From: "Brian Smith" <bsmith@su.org.za>
To: "Balloon Forum" <balloon@balloonhq.com>
Subject: Black and Decker Pump
Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 07:41:49 +0200

Hello

I have been following the discussion about the B&D pump with interest.  I
wanted one when it was first mentioned but B&D don't import them to South
Africa and so I plan to check it out when I am oversees later this year.

I think there is a way to get it to inflate faster but it requires a bit of
modification.  There is no way to speed up the motor and making the hole in
the end of the pipe won't either help (as has already been pointe out).  My
suggestion would be to run the outlet pipe from the pump to a pressure
vessel (we would call this a gas tank in South Africa - I know gas is
something else in the USA) through a pressure activated switch.  The
pressure activated switch that I can get is adjustable to switch off and on
at pressures that you can adjust.  From the pressure vessel you would then
run a pipe to a valve.  This valve would be where you would have a tip to
put the balloon over that you wanted to inflate.

How this should work.  When you first switch on the pump it would pump into
the pressure vessel until it reached the required pressure (set by the
switch).  This could take a few minutes.  Once this has happened you would
be inflating the balloons straight from the already pressurised pressure
vessel.  You would not have to switch the pump on or off during balloon
inflating, the pressure switch would do this for you.

We have a pressure vessel in SA that is about one foot long and three inches
in diameter.  This wouldn't be too big to put next to the pump on your back.
I think the size I have given is quiet close to the actual size, we work
with the metric system and I am not always sure whar an inch looks like,
maybe that is why my balloon sculptures don't always look exactly like those
described on this list).

This is only an idea (that I have not tried) and is aimed at those who are
not totally satisfied with the speed of the B&D pump.  Those who are ok, no
problem.

Please let me know if you try this and if it works.

Thanks

Brian