What is Sphereing ?

Sphereing is hill rolling, 2 people will be strapped into a 12 ft inflatable sphere.

You will then be rolled down a hill and hit speeds of up to 30 mph. With only 3 ft of air between you and the ground you are able to enjoy the unique sensation of defying gravity whilst being totally safe in a controlled environment. It is unlikely that you will have experienced anything like it before.

Sphereing is an extreme sport you need to be adventurous and daring !!

What is the Cost ?

Each ball holds 2 people and the cost of one ride is £59

Buying second-hand has always been a sensible alternative for those major purchases in life.  Houses, cars, and boats, for example, are popular second hand purchases. Yet, buying second-hand also carries inherent risks. Are you getting a good deal or inheriting someone else’s problems?  You’ll need your eyes, your ears (and your nose!) and a little gut instinct to know if the second-hand inflatable you are looking at buying will be a good investment or a complete waste of money.  Here are a few things to think about before you buy a second hand inflatable.

Who is the manufacturer?

Is it a large manufacturer with a reputation to uphold or some chap on his own working out of a garage?  The reputation and track record of the manufacturer can give you key information about the wisdom of your purchase. 

Who is the seller?

Is the seller a private individual or the manufacturer? You may get a better price from a private individual, but a manufacturer is in a better position to repair an inflatable or offer a warranty.

A manufacturer also has his reputation to maintain. Let’s face it. If you buy a used inflatable from a manufacturer and it turns out to be a great investment, you’ll probably return to them when you are ready to buy new! And also tell other hire companies and fellow BIHA members.

Why is the seller selling?

You may not get a straight answer to this one, but ask anyway. Some hire companies have a policy of never reselling inflatables. Fortunately, inflatables take up relatively little space and even hiring the inflatable a few times a year may deliver a better profit than the second hand price would be.

If the answers you have received to this point are positive, it’s time to have a look at the inflatable. The best way to evaluate an inflatable is, well, inflated and in person. If for some reason you can’t inspect it in person (for example you live a long distance from the seller), ask for a recent video of the inflatable in action.

Assuming you are able to inspect the unit in person, your eyes are the first tool to use in your evaluation. Look for obvious wear such as places where the thread is giving way, abrasions to the vinyl and spots where seams are starting to separate.

Examine the stress points. Turn it over and check the bottom. Does the unit appear to have been dragged repeatedly? Are there mould/mildew spots, tears, nicks or duct tape repairs? Are there spots with mismatched vinyl denoting an amateurish patching or repair job? Is it clean?

Stay away from any inflatable that has a strong mildew smell. It will never go away.

Some final thoughts:

·        If possible always ask for proof of purchase for two reasons. One is to know the true age of the inflatable. The other is to know the unit isn’t stolen.

·        Consider more than just price when buying used. Take into consideration the amount of repair work required before buying for price only. Sometimes it is better to spend a little more money and be safe than sorry.

·        Always ask for test certificates, manuals and any maintenance records.

With regards to buying a second hand blower / fan.  Have a good look at the electrical connections, and check for wear, cracks and tears.  Preferably the unit will have been recently PAT tested.  Ensure you hear the blower working, if it rattles, then this may be due to worn bearings or a loose nut on the impellor.  Check the blades of the impellor, are they in good condition?

When looking at second hand inflatables and blowers, it is always a very good idea to take someone with you who is experienced and knows what to look out for.

This article contains ten practical tips on hiring a bouncy castle, which I hope will help you through your bouncy castle hire. You should then have one less thing to worry about as you plan the event at which your bouncy castle is to appear.

1. Location: work out where you are going to put the bouncy castle before you start making enquiries with bouncy castle hire companies. Bouncy castle hire companies may have specific advice for you depending on the location you choose. Back gardens are of course the favourite location for bouncy castles, but the weather may compromise your plans. Your bouncy castle should come with a rain cover to allow use outdoors in the rain, but if rain is assured, consider indoor venues such as community centres, function rooms or other indoor spaces large enough to accommodate a bouncy castle.

2. Number of bouncy castle users: bouncy castles are available in a variety of sizes and you’ll need to hire one big enough to accommodate a fair sized group of bouncy castle users at one time. Work out how many people will be using the castle and then let the hire company know. There are strict load limits depending on the size of bouncy castle - which your hire company should be able to quote you from the relevant bouncy castle manual. The most popular size castle with hirers is the 12 ft x 12 ft (3.6 meter x 3.6 meter) bouncy castle, which will probably be all you will need, but it’s best to check.

3. Making your booking: don’t leave your booking to the last minute. Try to make it as early as possible - at the latest in the middle of the week if you are planning a weekend hire. The reason I say this is that the best, most interesting bouncy castles or boats, trains, houses, slides, moonwalks or circus rings (there are so many interesting variations of inflatable) will get booked up early, and you may be left with a less interesting bouncy castle.

4. Prices: do haggle over prices. Bouncy castle hire businesses are often open to negotiation on a hire by hire basis - especially if you hire bouncy castle extras like slides and bouncy ball ponds.

5. Setting up the castle: the bouncy castle hire company will set up the castle, which should not take more than half an hour. Make sure you allow sufficient time for the set up before the bouncy castle is needed for use.

