Homemade Inflatable Planetarium that you can make for cheap!

Craig Beals spent a year designing, cutting, and sewing this Giant Inflatable Planetarium! And you can build one too for just a couple hundred dollars! The inflatable dome can be used as an inflatable theater, gaming theater, tent, office, and so much more.
Video: "How to make a Giant Inflatable Planetarium": • How To Build a Giant I... #Planetarium
Video: "How to make a Cardboard Planetarium": • Make Your Own Cardboar... #bealsscience
-Thanks to Texas Instruments for sponsoring this video! #TIPartner
-Thanks to the Billings Education Foundation for helping fund the purchase of supplies for the planetarium. This planetarium will travel to middle schools in and around Billings, MT to help inspire kids to explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. #STEM
www.BealsScien...
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SUBSCRIBE and Ring the Bell: goo.gl/bVnT8F
Music (in order):
1.Good Times by Patrick Patrikios - Sound Cloud - Creative Commons License: / good-times-patrick-pat...
2. Arpy by Dan Helig - KZbin Audio Library
3. Sunny Travel by Nico Staf - KZbin Audio Library
WARNING:
This video is only for entertainment purposes. If you rely on the information outlined in this video, you assume responsibility for the results. As with any experiment, proceed at your own risk.

[@BealsScience]

I have been working on this idea for more than 2 years! I am so thrilled to finally be able to share it with you! If you have other ideas for what we could use this inflatable for, leave me a comment and let me know! Or if you have ideas for me - tell me in the comments! Thanks for watching! Craig

[@JaveGeddes]

Did you use a disco ball to curve the image from the projector?

[@gadgetguyify]

WOW! Lots of kids in HEAVEN!!!

[@BealsScience]

No kidding! We plan to have our high school students take this to elementary schools in our community (post-COVID) and I think we will have excited kids all over town!

[@lucianolizana446]

Congratulations! Your passion about educational tools is really inspiring! -Kudos from Santiago, Chile !

[@BealsScience]

Thank you for the kind words!!

[@tweetshortcakez9457]

Luv it 💓

[@BealsScience]

Thanks!!

[@jerrydouglas4583]

Amazing!! Home run!!! You rock.

[@BealsScience]

Thank you for the kind words!!

[@SushanthReddy29]

Always been fascinated about planetarium, great video! Hope I'll make my own planetarium soon!!

[@BealsScience]

Thank you! I hope you are able to make one too!

[@IvanNstephen]

Thanks mate.. Great 👌🏻 you inspired me to do one 🤝

[@BealsScience]

Thank you! Let me know how it turns out!

[@bugmancoweta1960]

Awesome

[@BealsScience]

Thanks!!

[@alexluther2912]

This is amazing. Great work, and great video!

[@BealsScience]

Thank you, Alex! I appreciate the kind words!!

[@tommyboy0520]

How will it stack up in the rain. Added weight would possibly nee more airflow. And or a water proof intake?

[@BealsScience]

It is rainproof! But I don’t think it would stand so well with a lot of wind unless you weighed down the base.

[@paca_bill4863]

That is really cool! I love the whole concept of having this as portable as possible. Certainly am thinking up a number of questions concerning the construction, that I'm assuming will be answered in the upcoming video. 1) sewing techniques - use of polyester or Kevlar type thread for sewing the tarps together 2) use of any seam sealer or tape on the joints, or are they "airtight" enough without any additional treatment 3) weight of tarp material - lighter weight should make it "easier" to inflate, but some of the cheap tarps have enough holes to drive a truck through 4) entrance airlock - size and shape of this help maintain inflation while it is open, to limit amount of airloss? 5) conical vs. more rounded dome shape - probably easier to cut all the pieces and join them together, and gains more height - any other advantages? 6) fan size - is there a way to figure optimum fan size for the volume? I still want to put together a dome for use in the house, but the cardboard version may be a bit too much to chew off. This, however, would be great for both indoor (assuming you have tall enough ceilings) and outdoor use. One use I could potentially see involves astronomy - our local club has access to a real planetarium where they put on a monthly program of what to expect prior to sending the public outside to look through the members' telescopes on Saturday nights. I could see this as a great way to do this in a remote location, where you may have a small genset for power, but no planetarium. I'm sure I can come up with others :)

