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Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:47 pm
by Abby
Hi, I am new here, and have been perusing the web for days trying to determine the "best" device for our Halloween party. I have had fog machines in the past, and wasn't pleased, but they were $20 jobs that leaked. I have also used dry ice, but found it very inconvenient . I had a crock pot in a cauldron, and added pieces, effective, but annoying to have to man.
We will have a small indoor party, and I want a carpet of fog basically.
My questions are:
What are the best ground fog machines (low lying fog), reasonably priced. around?
Is there a certain wattage that is best, and brand for fog machines?
Should I make a fog chiller myself?
Is there a decent, cheap commercial fog chiller on the market?
If I make a chiller, what is the best way?
I have seen just a PVC pipe, with a grate duct taped to the end, and filled with dry ice then slid over a fog machine, that looks easy, but how good is it?
I have seen the much more elaborate ones made too, ice chests, chicken wire, PVC and regular ice, or dryer ducts in trash cans filled with regular ice... but I have no idea what is best for a low lying fog.
Are the Mister Kool machines worth $200, does the fog stay low?
Help?
Re: Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 2:59 pm
by Haunt Master
Abby wrote:Hi, I am new here, and have been perusing the web for days trying to determine the "best" device for our Halloween party. I have had fog machines in the past, and wasn't pleased, but they were $20 jobs that leaked. I have also used dry ice, but found it very inconvenient . I had a crock pot in a cauldron, and added pieces, effective, but annoying to have to man.
We will have a small indoor party, and I want a carpet of fog basically.
My questions are:
What are the best ground fog machines (low lying fog), reasonably priced. around? Any brands would be around $20 - $80.
Is there a certain wattage that is best, and brand for fog machines? Depends from the instructions on the box or on the back of fog machine.
Should I make a fog chiller myself?
Is there a decent, cheap commercial fog chiller on the market?
I've never done doing it myself.
If I make a chiller, what is the best way? I don't know. I stopped using dry ice a few years ago because they're dangerous.
I have seen just a PVC pipe, with a grate duct taped to the end, and filled with dry ice then slid over a fog machine, that looks easy, but how good is it? Well, really don't know how to answer this.
I have seen the much more elaborate ones made too, ice chests, chicken wire, PVC and regular ice, or dryer ducts in trash cans filled with regular ice... but I have no idea what is best for a low lying fog.
Are the Mister Kool machines worth $200, does the fog stay low?
I believe I saw this one, but come on... if it's expensive, then I suggest you not to buy over the hefty price! I suggest cheaper ones!
Well, if you spend more than hundreds of dollars, then please take very, very good care of it! I let you know never to leave the fog machine outside, any outdoors when the weather is cold, it will BREAK easily! Keep it indoors where the temperature is right for fog machine to stay in all the time.
Help?
If you wish to find out more answers about fog machine, chiller, and dry ice - I recommend you to search Google online.
www.google.com and you have to type in the keyword "fog machine", "dry ice", etc. Hopeful this will help you.
Re: Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:37 pm
by OctoberChill
Both at Party City and Garden Ridge I've seen fog machines that have a compartment built in where you can put the ice. They run right at $50. If you factor in the price of a regular fog machine plus the materials for the chiller and the time it takes to make one I'd say it's not a bad deal.
I don't however know how well they work. I'll check around online and see if I can find the exact one and see if there are any reviews on it. I don't want to recommend a piece of <deleted>.
I've seen some very very nice homemade chillers. Depending on how crafty you are that might be the better route. I'm sure you can rig something pretty basic that's going to be effective and give the effect you want.
I'll try to find some links for you tonight.
Re: Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:17 pm
by OctoberChill
Check these links out.
www.gotfog.com
http://www.partycity.com/cgi-bin/partie ... 10&&zoom=1
I personally think that low lying fogger would be your best bet. If you have it inside though you may get some residue, mostly around the machine itself. It shouldn't be a big deal though. Just make sure you put something underneath it obviously to catch any leakage. Unless you get a really expensive machine it's going to be a little bit messy. Every fog machine I've dealt with is.
Hope this helps. Be sure to come back and post pics of your party
Re: Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2008 12:15 pm
by SpookShowBaby
The party city fog machines are pretty decent and actually not too messy. Dry ice is neat but doesn't last very long, and especially not overnight.
Re: Fog machines, chillers or dry ice
Posted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 3:39 pm
by SappySwami
I bought one of those styrofoam coolers at a grocery store, and used the instructions on gotfog.com to build my first fog chiller a few years back, and it worked great. The fog machines with the built in compartment for ice just don't hold enough ice I feel, and it doesn't cool it for very long, while a chiller lets the fog run through it for a lot longer.
For a witches brew type of effect, instead of dry ice I bought a water vaporizer for 20 bucks or so. It's great, you just plug it in and let it do it's thing, making sure you keep enough water in it, which doesn't take nearly as much work as replacing dry ice. Also mine has lights that change color, so it makes it look really neat.
Here is the one I ordered.