[Mattmopar] figured out how to get a white Christmas even if the weather isn’t frightful. He built a simple DIY snow making machine with a few plumbing parts, and tools you probably already have. Snowmaking machines used on the ski slopes cost tens of thousands of dollars. Even the “low-cost” home versions are $400 and up.
[Matt] cut things down to the basics. Snowmaking requires two ingredients: Water and compressed air. The water is coming from a cheap electric pressure washer he found used. The air pressure is from an old air compressor. [Matt] is using his shop compressor – but even a cheap compressor will do fine.
The cold is an unforgiving environment though – so a few changes are needed. The trick is to use garden hose instead of air hose. Traditional air hose has a rather small hole. This leads to ice clogs coming from the compressor itself. A check valve also ensures that water from the pressure washer doesn’t back up into the compressor.
The nozzles are pressure washer nozzles. Two 40 degree nozzles for the water, and a 65 degree nozzle for the air/water mix. In true hacker style, the frame of the machine is a ladder, and the gun attached via zip-ties.
Of course you still need cold temperatures for this to work, but that’s not too hard in the winter months. Now if you have the opposite problem of too much snow, check out this self clearing concrete.
What if you filled it with liquid manure instead of water? I think it would make for a fine Christmas Odorizing Machine, especially if the area is HOA.
A fan is also needed to make a larger spread.
I question how small of a compressor you need.
My uncle ( P & W engineer)experimented with a snow maker based on vortex cooling. Never got rich.
Ecological aberration, it is sad that our community (Makers) does not integrate the ecological constraints or consequences even when they are just symbolic. The world need a thought switch
…What?
L’amour Toujours.
You produce ~50-70kg of Adenosine Triphosphate per day whose byproducts such as ammonia are not environmentally friendly. It is sad the maker community doesn’t take action against the ecological aberration of existence.
Agreed. We would be so much happier if we just got rid of people. Imagine what our lifes would be like if the earth was free of all of us. The number one source of pollution is humans and if we can eliminate them future generations will live on a planet without it. I’m going to do my part right now and stop exhaling. I suggest you do the same, your future depends on it!
Don’t worry, we’re all going to die.
Said the person writing that post on a device produced with toxic chemicals mined by children. Hypocrites never dissapoint.