Fog and smoke machines are great for creating spooky atmosphere, hiding ghouls, purposely depriving guests of seeing what's ahead of them, and creating cool lighting effects in haunted houses. Here's how you can create your own do-it-yourself fog machines that will likely last longer than the cheapies that come from spirit-less overnight pop-up Halloween shops:
Materials Needed:
• 5 Gallon Cooler (or 5 Gallon Bucket w/lid)
• Duct Tape (optional)
• Hole saw, jig saw, or other safe tool for cutting holes in plastic
• Caulk (optional) (Find caulk guns here).
• PVC Piping (optional)
• Dry Ice (Check your local supermarkets to see who carries this)
• Hot Water
• Protective Gloves (An oven mitt or towel will work in a pinch)
• An open, well ventilated work area
Assembly:
1. Cut a hole in the side of your cooler or bucket, where the fog will come out. It will probably work better if you attach a piece of PVS piping to the side, closer to the ground. You can use caulk or duct tape to seal any openings around the edges of the hole after placing the PVC piping in the hole. Alternatively, you can choose to just leave the lid off of your cooler or bucket, in which case the fog will billow up and roll out over the edges, spreading across the floor. Obviously, it's safer to have the top covered if a lot of people are around, so you won't have anybody trying to screw around with it or touch the dry ice.
2. Place dry ice inside of cooler or bucket. Do not let the dry ice touch your skin. Dry ice reaches -109° F, which will cause extensive burning to your skin. Use protective gloves made of leather. If you do not have gloves like this available, you can get them in our store, or use an oven mitt or thick towel. Make sure you only do this in an open, well ventilated area. Do not use dry ice in an enclosed area.
3. Pour hot water on the dry ice. The warmer the water, the thicker the fog will be. If you've made a hole in the side of your cooler or bucket with a piece of PVC piping sticking out, make sure the lid is closed on top, and you will see the smoke begin to billow out. If you haven't made the hole in the side of your container, leave the lid off of the top, and the smoke will roll up and over the edges, then back down onto the floor. For maximum safety, keep the lid closed and just make a hole in the side with a PVC attachment to guide the fog.
Materials Needed:
• Food Grade Glycerin (available at local supermarkets)
• Distilled Water
• Glass cup or mixing bowl
• Aluminum foil bowl
• Heat source (candle or other)
• Empty 2 liter soda bottle
• Duct Tape
Assembly:
1. Make a 1:3 mixture of glycerine to distilled water (1 part glycerine to 3 parts distilled water) in a glass cup or bowl.
2. Mix with a spoon or something similar. When you've mixed it enough, it should appear clear to the eye.
3. Pour some of the mixture into an aluminum foil bowl.
4. Add heat to the bottom of the aluminum foil bowl. This can be done with something as simple as a candle underneath the bowl. Although, you probably don't want any open flames if you're running a haunted house.
5. (Optional) You can also make a "smoke stack" apparatus to direct the smoke upward with something as easy as cutting the top off of a 2 liter soda bottle and taping the edges down to the bowl with duct tape.
Test by putting just a tiny amount (a spoonful?) of the solution into the bowl, and adjust to match the level of fog that you want. The more solution you put in the bowl, the more fog you get.