Parts List:
Large Plastic Cauldron - $13
8' Dryer Vent Flexible Tubing - $8
Can of Great Stuff Foam - $4 (optional)
Can of Flat Black Paint - $1 (optional)
Tools List:
Something to cut a hole in plastic
So, once I gathered all my tool and parts, it was time to dig in.
I actually used a 3" hole drill thingy, and a drill, to make the hole. A knife or box cutter will do, but be careful not to cut yourself. This plastic is a bit on the thick side, and surprisingly tough to cut.
I put the hole near the bottom, so I could lay the fog machine right on the ground.
I sprayed some foam on the protruding tube, and painted it black. This made it very difficult to see, and perhaps shushed the noise from the fogger a bit. It was very quiet.
I then extended the tubing out as far as possible, and curved it around the cauldron. I kept it straight as possible as it entered the cauldron, until I had to curve it. This let the fog slow down some, rather than slamming into a bend right away, and possibly condensing.
That's pretty much it for the actual build. These next parts are optional.
I had a lot of foam left, and once you start using it, you should use the whole can, or the nozzle gets all gooped up and the rest goes to waste.
I sealed the openings up, and sprayed the rest of the foam in the, um, dead spots, places where the ice will do nothing but take up space.
I also stuffed a couple stake lights in there. This way I won't have cords hanging over the top.
I chucked in five 7lbs bags of ice, slightly covering the opening of the tube. I then placed a 400W fog machine on the ground, pointed it at the opening, and flipped the switch.
That's pretty much it. For about $20, you can build a fantastic fog chiller that sits right out in plain view, even adding to the atmosphere. If you really want to splurge, you can throw down another $10 and make it an Executive Model!
It's also handy in that you don't have to hide it, run a bunch of tubing around, and hope that enough fog survives to make things spooky.
As for effectiveness, here are some pictures of the results:
Notice how the fog creeps down the lawn and across the sidewalk. It was pretty chilly that night, so this is all the more impressive.
I considered mounting the fogger inside the cauldron, but that would be a lot more work. The fogger would have to be protected from melting ice, the water from the ice would have to have a place to go instead of the bottom, and I wouldn't be able to have a nice, long path for the fresh fog to slow down in. The extra heat from the fogger would have to go somewhere too, lest it melt the ice even faster.
Doesn't mean I won't think of something for next year. heh
You can mount the fogger in another, possibly smaller, cauldron. Foggers get hot, so don't melt anything!
I did NOT salt the ice for this one. It's sitting on my lawn, and I didn't want to kill my grass. Be warned, no matter what you do, some water WILL leak out, through the tube if nothing else. It helps by adding moisture to the fog, which keeps it lower to the ground.
Any questions, just drop me a line.
Enjoy!