Snow falling machine are valuable tools for creating a winter wonderland atmosphere in theatrical productions, holiday events, and other themed entertainment. These machines produce a mess-free, realistic snowfall effect that can be used to add depth to stage sets, transform the scenery, and create a memorable experience for your audience. However, the use of a snow falling machine in an event requires careful planning to ensure the safety of all attendees and to avoid damaging any equipment. In addition, it is important to consider the time of day when using a snow falling machine in order to create the desired effect while also ensuring that the equipment is not overworked.
A snow falling machine consists of a cylinder of ice that is shaved by a Forstner-style tungsten carbide bit, which rotates on a vertical axis. This produces a range of flake sizes consistent with observed natural snowflakes, as well as varying densities and surface area. The carbide bit is housed in a half-circular shroud that is lined with foam, and has metal whiskers attached to it to brush off snow buildup (Fig. 3). A fan inside the machine is also used to randomize the distribution pattern of the snowfall, which can otherwise fall in clumps on the ceiling and sidewalls.
The snow is then pumped from the reservoir to a small cloth “sock” at the front of the machine, where it is blown by a high output blower. This air stream is heated by a heat exchanger to keep the snow hot, and is filtered by a fine woven mesh to remove any dirt particles. The nozzle on the top of the machine is adjusted to vary the size of the snowflakes (clusters of bubbles) produced, and the fluid and fan speeds are controlled with a simple control panel, or via DMX.
While many companies claim to have developed their own professional series snow machines, they all use the same basic technology which was originally designed by Fran Guerra of Snowmasters in the 1990’s. The difference between a professional machine from Snowmasters, versus the consumer grade Chauvet/Antari/Flurry/Silent Storm/True North brand name machines is in how realist the snow looks, the number of different size snow flakes (clusters of bubbles) made and the performance in terms of volume and range of the snow spray.
When a company offers to rent or sell a snow machine, it should provide full disclosure of its technical specifications. The type of snow machine is critical in determining the quality and look of the finished result, as well as how easy the machine will be to set up and operate. It is also important to understand the differences between the types of snow machines available, as some are more effective at certain applications than others. For example, the snow machine that David Copperfield used for his special effects in his theater shows was a T-2000, which has a blower and sock that can be separated 100 feet from each other, which allows the use of a special custom nozzle to achieve the very precise snowflake size configuration required for his show.
