Super Cheap and Easy Fog Chiller

by admanrocks

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Intro: Super Cheap and Easy Fog Chiller

A fog chiller cools down fog from a fog machine so that it stays low to the ground. This one costs around $5-$10. I had everything I needed already, you probably do also.

STEP 1: Materials

There is not much that you need for this project.

MATERIALS
1. Foam cooler
2. Dryer hose
3. fog machine
4. Ice

TOOLS
1. compass
2. knife

STEP 2: Measure

You need to cut a hole in both sides of the cooler for the dryer hose, so:
set your compass to 6.5 cm and draw two circles, on opposite sides of the cooler (longways)

STEP 3: Cut

Cut out the circles you just drew, the cooler should now look like this

STEP 4: Feed

Feed the dryer hose through the two holes. leave one end longer that the other. one side should have about 4 in coming out, the other about 10. try bending the hose inside the cooler to get the most contact with ice.

STEP 5: Ice

Fill the cooler with ice

STEP 6: Attach

Attach The cooler to your fog machine by pushing the longer end of hose around the nozzle of the fog machine. just keep the two together and all of the fog will go into the hose.

STEP 7: Fog!

turn on the fog machine and enjoy your fog not floating away!

103 Comments

psychodj 7 years ago

I made it, didn't really work. How long should the tube 'chill'? I let it chill for two hours then tried it with two different fog machines got the same results: a room full of smoke. No low-lying 'fog'. I think it's time to go back to dry ice.

dag4415 11 years ago

I have 2 fog machines. Never know when you need one.

JennyJ23 7 years ago

I love this comment and I completely relate.

AndyH31 7 years ago

Awesome. Simple but very effective!!!

CaseFace5 11 years ago

This is brilliant! I always thought this effect would cost a lot more and hated my fog machine just spraying out smoke lol thanks for uploading this!

Aron313 12 years ago

It kinda sucks that its to big to hide if you have it at your front door.

butterninja 12 years ago

Brilliant Idea. made our £20 purchase well worth it

lolligag 12 years ago

I'd suggest using dry ice so there's no water to clean up.

Shadetree Engineer 16 years ago

I just want to see this fog rolling out of the jaws of my pumpkin, that's all...

Trivial27 14 years ago

Dude,  just put a small glass jar in your pumpkin, fill with water, and add one of those floating pond foggers.  A couple of years ago I used a small salsa jar and one of those pond foggers you can buy at Menards... and it was the coolest effect.  Fog came drooping out of the jack-o-lantern and the foggers had a built in flickering blue LED that lit it up really well.

Trivial27 12 years ago

Unfortunately I don't, that's the one year I forgot to take photos during my "build frenzy" as the bosses call it... lol!  I've gotten better though... now I bring extra camera to let other people take photos as we work. :-)

Anyways, if it helps what I used was a Sunterra Mistmaker Fogger http://www.sunterrausa.com/decorative-accessories/product/300409  that I picked up at Menards. It seems they have something similar listed on their website now. http://www.menards.com/main/p-1657811-c-10121.htm (the LED setup is different).

The first time I tried combining the jack-o-lanter, the pond pump, and the mister I put it in the "catch pond".  It wasn't bad but well... you can guess how much better it looked with the fog mister inside the pumpkin...

powdermnky007 14 years ago

If you want low lying fog for cheap, buy a 5 lb block of dry ice from a grocery store.  Krogers has them in my area.  They cost around $7.  Just throw a piece of dry ice in water and it makes low lying fog.  You could put a big piece in a tin can, and put the can on a hot plate, because the hotter the water, the more smoke you get, and the dry ice will eventually cool off the water it's submerged in.  You should stay with one big piece, because it will last longer than lots of little pieces.  Less surface area.  But if you want a TON of smoke, throw a bunch of smaller pieces in hot water.  wont last as long, but it works.  It may be safer to use  some sort of flame, or chemical heat packs for camping, rather than a hot plate, that way in case the water is spilled you won't electrocute anyone.  Safety first.

allenh 16 years ago

I was very excited about this project, till I realized I didn't own a fog machine. Any ideas on how to build a cheap fog machine?

Longtimer 13 years ago

I've used this same principle for about 5 years in my home haunt. Our difference is size and placement. I use a fog machine setting on a table top (under the "machine" to the left of Franky in the 2nd pic), a $12 rubbermaid garbage "can" from Home Depot (behind Franky in the lab in 2nd pic) plus about 25 feet of that same dryer hose coiled inside the trash "can." The inlet for the fog is a couple of inches from the top of the can and the outlet is a couple of inches from the bottom (to hold the melting ice water). I fill it with 2+ LARGE bags of ice - don't skimp! Result is in the pic attached. The later in the night, the colder the ground and the better/longer the fog stays low. I've had it cross the sidewalk and dip down the curb to the street before it rises. Regarding Fog machines ... you get what you pay for. The more volume the more they cost. MOST important is to use a white vinager and water solution to clean the machine BEFORE you put it away for any length of time.

Longtimer 13 years ago

OK, I didn't attach the pics correctly. Trying again. Hopefully you will see the fog in the cemetary and the lab on the other side of the "wall" from the cemetary. The fog vents into the cemetary from the Chiller trash can that is behind Franky on the table.

T3Hprogrammer 16 years ago

Check the grocery store or walmart. I got mine last year at a grocery store for $13. I don't think it's worth it to build your own.
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