally just for fun... what is your favourite Qualatex balloon?


"My favourite balloons is... Qualatex!"I like and use in my job almost all the range of balloons. I don’t have preferences for round or non round: any way are balloons. What is important is the quality of them! Maybe easy to say what I like less... I don’t use very much Geo Donuts and Blossom, for example". - Alberto
Qualatex Catalog 2012

"260Q and 5 " standard tone". - Azusa
Traditional Assortment 260Q #43956


"I have so many!  I really love the polka dots, agates and Bubbles.  I love the new foil designs but being in California I have to be careful of my design work, so I'm trying to incorporate more of the Bubbles into my designs". -Amanda
11" Rainbow SuperAgate Assortment #91544
11" Assorted Big Polka Dots  #77146


"That changes from time to time but at the moment I am partial to the tapers" - Tope
Lime Green Taper 


"The 11’’ round balloon" - Colin
11" Carnival Assortment #20915


"In latex, my favorite color is Wild Berry. I love the brightness! For foils, right now, I am in love with Tapers! They are interesting and versatile".- Lisa
Wild Berry Birthday Shining Star


"5.5' and 8' balloons. Followed  closely by the Tapers and Starpoints... having fun with big stuff this year"! - David

Cloudbuster 4ft, 5.5ft & 8' Chloroprenes


"The New Smile Face Bubble" is Alex & Pepe's favourite balloon!
 22" Bright Smile Face  #35173 Bubble



321Q  un-dipped! #13717
"Well at first I thought this was going to be an easy question, but than I kept changing my mind.  But after much thought, I have to say the new 321q undipped  balloons are my FAVORITE balloon.  I use these balloons to create many of my large designs with.  This Balloon to me is a true DECO-TWISTED balloon.  Both Twisters and Decorators alike should be using this balloon much more in the near future.  I feel it is one of the building blocks of deco-Twisting.  I also, love 6” geo blossoms.  These form the bases for many of my designs.  Then again I also love 260’s…and 350’s.  OKAY I REALLY LOVE ALL OF MY BALLOONS!!!! So I guess my favorite balloon has to be the one I am using at that moment". - Robbie


Wow... thank you! It's really great to find out what some of our great instructors love and a little bit about their business's too! 

So that just leaves me to say a huge thank you to Alberto Falcone, Amanda Armstrong, Lisa Swiger, Tope Abulude, David Taylor, Alex Arroyo & Pepe Posada, Azusa Ieizumi and of course Robbie Furman, I am looking forward to seeing you all at WBC next week! And Colin Myles who will be teaching at OnArt -Spain next week! I appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy schedule to help me with this blog!

Don't forget to check out the WBC class schedule and see what we are all teaching! 

Hope to see you at the World Balloon Convention next week! Please come and say hello and tell me what you think of 'The Very Best Balloon Blog' - only 7 days away!

Sue 

Watch out for my WBC Blogs...