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Backyard Snow Gun

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603pow
Posts: 151 - Karma: 1,392
Any of you have any experience building backyard snow guns? If yes hmu
Oct 3 2018 10:23AM
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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
Yes I have tried multiple times and spent too much money. For me it was very hard to set up and get the pressure washer/air pressure mix correct or else the water goes into the compressor. I found that an external mix snowmaker omits these problems. I found myself spending around $50 on parts which are all 1/4" galvanized steel, plus the nozzles. In my experience it was not really worth it but I had a great time and it got me stoked for the winter.
Oct 3 2018 4:24PM
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clorox
Posts: 1728 - Karma: 4,863
JT9DYes I have tried multiple times and spent too much money. For me it was very hard to set up and get the pressure washer/air pressure mix correct or else the water goes into the compressor. I found that an external mix snowmaker omits these problems. I found myself spending around $50 on parts which are all 1/4" galvanized steel, plus the nozzles. In my experience it was not really worth it but I had a great time and it got me stoked for the winter.



did you run the compressor before slowly turning on water? A friend of mine made one by routing air directly toward the nozzle, and water coming in at a 45º angle. Also make sure gravity is working against excess water from going into the air hose. Maybe one way valves would help too?
Oct 6 2018 1:46PM
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aideey10
Posts: 42 - Karma: 100
I made one last winter and like the others said it was a fun project but unfortunately it's expensive to run for the amount of time it takes to blow the snow. You also need to have a pretty good air compressor and pressure washer to run it for a long time otherwise you end up burning them out. It was still super fun to build and see the snow coming out before we had even gotten our first snowstorm.
Oct 6 2018 5:47PM
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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
finderdid you run the compressor before slowly turning on water? A friend of mine made one by routing air directly toward the nozzle, and water coming in at a 45º angle. Also make sure gravity is working against excess water from going into the air hose. Maybe one way valves would help too?


Thanks for your advice, yes I did try running the compressor before the water, but for some reason I just couldn't get a perfect mix going. I'm designing an external mix snowmaker that should be able to avoid these problems. But I had problems regulating the water with the ball valve because the water pressure was high and it would sputter inside of the snowmaker, which would go into the nozzles as an uneven mix of water and air. I like your idea of one way valves, I've been looking into that and it seems to solve some of the problems I have.
Oct 6 2018 5:47PM
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AbiH
Posts: 2041 - Karma: 10,350
So how much do you guys think it is to build? I didn’t realize this was an option!!!!!
Oct 7 2018 10:04PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2829 - Karma: 5,412
If you already had access to a really good, large air compressor (which is really expensive) it would be realistic to try and build your own snow gun at relative decent price.
If you have to buy everything it would be more cost effective to road trip/fly to some mountain/pass with a early season snow and spend a night or two and ride there.
Oct 8 2018 2:58AM
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DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,889
I watched a friend build and set one of these up. Parts were around $50 as stated above. Not too bad if you already have that air compressor.

The biggest part is that you have to wait for it to drop below freezing. We had it set-up and ready to go. The night it finally dropped below freezing it also snowed. Go figure
Oct 8 2018 1:22PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51745 - Karma: 163,550
Just buy ice in bulk, or find a restaurant with an ice machine. If your freezer does ice run that bitch till she drops. Crush up said ice, even in a garbage can and spread it around. If it's still kind of warm you can salt it to firm it up a bit.

DIY snowguns are cool as fuck though. If you have some of the elements needed, or the $, and some time on your hands go for it. It generally seems like more hassle than it's worth although I'm sure the satisfaction of riding even a little bit of snow your ghetto snowgun put out is probably high.

I remember reading some good tutorials a decade or so ago but never ended up building one and not sure where I was reading. If you build one post it up whether it works or totally fails.
Oct 9 2018 7:08AM
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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
AbiHSo how much do you guys think it is to build? I didn’t realize this was an option!!!!!


I spent $50 on mine but i really varies based on your design, got my basic design from SnowAtHome
Oct 9 2018 10:42PM
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AbiH
Posts: 2041 - Karma: 10,350
JT9DI spent $50 on mine but i really varies based on your design, got my basic design from SnowAtHome


Dang! That’s not bad!
Oct 9 2018 11:10PM
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skiboigrif
Posts: 125 - Karma: 162
i have always wanted to create one but i have heard they are really exspensive and not worth your money
Oct 10 2018 10:03AM
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gregory1991
Posts: 5 - Karma: 2
This is the first time I hear that someone has built a snow gun in their backyard. In my opinion, it sounds like an incredible structure and what are you doing with it shooting snow? In general, why do you need such a device? Although the question is probably very stupid and it is quite simple to answer it. If you do not mind, you can please throw off the drawing or something like what and how such a design is made. In the past, my friend and I did something similar, we built a cannon that shoots potatoes and the main mechanism was compressed air and metal valves. Although this may be the simplest mechanism to make a cannon, it still came out very cool. In general, I hope someone can answer my questions.

**This post was edited on Aug 27th 2020 at 8:54:15am
Aug 27 2020 1:50AM
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ScaryDumpTruck
Posts: 584 - Karma: 3,392
theabortionatorJust buy ice in bulk, or find a restaurant with an ice machine. If your freezer does ice run that bitch till she drops. Crush up said ice, even in a garbage can and spread it around. If it's still kind of warm you can salt it to firm it up a bit.

DIY snowguns are cool as fuck though. If you have some of the elements needed, or the $, and some time on your hands go for it. It generally seems like more hassle than it's worth although I'm sure the satisfaction of riding even a little bit of snow your ghetto snowgun put out is probably high.

I remember reading some good tutorials a decade or so ago but never ended up building one and not sure where I was reading. If you build one post it up whether it works or totally fails.

If that isn't the most ghetto thing I have ever heard idk what is
Aug 27 2020 2:38AM
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CatdickBojangles
Posts: 6203 - Karma: 62,990
If it’s cold enough couldn’t you technically use a pressure washer with a wide nozzle? You could place it somewhere high.
Aug 27 2020 7:10AM
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