This project is really over-doing it. Really. And for once, I'm not to blame.
A couple of Halloweens ago, my husband was putting pressure on me to buy a thunder and lightning machine. Yes, really. These are the things we argue about in the Thrifty household... some couples argue about money, we argue about Halloween props.
I said no way to the thunder and lightning machine, but I agreed to a compromise: we could get a fog machine. A simple, no-frills, fill-it-with-fog-solution-and-turn-it-on fog machine. We found one at Walmart for a good price and we were happy.
Evidently, only I was happy. The husband felt unfulfilled.
"You don't understand," he said to me after the first fog machine test. "We need to cool the fog down so it rolls along the ground. It's a better effect."
Picture him whining while saying this, that's how I remember it.
"OK, my dearest husband who I listen to in all matters, how much would it cost to do that?"
"We have all the materials," he answered. And so it began.
He took our camping cooler, which was fine because we've never been camping together, and cut two big holes in each end. He took an old downspout and attached it to one of the openings and a large PVC pipe to the other. Then, he spray painted it black.
To make the desired effect, pour a big bag of ice into the cooler. The idea here is that we will run the fog machine like normal, but it will flow into the downspout, into the cooler where it will be cooled down by the ice, out the other side where it will come out and float near the ground. Because cold air sinks. Science.
I won't tell him he was right though. And if it's breezy on Halloween night, this was all for nothing. But, there's always next year!
How cool is that? Now that I could make. hehehe
ReplyDeleteWow! Do you guys watch SpongeBob? Ever see the one with the file cabinets in SpongeBob's brain? I'm envisioning the file cabinets in yours and DH brain with papers flinging about......"Fog machine! Fog machine! Hey! Where's the file on how to make fog stay low!!!"
ReplyDeleteSee, I told you that you guys would make great homeschoolers! What a great and fun science experiment! :)
Can't wait to see tomorrow's post!
Very cool!! thanks for the idea. :)
ReplyDeleteWow! I love it, very very cool :)
ReplyDeleteI'm very impressed! Kudos to the husband! Have a Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteIt can be used to create fog in movies and plays. In fact, it is a rather common device that is used in the arts and entertainment field.
ReplyDeleteAwesome idea and effect. If I may be so bold to say I am humbled before a Halloween goddess. :)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant adaptation! The fog machines with built in coolers are so expensive.
ReplyDeleteThere's the same arguments in our house but I'm the one that does the whining. LOL I love Halloween, not sure why I just do.
ReplyDeleteThe idea worked wonderfully last year. This year I have 3 fog machines and will be using a couple to do ground fog and one to do air fog. It's going to be awesome. We also added dry ice to the regular ice in a styrofoam cooler
ReplyDeleteThe idea worked wonderfully last year. This year I have 3 fog machines and will be using a couple to do ground fog and one to do air fog. It's going to be awesome. We also added dry ice to the regular ice in a styrofoam cooler
ReplyDeleteWhat happens when the ice starts to melt?
ReplyDeleteSince the ice is in a cooler, we've never had a problem with the ice melting. If your display needs the fog for a longer time, you can keep adding ice to maintain the effect.
DeleteFirst, I realize this post is really old, but the best way to insure maximum coldness in a unit that uses a cooler, fill it with dry ice instead of water ice. Way colder. Note, it costs, so it may not be what many folks want to do. 10 lbs is about $12 to $15. And yeah, I see this is a 'thrifty' page. :)
ReplyDelete