Snow Machines .. any advice?

[Count Bassy]

I'm looking for a snow machine for will probably be a one off use at a gig between Christmas and New Year (as possibly once a year thereafter). It will be used in a smallish covered outside area, total audience capacity probably around 60. I'm really only looking to squirt some snow over the band (area of around 5 x 2.5 metres), not over the whole audience. It wouldn't have to be a blizzard, just enough to be seen and raise a smile.

However I know absolutely nothing about them!. [size=4]Looking on E-bay they seem to start at around £50 (new), but is something around this price going to worth having at all? What wattage should I be looking for etc?[/size]

[size=4]It is going to be a bit off a one off "gimmick" for a laugh, so I wouldn't want to spend too much. £40 would be OK, £70 possible, - beyond that gets hard to justify.[/size]

[size=4](If I make the "investment" it will probably snow for real!)[/size]

[size=4](I've just seen that, even in a cheap machine, 1 Litre of "snow fluid" only gives about 7 minutes of snow)[/size]

[size=4]Thanks in advance.[/size]

Edited December 8, 2013 by Count Bassy

[gelfin]

Electrovision are cheap(ish) on most things like this.

[url="http://www.electrovision.co.uk/homepage.aspx?sectioncode=00330130"]http://www.electrovision.co.uk/homepage.aspx?sectioncode=00330130[/url]

Don't expect it to last forever though.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1386537339' post='2301274']
I've just seen that, even in a cheap machine, 1 Litre of "snow fluid" only gives about 7 minutes of snow
[/quote]
'Snow fluid'... Isn't that called water?

[pete.young]

As a pogues tribute, we could use a snow machine on every gig. The cheap ones are utterly useless, it's much better to hire a really expensive one for a one off gig.

[Happy Jack]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiQK8dLXy5E

[discreet]

I was going to make a rock band joke about snow being slang for cocaine, but I can't think of anything.

Edited December 8, 2013 by discreet

[seashell]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1386540051' post='2301321']
I was going to make a rock band joke about snow being slang for cocaine, but I can't think of anything.
[/quote]

That's not good enough. Go and sit in your shed until you come up with something.

[rogerstodge]

We used to hire one every year rather than buy one, not a clue what wattage it was or how much fluid it used but it sure kicked out a blizzard