"Dancing Fountain"?

Hi Group,

Forgive me if I'm in the wrong place, but you guys seem to know what
you're talking about. Please point me in the right direction if you
have any clue what I'm talking about.

I would like to build (or attempt to build) a water fountain that
squirts jets of water (continuously or in pulses) similar to the
"dancing fountains" at the EPCOT center in Disney World or as shown in
the pictures at www.waltzingwaters.com, but on a MUCH smaller scale.
I'd like to try just to do one very small (18-20 inches) fountain like
this in my back yard.

I realize that you guys are a "ponds" group, but what do you think
would be the best thing to search for for more information on this? I
tried "dancing fountain" and "water fountain" but came up with blanks.

Thanks guys,
Ian

Courageous wrote:


I would like to build (or attempt to build) a water fountain that
squirts jets of water (continuously or in pulses) similar to the
"dancing fountains" at the EPCOT center in Disney World or as shown in
the pictures at www.waltzingwaters.com, but on a MUCH smaller scale.
I'd like to try just to do one very small (18-20 inches) fountain like
this in my back yard.

Hrm. I don't know what the EPCOT fountains do, however I do know a
bit about pumps and timing electronics.

Tell me what you want to achieve.

I should warn you that all fountains of type I am imagining that
you are planning are driven by dedicated computers. This is a non
trivial project. A friend of mine has the most elaborate water
fountain in private hands west of the mississipi. As impressive
as that sounds, the fountain really isn't that big, and it costs
more than you care to know.

C//

I can think of a few ways to do that but the easiest and best would be
to have maybe 3 or 4 solenoid valves (asco is one brand) that have
coils that fire with low voltage, maybe 9v. I would plumb each to
whatever jets I want to shoot. Then I would figure how to time them
-- what I might try is to get a dj light show thing that makes lights
go off and on with music. Then I would hook up the solenoids to the
different frequencies, hook them up to a pump, and voila, (oh, put a
strobe light in there somewhere, and it's game on. Kim

On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 23:30:12 -0700, jc wrote:

Courageous wrote:


I would like to build (or attempt to build) a water fountain that
squirts jets of water (continuously or in pulses) similar to the
"dancing fountains" at the EPCOT center in Disney World or as shown in
the pictures at www.waltzingwaters.com, but on a MUCH smaller scale.
I'd like to try just to do one very small (18-20 inches) fountain like
this in my back yard.

Hrm. I don't know what the EPCOT fountains do, however I do know a
bit about pumps and timing electronics.

Tell me what you want to achieve.

I should warn you that all fountains of type I am imagining that
you are planning are driven by dedicated computers. This is a non
trivial project. A friend of mine has the most elaborate water
fountain in private hands west of the mississipi. As impressive
as that sounds, the fountain really isn't that big, and it costs
more than you care to know.

C//

I can think of a few ways to do that but the easiest and best would be
to have maybe 3 or 4 solenoid valves (asco is one brand) that have
coils that fire with low voltage, maybe 9v. I would plumb each to
whatever jets I want to shoot. Then I would figure how to time them
-- what I might try is to get a dj light show thing that makes lights
go off and on with music. Then I would hook up the solenoids to the
different frequencies, hook them up to a pump, and voila, (oh, put a
strobe light in there somewhere, and it's game on. Kim


For the controller, I would look into the "Stamp" micro computers

some info he

http://www.edn.com/archives/1994/101394/21di4.htm


--
Charles

Does not play well with others.

Thanks for the tips guys. I remember there being some unique mechanics
behind the process that these companies use to create the streams of
water that "stick together." Without it the water seperates from the
stream and causes it to spread out and not be a single stream anymore.
Does that ring a bell to anyone? There was/is an exhibit on it at the
Seattle Science Museum (back a few years ago when i visited).

I would like to build (or attempt to build) a water fountain that
squirts jets of water (continuously or in pulses) similar to the
"dancing fountains" at the EPCOT center in Disney World or as shown in
the pictures at www.waltzingwaters.com, but on a MUCH smaller scale.
I'd like to try just to do one very small (18-20 inches) fountain like
this in my back yard.

Hrm. I don't know what the EPCOT fountains do, however I do know a
bit about pumps and timing electronics.

Tell me what you want to achieve.

I should warn you that all fountains of type I am imagining that
you are planning are driven by dedicated computers. This is a non
trivial project. A friend of mine has the most elaborate water
fountain in private hands west of the mississipi. As impressive
as that sounds, the fountain really isn't that big, and it costs
more than you care to know.

C//

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks for the tips guys. I remember there being some unique mechanics
behind the process that these companies use to create the streams of
water that "stick together." Without it the water seperates from the
stream and causes it to spread out and not be a single stream anymore.
Does that ring a bell to anyone? There was/is an exhibit on it at the
Seattle Science Museum (back a few years ago when i visited).
===================
The most beautiful dancing waters I have ever seen were at Opryland Hotel in
the huge indoor atrium they have. It was breathtaking. Someone told me
they did away with it though, and also got rid of the beautiful koi they
had.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." NAMES ARE BEING FORGED.
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

wrote in message
ups.com...
Thanks for the tips guys. I remember there being some unique mechanics
behind the process that these companies use to create the streams of
water that "stick together." Without it the water seperates from the
stream and causes it to spread out and not be a single stream anymore.
Does that ring a bell to anyone? There was/is an exhibit on it at the
Seattle Science Museum (back a few years ago when i visited).

Just from foggy memory, I think Epcot spent like 3 MILLION developing their
system you see running.

I'm sure it can be done much cheaper now, but it still might be pretty
expensive.

I worked at Disneyworld, and remember something about expensive high
pressure pumps that had to be able to push the water very quickly in short
bursts, and them having to replace one that cost a 80,000 or so. (Of course
Disney wants them to run 24/7 for years.)

I was just talking to one of the guys working on them backstage, so I don't
really have any more info then this.

--
Gareee's Homepage:
http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine.../mainframe.htm

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Courageous writes:
trivial project. A friend of mine has the most elaborate water
fountain in private hands west of the mississipi. As impressive
as that sounds, the fountain really isn't that big, and it costs
more than you care to know.

any more info on this?
I'd love to see pics!

As to the physics of coherent water streams, try:
http://www.google.com/search?q=coherent+water+stream

IIRC it has to do with nozzle design and perhaps removing air.
The Carnegie Science center had/has a display. Last i saw it it was
falling into disrepair. A shame, really.

My wife and I had a tradition of waiting out the traffic when leaving
Kennywood Park at closing. We'd sit near the dancing fountain and
occationally waltz to the music. One year, they didn't play the
"final" song that they usually play. We ended up getting locked in the
park.... quite surreal actually.



--
be safe.
flip
Ich habe keine Ahnung was das bedeutet, oder vielleicht doch?
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trivial project. A friend of mine has the most elaborate water
fountain in private hands west of the mississipi. As impressive
as that sounds, the fountain really isn't that big, and it costs
more than you care to know.

any more info on this?
I'd love to see pics!

It's not nearly as impressive as you'd think for the "most elaborate
fountain in (oops, "residential") private hands west of the mississippi."
Still, it's pretty cool. Lots of well timed blurps of water, laser colors,
synchronized to music. His fountain and gazebo are on a dedicated lot.
Local Republican convention central, if you get my drift. This is a six
figure affair.

But no, I don't have any pictures. Although I suppose I could ask for
some.

C//