Updated: Project Giant TechSmith Snow Spork
Posted on Tuesday February 1, 2011 by Betsy Weber
Tagged as:
The blizzard is over here in Michigan and the giant snow spork is still standing. We're taking the spork offline for now. Thanks for tuning in! Until the next blizzard...
Everyone has been preparing for the giant snow storm that's hitting the country. In Okemos, Michigan, where TechSmith is located, they're calling for a foot or more of snow!
We thought it'd be fun to make a time lapse video to show the snow fall. But, we wanted to add a special twist. I figured if we just put a measuring stick out in the snow, it'd probably fall over. We needed something more substantial that could withstand all the snow and wind. And, most importantly... why not do something different?
If you know me, you know I love sporks. We even have TechSmith Titanium sporks. A spork is durable, useful, and well engineered. And, those are the same qualities we needed for something to measure the snow fall. That's where the idea came from to make a giant version of the TechSmith spork to measure the snow fall. Why not?!
Conan Heiselt, an instructional designer, and I headed out to get supplies. Everyone at the hardware store thought we were crazy when we explained what we wanted to make. After gathering all the supplies, we came back to TechSmith and got to work on the giant spork. It ended up being taller than I am (I'm 5'6")! We attached a measuring stick to it and took it outside my office. You can see some pics of us building the giant snow spork here.
Tune in live, right now! You can see the giant snow spork plus our snowfall at TechSmith's office - Just hit the play button below
Enjoy our beautiful Michigan snowfall! And, stay warm! Oh, and what should we do with the giant spork after we use it to measure the snow?
Thanks to Conan Heiselt for making the giant snow spork, Kelly Rush, our videographer, for setting up the tech on this project (live stream, computer, cameras, etc), Jordan Skole, our intern for the idea to record the snow fall, and Lucas Anthony, our Logistics Coordinator, for adding the final touches (logo and decorations).
Comments (19)
Idea for the snow spork: donate it to the Cooley Entrepreneurial Law Society, and we'll make it an award for a local innovator to keep until the next winner...sort of like the Stanley Spork!
Posted by Evan Balmer | February 1, 2011 8:09 PM
Posted on February 1, 2011 20:09
It might not be apparent because the camera isn't giving enough detail, but the top of the measuring stick is 47 inches, and the bottom of the stick is buried in the snow, less than 1/2" from the exposed ground.
I like snow as much as any Michigander...but hopefully the top of the measuring stick is still visible tomorrow morning! :)
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 1, 2011 9:08 PM
Posted on February 1, 2011 21:08
Love the music! Can't wait to see accumulations in the morning.
Posted by Mary Mertz-SMith | February 1, 2011 10:59 PM
Posted on February 1, 2011 22:59
@Mary Mertz-SMith: Glad you're enjoying the smooth jazz! I had it set up, but broke it a while ago. Finally figured out how to get it back up and running though! :)
For those of you still awake, here is a good liveblog of Snowpocalypse 2011! :)
http://annarbor.com/vielmetti/live-chat-for-snow-updates/
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 1, 2011 11:14 PM
Posted on February 1, 2011 23:14
I would eat a salad with it - and then pudding. Thats just me
Posted by One Hungry Dude | February 2, 2011 3:12 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 03:12
I am quite jealousof all the snow you are getting. Thanks for the camera feed.
We don't get this awesomeness here in Germany. It did snow in Heidelberg last night as well... But only quarter of an inch!!
can you user the spork as a snow shovel?
Posted by Anonymous | February 2, 2011 3:51 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 03:51
That anonymous poster was me.
Posted by anton | February 2, 2011 3:53 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 03:53
Has the camera been buried in snow??
Posted by Brent | February 2, 2011 9:31 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 09:31
@Brent The camera doesn't have auto iris so I think Kelly has to log in from home and adjust it for daylight. :-D
Posted by Daniel Foster (TechSmith) | February 2, 2011 10:04 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 10:04
Sorry everyone, I forgot it was daytime! The camera has been adjusted for daytime settings; however, it appears the snow is building up on the window sill, so it's probably going to be tough to see how much snow is on the ground. Unfortunately, I can't move the snow remotely! :P
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 2, 2011 10:55 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 10:55
Sorry everyone, we've hit the brighter part of the day, and I can't get the brightness and exposure to go down any lower. It's probably going to look pretty bright out there for a few hours. Should hopefully be a bit better around 3-4pm EST?
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 2, 2011 11:46 AM
Posted on February 2, 2011 11:46
So, I innocently go to check out the snow spork cam and all of a sudden Walter's frightening mug is waving into the camera. I feel like I just got punk'd!
Posted by Blake | February 2, 2011 12:31 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 12:31
Yeah! Take that Blake! I knew I picked good timing! Mu-ha-ha-ha-ha!
Walter Mitchell Pelowski
Customer Solutions Engineer & Blake's Eternal Adversary
(Despite the "Mu-ha-ha'ing", I'm the one on the side of good.)
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Walter | February 2, 2011 12:44 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 12:44
Heat wave in the DC area 42
Posted by Ron Scott | February 2, 2011 1:06 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 13:06
It's awesomely odd how much I've been enjoying this spork snowcam. Had it on all evening while writing last night, and now enjoying the music and Michigan daytime visuals. Shout out to Bill Scanlon and crew!
Posted by tom vanderbilt | February 2, 2011 3:25 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 15:25
@tom vanderbilt: More smooth jazz fans, I see. :)
Glad you're enjoying it! Looks like it's still a bit washed out, hopefully the visibility will pick up again in another hour or two, and I'll turn up the brightness once it starts to get dark out again.
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 2, 2011 3:29 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 15:29
Looks like the light is going down, and you can see the shovel a bit more now. I'd guess it's at probably 7-9", which makes sense because I got about a foot at my house, and the shovel has a building and a line of big trees blocking the drift.
I'll update the brightness in a bit when it starts to get too dark. Enjoy the rest of the show! :)
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 2, 2011 5:33 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 17:33
Sunny and 49 here in Portland :)
Posted by Brian | February 2, 2011 8:36 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 20:36
@Brian: Show off. :)
Kelly Rush
Marketing Video Producer
TechSmith Corporation
Currently 13 degrees Fahrenheit
Posted by Kelly Rush | February 2, 2011 8:52 PM
Posted on February 2, 2011 20:52