Anyone work with PVC blimps?

The other day I pick up a well used (long story) PVC blimp. It is about 18-20 feet long and maybe 9 feet round at its widest point, and may or may not have lights inside ( it filled up the back seat and hatch area of a Dodge Omni, to the roof) . This is a basic pic of about what the blimp should look like.

http://www.inflatable2000.com/images/categories/solo/blimppvc_2.jpg

Now I have not filled (with air) the blimp up yet as the weather is kind of holding me back. So I thought someone here might be-able to help me out in the mean time.

1) How do you patch something like this ? I know for a fact the blimp leaks from the front chamber.

2) How can I calculate the required amount of helium needed to get the blimp off the ground?

3) What type of paint could I use to dress this thing up? As it still has the PO logo on it.

I know this is kind of off the wall but this is the all knowing GRM hive mind so what better place .

Paul B

RC Groups is the best I got.

http://www.rcgroups.com/blimps-62/

Donebrokeit wrote: 2) How can I calculate the required amount of helium needed to get the blimp off the ground?

Weigh it and the tether/rope you intend to use.
Then consult a table with lift values:
http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/lift.html

(Note: the same source has tables by volume, too, so if you know the balloon's volume....)

Repair patch for pool liner should work. Available at your local pool supply or WalMart.

Don't use helium. Hydrogen has greater lifting power. What's the worst that could happen?

I totally agree…hydrogen is way less expensive than helium and has something like 25% more lifting power per volume. If nobody would be injured in an explosion, go with the low cost, powerful solution.

Weebl's Blimp Video

< 1) How do you patch something like this ? I know for a fact the blimp leaks from the front chamber.

Duct tape? :)

I think you should paint it to look like a manatee.

Donebrokeit wrote: 1) How do you patch something like this ? I know for a fact the blimp leaks from the front chamber.

Buy some PVC patch!

http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1981

1988RedT2 wrote: Don't use helium. Hydrogen has greater lifting power. What's the worst that could happen?

Oh, the humanity!!!

Sorry.

I guess this is just an advertising blimp? I know from researching RC blimps that the helium to fill something that size is unholy expensive (and the blimp part is exactly the same thing, only the RC blimp has a gondola strapped to it with the electronics and motors).

RX Reven' wrote: I totally agree…hydrogen is way less expensive than helium and has something like 25% more lifting power per volume. If nobody would be injured in an explosion, go with the low cost, powerful solution. Weebl's Blimp Video

I would love to know what goes through the mind of weebl.

Personally, when I was doing video work In the Pool After Dark at Harrah's Atlantic City, I had considered getting a RC blimp and outfitting it with a camera and a wifi transmitter...

RX Reven' wrote: I totally agree…hydrogen is way less expensive than helium and has something like 25% more lifting power per volume. If nobody would be injured in an explosion, go with the low cost, powerful solution.

+1. When I was researching RC blimps I decided that it was far better to take your chances with hydrogen. FAR cheaper, more powerful, and more environmentally responsible (helium passes though solids, then floats into space and leaves the Earth FOREVER not kidding.)

How did you find this? and what are you going to do with it? Just wow.

Anyhow, from almost buying one of those giant swimming sharks, I learned that those cheapie helium tanks from balloon kits have a watered down helium mix that doesn't lift nearly as well as the "good stuff" you get from a welding supply store or gas shop.

something to think of if you are going to use H. If you are doing this as a commercial venture, insurance might not cover you for using such a notoriously explosive gas.

As for He escaping from any container and from the planet. H is smaller and lighter.. wouldn't it escape also?

mad_machine wrote: something to think of if you are going to use H. If you are doing this as a commercial venture, insurance might not cover you for using such a notoriously explosive gas. As for He escaping from any container and from the planet. H is smaller and lighter.. wouldn't it escape also?

Yeah but we can make more of it easier.

Also the USA has a strategic Helium reserve. My weird fact of the day.

Thanks guys you never cease to amaze me . I have been going over the links posted and I might have a issue with one of the FAA rules on blimps, the FAA talks about being within five miles of an airport. I will have to look in to this as I might be close on this, If I stay under 100' I might be ok.

The plan is to pull it out this weekend and try to inflate it with air and maybe post some pics if things work out.

This will be for personal use, and I live in a lightly populated area so not much chance of anything too bad happening. Any thoughts on what to paint it?

1)Manatee

2)Hindenburg

3) Pink pig

4) GRM blimp

5) Shark

6) ???

Keep them coming guys, and thanks again.

Paul B

I vote for the pig!

Shark as 2nd choice

make it a GRM blimp and bring it to the challenge!

Might need to check the rules on this

mad_machine wrote: make it a GRM blimp and bring it to the challenge!

wearymicrobe wrote:

mad_machine wrote: As for He escaping from any container and from the planet. H is smaller and lighter.. wouldn't it escape also?

Yeah but we can make more of it easier. Also the USA has a strategic Helium reserve. My weird fact of the day.

This is the Helium Monument in Amarillo, TX. (Self-proclaimed Helium Capital of US) http://www.vanderkrogt.net/elements/element.php?num=2

Lewis structure!

The real important question that I can't believe no one's asked, is - can it lift a person?

I vote for the manatee theme... A pink pig would just look like an ad for a barbecue place.

Also, since we're on the topic already, I'd better just post this here too.

I vote pig!

You could tether it over some derelict industrial buildings and it would be 1977 all over again!