Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-09-15
Mistellaueuns &eading.
HOW TO MAKE A PAPER BALLOON.

For large balloons, strong MANILA paper
is best; for smaller ones use tissue paper.
When you build a balloon, decide first what
height you want it, then make the side pieces
or cores nearly third longer: a balloon Of
13 cores, each six feet long and one foot
greatest width, makes a balloon a little over
four feet high. For such balloon, first make
a pattern of stiff brown paper by which to cut
the cores. To make the pattern, take strip
of paper six feet long and a little over one
foot wide fold the paper in the center length
wise, so that it will be only q little over
half foot from the edges of the fold Along
the bottom, at right angles from the folded
edge, measure three inches and one half, and
mark the point in the same manner, mark
off five inches from two feet up the fold.
From point three feet four inches from the
bottom, measure off six inches, and mark the
point from this place the width decreases.
At the fourth foot, mark point five inches
and one.half from the fold about three
inches and a.third at the fifth foot, or top,
where the gore will come to a point. With
chalk or pencil draw curved line connect
ing these points, then cut the paper along this
line and unfold it.
You will have a pattern the shape of
cigar, four inches wide at the bottom, one
foot greatest width, and six feet long.
| After pastng your sheets Of MANILA or
tissue paper together in strips of the required
length, cut, by the pattern just made, 13
cores !; lay one Of these cores fiat upon the
floor, fold it in the center, over this lay all.
other gore, leaving margin of the under
gore protruding from beneath. With brush
cover the protruding edge with paste, then
turn it up, and over upon the other gore, and
with towel or rag press it down until the
two edges adhere. Fold the upper gore in
the center, as you did the first one, and lay
third gore upon it; paste the protruding
edge, and so on until all Is are pasted. 1t
will be found that the bottom gore and top
gore have each an end unpasted lay these
two edges together and paste them neatly.
Next, you must make hoop of rattan or
some light substance to fit the mouth open
ing, which will be about one foot and half
in diameter Fasten the hoop in by pasting
the edges Of the mouth opening around it.
In very large paper balloons it is well to
place piece Of string along the edge of each
gore and paste it in, letting the ends of the
strings hang down below the mouth Fasten
the hoop in with these ends before pastlng the
paper over it. 1t will be found next to i'm
possible to tear the hoop from balloon
strengthened in this manner.
| Should you discover an opening at the top
of your balloon, caused by the points not
joining exactly, tie it up with a string, if it be
small but if it be large hole, paste piece
of paper over it. When dry, take fan and
! fan the balloon as full of air as you can, and
while it is inflated make thorough inspection
Of all sides, to see that there are no acciden-
! tai tears, holes or rips. The 6re-ball is best
made of old fashioned lamp wick, wound
rather loosel ly in the form of a ball, the size
depending upon the dimensions Of the balloon.
! The sponge commonly used soon burns out
and the balloon comes down in very little
while, but the wick ball here described seldom
fails to propel the little air-ship upward and
onward and out of sight. A short, fine wire
should next be run quite through the wick
ball, so that it can be attached to the mouth
of the balloon in an instant by hooking the
ends of this wire over the cross wires at the
mouth
If you use little care, you vii: have no
difficulty in sending up the balloon. Place
your wick.ba in pan or dish, put the
corked bottle of alcohol beside it. and about
80 feet away make a simple fireplace of
bricks or stones, over which place an old
stovepipe. Fill the fireplace with shavings,
twisted pieces of paper or anything that will
light readily and make good blaze. In a
loop of string fastened at the top of the bal
loon for that purpose, let one of the party put
the end of a smooth stick, and with the other
end in his or her hand, mount some elevated
position and hold the balloon over the fire.
place. Before touching match to the com
bustibles below, expand the balloon as much
as possible by flaming it full of air; then
lirht the fire Re very careful i'm all the