6. Accessories: when booking a bouncy castle, enquire about extras such as slides and bouncy ball ponds (for toddlers). These extras are available at little extra cost and can make a real difference to the enjoyment factor generated by your bouncy castle.

7. Construction: the material from which the bouncy castle is made should be soft, flexible, fire resistant and very strong. The structure when inflated should not deform under load. If it does, then don’t let anyone use it and demand a refund/don’t pay the bouncy castle hire company.

8. Stability: check that the bouncy castle is sufficiently anchored. The bigger the bouncy castle, the greater the number of anchorage points required to anchor it. If in doubt, consult the manual -which the hire company should let you have reference to.

9. Height of the castle walls: the walls of the bouncy castle should be of adequate height to prevent bouncy castle users climbing over and possibly falling to the ground below. Many bouncy castles are enclosed to prevent this, and you may feel that this is the sort of bouncy castle you wish to hire.

10. Supervision: make sure there is an adult available to supervise people using the bouncy castle, and that there are no hazard in the immediate vicinity ]]> http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/10/bouncy-castle-hire-10-tips-on-hiring-a-bouncy-castle/feed/ http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/09/check-out-our-winter-special-offers/ http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/09/check-out-our-winter-special-offers/#comments Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:19:13 +0000 funfactor http://fun-factor.co.uk/?p=714  

IS YOUR INFLATABLE REALLY INSURED?

DID YOU KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY THINK YOU HAVE INSURANCE ON YOUR

INFLATABLES

IT COULD BE VOID IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT SAFETY TESTS!!

AT FUN FACTOR WE CAN HELP YOU! 

* BRING IN UP TO 5 BOUNCY CASTLES FOR TESTING AND RECIEVE A 5 % DISCOUNT

* BRING IN 5 OR MORE BOUNCY CASTLES FOR TESTING AND GET A 10 % DISCOUNT

                   WHY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR WINTER

                                                    SPECIAL OFFER

  * COME TO US FOR TESTING BETWEEN OCTOBER

     AND FEBRUARY AND GET A FURTHER 10 %

     DISCOUNT !!

Attractions Expo will feature a brand new outdoor demonstation area in addition to the large number of indoor exhibitors. This will allow exhibitors to show products that would usually be too big to house within the show. Some of the features visitors can experience are an ice rink , drop zone , laser tag , inflatables, water games and bungee rides. Play equipment professionals will also be on hand to offer valuable advice on how to implement the equipment into play facilities.

However, during normal use, the blower’s impeller blades attract airborne debris e.g. dust, dirt etc. which sticks to them and reduces their efficiency in much the same way that the build up of ice on an aircraft’s wing can seriously reduce its lifting capability.

An instant solution to this problem is to get a thin, long screwdriver and very gently poke it through the outlet of the blower and then very carefully and gently scrape away the debris from the impellor blades. If you scrape away at each blade, it will take about 5 - 10 minutes for all of them. After you have done this**, switch the blower on and stand well back, and make sure no-one is standing in front as all the debris and dirt you just scraped off will be expelled out in lumps and also in a cloud of thick dust and cover anything in front of it.

It’s very important to wear mouth and eye protection and also ensure that there is no risk of the blower being accidentally switched on whilst you are scraping the blades. It is also crucial that the blower is not run for more than a couple of seconds or so, as when it is not connected to an inflatable, it can put more strain on the motor bearings. I carried out this procedure at least once a year on all my blowers and never had an incident in 14 years. But please take utmost care when you do it, and be careful that you do not accidentally damage the impellors as you clean them.

** If the impellors are particularly dirty, then it is better to switch the blower on after say every 6 or 7 blades to expel the debris, in order to prevent too much of a build up of dust and dirt in the actual blower itself.

 Register of Play Inspectors (PIPA accredited) who test inflatables.

To view this list, please visit the following website. 

http://www.playinspectors.com/rpiimembers/inflatables/index.asp  ]]> http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/08/register-of-play-inspectors-pipa-accredited-who-test-inflatables/feed/ http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/08/how-to-prevent-movement-of-metal-pegs-from-damaging-your-inflatables/ http://fun-factor.co.uk/2009/08/how-to-prevent-movement-of-metal-pegs-from-damaging-your-inflatables/#comments Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:55:04 +0000 funfactor http://fun-factor.co.uk/?p=527 Someone recently posted the following question on the discussion forum at: www.BouncyCastleOwner.com

“Just wondered when you peg down your inflatables do you put the peg straight over the anchor point or not? Trying to prevent taking my castles to get a little bit of stiching done where the anchor point has rubbed againt the stake. Any ideas?”

I had this problem and they all failed the annual test due to the anchor points being frayed. We took them all to a local manufacturer who added a nylon ring to each anchor point. Cost about £40 per unit.

AN ANSWER:  There should be a length of heavy duty rope tied to each anchor point (Approx. length of 10 - 12 inches) with a loop tied at the end. The metal peg is then staked through this loop and driven into the ground for anchoring. Any rubbing or abrasion is then done to the rope (which is easily and cheaply replaced) rather than the anchor point being frayed or cut through by the continual movement of the peg leading to a costly repair.

Its a good idea to always carry spare rope in your van in case any on the inflatable gets damaged and has to be disposed of.