Long, Slow Burn » Snow making

Last snow making of the season

kcully — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 15:32:47 +0000

Everything went right today. The preparation last night made this morning much easier in that I put out the ladder, heat gun, extension cords, shut off the water so it didn’t freeze in the spigot. I also got all of my hoses in the house so they’d be nice and warm before going out into the freezing cold.

Here are the results. Now, we just need some kids to go out and do some sledding!

Snow making video – backyard

kcully — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:51:41 +0000

Sledding on the snow I made

kcully — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:22:46 +0000

How cool is it to be able to say that? “Here is my son sledding on the snow I made.” Many years of dreams come true. My dog Gala likes it too.

Snow making 1/1/2009

kcully — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:18:30 +0000

22F, 53% humidity. Started making snow at 6:35am. Success. Science works!

Snow gun test with gas powered pressure washer

kcully — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:34:14 +0000

While we’ve got temps in the 60s, I figure it’s a really good time to test out the snow gun. At 6am and 20F is not a good time to experiment with snow gun adjustments. My neighbor, Steve Bishop, was nice enough to contribute to my cause with a gas powered pressure washer and what a difference it makes! I should be able to make twice as much snow as I could with the electric powered pressure washer. Excited. Now I just need to get some temps in the low 20s or lower.

One more note, with the gas powered pressure washer, the noise is *MUCH* louder. I’m definitely going to have to talk to the neighbors and get their blessing. Who doesn’t want a white blanket of fresh powder?!? Yikes!

Close Up Picture of my snow I made

kcully — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 16:14:08 +0000

I think that’s a great picture that Kim took of the snow covering one of our dwarf juniper bushes. Can’t wait to make more of this white stuff.

Snow gun video

kcully — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 19:22:50 +0000

Snow making in earnest

kcully — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:31:24 +0000

I got out of bed at 6am. It wasn’t until 7:05am that I started making snow. 15F this morning and low humidity! Good snow making weather. It’s all a learning process of course. It took a long time to get everything out there and set up.

I put the compressor in the back of our minivan and ran the electrical and air line through the side window. That did a really nice trick of dampening the noise of the compressor. I had a cardboard box around the pressure washer to help dampen that noise.

I went to turn on the water. Nothing. Frozen. I had to get out my heat gun to thaw the spigot. Once that water started flowing, I went to turn on the pressure washer. Nothing. The water had frozen at the nozzle of the snow gun. Again with the heat gun. Thawed that out and the pressure washer was going and it was 500PSI.

I let loose the air compressor and we’re making snow but all of that took over an hour. There was a good breeze for Georgia so the snow really spread out over the yard but after an hour, I had a good coating. Take a look. Tomorrow morning will be cold again. Perhaps I’ll make some more.

This is what it looks like from inside the spray … with a flash on the camera.

Snow making – Trial run

kcully — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 03:12:46 +0000

The parts are all here for me to build my Sue15b snow gun. Or so I thought. As you can see from the pictures, one adapter isn’t quite right so the water is really pouring out where it is coming from the pressure washer.

Everything looks like it was working really well and would have made a lot of snow, if it wasn’t for the high temperatures and high humidity. I’m hoping that Saturday morning, the conditions should be close to perfect. Can’t wait.

Oregon snow making … by real life Calvin

kcully — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:49:23 +0000

Okay, his name is Forest, but he’s got a killer setup for making snow. 3 feet in one night! Dang, I need a bigger compressor.

Check out how a child turned $500 in parts and machinery into a mountain of snow fun. Click Here.