Ready, Set, Make Snow!
We Have snow folks!!
Video from this 12/7/2010
My Fathers Memories of My Snow Making Beginnings
Well it all started in the mid eighties when Eric was about 12 years old. I decided that it was about time to introduce him to skiing, and brought him to a local ski area for his first skiing experience.
He took to skiing well that first day, but he was as fascinated by the snowmaking equipment as he was the skiing.
I explained the basic principle of the equipment to him, and mentioned that we had an air compressor at home and could probably make a miniature version of the snow gun that fascinated him so much.
From that moment on, he became obsessed (a Costantino trait) with making snow.
Eric experimented with all sorts of devices. Old electric paint sprayers, garden sprayers, and a host of other gadgets that he would make to try to properly atomize water.
After watching this obsession for a couple of years, I decided that his dedication to this folly warranted some encouragement. I took him to the local hardware store to buy the parts to build a snow gun that I was convinced would work perfectly.
I was wrong.
Please understand that Costantino males do not like to be wrong in mechanical matters.
I left Eric to continue his experiments with renewed enthusiasm.
He developed this new contraption until it hardly resembled the original snow gun I envisioned.
I remember well the cold Thanksgiving day that Eric came running into the house proclaiming
IT WORKS!
IT WORKS!
It's making snow.
Well, having heard this proclamation before, (Eric's definition of snow had become quite liberal by this time) I was not quite as excited as he was.
Being a cool dad though, I went outside to see what all the fuss was about.
Eric was right. His snow gun was indeed making some really nice snow.
It was leaking all over the place, but it was making snow.
He took to skiing well that first day, but he was as fascinated by the snowmaking equipment as he was the skiing.
I explained the basic principle of the equipment to him, and mentioned that we had an air compressor at home and could probably make a miniature version of the snow gun that fascinated him so much.
From that moment on, he became obsessed (a Costantino trait) with making snow.
Eric experimented with all sorts of devices. Old electric paint sprayers, garden sprayers, and a host of other gadgets that he would make to try to properly atomize water.
After watching this obsession for a couple of years, I decided that his dedication to this folly warranted some encouragement. I took him to the local hardware store to buy the parts to build a snow gun that I was convinced would work perfectly.
I was wrong.
Please understand that Costantino males do not like to be wrong in mechanical matters.
I left Eric to continue his experiments with renewed enthusiasm.
He developed this new contraption until it hardly resembled the original snow gun I envisioned.
I remember well the cold Thanksgiving day that Eric came running into the house proclaiming
IT WORKS!
IT WORKS!
It's making snow.
Well, having heard this proclamation before, (Eric's definition of snow had become quite liberal by this time) I was not quite as excited as he was.
Being a cool dad though, I went outside to see what all the fuss was about.
Eric was right. His snow gun was indeed making some really nice snow.
It was leaking all over the place, but it was making snow.
Sledding Video From Last Year
Wednesday and Thursdays are the days; going to 19 and 20 degrees respectively.
ReplyDeleteWhen he lived in Cranston, he had to borrow my propane torch and leave work to melt the snow this contraption made in the street in front of his house. They city was going to plow and salt it and charge him for it.
That is a true story! They gave me one hour to clear the road! I got it done! You aren't making snow until the pile is big enough to stand on and watch your wife changing on the 2nd floor!
ReplyDeleteI know three of your neighbors who did exactly that.
ReplyDeleteReally nice!
ReplyDeleteI'm starting to worry that being completely nuts could be contagious. I've been hanging with you two for way too long without a vaccine. It could be time to worry.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing fine on your own Cindy. Sorry to be a downer but you're already there and it has nothing to do with the two of us!
ReplyDeleteBefore we got the frozen hose issue figured out he used to thaw the gun with a propane torch when the air hose froze. When you're doing that at zero degrees your hands are pretty numb. Well, he got the thing really hot and then grabbed it with his bare hands and the dammed thing "branded" him. He had a perfectly burned in imprint of the valve handle burned into his hand. The meathead was so proud of that.
ReplyDeleteWell it all started in the mid eighties when Eric was about 12 years old. I decided that it was about time to introduce him to skiing, and brought him to a local ski area for his first skiing experience.
ReplyDeleteHe took to skiing well that first day, but he was as fascinated by the snowmaking equipment as he was the skiing.
I explained the basic principle of the equipment to him, and mentioned that we had an air compressor at home and could probably make a miniature version of the snow gun that fascinated him so much.
From that moment on, he became obsessed (a Costantino trait) with making snow.
Eric experimented with all sorts of devices. Old electric paint sprayers, garden sprayers, and a host of other gadgets that he would make to try to properly atomize water.
After watching this obsession for a couple of years, I decided that his dedication to this folly warranted some encouragement. I took him to the local hardware store to buy the parts to build a snow gun that I was convinced would work perfectly.
I was wrong.
Please understand that Costantino males do not like to be wrong in mechanical matters.
I left Eric to continue his experiments with renewed enthusiasm.
He developed this new contraption until it hardly resembled the original snow gun I envisioned.
I remember well the cold Thanksgiving day that Eric came running into the house proclaiming
IT WORKS!
IT WORKS!
It's making snow.
Well, having heard this proclamation before, (Eric's definition of snow had become quite liberal by this time) I was not quite as excited as he was.
Being a cool dad though, I went outside to see what all the fuss was about.
Eric was right. His snow gun was indeed making some really nice snow.
It was leaking all over the place, but it was making snow.
That valve impression on my hand was really cool! My hand was so numb I didn't know I was melting my thumb and forefinger until I saw it smoking! Gross!
ReplyDeleteThose were the good old days! I had at least 12 variations of that snow maker banging around in my head and I finally I got that ugly contraption to work! I have pretty much had a white Christmas ever since. Even if that meant staying up all night to move that silly thing around! It is officially snowing here right now!
ReplyDeletevery impressive. I drove by this morning to see what your shanigans was all about.... I wanted to go home grab my skis and lay down a couple runs (all be it very short) runs in your backyard! Does the lodge Mt Costantino have a good Apre ski?
ReplyDeleteBrad quit stalking my house you weirdo! We have plenty of Narragansett Beer for apres ski! No frills but they are good for a buzz!
ReplyDeleteI need a snow maker down here! Have you posted a utube video with step by step instructions?
ReplyDeleteHeather it is a deep dark family secret. If I told you I'd have to kill you! There are tons of plans online for different versions but mine is unique as far as I can tell.
ReplyDelete