FUN FACTOR THEFTS
August 25, 2009 by funfactor
We have experienced two burglaries in the past few weeks where a number of Gibbons Blowers and laptops were stolen.
The burglaries took place on 31st July 2009 and three weeks prior to that on 10th July 2009.
The stolen equipment is as follows:-
2 lap top computers
18 Gibbons blowers/fans (which are used to inflate bouncy castles).
The serial numbers of the stolen Gibbons Blowers are listed below which we hope will help to trace them.
If you are offered, or have recently bought a Gibbons Blower, particularly if they were offered to you cheap, please check them against the following serial numbers:-
167924 169347
167931 169348
169301 169299
169309 169338
169310 169349
169314 169350
169319 169951
169331 170007
169339
169340
The Police are also investigating the thefts.
Please contact Ryan, in confidence, if you can offer any information relating to this the thefts.
Regards
Ryan Wakefield
FUN FACTOR
www.fun-factor.co.uk
Warning - (Toy Bouncy Castles!)
August 11, 2009 by funfactor
It has come to our attention that there are bouncy castle operators working in this area who are hiring out toy bouncy castles rather than the real thing. These castles are made of a nylon material and are inflated by a little blower which is not much bigger than a hair dryer! They tend to sag rather than bounce and are definitely not up to entertaining a horde of excited children! Typically they are being hired out slightly cheaper than proper castles even though they cost just a fraction as much to buy. One final point is that they are manufactured to a different set of standards, the packaging would clearly state that they are not suitable for hire and if the operator was insured against public liability then the policy would be invalidated because the equipment is not suitable. Please be aware and choose who / where you hire from carefully! Our castles are the proper commercial type, they are regularly cleaned and maintained, and they pass annual safety inspections.
How To Instantly Increase The Effectiveness Of Your Blowers
August 10, 2009 by funfactor
All bouncy castles and inflatables need blowers to inflate them and keep them inflated.
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
August 7, 2009 by funfactor
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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 |
How to prevent movement of metal pegs from damaging your inflatables
August 6, 2009 by funfactor
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.