Magnetic fixing of an inflatable toy

[gazroobari]

Hi,

I'm one of four people, all standing on the back row of a set of tiered metal choral risers, who will need quick, no-fuss access to an inflatable toy behind us.

The toy is an inflatable Zimmer frame (life size) and the staged song involves quickly turning to grab hold of it and wave it in the air.

However, we don't want the audience to have obvious sight of it until we are ready to grab it, so it needs to be at least partially obscured behind us.

My idea is as follows: to attach some form of magnet(s) to the inflatable, then let that stick to the steel of the safety rails of the choral risers (which stop us falling backwards)

However, beyond that, I'm not sure how best to go about it.

 

Does anyone have any practical ideas as to how best to do this ?

[Dave m]

Would probably work. 
is there a drop behind you? You could drape some black tat behind the rear rail and have crew hand it up on cue

Also, if inflatable (some real ones are incredibly light) you could under-inflate it so that it more easily hides yet looks full if handled?

[Geoff49]

Double-sided/sticky Velcro?

[Geoff49]

…or if it must be magnetic, you can get flexible magnet on a reel, which you could use double-sided tape to stick it to the inflatable. It may need a long length or several contact points.

 https://cpc.farnell.com/velleman-sa/magnet9/flexible-magnetic-strip-300-x/dp/SN36817?ost=flexible+magnet
or this stuff, an inch wide, already has sticky tape attached.

[ImagineerTom]

You can get very small “neo magnets” (NdFeB) as in 2mm diameter on eBay / Amazon etc for pennies. You could insert those into the inflatable through the blow up nozzle and whilst one alone wouldn’t be powerful enough half a dozen would clump together and give you some serious magnetic grip inside the inflatable. 

[david.elsbury]

Are you certain the safety rails are steel and not aluminium? That would be a significant flaw in your plan 🙂

[Robin D]

Personally I would avoid sticking anything onto an inflatable. When you grab it, you may end up ripping the vinyl. I would suspend some form of box, shelf, basket, cardboard box etc on the rail with black tat concealing it as per @Dave m suggestion. So at the point, you just reach road and lift it out. No snags, clicks, velcro sounds and more important, no resistance.

 

[kerry davies]

And me I would go full hi-tech assault and use some baler twine and a very pretty little bow. Either that or the legendary small boy stuffed under the riser handing it out when you hit him with the conveniently placed cudgel.

I rather think this is a classic case of "overthinking" and a little simplicity might go a long way. 

[J Pearce]

If this is an ongoing thing an engineered solution might be called for. If this is for less than 10 performances I’d cable tie a cardboard box to the handrail and sit the inflatable in there. Add some black tat if needed to smarten things up.

Or task/bribe someone to pass it up at the appropriate moment.

[themadhippy]

3 hours ago, kerry davies said:

Either that or the legendary small boy stuffed under the riser handing it out when you hit him with the conveniently placed cudgel.

Unfortunately Kerry,were no longer allowed to carry out such activitys unless the small child has been fully trained  and  wearing suitable ppe, the cudgel meets the relevant BS standards and a full risk assessment  has been  carried out.

[T*ny]

Bend a wire coat hanger into a suitable double hook design?

[ImagineerTom]

22 hours ago, Robin D said:

Personally I would avoid sticking anything onto an inflatable. When you grab it, you may end up ripping the vinyl. I would suspend some form of box, shelf, basket, cardboard box etc on the rail with black tat concealing it as per @Dave m suggestion. So at the point, you just reach road and lift it out. No snags, clicks, velcro sounds and more important, no resistance.

 

just for the record - we do it twice nightly in a long running show. The use of small magnets added until they're just strong enough to hold it in place rather than chucking hundreds in means you can fine tune the grip and ensure it's enough to hold but not to fight back. The damage the inflatables get from the performers handing them on the other hand is an order of magnitude worse....