Ever wanted to make foam flying balloons? Here’s the device that will make that happen!
37
HELIUM CLOUD GENERATOR
SAFETY KEY:
+ Hot objects + Sharp objects
SKILL LEVEL:
EASY
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
APPROXIMATE TIME:
45 minutes
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
+ Straight-walled pan
+ 6 feet of thin vinyl tubing
+ Tank of helium
+ Bubble soap
+ Hot glue gun
+ Lighter/torch
+ Pins
LET’S BEGIN
SETUP
1. Using your hot glue gun, plug up one end of your vinyl tube.
2. Then glue the tube to the center of the pan. Add some glue over the top to secure it in place.
3. In a spiral shape starting at the center of the pan, add hot glue and stick the tubing to the pan. Using extra glue, secure the tubing near the edge and in at least one more spot in the middle of the coil.
GETTING READY FOR BUBBLES
1. Now take your lighter and heat up the end of your pin.
2. Then use the hot tip of your pin to poke holes in the vinyl tubing. Poke holes about every three quarters of an inch around the tube.
3. Now you want to test that your holes work. The easiest way to do that is to blow water down through the tube and it will create a tiny fountain so you can see which holes may have become plugged back up.
MAKING OUR BUBBLE SOAP
1. Regular bubble solution is too heavy, so we will want to water it down. For your bubble solution you will want one part bubble soap and seven parts water.
2. Pour your new bubble solution into the tin and gently stir so that you have a nice, even solution. You want enough solution to cover the tubing but still leave edges of the pan exposed.
FINISHING OUR FOAM BUBBLER!
1. The last step is to attach the other end of your vinyl tubing to the nozzle on your helium tank.
2. All you have to do is press down on the helium spout for the helium to start flowing!
PRO TIP: To make better bubbles let the helium out of the valve slower.
No explosions, just pure fun with bubbles! You’ll feel like an evil scientist as you watch your bubble creature grow taller and taller until it finally flies away. Chase after it, cut it, chop it up, or play with it any way that you like.
FUN FACT: The helium we buy in cylinders is produced by the natural decay of radioactive elements—principally thorium and uranium—in the earth’s crust.