Balloon Pump on a Diet
Balloon Pump on a Diet
About 4 years ago when I first starting playing with the idea of making my own Down Air Mattress or Balloon Bed I looked for a light weight way to inflate Poly Tubes or Balloons. I found this Balloon Pump made by Gayla Ind. Inc.
http://www.gaylainc.com/twistez1/twistez7.html
The Balloon Pump weighs 78.8 grams or 2.78 ounces. I took it apart and modified some and reduced the weigh down to 1.72 ounces. The photo's show how I did this.
I have used this modified Pump to inflate my Stephenson's DAM. With the Stephenson's DAM their is little or no resistance to the air flow so the small pump works well.
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posted by gardenville @ 1/18/2010 12:18:00 PM
3 Comments:
Glad to see you posting again!
I've been using a Big Agnes pumphouse to fill my pad. It doubles as a stuff/dry. It's not a perfect dry sack or pump but it does a reasonable job.
This pump on a diet you've made looks very nice. Might be a better solution. Does it fill your pad fast?
It appears you left the handle full length. Couldn't you trim it to half the length, leaving just enough to grab onto when the plunger is fully inserted? It might shave even more weight.
Two answers:
1. Heber, I use the Balloon Pump mostly for Balloons. I do once in awhile blow up a Down Air Mattress. This is near your question. The Balloon Pump blows up the Down Air Mattress fine and is less trouble then the bag thing (sack - your word) that came with it.
2. NYCJD, When I made the the Balloon Pump I made the handle to fit my hand. If I had cut the handle to its shortest length possible and still work, I would have saved 2 grams. If I left the little end cap off the handle and cut it as short as I could and still be able to work it I would have saved 3.5 grams.
I didn't do that since I would have had a harder time working the pump handle while wearing gloves.
The weight savings with the shorter handle would be the difference between 1.72 ounces and 1.6 ounces.
When I am doing things in the cold I want everything to be quick and simple.
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