Hi all,

I am interested in making a low lying fog machine from ice, or dry ice. Does anybody have the know-how for this?

The Fog Cabin is what I'm looking at for a starting point.
http://www.theatrefx.com/moreinfo_fog_cabin.html

I live in Australia, so it's very unrealistic for me to purchase this and have it shipped. So building something similar would be my best bet.

Scott

The fog cabin is used to cool the fog from a fog machine so that it stays low to the ground. Is this what you are trying to do? To make a good one requires lots of copper pipe, very expensive now -> http://www.kickthefog.com/chiller.htm. I have seen them done from a cooler and they are OK at best. -Criag

Here is a much cheaper way to do it, but larger -Craig

http://ghostsofhalloween.com/projects/fog_chiller/

Contact Jay Scott Berry, he published a book on all types of fog using Dry Ice. He also has a video, check with him. He explained everything.

I built a chiller a few years ago, and it was alright.

If you want to actually use one on stage, its so much easier to just buy one.

Here's a cheap one that may work for you...
http://www.progearwarehouse.com/American-DJ-Mister-Kool

Sam

It's really just a box full of coolant (usually ice) that the fog from an oil or water based fogger passes through before exiting onto your stage. The fog doesn't contact the ice directly, but a coiled hose passes through the ice compartment.

A lot of home made units are built around plastic Colman type picnic coolers, and work the required fittings and hoses into the existing cooler.
Picnic coolers are strong, are insulated to preserve the ice, and have lids so most of the hard work is done.

A dry ice fog machine is a totally different construct and principle, and in your post I don't think you're talking about that type of machine. It requires 20+ pounds of dry ice which is plunged into hot water in order to create massive (but short lived) amounts of floor-hugging fog.

Thanks for all your posts, I have since learned from a very detailed private message that the fog cabin requires its own fog machine and the cooler chills the fog, therefore keeping it low-lying to the ground. silverking has explained the principle, thanks. I'll be making one of these.

Has anyone had experience using the dry ice & hot water fog effect? How well did it go?

Previous post on this subject:

Dry Ice Fog

Scott

The theatre I used to work at (and still do occasionally) has a Le Maitre 'Pea Souper'. Its basically a large black case on wheels with a lid. A mesh cage inside on a handle which can be lowered from outside, hot water in the bottom, heated by a large kettle element. When you want dry ice, you lower the basket of pellets (can't remember their proper name) into the hot water and the dry ice effect is created. It comes out of a spout on the front which we attached a hose to. The problem with doing it like this is that you have to buy the pellets in (usually delivered by BOC in England). They're pretty expensive these days. Last time we used them it was £15 just for the cardboard carrier for them. Then you have to wear special gloves to stop the ice burning you. Its a lot of hassle (and expense) but gives off a great effect.

Mark

One easy way is to use a wet/dry shop vac. Add a heater unit (if you are going to run it a long sustained time(. Then drill a hole in the top to lower a wire basket into the water.

Two things control the amount of fog primarily. The temperature of the water and the amount of contact surfaces of the dry ice available. I aways prefill the can with hot water.

You can also take a plastic drum with a lid, add a blower, intake and exhaust tubes and use the same basket arrangment. frankily the shop vac is an easier way to go. BTW, once you lower the dry ice into the water, start the exhaust so the lid does not blow off.


Richard