[@BealsScience]

This is a great list of questions! As I put together the "How To" video I will definitely look back at your questions to make sure I address as many as possible. I will touch on a few of your questions right now to help you get started planning: 2) the simple seam with the sewing machine proved to be more than air-tight enough. In fact, I had to leave the door to the tunnel open so the bottom of the inflatable didn't blow out! 3) I struggled with the weight of the tarp material. I finally ended on Heavy Duty (I think it is 6 mil - I will confirm that in the instructions) and it has been handled and dragged around without a single tear or stretch! 5) I went with conical because the cardboard version was dome-shaped and it requires a special projector set up to be able to use it. I figured I would try a conical shape so people could use it for more things and could use a standard projector. The next one I build will be dome-shaped so I can see which I like better but I don't plan to make that one for a few years (too many other fun projects lined up to try first). 6) I went with a fan that has multiple speeds and high cfm. But, I am guessing I could have used a much cheaper, smaller cfm fan and it would work just fine - it is sealed up that well! At some point, I will hook up a standard box fan just to see if it has enough cfm to keep it inflated. I love your ideas for using this indoors and in remote locations with your local astronomy club! Keep me updated! Craig

[@jaimegates1181]

I was also was wondering about the cone shape. How do you place the projector? Does it just display on one wall?

[@BealsScience]

For this video (and for the conical shape) I found it best to just project onto one wall (although the image, depending on your projector, can take up about 2/3 of a wall so it is quite immersive). I do have a projector system that I made for the cardboard dome that will project a "full dome" image or video but it didn't work as well in the conical shape. The main goal for this shape was to have something that people could project any image or video without having to first warp it into a "Full Dome" aspect and then run it through a special projection setup.

[@Tiger_-jw9wg]

you just earned yourself a subscriber. This is awesome!! keep up the good work

[@BealsScience]

Thank you for the kind words!!!

[@TheTahax]

hello , thank you for this insiring content , i just wonder how you could project the star patterns all around the planetarium

[@BealsScience]

I've got another video showing how I made a full-dome projector (and cardboard planetarium) the you might find helpful: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hmq7qYmqZtGfhqM I also have instructions on my website at: www.bealsscience.com/post/2016/04/04/make-your-own-cardboard-geodesic-dome-planetarium-and-projector I hope that helps!

[@emanuelepesa578]

Wow that's insane! Do you think it could be possible to build a cube instead?

[@BealsScience]

Absolutely! You could probably make just about any shape!

[@chrismercier6035]

If you were put this on a frozen lake and fish inside of it, would the cold or the holes in the ice effect the pressure? Not sure why this came to mind but I definitely know you will have an answer! Great video!

[@BealsScience]

Hello Mr. Mercier! This would definitely work as an ice fishing house and the holes (because there is water sealing up the 'bottom end' of the hole) would not affect the dome and the cold shouldn't affect it either! But, in all my experiences ice fishing, it seems like the wind likes to blow and this does not hold up well against wind. So, on a nice cool day, this would work fine! On a typical ice fishing day...you might be chasing an inflatable ice house across the lake. Take care!

[@billwing7374]

I know your excitement. I am retired now but a few years ago my company built inflatables for the military. Every time I would inflate a new project, we would get so excited. The companies name is Wing Inflatables. Check it out. I have a lot of plans for inflatables. Keep up the good works. 🙏

[@BealsScience]

Well hello! As an avid rafting family, I must say that I am honored to have THE Bill Wing leave a comment! You make amazing boats. I hope you enjoy retirement and find time to get out on the water! Thanks for watching and leaving a note. Craig

[@LaineyBug2020]

It would be cool if you could make the fan solar powered.

[@BealsScience]

Great idea!

[@joannarnold8937]

Hi, I’m friends with your daughter. And cool video

[@BealsScience]

Thanks!!

[@LaineyBug2020]

If it were green, it could be a movie studio...

[@BealsScience]

That would be pretty cool!!

[@gem_femboy6761]

I want to build homes that can appear and disappear and their portable. I just need to find someone I can build stuff with

[@AW-Services]

You only need an 100mm air intake

[@joshsfattaint6019]

That’s not gemmy