Snow Machines - worth it? Recommendations?

Snow machines are great, Kids love them!
With what you have linked here, I would suggest the smaller 600w/900w units. Those big ones don't output much more foam than the smaller ones.

These machines take a soap liquid and produce chunks of foam for the 'snow fall' effect.


Video from 2019 when the noise was asked about:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVFDgGRKRJU

Both of these literally have a vacuum cleaner motor inside of them.


This is a 2021 time-lapse video with the snow machines on the driveway.
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Are they worth it?
YES if you want families with kids and them to stay.
It's some interactivity and the parents love to take photos of their kids playing in the 'snow' (foam). - I suggest some floods around to light up faces so photos come out better.

Cons:
  • Loud, both my machines have a vacuum motor inside a plastic housing (inside the metal case).
  • Cheap metal case fog/bubble/snow units like this rust.
  • Pre-made fluid is hell expensive.
  • Produces foam/soap. This may be a slip hazard if you have a smooth/sealed ground area.

Making fluid:
Because these machines go through a litre every 5min (continuous) I make my own fluid.
This is made with dish soap. The baby bath isn't required, I just find it helps with the dish soap smell.

Isopropyl alcohol is required, only a small amount is needed.
When it exits the machine the alcohol quickly evaporates off and that leaves light/fluffy foam chunks that float in the wind.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQf9_1zY5Ms


Bubble VS snow:
I have both. The bubble machine on the letterbox and snow machines on the drive.

Young kids (<8) love the bubbles. Older kids (12>8) go straight for the snow machines.
If you're on the fence about a snow machine, I suggest a Bubble machine first.
KMart sell 2L bubble liquid at $7 ($3.50/L). A bubble machine uses less than a litre per night. The large Chauvet Bubble King machine I have uses 1L a night.

However, I wouldn't go to 'Fobble machines'. A few members here have Beamz units from DJcity.
These machines are a bubble machine with a fog machine behind. This blows fog into bubbles. Popping the bubble releases a puff of fog.
Issue many have had here is that these cheap Beamz units are failing too oftern.
 
Thanks for a great write up Mark (The reason I was looking at that specific model was that it was the smallest/cheapest with DMX control.
 
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thewanderingpine said:
The reason I was looking at that specific model was that it was the smallest/cheapest with DMX control.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't bother with DMX to be honest.

You'll be outside each night when you use these machines. Just keep a wireless remote control with you.
DMX is great to sync to the lights but it wastes a lot of fluid if there's no one around to enjoy the snow machine.
 
Mark_M said:
I wouldn't bother with DMX to be honest.

You'll be outside each night when you use these machines. Just keep a wireless remote control with you.
DMX is great to sync to the lights but it wastes a lot of fluid if there's no one around to enjoy the snow machine.
Click to expand...
I used a button on the fence that acted as a keyboard key press to activate the fobble machine via dmx, we also had the remote Inside to turn it on and off if we saw people using cctv. I also had it set to run for a minute every 15 minutes.
 
Mark_M said:
However, I wouldn't go to 'Fobble machines'. A few members here have Beamz units from DJcity.
These machines are a bubble machine with a fog machine behind. This blows fog into bubbles. Popping the bubble releases a puff of fog.
Issue many have had here is that these cheap Beamz units are failing too oftern.
Click to expand...
Add me in to the return to DJcity of the Beamz 'fobble machine' , as one of the bubble wands stopped working.

I'm still waiting to get it back from them, and it was sent back well over a month ago, and they've got it.
 
It depends on the effect your after if you just want a little bit in a specific area of a couple meters or if you want a full on fake snow effect , I have played with cheaper machines they serve a purpose for small area of fake snow maybe like 2-3m if winds on you side but don't give you the full it's snowing effect.

I ended up with Magic FX Snow case and 2x snow box but it was nearly 15k investment but my entire yard is covered 2" thick in fake snow and it sprays across the entire 15-20m front yard making it look like its snowing.
 
thewanderingpine said:
That sounds awesome but probably out of the budget.
Click to expand...
Beamz sell a unit that is similar style.
E.e. a road case and a hose that extends out.
When I saw them in a showroom, they were literally rusting after a few test runs.

My smaller units have rusted greatly but I keep repairing them. The white one is almost 10 years old.

Pumps for the small ones are about $13 off AliExpress.
 
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