Heat stretching methods

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  • OverTheTop
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2013
    • 711

    Heat stretching methods

    Always been more of a balloon guy but I'm trying out inflatables now. I want to try heatstretching some but I don't really have enough space to use boiling water. With balloons I can toss them in the oven while deflated at 290F for ten minutes, has anyone tried anything similar with inflatables?
  • craggy2012
    Senior Member
    • Jan 2012
    • 824

    #2
    Re: Heat stretching methods

    I've heat stretched 48inch beach balls in the shower.... you just keep rotating the ball under the stream of hot water (else you'll end up with an egg shaped ball) and keep adding air frequently so there's no ripples appearing along the seams and the ball will stretch. I usually stop at about 72inches though as the vinyl is very thin by then and is just on the cusp of 'pin holing'.

    Comment

    • Vicci
      Blown to bits
      • Oct 2009
      • 655

      #3
      Re: Heat stretching methods

      I'd advise against putting them in the oven, they could just melt together.
      Personally I've only ever used boiling water over the bath or a hairdryer.
      Vicci x

      Comment

      • FireRider
        Junior Member
        • Jul 2016
        • 29

        #4
        Re: Heat stretching methods

        I've tried both, hot water and air. Water takes longer, uses up more space, etc, but it stretches the inflatable a lot nicer. I've also tried stretching a small beachball with a hairdryer while sitting on top of it (it wouldn't stretch without any pressure being applied) but that just ended up making a bulge grow right between my legs (on the beachball, mind you) and ultimately popping it. It was a fun experience, but if you're looking to keep your inflatables after stretching, water is the way to go in my opinion.

        Comment

        • Peter P.
          Junior Member
          • Dec 2016
          • 26

          #5
          Re: Heat stretching methods

          Two more methods I can think of.

          One would be to use "natrual" resourses by doing the stretching in the sun. The sunlight heats up the inflatable and makes it quite a lot softer. Add more air every now and then for a nice heatstretch.

          Or the, in my oppinion, best and easiest way to reach the maximus size is to use stream.

          As mantioned befor the hairdryer is quite usefull as well, but a little tricky

          This guy knows how to do it right:
          I asked a good friend of mine if he wanted to practice heat stretching inflatables for me :3And he said yes! ^^I filmed it with his webcam (a)

          Comment

          • Jkloon
            Senior Member
            • Aug 2013
            • 357

            #6
            Re: Heat stretching methods

            I've used air, shower, and Boling water. I've never done it with a hair dryer without popping the toy. The shower gets pretty hot and you can enlarge the toy a fair bit. Boiling water gives you a really extreme stretch and makes it huge, but leaves it plasticy

            Comment

            • craggy2012
              Senior Member
              • Jan 2012
              • 824

              #7
              Re: Heat stretching methods

              Hot water does leech out the plasticisers in vinyl. I've heat stretched a BestWay Splash and Play Beachball but after a day or so it's vinyl turned from being thin and flexible to something quite crinkly almost like Cellophane.

              Comment

              • Peter P.
                Junior Member
                • Dec 2016
                • 26

                #8
                Re: Heat stretching methods

                Originally posted by craggy2012
                Hot water does leech out the plasticisers in vinyl. I've heat stretched a BestWay Splash and Play Beachball but after a day or so it's vinyl turned from being thin and flexible to something quite crinkly almost like Cellophane.
                Are you sure water can cause this?
                As the effect occured a day later. Maybe it is just the vinyl stretched to the max. causing the polymer to change characteristics.
                Just a thought

                Comment

                • Jkloon
                  Senior Member
                  • Aug 2013
                  • 357

                  #9
                  Re: Heat stretching methods

                  From my understanding, the extreme stretching and extreme heat from using boiling water changes the structure of the polymer from a mesh pattern to a more linnear pattern. I believe it also degrades some of the plasticizing agents.

                  Comment

                  • JR Looner
                    Senior Member
                    • May 2015
                    • 101

                    #10
                    Re: Heat stretching methods

                    One round of heat-stretching with a small hair dryer. The one on the left is the heat-stretched one. The one on the right is normal size. First try at using a hair dryer.
                    Attached Files

                    Comment

                    • Peter P.
                      Junior Member
                      • Dec 2016
                      • 26

                      #11
                      Re: Heat stretching methods

                      Originally posted by JR Looner
                      One round of heat-stretching with a small hair dryer. The one on the left is the heat-stretched one. The one on the right is normal size. First try at using a hair dryer.

                      Looks really good. Nice Stretch.

                      Here is the "demage" hot water can do..
                      Attached Files

                      Comment

                      • lilolover82
                        Senior Member
                        • Mar 2014
                        • 196

                        #12
                        Re: Heat stretching methods

                        Do your inflatables develop leaks while heat stretching? Because I heard the vinyl gets weak when you heat stretch them.
                        Washington State, United States

                        Comment

                        • Peter P.
                          Junior Member
                          • Dec 2016
                          • 26

                          #13
                          Re: Heat stretching methods

                          Originally posted by lilolover82
                          Do your inflatables develop leaks while heat stretching? Because I heard the vinyl gets weak when you heat stretch them.

                          Well, this cushions are awesome

                          This one did not leak(stayed like this for almost 24h). But I think the weak-spots are the seams rather than the vinyl itself.

                          But I didn't inflate it super tight and gave it some time to "relax"- the whole process took several hours actually. But it's fun to see it get huge.

                          I guess if it gets more dangerous (weak vinyl) if you really push it to the limit

                          Comment

                          • OverTheTop
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2013
                            • 711

                            #14
                            Re: Heat stretching methods

                            Thanks, once I get more inflatables (soon) I'll definitely try this out

                            Comment

                            • TowableStretch
                              Member
                              • Jun 2017
                              • 70

                              #15
                              Re: Heat stretching methods

                              Heat stretching, my favourite item!

                              I've stretched tubes, boats and towable tubes. I always use boiling water and I inflate the tubes more when I apply it.

                              This is my Jobe Scream towable after stretching:



                              It got about 3 times bigger and is still super comfy and bouncy. I also have a Jobe Rumble tube somewhere which also got huge And of course they don't fit in their nylon cover anymore hahaha

                              Comment

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