Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1999 22:59:48 +0000
Subject: Re: decorating tool box
From: "Melanie Binkley, CBA  " <applause2x@earthlink.net>
To: BalloonSen@aol.com, balloondeco@fooledya.com

Wow!  So many great items--I thought our box was stuffed to the gills but
now I'll have to find room for more!  Here's is a sketch (not everything) of
what ours contains to match against the rest maybe we have an item or two
someone else hasn't thought of:

First we have the multi level roll-around tool kit from Sears.

We sit, stand etc. and if you take everything out of bottom and take off
layers it transports water filled balloons really well.

Bottom layer:

Mini-electric air blower
Huge roll 50# mono
small roll 80#
roll of dacron line
roll of marked mono
3--Staple guns (we use a lot)
Gigantor bag of multi-colored multi sized cable ties
slide-n-size bottom
mini glue pan
mini cool glue gun
mini bottles of Son of Gun
small rolls of trick line
small collection of heavy heart weights
multi 3 prong plug adapter (cords are stored on our truck)
hand pump
white double back tape
white duct
black duct
clear packing tape
bolt cutters

Second Layer:

conduit pipe cutter
pvc pipe cutter
scotch tape
glove for shining
rigging gloves
wire
large pliers
hammer
multi pairs of scissors on bungi cords
multi razor knives on bungi cords
ear safety gear
eye safety gear
power bars for eating
waterless hand cleaner (great for getting marker off things too!)
mini first aid (larger one in car)
t-pins
conwin adhesive tabs
velcro
long necked lighter
pvc glue
rubber cement
staples
mini can of spray 77 (spray glue)
disposable camera with our return address label

Top layer:

business cards
prongs of slide-n-size
wrenches
pliers
giant round edged chopstick (for stuffing)
loose metal washers (emergency weights)
hose clamps
hooks (various ceiling and metal etc)
drapery hooks
pens, sharpies
more knives
screwdrivers
extra thumb set screws
adhesive hook tabs
lighter (short)
glue stick
pole hooks
pigtail hooks
s hooks
nails (ssh! don't tell anyone)
tape for your fingers
bottle of nu-skin
conduit connectors
conduit elbows
pvc connectors, "Ts", elbows
safety pins all sizes
plummers tape
elec. tape
straws 
sturdy coffee stirs (when a critical part in the air intake valve broke our
van made it                                                                
                            home to our own mechanic (over a 100 mile trip)
by doing a 
                            little Macgiver thing with a coffee stirrer 
                            and duct tape (geez I love that stuff)  
                            since then I've never met a coffee stirrer I
didn't love.

My tip o' the day:    Another great use for coffee stirrers is if you don't
have a mylar tip with you or can't go back to your van etc.  these little
beauties slip right inside ANY nozzle and they slip inside your foil balloon
and voila you've got a nice little foil inflator!


Also we keep a hook, screw, connector whatnot gadget box in van as well.
Plus LOTS more duct tape (gotta love it)

As far as regulators go we have a small red tool box that always stays with
the van that contains a single electric sizer, regulator with mylar tip and
flex tip regulator

Special boxes with appropriate loose balloons, ribbons etc., get packed for
each job.

I'm sure there is more and thanks to you all I'll be adding a few more
things.

Hope you'll all find a new item or two from my list as well!

Good luck!

We Keep'Em Flyin'High!
   o~
o~  o~
Melanie Binkley, CBA
Applause! Applause!
Balloon Decor & Event Design
Redondo Beach, CA

----------
>From: BalloonSen@aol.com
>To: balloondeco@fooledya.com
>Subject: Re: decorating tool box
>Date: Sat, Aug 14, 1999, 1:24 AM
>

>Hi Sharmaleigh,
>I don't keep a "tool box" ready.  But I do run off a list of items and check 
>them off as I put them into our large tote box.  Even if you only expect to 
>use certain items, I would suggest you take other things.  The reason I say 
>that is because every job we have done, something has been changed on us and 
>we need to adapt.  For example, I bring ALL the different types of tape we 
>use.  
>A sample of that list is:
>Helium tank(s)
>Regulator
>Air inflator
>Hand pumps
>Wrench
>Balloon sizer(s)
>Balloons
>Curling ribbons (pre-cut ones AND spools of same colors)
>Scissors
>Monoline
>All types of tape
>Customer file
>Paper towels
>Camera and film
>Super Hi-Float
>Balloon Shine
>Tulle (bolt and/or roll)
>Balloon holder
>Business cards
>Handiwipes
>Straight pins
>Ladder
>Static Guard
>Extension cords (small and large)
>Sandweights
>Wire cutters
>Pre-made decor
>Hope this is helpful.  I would welcome suggestions to add to my list as well.
>
>Rose
>Balloon Sensations
>Iow
>
>