Make Your Own Backyard Snow
As a volunteer coach of a cross-country ski team, Bob Brown was desperate for snow. He couldn't produce enough snow to ski on, but he thought he might be able to make enough to cover his back yard, "I kind of did it as an experiment, just to see if I could," says Brown.
The concept of making snow is simple but it take a lot of things working together to produce a significant amount. The parts can be purchased at any hardware store, but you have to have the perfect mixture of temperature and water to actually get snow. To get it right is pretty tough, according to many amateur snowmakers.
The most expensive piece of equipment is a lubricated air compressor that will run continuously. The only other required hardware is a hose and nozzle, plus a stand used to elevate the hose. "Some people hook up a pressure washer to increase snow production," says Brown. "But the pressure from an outside tap is enough to cover a backyard." The nozzle is just a standard pipe cap that is punctured more or less depending on the amount of snow.
Commercial units like this one from Backyard Blizzard are also available. The basic assembly is made of copper pipe and resembles a "T." The air and water meet in the middle of the "T" as the mixture is shot out into the air. The nozzle is pointed up, usually elevated and attached to a stand for stability. No chemicals need to be added in order to get a nice ground covering.
For those who don't want to spend a lot of time tinkering, there are a couple of commercial products available to produce snow right out of the box. Backyard Blizzard offers stand-alone snowmakers or add-on attachments if you already have a compressor or powerwasher. Prices range from $495 to $3,105.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Backyard Blizzard, SnowStation, LLC, 15 Mercer Rd., Natick, Mass. 01760 (ph 877 989-7669; fax 508 655-3737 email: info@BackyardBlizzard.com).
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Make Your Own Backyard Snow SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 27-6-16 As a volunteer coach of a cross-country ski team, Bob Brown was desperate for snow. He couldn't produce enough snow to ski on, but he thought he might be able to make enough to cover his back yard, "I kind of did it as an experiment, just to see if I could," says Brown.
The concept of making snow is simple but it take a lot of things working together to produce a significant amount. The parts can be purchased at any hardware store, but you have to have the perfect mixture of temperature and water to actually get snow. To get it right is pretty tough, according to many amateur snowmakers.
The most expensive piece of equipment is a lubricated air compressor that will run continuously. The only other required hardware is a hose and nozzle, plus a stand used to elevate the hose. "Some people hook up a pressure washer to increase snow production," says Brown. "But the pressure from an outside tap is enough to cover a backyard." The nozzle is just a standard pipe cap that is punctured more or less depending on the amount of snow.
Commercial units like this one from Backyard Blizzard are also available. The basic assembly is made of copper pipe and resembles a "T." The air and water meet in the middle of the "T" as the mixture is shot out into the air. The nozzle is pointed up, usually elevated and attached to a stand for stability. No chemicals need to be added in order to get a nice ground covering.
For those who don't want to spend a lot of time tinkering, there are a couple of commercial products available to produce snow right out of the box. Backyard Blizzard offers stand-alone snowmakers or add-on attachments if you already have a compressor or powerwasher. Prices range from $495 to $3,105.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Backyard Blizzard, SnowStation, LLC, 15 Mercer Rd.,åNatick, Mass.å 01760 (ph 877 989-7669;åfax 508 655-3737 email: info@ Backyard Blizzard.com).
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