Fogscreen Project

[DZ]

Wow, that is very cool! I wonder, is it possible put something in the fog that will flouresce and use a 405nm diode? That way the beam outside of the fog would be harder to see. Man, you have given me some new ideas for my halloween display!

How about playing some abstracts with that thing!

[Displaser]

That's badass!!! What more can be said? Thanks for all of the updates!

[absolom7691]

Wow, that is very cool! I wonder, is it possible put something in the fog that will flouresce and use a 405nm diode? That way the beam outside of the fog would be harder to see.

Thanks! I would think laundry detergent would probably work but then again, I am not sure if the detergent would make it into the fog. Also, I don't know if the detergent would play nice with the foggers, leaving them in working order. Single transducer fog units are cheap, <$30 if you want to try it out.

Man, you have given me some new ideas for my halloween display!

That was the main thing I built this for; Halloween. I have, in mind, a static video I may loop. Dripping blood or flames or something like that and I plan to use microwave motion sensor from an automatic door that I may rig up to play a flash clip of The Exorcist or some other flash scare right when the kids are passing through. If you decide to build one, I will answer any questions you have. All total, I think I spent close to $1K and about 2 months of scattered time to build it.

How about playing some abstracts with that thing!

Great minds think alike! That is what I have planned tonight if I can get it cleaned up in time. I had to take all the fans off today to paint it and I am in the process of wiring the fans up properly. The video I took last night was very hastily set up. I mean, wires were just twisted together! That and I only had my FB3 on hand. I pulled out my LD2K and will be shooting some good stuff tonight. If the wind is forgiving, I may try it outdoors.

That's badass!!! What more can be said? Thanks for all of the updates!

Thanks! I appreciate everyone checking out this thread and commenting!

[jammah]

Hi absolom, sorry for all the questions but as a low cost alternative how do you think it would work if you fed fog from a regular fog machine into it? maybe through a piece of 2 inch duct with a strip of holes drilled in the direction needed, I guess you wouldn't get the nice even layer you have achieved but it could be knocked up for super cheap! ohh as if i dont already have enough projects on the fly

[White-Light]

Only just caught up with this thread after being on holiday.

Wow!

Brian that's an amazing result. I must admit I doubted this would work well but that's almost as good as any fog screen I've ever seen.

I just hope now you love building these because I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of people on here going to be nagging you to produce them.....

[absolom7691]

...but as a low cost alternative how do you think it would work if you fed fog from a regular fog machine into it?

I have seen some of these work with glycol foggers. The problem I see with glycol is that even expensive fog juice leaves a bit of residue. Couple that with the fact that you would be continuously blowing fog through, I think the residue would build up. The other problem that I see is that for a decent flow, you would have to continually run your fogger. Even cheap fog fluid is still not cheap if you have to run the fogger constantly. Not to mention the wear and tear on the pump and the heating element. I suppose you could pick up one of those cheap chinese foggers that they sell at a party store to try it out. Also, you would need to chill the fog (provided you are pumping it downward). By the way, ask as many questions as you like.

I must admit I doubted this would work well but that's almost as good as any fog screen I've ever seen.

I had some serious doubts, myself! The biggest reason is because I am no engineer and know very little about aerodynamics. The crazy part of this was the instant I turned it on, it worked with very little tuning needed. That NEVER happens to me! This was also about 2 years in the making too. I have been thinking about this for a long time and I have redesigned it, in my head, about 1,000 times.

I just hope now you love building these because I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of people on here going to be nagging you to produce them.....

I wouldn't mind but it wouldn't be very cheap. This one cost me close to $1K not to mention labor and I even got some parts as surplus. Those Nidec fans normally sell for about $15 each if you find the right sale. I happened upon a box of 20 for $24. It was a bid auction and maybe people weren't bidding, who knows, but I got them cheap. It would be an interesting venture, for sure!

[mixedgas]

Atmospheric Animation Domination...

You rule!

Lovin the videos.

Steve

[swamidog]

i will do no such thing!

So I go to the hardware store and see one of these...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=4WNcjkZ6d0w

Some one please talk me out of using my 360 degree lens and spending 400$.

Steve

[planters]

Absolom,

I wonder if leaving this unit at ground level and improving the vertical throw wouldn't be easier than elevating it. It's bulky, heavy and of course will need occasional refilling. Some thoughts I had include the obvious one, heating the water as much as the safe limit the soda straws will permit. Or, have you ever seen those early gas engines with their smoke ring exhausts or a vortex gun? The differential velocity of the air as you move out from the axis will cause a pressure gradient. If you adjust the velocity you might thin and extend the screen.

Alternatively, what does it look like when the lasers strike the screen from the side? Can you produce a lacework of beam fans?

[absolom7691]

Atmospheric Animation Domination...

You rule!

Lovin the videos.

Thanks, Steve! Just like with Planters, props from you means quite a bit because I would wager that you have worked with more laminar airflow that most here.

Well guys, I wasn't able to get set up in time last night so, no videos. Now that it is put back together and everything is wired properly, I am going to try again tonight when I get home from work.

A few pics of the wire cleanup I did last night and also a shot of the fog delivery method I chose. It is nothing fancy and I don't really care for the way it works but it works. 3" ABS sched 40 pipe with 42 holes. Reading from right to left, 13 x 1/2" holes, 16 x 3/8" holes and 13 1/2" holes. I have a fog vessel at each end of the pipe pushing fog in. The vessles are 29 quart (I believe) plastic containers that house the water and foggers. They each have 1 x 120mm Nidec fan putting positive pressure on the vessel. It is bulky and potentially messy using these containers but the plus side is, I can set up the screen in any orientation I choose; blowing upward, downward or even sideways, horizontally or vertically.