Sky lanterns are also called balls of desire. This is not just a balloon - it is a whole art that allows you to create the lightest, but at the same time truly chic flashlight that will smoothly sweep up towards the stars. The technology for manufacturing flashlights was developed by Chinese masters for a long time. For their manufacture, special paper is used, impregnated with a fire-retardant solution, the thinnest wire, combustible materials and a light bamboo hoop.
For those who want to create sky lanterns with their own hands, detailed technology will be given below.
The paper used for the manufacture of weightless sky lanterns in its qualities strongly resembles a tracing-paper. It is slightly smaller in thickness, but it is much more difficult to tear. Some lovers of launching sky lanterns create them from plastic bags, but it is worth considering that domes of similar materials can catch fire not only at the time of launch, but also in flight, which can cause a fire.
So, the first thing to do is to choose the dimensions and shape of the Chinese sky lantern. If you have never made sky lanterns with your own hands, it is best to start with a rectangle. This form is quite easy to manufacture and is well suited to run.
Next, go to the paper selection. She is the key to flashlight production. You can choose any color of paper, it all depends on your tastes and preferences. Its weight should be a maximum of 25 g per m². This paper density allows the sky to fly even in the absence of wind or at high air temperatures.
The paper, from which air lanterns will be made with their own hands, must be impregnated with flame retardants. This reduces its vapor permeability, it practically does not get wet and does not absorb moisture, which allows you to store flashlights for a long time and run them even with minor precipitation. In addition, such compositions reduce the risk of ignition of the entire flashlight, even when burning a certain section of paper.
By design, ready-made sky lanterns with their own hands can be very different. Volumetric forms are very difficult, since for the most part they consist of four separate canvases and are quite difficult to perform. For the first time, you can make flat flashlights made of two separate canvases.
To do this, you need a couple of canvases of paper from which two droplets are cut. Then the edges are neatly glued together, and the seam width should be at least 1 cm. In order to better fix the ball along the entire edge of the fabric, it is advisable to additionally flash it.
When the dome is ready, you can proceed with the construction of the bamboo frame. Why is this material used to make sky lanterns with your own hands? The peculiarity of this material is that it is quite flexible and at the same time very durable. Such properties allow you to not break through the thin paper ball.
The fixing structure is based on a circle in the center of which two wires are crossed. Then a burner is fixed on them, which must be coated with a polymer substance. It is quite difficult to make a burner yourself, but you can. To do this, you will need any combustible substance, for example, dry alcohol tablets and an iron frame. You can also use ordinary floating candles, but you should be careful, because hot wax can fill the flame. They are also poorly suited for large flashlights. In order to make a sky lantern, you can use a burner made of fabric soaked with wax and combustible material.
When everything is completely dry, you can fix the frame to the paper dome with glue.