From: "Fred Harshberger" <balloond@BalloonDude.com>
To: <NOSTALGIA1@aol.com>
Subject: Re: short quiet fast pump
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 01:55:20 -0800

Hi Bruce
I got a B & D inflator for my wife and kids and I agree that it works great.
I would like to make two suggestions that will improve it even more...
(IMHO)
Two problems I found with the pump are that 1.) it required two hands to
hold the hose, nozzle, balloon and work the switch.  and 2.)  Frankly, when
performing, I'd rather have parents thinking about hiring me for their
parties, than have them staring at the "Black & Decker" pump and thinking
about getting a B & D pump to do their own balloons.


1.)  Attach the end of the air hose to the housing near the switch, so the
pump can be used with one hand.
The actual pump mechanism dosn't fill the plastic housing, so I drilled a
hole 1 1/2" away from the switch (halfway between the switch and the hole
that the air hose comes out of) and inserted a 1/8" x 1"screw through, from
the inside. Put a nut on the screw (to keep it tight in the hole).
Install a rubber grommeted hose strap around the air hose and fasten onto
the screw with a wingnut.  The wingnut allows you to loosen the strap to
change nozzles, or even to use the hose to inflate a . . .tire.  With the
strap in place, you can hold the balloon onto the nozzle with thumb and
forefinger, and work the rocker switch with your little finger.  ( I even
considered replacing the rocker switch with a "momentary On" push button
switch, but haven't gotten around to it.)

 2.)  Custom looking insulated cover with carrying strap makes pump look
like expensive custom made professional equipment.
Secret to getting expensive looking custom cover?   Company named "Artic
Zone" sells water jugs at the grocery store that come with very nice
insulated covers, with carrying strap, zipper, and wide mouth opening for
the jug, that just happen to fit the air pump *perfectly*, with enough room
inside to carry a couple of extra batteries.  COST:  aprox. $10

I showed this pump off at WRCA and people loved it!
By the way, when I bought the pump at Home Base last year, it even came with
a free cordless drill that uses the same batteries.

May Your Twists Be Many And Your Pops Few
Fred Harshberger
"The Balloon Dude"


----- Original Message -----
From: <NOSTALGIA1@aol.com>
To: <KAnderson@psg.ucsf.edu>
Cc: <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 3:49 PM
Subject: Re: short quiet fast pump


> Go to BlackandDecker.com and find their Versapack VP700 Multi Purpose
> Cordless Inflator. Then look up a Sales Center near you. They sell for
around
> $30 and work on VersaPack Batteries. The pump is relatively quiet and I
love
> it!
>
> Bruce (packing for the left coast) Kalver
>
>