Some things have been a bit hard to find in this whole process, so here’s a heads up on something that might help someone else out.
After a fair bit of searching, Scobie managed to find a source for adhesive ripstop (by the meter, not on 50mm tape rolls) to use for the rego letters, but this could also be handy for some DIY artwork.
North Sails
2 Vale St
St Kilda, Melbourne
Cost is $25/m for 1.8m rolls. We only need 0.5m for the rego letters so it works out pretty cheap.
Last Saturday (9th August) we cold/hot inflated our brand new homebuilt balloon, VH-XUP.
Everything went well and now we just need to get the Certificate of Airworthiness so we can start flying it.
Big thanks to not only the guys who helped us out on the morning to attach all the ropes/lines, but those who have been helping out through the whole process, special big thanks to Adam.
Not much more to say really, I will let the photos do the talking.
http://hotairballoon.ning.com/photo/album/show?id=699743:Album:85778
A bit of a update, now that we are nearly done I can put whats left into a short (or long?) list.
Things to do before test inflation:
Only little things left to do now, but it seems these are the things that take the most time!!
At last check in the progress was 17 gores of completed panels. Only 3 more to go.
Nomex arrived mid-week so that is one less thing to worry about. Only think left that is integral to the sewing is the load tapes. Arnold’s don’t seem to want to talk to me over the phone or over email, so I am getting tempted to take a drive out to them. Tape will start being needed next weekend (I hope), so it might have take a drive out to Arnolds to get something out of them. If not there is a few other options, first one is go to Leffers and buy it off them. They will just buy it off Arnolds and sell it to me with a bit of $$$ added on. Hopefully I can just drive out and get some from Arnold’s, that would save lots of hassle.
The lake is getting closer, but so is the end of the sewing, so I think it’s looking good to be finished for the lake.
Whether or not it will be legal (CoA) by the lake is another matter, and possibly something outside our control, but if all we can do with it at the lake is tether, I think that is still meeting the deadline.
These blogs are getting boring without pictures I know, but give it a few more weeks and there will be lots of pictures 
Oh and if your reading, leave some comments!!
Just finished faxing off another round of forms to CASA late this week.
Turns out a “Reservation of Rego Mark - Form0028″ needs to be submitted before you can register the aircraft, who would have thought! 
Also needed is an ARN (Aviataion Reference Number) as well, so that application form needs to be filled out.
To top is all off, next week I need to send CASA verified copies of both passport and drivers license. The forms aren’t really a big deal, just repetitive.
Damn terrorists make is so hard to register an aircraft these days.
Purchased the nomex today from Melba Industries. It is the lighter 150gsm version type, and is about $40 per linear meter. It ended up costing $849.92, a bit more than I expected, due to some companies inability to quote prices with GST, seeing as how you actually have to pay it.
Next task is to get some load tapes.
At last “check-in” with the sew-master, we were up to 13 sets of gores, this is all the panels put into single gores ready to be sewn together.
Progress is going well, and getting quicker and quicker with each stich.
I am starting to get some of the “other” bit’s organised here in Melbourne, such as load tapes, flying wires, carabiners and other miscellaneous bits. We have decided to go with rapid links to connect the flying wires to the load tapes, this is an expensive move but I think it’s worth it. I had a win yesterday by finding a source for those sticky temperature thingo’s, as well as the bit’s to make a tell tale flag, if anyone wants one of those sticky things let me know, I had to get a pack of 10. Only downside was they have to come from the US of A.
I updated to cost spreadsheet (on my pc, not of this site) last night to check in with how much everything has cost so far. So far I have spent a hair under $8000, sounds like a lot? Well actually more than 90% of that is faric, so apart from the fabric everything has been quite cheap, quite an ironic thing to say considering you need fabric to build a balloon, yet you have to take into account that I chose first grade fabric, and super expensive hyperlast. There is an extra ~$1300 due to hyperlast.
Also, we have what I estimate to be about $1500 in left over fabric, so if that get’s used on another balloon, the cost of this one drops by $1500.
Depending on what fee’s I end up paying to get the all CoA’d and registered, Ithik the whole “exercise” will end up costing either a hair above or below $10,000. More than other homebuilt balloons, but still 3rd the cost of a new one
Speaking of registrations, today I sent away the forms for registration, so once that gets processed and OK’d the balloon will (hopefully) be designated VH-XUP (thanks to Adam for the suggestion). As far as names go, its a balloon, not a person, it doesn’t need a name, for now at least. If i had to, at the moment I would call it PITA. 
That’s about all that’s been going on lately, I did buy a new (secondhand) car last week, so thats one step closer to a complete ballooning outfit I guess.
I realized that I haven’t shown any pictures up close of the cutting process.
Yes we are *still* cutting, but come lunchtime tomorow we will have cut 100% of panels, and hopefully get a gore or two sewn up before the weekends out.
Here is some of arrow “test” panels sewn up. Colours look great in real life, these pictures don’t do them justice:
One of the top arrow points, pretty big. Again shows the colours well.
A nice straight edge goes a long way.
Pins and clamps help a whole heap.
Another close up.
Clamps, pins and a straight edge, nothing can go wrong.. heh
LOTS of markings on EVERYTHING!!!
All these rolls you see in this picture are bits for the top arrows.
Normally this type of envelope would require 14 patterns, this one is taking up around.
Not only is that a whole lots more cutting, but a whole lot more sewing, but I think it’s worth the extra effort for the design.
It’s been so long since I posted here that I actually forgot the username to login.
Anyway I have flown home (as in plane) for the long weekend to help dad work on the balloon.
Basically the points have been holding us back at the moment, we have locked down patterns now and just need to cut and sew, then we will have all the whole panels ready to start sewing panels into gores.
I will update the progress hopefully after the weekend.
All of the points patterns are now cut, so all that is left now is the final cutting on fabric.
Then onto sewing
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