Stig Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 I have been asked to fill a large balloon (about the size of a beach ball) full of smoke for a show. The balloon will need to be blown up in full view of the audience then when it is popped the balloon disappears in a puff of smoke (ah the magic of theatre). We tried with a rosco smoke machine but it didn’t seem to have the power and we ended up with a balloon full of smoke fluid rather than smoke.Any ideas as to how to do this, it must be reasonably quiet and of course cheap. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James C Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 WOould you get away with just putting flour, or some other fine powder in it? Then you'd get a sort-of-puff-of-smoke effect when it popped... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 Well, you'll need a high-volume-low-pressure pump to blow up the balloon.(Read bicycle pump) Unless the balloon is transparent then I think James' suggestion of a fine powder is probably the best, however powder is nasty from a fire safety POV so you couldn't use much. If the ballon is transparent and you want actual smoke in it then you would probably have to make your own smoke machine. IIRC it's just a hot wire which you pass the fluid over, but I'm not certain. Pump air and a small amount of fluid through it and into the balloon and voila!If you vastly overinflate the balloon it will of course burst. Otherwise there are smoke bombs - inflate balloon, burst balloon while setting off the smoke pyro, or large volume smoke machines with a fan to do the same thing but slightly less dramatically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Foster Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 powder is nasty from a fire safety POV Why is this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flicktech Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 powder is nasty from a fire safety POV Why is this? because fine flour clouds can be explosive! (under the right condtions of course ...like many things really! :) ) Custard powder's another good one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyromark Posted September 4, 2003 Share Posted September 4, 2003 Try this Put an aladdin smoke in the balloon with the igniter wires coming out of the neck, blow it up, tie the neck tight which will include the igniter wire. When the effect is fired it will produce 30 seconds of smoke, then feel free to pop the balloon after about a further 30 seconds, this should give the plastic casing enough time to cool down. You will obviously need to try it first outside, but I can't see any major issues, I don't know if the smoke will expand the balloon further - this is the kind of thing you ill need to check. See this link to the aladdin smoke: http://tinyurl.com/m9kq Hope that helps.Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted September 5, 2003 Author Share Posted September 5, 2003 Cheers guys for the suggestions,Unfortunately the powder idea could be a little messy (Thanks anyway James) and I have had a look at the Aladdin smoke. The problem is that it would produce to much smoke. We have tried a MTF but that is to smoky (needless to say it scared the s£$t out of the poor bugger popping the balloon). If we are going to produce smoke externally from the balloon I need something that is literally a puff of smoke. The smoke machine is a little to much and not that controllable. Do you know if there is a very small MTF without the flash (contradiction in terms I know but you get the idea!!) Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 What about the mini foggers that White Light had on their stand at PLASA last year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 I agree with peter here, the mini fogger is a very useful bit of kit, small enough that I can be built into a costume, has a wireless remote (I think) so can be triggered easily and is good for the little puff thats needed, I have used them for a chimney for the occasional puff when required, very effective Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stig Posted September 5, 2003 Author Share Posted September 5, 2003 Sounds good can they be hired? and if so who off.By the way the director is still looking for the balloon full of smoke could take some talking!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted September 5, 2003 Share Posted September 5, 2003 they can be hired but im not sure who stocks them. it should give the impression of a smoke filled balloon if the fogger is sewn into the costume maybe in the sleave or a ttubeis run up the sleave, just have to me quick on the old fire, otherwise it will look like a pop then a puff of smoke, but timed right and it should work a treat. hope this helpsBen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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