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Toys

Build Your Own Snow Gun 209

Posted by michael from the bury-your-annoying-neighbors dept.
ksyrium writes "A TV station in Boston has been kind enough to provide a list of what you need to build your own snow gun, as well as plenty of video, pictures and links to other sites devoted to at-home snowmaking!"
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Build Your Own Snow Gun More

Build Your Own Snow Gun

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  • yes (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward
    I remember seeing this on TV. 2 years ago.

  • hmm... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Kalewa ( 561267 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:08AM (#5403360)
    8. Remember to dress properly for snowmaking.

    ...because otherwise you could end up on record as the strangest death ever - dying in a blizzard in your back yard in June.

    • ...because otherwise you could end up on record as the strangest death ever - dying in a blizzard in your back yard in June.

      Unless you live in the southern hemisphere, i don't think your snow machine will be making very much snow. Ever eaten ice cream in June? I think you'll end up with a sprinkler. :)

  • Just what I need! (Score:5, Funny)

    by snitty ( 308387 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:11AM (#5403372) Homepage
    What a perfect idea for those of you in the northeast of the US who just can't get enough snow, especially this winter (-:
  • potato guns are cooler though . . . i mean come on the mere thought of launghing potatoes is just funny. way funnier than white powdery stuff that is traditionally thrown around anyway.
    • launghing:
      This is defined by Websters dictionary (73.2 edition) as means of projecting a tuborous, organic object into the atmosphere while causing immense amusement to both the launchers and observers.
    • Just a couple days ago I was thinking it would be fun to make a similar device--to be used in evil ways, of course!

      It would be used to coat your least-favorite cow-orker's car with a generous layer of solid ice. Now, THAT would be funny!
  • and I've got enough *$()#%*# snow so that anyone that wants it can come pick it up. Seriously. That stupid blizzard cracked my rafters, backed up ice dams, caused me to scramble to move all my computer gear out of the room that had an stalagtite of ice hanging down in it, and really annoyed the hell out of me with my 250$ heating bill (I keep my house at 58F!).

    So needless to say, unless this article describes how to build a snow MELTING gun, I don't any more of that white stuff in my neighborhood. Hell I can't even see out of my driveway- the drifts are up 6 foot now.

    *grumble*
    • So needless to say, unless this article describes how to build a snow MELTING gun,


      I'll sell you one. I have a Conair snow melting gun. $200 USD plus shipping and handling. It's also good for drying things, like hair.
    • Yeah well I live in Minnesota and there is one inch of snow left on the ground and even that is busy being melted.

    • stalagtite? (Score:5, Informative)

      by Tumbleweed ( 3706 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:42AM (#5403547)
      Stalagmite, stalactite.

      Stalagmites grow upwards, from the Ground. G for ground, stalagmite.

      Stalactites grow downwards, from the Ceiling. C for ceiling, stalactite.

      Oh, and M is for Mnemonic.

      This post brought to you by Stalag 17. (Hogaaaan!)
    • Can you send some of it to LA? We don't have snow (or a heater, for that matter.)
      • L.A. gets plenty of snow. See, there are these mountains handy. In fact, I'm guessing if you look in the morning you'll actually see this white stuff at the top of them (unless it's a brutally smoggy day). That would be snow.

        -jim

        (who used to amuse himself by skiing in Big Bear and surfing in Huntington Beach on the same day)

    • Which blizzard was that, the first one, the second one, the seventh one? 6 foot, Cor, you have it lucky. I've never seen so much bloody snow. Every day it comes down, more, more, ever more.

      I'm still putting my electronics gear back together after the snow ripped out a window, frame and all, and filled my home with bloody white stuff.

      "Hey, how what did you do today?"

      "I shoveled out my house."

      "Yeah, me too. That's what we all did today."

      "No, you don't understand. I shoveled out my *house*."

      Then the water pipes gave up. Arrrrrrrrrrgh!

      A day of shoveling followed by a day of bailing.

      I never want to see snow again. Most of this winter it's been colder here in upstate NY than in Anchorage Alaska. I need to move there for the "good" weather. Who woulda thunk it?

      I used to live a few miles from Bromely Mountain in Vermont where they invented the snow gun.

