Compressor for pumping up loads of inflatable stuff??

[gidon]

Hi
We've bought a lot of inflatable stuff for a children's party. Are there any suitable attachments for a compressor for pumping them up that anyone knows of?
I know the regulator would have to be turned right down so I don't blow them up - but would the limited airflow make it not worthwhile anyway.
Otherwise what's the quickest way of doing this - handy if there is a way of deflating the toys too! Are those cheap camping thingys any good?
Thanks
Gidon

 

[Chris Knight]

Gidon,
The little battery powered (four D cells) fan blowers you find in a camping store work fine for lilos so I guess would be OK for your intended use.

 

[StevieB]

What size stuff are you inflating? For stuff like a bouncy castle the fan needs to run all the time as they leak, and it needs to be a fairly big one. If its small stuff then a decent bicycle stirrup pump might work for you - I was amazed at the pressure I got with a stirrup pump compared to a hand pump with my bike tyres.

Steve.

 

[gidon]

Thanks - it is stuff like small bouncy castles, ball balls etc - but not the big ones that need blowers. I'll try and get hold of one of those camping ones - they are pretty cheap.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Have you got an old type cylinder vacuum cleaner?

Where the pipe can be fitted to the exhaust. I've used one years ago to inflate an inflatable boat (RIB) it did the job in seconds and I do mean seconds, not only that it was almost to working pressure about 3psi.

 

[Fecn]

I use a 25 litre Clarke Cheapie to inflate stuff for the garden.. We've got a paddling pool and one of those inflatable chairs... Absolutely no problem whatsoever - The compressor never breaks a sweat.

My inflator-adaptor is a mish-mash of bit of plastic tubing stolen from a lego set and some heat-shrink sleeve... It's not like it has to deal with any kind of pressure.. just enough to get the air through the inlet valve.

 

[gidon]

Great thanks both of you - will have a go this weekend if it can stop raining down here for 5 minutes!
Cheers
Gidon

 

[BradNaylor]

When I have to inflate the kids' paddling pool on that one summers day we get each year I use my trusty little old B&Q compressor and blow gun (duster) which I shove into the inlet. Works a treat in seconds.

You've got to be a bit careful about overinflating, I suppose!