Fountains on the Playa

Quidam · Post by **Quidam** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 10:02 am

I'm designing a fountain for our camp this year, ludicrous as it might sound. I'd like to hear from anyone who's done work with them at the event before. I'm designing a simple one with a single pump, allowing me to bring plenty of backups.

Any suggestions for keeping the thing from clogging solid? I'm sure there are filters and pre-filters, but thought there might be some hive-mind wisdom that'll save me some head-slappin' down the road.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:07 am

Check this thread out. He might be able to help you.

http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?t=12757

Also, look up Kiki Pettit. She does the Fire Fountains and spends months on her projects. Lots and lots of practical experience from that direction.

falk · Post by **falk** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:26 pm

We didn't have any problems with clogging and we didn't do anything special. Just stock plumbing and a stock fountain pump.

Rusted Iron · Post by **Rusted Iron** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:35 pm

A fountain on an art car, now that didn't work at all.

I thought I could clean it out often enough to keep it running, but no, it turned out I couldn't.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:43 am

You should have pumped Endust[TM].

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 1:59 am

there was also someone who built this fantastic fire fountain. i think it was a naptha mix, but you could dip your hands in it without getting burned.

frenchblue1 · Post by **frenchblue1** » Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:40 am

Love the fountains! Only problem is they make me want to go pee so everytime I aproach one I need to leave quickly. You should see me when it rains.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:51 pm

spectabillis wrote:there was also someone who built this fantastic fire fountain. i think it was a naptha mix, but you could dip your hands in it without getting burned.

Yeah, that's Kiki. She is thee Fountain Goddess. I'm just waiting for the ORG to give her the Man's Pedestal gig...visualize that for a few seconds...

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:29 am

Maybe too late to get it up and running for the playa, but MAKE has a fountain here:
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/20 ... ntain.html
that drips water at predictable intervals, synched with a strobe - make the water fall in slow motion or fall up to source or event stop in mid-air.

Video showing some of the tricks.

Quidam · Post by **Quidam** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 9:32 am

Actually I'm going for UV-reactive water clear acrylic basins & sonic atomizers.

Quidam · Post by **Quidam** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 10:15 am

Say, anyone out there got an idea where I could get metal hoops? Thin metal rod bent in a circle- I need three, 24" diameter, 20" & 16".

I'm going to be hanging the fountain from the inside of a dome and need to make sure the acrylic basins are supported properly.

Lady V · Post by **Lady V** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:34 am

Maybe hang the bowls supported underneath by clear acryclic plates w/holes drilled in for hanging? Can't wait to see this!! Where are you?

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:41 am

Any idea what weight the hoops will be supporting, quidam?

Quidam · Post by **Quidam** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:44 am

The current design for supporting the water basins is to have several chains suspended from the hoop all meeting together at the bottom, connecting to a key ring. The chains will be short enough so that the hoop won't reach the rim of the basin, ensuring that the several chains are distributing the weight evenly. The hoop will then be connected by chain to the keyring on the underside of the basin above.

I'm with Prometheatrics- we're at Esp. & 7:30. The fountain should be visible at night from the street, but you might not notice it because in front of it is a 4' mirror box suspended by bungee from a 16' tripod of aluminum I-beams.

Come check us out.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:44 pm

phil wrote:Maybe too late to get it up and running for the playa, but MAKE has a fountain here:
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/20 ... ntain.html
that drips water at predictable intervals, synched with a strobe - make the water fall in slow motion or fall up to source or event stop in mid-air.

They had something like that at the Steinhard Aquarium. My campmate Pamelita and I were tooling around San Francisco one day some years back and I took her to the Academy of Sciences ('cause it was free admission). We looked at the water arch to the entrance of the aquarium and there was this shining "Playa Project!!" wheels-turning look in both of our eyes.
We agreed it would be an awesome entrance to a dome. One of these years I'll get access to free or cheap plexi and do it.

Lady V · Post by **Lady V** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:26 pm

Quidam, we will definitely be by--we are right around the corner -- Hearts Gone Wild at 7:30 and Anxious!