      I think I'll send them some friendly hate mail tomorrow.

      KFG

      • you think that's bad... (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward
        I once had to shovel straight down just to find my house....and then a pipe broke and I had to shovel down another meter to fix that problem.

        Didn't see the cat for two days and finally heard him under the floor in the entrance...had to use a chain saw to cut an escape door. After a meter of snow (in the first hour) on the roof made it hard to open doors, I decided to shovel it clear....by the time I'd get to one end of the roof, there would be another meter building and I'd have to start all over. We had to walk up just to get outside. More than one structure collapsed and wasn't dealt with until things melted months later.

        A pair of buses in a local parking lot dissapeared from view and we had to dig down more than a meter just to find their roof vents. If you don't have at least 5 meters of snow to deal with, you've got it easy.
    • A snow melting gun... I can tell you how to make one of those. It is a flamethrower that burns at a lower temperature and for much longer to help get rid of the snow.

      Here is what you need:
      gasoline
      lighter (zippo)
      styofoam
      water gun (super soaker works best)
      balls of steel

      You take the styofoam and mix it with the gasoline, and in doing create a much more viscous subtance that has a lower burning temp, but burns for much longer. After adding about 5 times as much syrofoam as gas, you should have some goo that will be perfect for snow removal.

      Take the goo and put it into the water gun. Now you have a way of dispersing the propellent, but in order to light it one should place the lighter right past the nozzel and light it up. That will help melt your snow. Be warned, this can burn for a long while, so make sure you have a lot of snow.

      This is great for cleaning off a sidewalk or making a quick snow fort, just point to where you want no snow, and in a period of a few minutes, there will be none.
      • Hey, you suppose that's legal? Is there any residue left or will it burn cleanly, like regular gasoline?

        I'm being extremely serious here - I'm in New Jersey, and being surrounded by walls of snow forces one to consider unorthodox options to eliminate it.

        All you might be breaking are some environmental laws, and as long as you don't set trees on fire you should be fine, right?

  • http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-a p-snowball-shooting0225feb25,0,2226125.story?coll= sns-ap-nationworld-headlines
  • Sheesh... Without any way to freeze the water, here in Florida it'll just be a glorified sprinkler. I already have enough of those.

  • Texas (Score:2, Interesting)

    by The Salamander ( 56587 )
    I have a friend who made one of these... but for use in Texas.

    As I recall, it involved a very large tank of liquid nitrogen to freeze the water as it left the nozzle.

    Unfortunately, the nozzle kept clogging before very much snow could be made.

    That and snow never sticks here.
  • Like I said in the last thread, Americans have an unnatural and dangerous thirst for blood and gore.

    First the Vice City sales of 8.5 million in a mere 3 months. Then we're reading about this snow gun.

    What's next, the bombing of an innocent Middle Eastern country just for the hell of it?

    Join my (1337) clan -- read my journal

  • White House blames terrorists for snow (Score:4, Funny)

    by ediron2 ( 246908 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:15AM (#5403410) Journal
    In other news, several terrorist cells are suspected of being responsible for the snowstorms that have crippled the eastern US over the last few weeks.

    A high-ranking White House official with a predisposition for overreacting and fascist rulemaking has blamed the ready availability of instructions for snow-guns on the internet, and has asked that so-called weathermen stop presenting contradictory explanations for these terrorist incidents. The same official also insisted that anyone that discounts his theory is practicing poor science and harming the US's ability to combat terrorism wherever he sees it.

    Factions such as the Weather Underground [wunderground.com] and the Internet Storm Center [incidents.org] are high on his list of targeted terrorist groups.

  • if this becomes popular, we can forget about that global warming thing... however, a perpetual global winter wonderland can't be a good thing either. oh well, screw the globe, us here in Berkeley can finally have snow.
    The temptation to misuse this must be over the top. I can imagine dorm rooms and frat parties filled with snow. Imagine waking up under 2 feet of snow in your dorm room. hehe, college is going to be fun after all!

