Topic: A weather geek Man Cave! Suggestions, ideas, and more

[danandrewswx]

Ok, so I have become obsessed with a weather geek man cave. So first here is my website for links and everything http://www.pressjacket.com/2016/07/the-weather-geeks-man-cave-ideas.html Highlights, Indoor rain curtain, tornado in a box, skywarn barware! Any other ideas? Let's make this happen!

[SLOweather]

One thing I have wanted to do for years is a "rain window". It's a regular window sash complete with curtains mounted on, say, a 6" deep or deeper frame. The inside back would be painted or covered with a typical outdoor scene. The inside would be water proof. A controller of some sort (RPi/Arduino/etc) would control a fan, water pump or 2 with some spray heads of some sort, maybe some valves, sky lighting and a strobe light, along with a sound synthesizer to reproduce thunder and wind sounds. Programmed correctly, it would simulate a rain storm from start to finish.

Or, sync the hardware to a CD like this:



If you really wanted to make it more realistic, you could build a false wall a foot and a half or 2 out from another wall, and have a couple of windows and more room for special effects.

[Jáchym]

How about something like attaching water nozzles to the ceiling That would make it even more realistic 

[Josiah]

How about something like attaching water nozzles to the ceiling That would make it even more realistic 

I couldn't help but laugh at this one. You would definitely know when it rains.

ahh... the ambience... 

[Garth Bock]

My high school art teacher had built a piece that was made of a wood sash window over a wooden box. Kind of like an huge shadow box. It was electro-mechanical and had sound and lights built into it. When it was turned on you could see through the window the image of a sunny day with trees in the background. As time progressed the light inside would slowly dim and you could hear thunder occasionally. It would progress until a huge lightning flash, and then "rain" (via water pump) would start hitting the inside of the window. The rain would slowly increase to the point of a heavy storm (via air fans blowing the rain against the inside of the window). The sound track had the sound of the wind and then......squealing tires in the distance. You then heard the approach of an ambulance with red and blue lights reflecting in one corner of the window like it was just down the road. Then you heard the ambulance pull away. The rain storm continued for a couple of more minutes and then faded away with the darkness slowly giving way to a sunny day scene again. It was awesome. The art piece's point was I think about reckless driving in bad conditions. This was back in the 80's. He died of a heart attack back in the late 90's. I don't know where the art piece went.

[danandrewswx]

Hey everyone updated it a little more but I think I found the best solution to creating a visual weather

[youtube]https://youtu.be/DqOWyL5S1UE[/youtube]

[SLOweather]

There's also something like the LA County Museum of Art's Rain Room. (lotsa Google hits, here's the LA Times article:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-lacma-rain-room-20151028-story.html)

In it rain pours from the ceiling in a torrent... Except where you are standing... You can walk around and the rainless area stays with you. (controlled by cameras and computers and, I suppose, a jillion valves...)


Good pix at http://imgur.com/gallery/k3HkU.

[PaulMy]

In it rain pours from the ceiling in a torrent... Except where you are standing... You can walk around and the rainless area stays with you. (controlled by cameras and computers and, I suppose, a jillion valves...)

I would just hope that works as it is supposed to when wearing my Sunday best...

Paul

[danandrewswx]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/SWYo6rJPaEY[/youtube]

I give you all my prototype! Ok sure it ain't much, but it is a cool start. So what have I learned so far on the Ultimate Man Cave Weather Center Build?  The key to creating an awesome weather shack. Correction! Weather Geek  Command  Center, is to purchase led bar shelf tops. For an example click here http://amzn.to/2b70y5a . Then go online and get a few Gallelio thermometers. Then just set it up.

For now,  I have created a makeshift led light up using Energizer flat flashlights 

[Garth Bock]

How about something like attaching water nozzles to the ceiling That would make it even more realistic 

I couldn't help but laugh at this one. You would definitely know when it rains.

ahh... the ambience... 

At the Grand Country Theater and Buffet in Branson, Mo. they have an indoor mini-golf next to the restaurant area. Every so often while you are eating you will hear occasional thunder, then the lights will dim over the mini-golf area and then it will 'rain' over the plants along the mini-golf course. The 'storm' ends and then the lights brighten back up.

[chief-david]

fans that can do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD8ZZjeQmC4

and a gun that can do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pot7UI5SLb8

[Jáchym]

Another essential piece of equipment for your weather geek Man Cave

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home/toasteroid-smart-toaster/

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/embed/cxFnf-LR-Ps[/youtube]

0:49