gregog Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Hi All,Wonder if you can help. I have just been told today that I need to come up with some way of making a test tube smoke. Originally I was simply going to light a smoke pellet and have that do the trick - However, the test tube has to contain some form of liquid. Can anyone suggest or tell me a way I can do this? I also considered dry ice pellets - but because it has to be done by children this makes me slightly concerned as the pellets are awful on the skin. So essentially I need to make a test tube with some form or liquid smoke - I don't have a period of time - so I presume any period would be great. Any suggestions or recommendations would be greatly received.Many thanks in advance,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 anything that makes smoke required heat or chemicals or both - the two things you absolutely can't be having children operate on stage without a disproportionate amount of prep and planning work for such a tiny effect. Best advice - it's not going to happen so save yourself the headaches now by either getting them to act or going for comically over-the-top and have a smoke machine surround them in clouds of smoke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dj Dunc Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 coke and a mento? may not produce the required effect, but it would be close? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregog Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thanks for that idea. Worth a try I guess!! When I say children, they will be 15/16. Not 5. The nature of the production would not allow or accept putting a haze machine on for comedy effect. So any more suggestions still welcome, but thanks for the help so far! Looking for a serious resolution - not looking to be told it can't be done :huh: Cheers,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLightsTech Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 If they're 15/16 dry ice is fine. I used it in high school science classes... and I just finished a show with 12-14 year olds using dry ice. Um, don't touch it... really don't touch it for more than a few seconds because brushing it won't hurt you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 Calling them "children" was the thrower- as light tech said dry ice will be practical in this situation as 15/16yr olds can take instructions and understand the negative consequences of touching dry ice. There isn't any other solution that comes anywhere near being practical for such a tiny effect - I'm speaking as someone who's asked to come up with this sort of effect all the time so if you can't use dry ice then there isn't anything else practical and you're best cutting your losses. I've built all sorts of tiny smoke machines and generators with ducting, displaced nozzles and without fail the work (and costs) involved in actually making it work and be practical is just too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wol Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 but because it has to be done by children this makes me slightly concerned as the pellets are awful on the skin. If they're playing with "chemicals" and test tubes, then make them wear safety gloves to add to the overall effect of the scene? Will stop them from burning themselves on the stuff if they are stupid enough to pick it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnno Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 Best I know is 20cc of 100vol hydrogen peroxide with a dash of manganese dioxide. Looks great coming out of a coke can but I'd hate to be the one who had to do a risk assessment for children using it on stage especially as the can ends up at about 100 degrees. (For those not into chemistry the dioxide causes the peroxide to break up into water and oxygen and a lot of heat. The heat boils the water and you get a fantastic jet of steam come out of the can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmaudio Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Something some people seem to be missing, is the fact that (I'm assuming here, the OP has made no suggestion otherwise) these are secondary school students studying GCSE's. When I did my GCES's (last year) there where all sorts of experiments in chemistry that resulted in in some form of visible gas being given off. The only precautions we had to take as students was the wearing safety glasses. I'm sure a quick chat with the science technicians would soon sort you out with a convincing experiment which could be conducted on stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleah Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Something some people seem to be missing, is the fact that (I'm assuming here, the OP has made no suggestion otherwise) these are secondary school students studying GCSE's. When I did my GCES's (last year) there where all sorts of experiments in chemistry that resulted in in some form of visible gas being given off. The only precautions we had to take as students was the wearing safety glasses. I'm sure a quick chat with the science technicians would soon sort you out with a convincing experiment which could be conducted on stage. However a science lab is a very highly controlled environment with all manner of safety precautions. Students will behave differently in a theatre environment and will be very easily distracted.I would be very nervous doing anything that has the potential to go horribly wrong and could require medical attention not to mention HSE investigations and lawyers - asking why chemicals were outside the confines of the science labs! The only precautionsThey most definately were not! It may have seemed that way.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorStar Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Could the CO2 pellet be "predispensed" into a boiling tubes and stood in a small tub containg crushed ice. Bottom of boiling tube in ice, top sticking out. The ice box could be made to fit the production style. If the student then picked up the boiling tube by the top and added (coloured) water.....voila! The student would never have to touch the CO2 pellet. Clearly you would not stopper the boiling tube :blink: but a loose plug of cotton wool would be OK All you would need to do would be to check how long a pellet would last from the time it was on stage to the time it was needed. On the H2O2 idea: 30% (100 vols.) hydrogen peroxide is corrosive and a strong oxidising agent, contact with skin and eyes must be avoided. BW DocStar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregog Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 Many thanks DocStar and for any other sensible suggestions. It's nice to see some people using the forums are still happy to help and share creative ideas instead of simply trying to "top trumps" one another with experience, knowledge or skill - as so often seems to be the case!! Any ideas still very much welcomed and helpful!! regards,Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zonino Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Could the CO2 pellet be "predispensed" into a boiling tubes and stood in a small tub containg crushed ice. Bottom of boiling tube in ice, top sticking out. The ice box could be made to fit the production style. If the student then picked up the boiling tube by the top and added (coloured) water.....voila! The student would never have to touch the CO2 pellet. at what temperature exactly do you think dry ice sublimes? unless you're talking about having it in a bath of crushed dry ice, in which case.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorStar Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I'm still supposing that it sublimes at -78oC and that under theatre lighting a pellet may not last long (hence the caveat that a little research may be needed). However, if the effect could be prepared 5 minutes before needed on stage then a couple of pellets in a boiling tube would survive. If the effect has to be prepared and then on stage for 20 minutes.....well even in an ice bath you might struggle for that time. Steve doesn't give details of "where and when" but my suggestion at least minimises the exposure of student skin to cold CO2. I think this is prob the way to go and hence worth a bit of "playing around with" so you can present the director/students something that a) works and b) is safe BW DocStar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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