  • Thanks, buddy. (Score:4, Funny)

    by bluesoul88 ( 609555 ) <{bluesoul} {at} {thelegendofmax.com}> on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:17AM (#5403421) Homepage
    Some asshat beaned the hell out of me with a snowball today. Turns out it was one of these beasts. And to think, I wondered where idiots like him could go to find how to make one of these stupid things. Thanks, guys! >=(

  • Does this mean... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Quaoar ( 614366 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:17AM (#5403422)
    ...that all those cocaine dealers in South Central are going to go out of business?
  • I was wondering why I hadn't seen anything on the news about this... hell, I'm watching the news right now. I guess I should've figured that since it's slashdot, it's "Old News for Nerds. Stuff that mattered"

  • Now all i'll need is a green unique shako to give me +2 all skills!
  • at-home snowmaking [tripod.com]

    Those pictures are great. I've always wanted to see a yard with freezer burn. Seriously, that's what it looks like. =)
  • Judging by the reccent weather in the Northeast will anybody actually have to make one of these?
    Although, maybe I could make a snowstorm around my office and then not have to come to work?
    hehehe...
  • I have to say, you Americans are sick. I mean, making snow? On purpose?

    Up here in Canada, the only thing worst than the snow is the random moose attacks... [spacemoose.com]
  • All I'm missing is some snow! (Being in Orange County, CA doesn't help)

  • Screw at home...try it the real way... (Score:5, Funny)

    by djupedal ( 584558 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:31AM (#5403488)
    I was part of a team responsible for snow making at a resort in the Sierras. We had a man-made resevior that held 1 million gallons. Took 14 hours to fill and 10 hours to drain when making snow. The snow that came out of the nozzles was perfect...

    I came to work one morning, only to be greated with a plume of smoke from the compressor shack. Seems one of the aftercoolers sprung a leak, and ATF was being fed into the input for the main airstream. Imagine the cycle of death as the heat grew and grew and the ATF finally ignited. All the while being circulated and compressed....

    The local volunteers put out the fire, but they left the smoldering air filters in place, and I had to take action to see that everything was truly under control, and then find a way to be back in business for making more snow asap.

    We arranged for two giant portable Ingersol Rand compressors (12 cyl. supercharged Detriot Diesels) to be trucked in and set up as close to the manifold system as possible. Lots of fun with snow cats and blocks, etc. The bandaids did the job, and we were back to making snow in two days. The ski area was waiting for insurance to pay for the rental compressors, but the contractor wanted them back... I was ordered to hide the wheels and tires long enough to stall. Eight mounted sets of wheels/tires were placed into the area manager's pickup truck bed and covered with snow. He drove around for two weeks, and kept asking me where they were.... a man has to know his options.

  • Want to impress me? (Score:5, Funny)

    by bigt_littleodd ( 594513 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:40AM (#5403539)
    Make it run backwards!

    Living through what will look like about 30"+ of snow in 28 days this month, a snow gun is pretty low on my list of priorities.

    At least until I buy my snowthrower machine, anyway.
    Maybe Home Depot will have one by July. :-)

    • Re:Want to impress me? (Score:3, Interesting)

      by bluGill ( 862 )

      Move to a different area. I live in Minnesota, and we have half our normal amount of snow. And since MN is north, and normally gets a lot of snow, we are not only better equiped to handle that much snow that many of those who got it, we also enjoy it. Many of my friends are complaining about lack of snow because they can't play in it. Since we normally have snow, expensive snow toys (snowmobiles) are worth the cost if you enjoy it.

      • Move to a different area. I live in Minnesota, and we have half our normal amount of snow. And since MN is north, and normally gets a lot of snow, we are not only better equiped to handle that much snow that many of those who got it, we also enjoy it. Many of my friends are complaining about lack of snow because they can't play in it. Since we normally have snow, expensive snow toys (snowmobiles) are worth the cost if you enjoy it.

        Yeah, no joke! I live in Alaska, and here in Anchorage we've had maybe three snowstorms this year. I don't think it's been below freezing during the day for a month! For cryin' out loud! I moved up here for snow and cold!

        'Course, if this year makes up for the weenie winter like last year did (fairly mild winter, but not as mild as this one, but we received a 30 inch snowfall *overnight* a few weeks before Easter) we're due for about 10 feet within a few weeks. Don't I wish...

