Spray Pattern

[Arbalist]

Has anyone seen any information out there about water nozzles to produce specific spray patterns?
I want to build a cat deterrent water spray and would prefer to make a small nozzle rather than jury rig a hand spray. Most hand sprays are not very durable and obviously don't lend themselves to my application! I'm thinking a pattern around 5 times wider than it is high would be best. Any help much appreciated.

[lordedmond]

Just use a good power washer that should do the trick

We have none of the scratchy bitey. Things but one side has seven the other one so you can guess what they use our garden for

My best deterrent to date is a square biscuit tin lid picture this

Me in the workshop with said lid cat creeping about ,out goes the lid on the the concrete the cat took the quick route over the pond got halfway across before it sank

Stuart

[tom osselton]

I like the supersoakers

[Bigbadbugga]

 
We have a west highland terrier with a hatred for cats.

[chipenter]

You could use five small nozels one atop the the outher .

[vtsteam]

As usual I'd personally just try experimenting probably with some plastic water pipe and a few end caps to get the slot size right.

You can make a larger hole than the finished slot, then use two opposing shutters out of thin sheet metal (razor blades even) with vertical screw slots in them, screwed onto the cap end. Move them closer together to narrow the slot until you have the pattern and flow you want. That will give you the finished slot dimensions that you can apply to "real" materials if you make something brass and fancy. Or just go with the experimental rig if it suits.

Refinement would be milling an internal taper behind the final slot.

[mklotz]

Sprinkler head nozzles come in a wide variety of fixed patterns as well as adjustable models.  They're cheap and come already threaded so it's easy to change them out.

[Of course, English weather being what it is, perhaps sprinkler systems are unknown in the green and pleasant land.]

Edit:  Or you might consider one of these...

http://www.amazon.com/Contech-CRO101-Scarecrow-Activated-Sprinkler/dp/B000071NUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405610558&sr=8-1&keywords=scarecrow+water+sprinkler

[awemawson]

"[Of course, English weather being what it is, perhaps sprinkler systems are unknown in the green and pleasant land.]"

Heat wave here today Marv

[Arbalist]

32° expected in London in the next couple of days Marv! I have seen that sprinkler but it's cheaply made and I need to use it on a path so the spike could be a problem. I can get a solenoid quite cheap and I have a PIR somewhere that may work.

[greenie]

Heat wave here today Marv

Heat wave ??????????, you mean to say it got over 20 Celcius and the ice cream started to melt ???????

[awemawson]

Yes Greenie, it was a heatwave here in East Sussex - dangerously hot for some of my livestock. 33 deg C expected tomorrow. You don't disclose where in the world you are, where are you?

[vtsteam]

Uh oh, climate dueling ahead! 

You call that hot, By gum I seen it so hot here I had to build a campfire just to cool off!

[awemawson]

We had a hot spell a few weeks back - just an odd day or so and not quite a hot as this one - but sadly we lost a young lamb from heat stroke. They're that little bit older now but it's still a danger.

[greenie]

Ahh, Australia, ------------------- Brisbane actually, winter here now, but just last January it got to 42 degrees Celsius, now that's what you call hot.

regards  greenie

[Arbalist]

For inhabited areas few places compete with Cyprus, 50° a few years back.

[vtsteam]

Sorry about the stock situation, Andrew. I imagine they are different than the type acclimatized to Australia, or probably here for that matter. (there's been a small return to shepherding here because of the recent interest in sheep's milk for specialty cheeses, but holstein dairy herds are the main farming tradition here.)

Acclimation makes a difference.  I always say 40 degrees (F) in the fall is a completely different temperature than 40 degrees in the spring!

[awemawson]

The pigs just love it when I give them a good hosing down. Caper about and come back for more!

[vtsteam]

What about the cats?

[awemawson]

Never tried spraying the pigs with cats

[Arbalist]

What about the cats?

Thanks. I checked out one if my PIR's and set on the lowest time interval it's still staying on too long. 3 or 4 seconds would be ideal if I can get it.

Update: I've checked another of my units and the booklet says the minimum time period is five seconds so that should be fine. The max output for the PIR says 1000w and it's only fitted with a 150w lamp so I can piggy back on the lamp terminals in the connection box. Need to buy the solenoid I've seen now.

[BaronJ]

My best deterrent to date is a square biscuit tin lid picture this

Me in the workshop with said lid cat creeping about ,out goes the lid on the the concrete the cat took the quick route over the pond got halfway across before it sank

Stuart

Stuart,  I like your style...  That is one I'll have to remember !

[shaddr3]

I don't quite understand what you are using to spray. Spray bottle? Pressure Water pump? House water pressure (hose)? If you want high pressure, I can offer some help with nozzles and selections.

BTW I love my three cats! 

[Arbalist]

I love my three cats too which is why I'm doing it. The smell from these other cats messing on our drive is pretty bad as well!

I'm going to hook this up to the outside tap and trigger it with a PIR.



I'll use a hand spray for the test and if all goes well it'll all get mounted up as a readily movable unit. I'll have to make a boot for the terminals on the valve to keep them dry as well.

[Arbalist]

I should have said earlier that you can actually buy these.

http://www.gardensupplydirect.co.uk/pest_control/contech_scarecrow_water_spinkler_deterrent/10592_p.html

They get pretty poor reviews for durability and as you can see they are extremely flimsy. They aren't cheap either.

This guys made one, I don't need the camera though it would be fun!

     

[BaronJ]

What about the cats?

Thanks. I checked out one if my PIR's and set on the lowest time interval it's still staying on too long. 3 or 4 seconds would be ideal if I can get it.

Update: I've checked another of my units and the booklet says the minimum time period is five seconds so that should be fine. The max output for the PIR says 1000w and it's only fitted with a 150w lamp so I can piggy back on the lamp terminals in the connection box. Need to buy the solenoid I've seen now.

A quick look in your local scrapyard for a automatic washing machine will get you at least a couple for next to nowt.  I know that in my local one there must be at least 4 or 5.  Just needs a philips screwdriver and a pair of pliers.