Chronicles of Project: Snowman

[Kayless]

Every year during the first winter snowfall I build a snowman. And each year I try to outdo myself. For example, last year I tried adding details to my snowman (hair, facial features, etc.) however the effect wasn’t particularly dramatic or even very noticeable. This year I opted for something with more grandeur. I decided to go with size over detail. A couple days ago the first snow fell. Thus Project: Snowman began in earnest.

Day 1: Though initially I was planning on completing Project: Snowman all by my lonesome, it didn’t take long for me to realize I needed help. Given the wet snow and occasional rainfall my snowman is really more of an iceman. And giant iceballs weigh a lot more than fluffy snowballs, believe you me. The ball had a diameter of about 3 and half feet before I had to call it quits (after hours of trying to budge it using levers and whatnot). Giving in for now, I settled for rolling the other two balls that would make up the snowman (measuring roughly three and two feet respectively). Fortunately after I had finished for the day I was able to convince my brother to join the project.

Day 2: Due to hectic schedules, we didn’t get started on Project: Snowman until the evening. Together, my brother and I, we managed to increase the size of the bottom ball to a healthy four feet tall (and weighing God knows how many hundreds pounds). We also managed to get the second ball to about the same size. But problems arose when we tried to get the second ball to stack on top of the first. We tried leaning several pieces of plywood as makeshift ramps and pushing the ball up them but it proved too heavy. We attached a comealong to the ball but one of the pieces of plywood snapped like a dry and brittle twig causing the ball to land on my foot (tis’ but a flesh wound). Subsequent attempts to use metal bars as makeshift ramps proved fruitless. Given the lateness of the hour we decided to call it quits for the day. But tomorrow is another day. I will complete you, Snowman. You can break my foot but not my spirit.

I’ll try to get some photos of Project: Snowman posted in a couple of days.

[Brynn]

I sense impressive resoluteness here... Good luck, Kayless! And... take care...

[Paranitis]

You crazy crazy sonofa*****. :P

Maybe you can put each of the 3 pieces together in pieces? Say like..you have the main ball already in place..and instead of picking up the midpiece why don't you slowly build a ball on top of the first one instead of putting the whole thing on at once? Might work.

Oh..and after it is all done..use a spray bottle to spray a mist of water on it so it becomes ice on the outside..then knock it over onto a kitten!

[frogus23]

Do it with a crane.

That's what my mama always told me, before the injunction.

[moltovir]

Use something like this:
http://www.deminiatuurwinkel.nl/images/55071.jpg
Normally I would just tell you what I mean but as I'm Belgian, my English vocabulary doesn't extend further than that of Chewbacca.

[Paranitis]

Moltovir..that is called a "forklift"

[Ned Flanders]

Maybe you should build him on the ground and then prop him up when he's complete and frozen solid.

I like the bit with the plywood cracking.

[JazzyAnna]

You should try and make snow men like in Calvin and Hobbes. Those are awesome. Missing heads, etc. Fun.

[Tower_Master]

You are one officially crazy son of a gun!
Good luck, though - and post the pictures! I had alot of luck cutting the giant balls in half and then sticking them together later (i.e. for the topmost one). Best of wishes in thy quest!

[giles337]

Dude.... hows the snowman coming??? post some phots man!

[Kayless]

Day 3 - 5: Due to a heat spell, Project: Snowman has been put on hold until the weather cools down a bit. The massive balls have shown impressive resilience to the rise in temperature, but I will wait until optimum conditions to continue the project. In the meantime I will attempt to draft more friends and relatives to the project, allowing me to increase the size of the snowballs even further (five feet for the bottom ball would be ideal). Construction of a ramp is also under way.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

[Weasel]

Originally Posted by Kayless

Construction of a ramp is also under way.

Great idea.

I spent sometime thinking on this and was going to put forth an idea for the next time (or year). Start the ball with a small rope ball in the center, letting the rope expand out with the increase of size (In out words letting it go thru out the ball). Then use the comealong with a tripod to lift the balls. Note bigger rope for bigger snowball.

In the extreme case, do as I did with my first car at age 15, use wedges from side to side till you get the motor (snowball in your case) even and then just push it over into the engine compartment (other snowball). (Hey it worked and the motor survived almost a year under my lead foot..then number one rod and parts of the piston went on a trip thru the front left fender. )

The creature called human can get anything done...

[Brynn]

It's so funny Hope the weather cools down and you can go on with it soon.

[Brynn]

Kayless, how is the project going?

[RandomThug]

what is this... snow? Even so what is this "cold weather"... All I see around me is hot sand and beautiful beaches... hmm Southern California... what creature is this man of ? snow?