  • I want to start a movement in colleges across the world. That being the creation of phallic symbols made out of snow. All in the name of free speech, of course.


  • You insensitive clod!

    :P
  • Yes! I always wanted to shovel the driveway in July!
  • The snow is stacked up 3.5 feet deep in front of my house where the snow plow cleared the road. Last week it was almost -40 degrees! If you want to play in the snow, hop a flight to Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada. But remember to pack your thermal underwear, and bring your mittens.

  • Operation "Desert Snowstorm" (Score:5, Funny)

    by gmuslera ( 3436 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @12:52AM (#5403609) Homepage Journal
    Alarmed by the prediction of a large amount of casualties in civil population, the allied army is trying a novelty variation of psycological war. Instead of weapons that throw bullets and explosives, this new weapons will throw snow balls, spreading chaos in enemy lines.

    To be fair, and counting that Iraq will be totally disarmed when the attack begins, iraqui forces will be provided with the same snow guns, to have a fair battle. Unfortunatelly, the SnowGenerator(TM) device is patented with a license of no exportation to some countries, so iraquis soldiers will have to use sand to load this weapons.

    Intelligence are checking on the rumors that the new weapon's blueprints are published in enemy web site, and will search for security leaks if this rumors are finally true.

  • For all you californaians out there( like myself) this only works in the 20's fahreneit, so don't think your going to make snow out here on the west coastt, this only works when its FREEZING.
  • up 'ere in Canada we get all the snow for free, eh...we don't need no stinking sno-guns...
  • Digging out my car [bengarvey.com] two weeks ago wasn't fun enough.

  • Ah, good ole Todd Gross. You should watch his weather reports. He makes perfect arrows on the maps.
  • Did anyone else read the title of this article and think: Wow! Now I can launch snow at my enemies / neighbors / both ?

    I have thought of building a snowball gun similar to a potato gun, but I never really figured a good way to make the projectiles. Maybe some type of ice cream scoop loader?

  • He got so wrapped up in the fact that he COULD, that he forgot to stop and ask if he should...

    I'm always amazed the people like this can also build a website...
  • I worked as a snow maker for 3 months a couple years back and what I know is that using water treated with snow enducing bacteria and using air compressed on a set of pumps that used as much electicity as a small town, on snow guns with commercial heads, you really needed it to be below 30 degrees F. To do the equivilant home made style you would need a LOT as well as very high water pressure and very cold temperatures seeing as you would not have the snow enducing bacteria.
    • I like to ski and snow-machines are regrettably very much part of the scene. At crossings in particular, the snow cover can get very thin so they have to use snow machines, usually several to keep the piste in order.

      One of the problems with these machines, which as you rightly say, require a lot of power for the fans and pumps but they require a lot of something to pump. At ski-resorts they may even have to build new reservoirs (sometimes by excavating out existing lakes, to increase volume). On a permanet installation, the pipes have to be heated too.

  • Wheee..... (Score:3, Funny)

    by dracken ( 453199 ) on Friday February 28, 2003 @01:35AM (#5403822) Homepage
    ...I made the snow gun, but unfortunately ran out of stuff [slashdot.org] to make snow out of. Any volunteers ?
  • Hey, i remember seeing a bit on the old discovery channel show "Next Step" anybody remember that?

    anyway, they had a bit about these guys who made snow with a modified snow gun and liquid nitrogen, to proove it worked they made snow in the desert or something. i remmeber their setup was covered with what looked like a tarp, but it made something like 1000 cubic feet of snow in an hour or something, damn impressive, and what can i say, i just want to re-create the scene out of real geniuses
  • you can almost see the lawsuit filing itself...
  • and in the next war the Germans are gonna paste the Americans with the Potatoe Canons!
  • someone please point me to a *REAL* grown man's toy...

    A DIY Flamethrower
  • Well, not quite what one would call "home-made", but it does the job:

    SwizzBlizz [swizzblizz.ch]
  • Lake Erie.

    For those not in upstate NY, look up "lake effect snow" and Oswego, NY.

    (for the record, I'm in Syracuse)

  • I know, I know. Mod me as necessary.

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