# Le Maitre True North Snow Machine Fix



## Chris Chapman (Feb 22, 2007)

Hye folks, 

I need a suggestion. We have 2 Le Maitre True North Snow machines and one of them has a torn filter sock on the front. That means when Snow machine #2 fires, it always has a thicker more sudsy output. I'm waiting on a reply from Le Maitre's tech department, but has anyone replaced a sock on a Snow Machine before? 

The sock seems to be glued onto the output nozzel as well, so any attempt to fix results in a bigger tear.

Show fix #1 was to reposition the sock and secure it with a zip tie. Didn't work so well as soap and vibration caused the sock to loosen.

Show fix #2 was to reposition the sock and secure it with rubber bands. Worked "slightly" better than the zip tie.

"Why don't you just sew it back up?" The rip extends into the area that is glued onto the nozzle. A clean sewing fix "seems" to be impossible.

-Chris


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## jonhirsh (Feb 23, 2007)

I would say replacing it seems like your best option. 

You could try some speaker cloth and make your own cone temporarily.


JH


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## ship (Feb 23, 2007)

Despise snow machines... years upon years of having to prep them for their few times a year usage. Hopefully yours are a lot better than the really old and loud ones I have to deal with. One just last year became spare parts perminantly/finally in having one less to constantly fix or replace a pump on once run dry... six more to go.

If the sock is anything like is used on CITC snow machines, I'm not aware of problems with them slipping off the PVC nozzle that comes out of the air pump - this as long as the cable tie were tight enough and pushed back far enough. I have always used a cable tie, but perhaps that cable tie while it does not slip off, might be in part a reason why they leak as bad as they do - beyond in general being despised. I'll have to try the rubber band concept next time they are in for service, or my own solution given your observation.


Are the socks stuck due to adhesive or due to the bubble solution sticking the sock to the nozzle?

A better option if it's both leaking and the cable tie doesn't hold well would be a thin layer of adhesive backed neopreme of some type stuck to the surface that the sock was to adhere to. A cable tie around the sock than would have some spongyness to grab onto, and it would be water tight.

I always take the sock and airaiter vent off and soak them immediately after use or they get clogged up, but again it's a different machine and using different fluid. I also immediately after use flush the system with water, leave water in the hoses and plug up both ends - airaiters & filters removed and cleaned in water - than left in water to soak in storage. Bags either live between shows in a bottled water container with the filters so they don't dry up given the harsh chemicals they are saturated with, or are sent home and washed in a laundry machine.

Socks are simple enough but it's a question of what fabric is used. I normally just buy extra ones so once they become really scummy or ratty and soaking them doesn't help, I can change them out for fresh ones. Don't think I have had any with holes in them - they normally get scummy or ratty thus don't allow bubbles thru long before holes develop.


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## Chris Chapman (Feb 27, 2007)

I got the replacement quote from Le Maitre. It's a $7.00 part. So replacement is the way of the beast.

The original design has the sock glued to the cone. 

The True North machine have decent ouput, but they too are loud. With enough baffling around them they become "acceptable" but are not still not quiet. I ended up building a snow bad for quiet applications.

The old ways are still the best.

-Chris


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## tekgoddess (Feb 27, 2013)

I thought I was old but..what the heck is a snow bad (bed)?


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## derekleffew (Feb 27, 2013)

A simple typographical error.

Chris Chapman said:


> ... I ended up building a snow bad for quiet applications.
> The old ways are still the best.


OP meant snow ba*g*, aka snow cradle.
.


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## porkchop (Mar 1, 2013)

The OP seems to have found a solution but just for future notice those snow machines are very very touchy about that sock and any homemade (or repaired) sock will produce different results. Buy a new one if you damage/loose the existing sock.


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