Smoking hoover

[kurzweil_dude]

Hi all, this is my first post here.

 

Im technical manager for a studio theatre in North Wales, and we're puttin on a production of The Wizard of Oz in October.

 

Ive been told by the director that she wants one of the witches to have a hoover which when required will either spurt smoke or sparks from the bottom for the witches exit(s).

 

Im not too up on pyros etc especially for a portable requirement. so any ideas/help are gratefully received!!!

 

 

Cheers all.

 

MC

[Admachin]

I'm not sure where but I'm positive that Ive seen hand help/ portable smoke machines that either use standard batteries or you charge them up and you can also get smoke in a can again I don't know where you get it from I know its out there.

 

I hope this has helped you in some way and good luck with the wizard of oz (I recently programed and ran the lighting for oldbury wells version of it)

[gareth]

For sparks, you're probably looking at something like a robotic - in a portable item that could end up anywhere on the stage, and will probably have to be operated by actors, I'd be tempted to avoid that option!

 

Smoke-wise - well, it depends how much space you've got in which to conceal something. LeMaitre have their MiniMist, and Smoke Factory have the Scotty - both are portable machines which can operate for a period of time away from a mains supply. The former is aerosol-driven, the latter battery-powered. They're both perhaps a little bulky, though. If you want something smaller, what about a Look Solutions "Tiny Fogger"? They're dinky little things, but knock out a fairly respectable amount of smoke for their size. I think White Light are UK dealers.

[Olit]

Hi,

 

I know White Light hire out a tiny compact smoke machine, which is battery operated and also features a wireless remote. so this may be of some use to you.

[dbuckley]

Probably worth having a look at this recent thread about a smoking little train

[neutraguard]

Cheap and easy

 

If you want sparks, get yourself a zippo or simular lighter and remove the rivet from the striking wheel, buy a cheap battery operated fan insert the shaft and way to go, plenty of spark.

 

hope this Helps

 

regards

 

Steve

 

and if you need smoke why not visit our website at http://www.smokefluid.co.uk

[gyro_gearloose]

Personally I would think long and hard before putting any pyrotechnic device in close proximity to cast members. Smoke machines are fine, but pyrotechnic devices have the potential to start fires or seriously injure anyone that is too close to them. The problem is that it is easy to look at pyrotechnics just as a special effect, when they are really a form of explosives with all the inherent dangers that go along with such devices. Have a look at the Le Maitre website. They've got lots of information about all kinds of pyros and special effects. You might be better off with one of their hand-held air cannons filled with glitter or confetti hidden inside your hoover.

 

With regards to smoke machines, we've got a Le Maitre Minimist. Its quite noisy when creating smoke, and if the smoke button is pressed before it has had time to warm up then you get a build up of fluid in the machine. This will either be boiled off into smoke as the machine warms up, or it may get squirted out the next time the smoke button is pressed. This happened to us on an Elvis tribute show a few years ago. On Elvis's entrance we gave him a big blast of smoke which looked great but masked the spray of oil onto the stage. So when Elvis walked on stage he slid for a couple of feet and nearly fell over backwards. Fortunately he managed to stay up, but it was close!