fog/haze without a fogging machine?

[TechJunkie]

If it is done as I describe it, the result is extremely similar to a proper fog machine, the only thing lacking is a directional nozzle, and convenience, and safety (which is still no worse than any electric cooker). Some people might say that you get less fog per drop of fog fluid, but watch it happen, it all becomes fog. Any difference in efficiency is very marginal, as you'll find out very fast if you try to drop too much in the pan! The greatest risk is reducing visibility to zero while you're standing next to a hot cooker hob.

Most of use DIYers use a small cast iron kettle. You can find them at Asian stores for cheap. When you do this, either by pan or kettle, you may not see much fog and find the need to turn the heat up more, dont. Walk a few steps back and look at the ceiling above the pan. If you are doing it right you'll see plumes of fog rolling around up there, even if the pan doesnt look like its producing much.

Also the day after Halloween retail, and drug stores put there foggers out for half price, sometimes cheaper. Last year I got a small 400W remote control fogger for $16 at Walmart. They wont do a large show, but good for around the house. or in the garage. Just make sure to run distilled water through it every time you're done using it. If you keep it clean you should get dozens of uses out of it. Or at least enough till next Halloween.

[BruceLavender]

I attended a rave about 15 years ago, the guys had 2 ALC 60X, so I went to speak them and was shocked to see them chucking handfuls of amonium chloride onto a hotplate to create a really awesome haze effect, but as for the safety aspect I am sure this was not good, but then again since we became a democracy health and safety went out the window

[The_Doctor]

I today had time to test incense in a 4x4m room. I burned 5 sticks. Projector's max power was 1.4W.The beams were very week. It was pitch black in the room without the laser on.
Did you guys mean regular incense sticks,or those charcoal looking incense pieces? Because the smoke was so little that smoking few cigarretes would do more than that...

Did you try heating drops of standard glycol based fluid in a small open pan or griddle? That WORKS, which is why those who spoke of it weren't talking of incense. The purpose of incense is to make a smell by vapourising a clear resin, not to cloud the air. Also, if you use cigarettes or incense sticks or smouldering twisted wads of toilet paper you'll end up with a mix of tar and ash particles on scanner mirrors! Only a glutton for punishment would insist on taking the course you tried.Turn back now, try the closest approach to an actual fog machine you can get, at least start with the right substance.

Real smoke might work in a very limited case but the hazards are extreme, unless the levels are too low to be of any use. If you don't beleive me by now, I doubt anyone will convince you.

[TechJunkie]

I today had time to test incense in a 4x4m room. I burned 5 sticks. Projector's max power was 1.4W.The beams were very week. It was pitch black in the room without the laser on.
Did you guys mean regular incense sticks,or those charcoal looking incense pieces? Because the smoke was so little that smoking few cigarretes would do more than that...

I agree with Doc, the last thing you want is smoke, it sticks to everything. If you want cheap go to the drug store and pick up a bottle of glycerin for $4.

[masterpj]

I agree with Doc, the last thing you want is smoke, it sticks to everything. If you want cheap go to the drug store and pick up a bottle of glycerin for $4.

Do not cook glycerine! When heated too long and too hot it will create toxic fumes!

[TechJunkie]

Do not cook glycerine! When heated too long and too hot it will create toxic fumes!

As long as you keep the pan below 200C (390F) it will be fine. You're also using very small amounts.

[TechJunkie]

sorry but whats your point?

His point is if you dont want to toss your projector in the trash in a month stop using smoke. Smoke adheres to optics. If you dont know how to properly dismantle, clean, and re-align all the optics in your projector then dont use smoke.

Its real simple.

[The_Doctor]

sorry but whats your point? And people who were talking of incense were talking about it because it apparently worked for them. You didnt like that i chose to try incense instead of the other suggestions? Well sorry but that seemed more logical to try first then try to somehow heat a frying pan in my bedroom with some fluid in it which users of this forum seem to disagree is dangerous or not.
The "glycol based fluid" you talked about, is there an exact name you can give me to search for?

You have 32 posts to read all in one place, this thread, detailing facts like different firms making different mixes of glycol, and you want me to spoon-feed you an exact glycol name? Just try anything intended for a fog machine. They're all glycol based. Just bear in mind that while glycerine is a glycol too, it is best avoided because it degrades more dangerously with heat than the newer types (variants of ethylene glycol) used in modern fog fluids.

If you can't heat it in a frying pan, think of something else. I didn't know this was in your bedroom or some other unusually extremely limited venue to operate in, so don't try to make me look bad for not knowing, that's just stupid. If you have an unusually limiting context, it's up to YOU to describe it in detail so that you get more directed advice.

Try to think of some safe way to heat a droplet at a time and you're in business. Maybe heat a teaspoon with a soldering iron? Drop one drop at a time into that? It's up to you, you're going to either have to get inventive with what you have, or buy a fog machine. I STRONGLY recommend you get a small but good quality machine for your own safety. The better it is, the more resale value it will have if you want to change it later.

Feel free to ignore my advice if you're totally sure you think I'm an ignorant nutjob just saying this to waste your time.

EDIT:
TJ, simultanous post, near enough, but yes, basically I think all the bases for various ideas, and their risks, have been covered well enough here. Granted maybe a claim had been made for incense, and Solidude found it wrong, but there's no point berating me for that, I never made a claim for it to start with. I knew it would be bad. What IS more logical is to go with the right fluid in the first place, then figure out a way to heat some.

Correction:
I thought all the needed detail was here, but apparently not. There was another recent thread about people making their own glycol based fluids. I think the relevant info is here, I scanned the whole thread just now, but in case wanted, here's the other one:
http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ght=make+fluid
When I searched here for that I noticed the subject has come up at least once a year for some time.

[The_Doctor]

What i want first is for you to calm down and dont be rude. is that much to ask?

Yes. It is. You were given a good choice and a bad one which worked only if you had tens of watts to throw into it. You took the bad one, found it failed, then sniped at me when I never gave you that bad advice, and even told you why it was bad before you took the choice!

You came at me with a 'WHAT"S YOUR PROBLEM' kind of attitude instead of living with the results of your poor choice. So sure, I didn't take the crap lying down. Now you are swearing at me and poncing about on your high horse and indulging in petty tit-for-tat games. No doubt you can't stand me for pointing that out, but when in a hole, stop digging, says I, and you really don't seem like a guy who knows when to stop, so forgive me for enjoying a little spleen venting at your expense!

The best thing you can do now is shut up and learn, or you'll make a bad choice twice in a row. If you do that given the advice you've been getting, it won't just be me calling you stupid.

[Insanity]

Ok, I'm feeling bad here as I was the one to mention incense... I have well sealed projectors with neoprene rubber at every joint in the panels that aren't actually welded, so dirty optics is not something that poses a problem to me... I have also been working with lasers for many years, so am pretty proficient at cleaning optics...
For quick tests in the house I use either the pellets of incense or an e-cigarette, as my fog and haze machines are way too powerful to use in a small room... Think 1500 watt foggers and Le Maitre professional hazers...
The e-cig does a good job, but I wouldn't encourage anyone to take up smoking of any kind...
If you don't have much experience with lasers and cleaning them correctly, then I would suggest using the right tool for the job and buying a cheap low power fogger, rather than messing around with other methods... That being said, foggers crap up your optics as much as anything else, so maybe concentrate on getting those optics sealed as much as possible first...