In 2012, we upgraded the hose that we used, since last year, we had an ice dam create a hose explosion all over Lee Brasher. Also, we procured a 50' length of rain gutter heat cable. We will alternate as previously mentioned running the heat cable while the hose is off from running the hose with the heat cable off. Hopefully, this will allow the Ice Thing to withstand warmer weather longer.
Currently, we have plans of creating this year's rendition on 11/17/12.
Currently, we have plans of creating this year's rendition on 11/17/12.
In 2011, we introduced something new to our Christmas display -- a HUGE Ice... Thing. This creation was inspired by one of my father-in-law's neighbors Chet Parker. Here is an image from his Ice Thing in 2011.
Ice Thing 1.0 was created on Christmas Eve with the help of a great friend Lee Brasher. We used a chain-link fence pole top and stood it vertically in the center of our trampoline frame. This pole was secured through some very light-weight twine guy-wires. Although we saw a lot of growth in the first day or so, within a week, the weight of the ice caused an inevitable crash and dashed our hearts.
Nevertheless, we were determined to try again, so on New Year's Eve, Lee and I got together and created Ice Thing 2.0. In this rendition, we utilized a 20' floor truss that was leftover from the build of the house. We stood the truss on end and, with a much heavier gauge twine, and T-post farmer fence poles, we erected a new display. Although we were very proud of this creation, the warm winter caused the beauty and majesty to be short-lived.
One other major take-away from 2.0 was the learning that we had to seriously consider the implications of water against the creation. During warm days, the water from the sprinkler at the top would melt the sculpture. At night, the water would freeze. We learned that it was desirable to turn off the water when the weather was above freezing, however were very afraid of the hose freezing up. Consequently, we needed to drain the hose line every time we shut off the water - a huge pain. In retrospect, we think it would be beneficial to use one of those rain-gutter melters strapped to the hose to keep the hose from siezing up during the day. Ultimately desirable would be to have a valve automatically open during freezing weather and automatically close when the temperature rises. This valve would open at the same time that the rain-gutter melter would turn off, thus only running the rain-gutter melter during the daytime hours. At night-time, the movement of the water would prevent freezing and make the melter unnecessary and not cost effective to run.
Ice Thing 2.0 - Found an old truss behind the house that was surplus from building the house. Plenty of guy-wires, a sprinkler on the top, and lots of cold weather should turn out a cool ice thing... This design should last longer than the last design did...
Ice Thing 2.0 -- 2.5 days in.
Ice Thing 2.0 - 13.5 days in
Ice Thing 2.0 - 16.5 days in. Temp has really dropped the past few days...
Ice Thing 2.0 - 17.5 days in...
Yes, I am inside.
Climbing through...
21 days in. The rain and warm weather has not been good for this project.
Ice Thing 1.0 was created on Christmas Eve with the help of a great friend Lee Brasher. We used a chain-link fence pole top and stood it vertically in the center of our trampoline frame. This pole was secured through some very light-weight twine guy-wires. Although we saw a lot of growth in the first day or so, within a week, the weight of the ice caused an inevitable crash and dashed our hearts.
Nevertheless, we were determined to try again, so on New Year's Eve, Lee and I got together and created Ice Thing 2.0. In this rendition, we utilized a 20' floor truss that was leftover from the build of the house. We stood the truss on end and, with a much heavier gauge twine, and T-post farmer fence poles, we erected a new display. Although we were very proud of this creation, the warm winter caused the beauty and majesty to be short-lived.
One other major take-away from 2.0 was the learning that we had to seriously consider the implications of water against the creation. During warm days, the water from the sprinkler at the top would melt the sculpture. At night, the water would freeze. We learned that it was desirable to turn off the water when the weather was above freezing, however were very afraid of the hose freezing up. Consequently, we needed to drain the hose line every time we shut off the water - a huge pain. In retrospect, we think it would be beneficial to use one of those rain-gutter melters strapped to the hose to keep the hose from siezing up during the day. Ultimately desirable would be to have a valve automatically open during freezing weather and automatically close when the temperature rises. This valve would open at the same time that the rain-gutter melter would turn off, thus only running the rain-gutter melter during the daytime hours. At night-time, the movement of the water would prevent freezing and make the melter unnecessary and not cost effective to run.
Ice Thing 2.0 - Found an old truss behind the house that was surplus from building the house. Plenty of guy-wires, a sprinkler on the top, and lots of cold weather should turn out a cool ice thing... This design should last longer than the last design did...
Ice Thing 2.0 -- 2.5 days in.
Ice Thing 2.0 - 13.5 days in
Ice Thing 2.0 - 16.5 days in. Temp has really dropped the past few days...
Ice Thing 2.0 - 17.5 days in...
Yes, I am inside.
Climbing through...
21 days in. The rain and warm weather has not been good for this project.