# fog machines

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [August 7, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724 "2004-08-07T03:09:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724/1 "2004-08-07T03:09:58Z")

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One of our friends gave my son gift card for Toys R Us and he got a mini fog machine.  
Does anyone else have one?  
Are they safe enough?  
We will be having a disco party.

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**Author:** ![Necro\_Romancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/50afbb/32.png) [@Necro\_Romancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necro_Romancer)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724/2 "2004-08-07T04:15:23Z")

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It’s not quite Halloween yet, but [this](http://www.gotfog.com/fog_machine_safety.html) should help you out. I hope all goes well with the party, it sounds fun. 🙂

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**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724/3 "2004-08-07T04:25:34Z")

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We already have a drop cloth for the tv.  
I am a worry wart, especially ever since the fire we had 3 years ago.

We are already looking forward to Halloween.

But we love disco, thanks to [www.discoinfernoband.com](http://www.discoinfernoband.com)

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724/4 "2004-08-07T05:32:22Z")

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For some reason, my fog machine makes bad smelling fog when I first use it. I have to be sure the first two of three blasts of fog go outside.

Then I can only use it in short bursts anyway as it makes me cough.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fog-machines/258724/5 "2004-08-07T13:20:14Z")

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I have a couple. One worked very well in[_Night for Nixie_](http://www.reelprogress.com/) in the “Fogland” sequence. Entering “Fogland” was a little bit of a challenge, since it was an exterior scene where the sleazy detective walks into a wall of fog. Any little breeze dissipates the fog, and my machine is rather small (700w). But we managed to put up a wall that lasted long enough for the shot. (The other “exteriors” were actually shot in a basement.)

No worries with the water-based fog fluid. I never had any problem with the mineral oil-based fog (I’ve never used it myself, but I’ve been in it), and I like the smell; but some people are sensitive to it, and you can get an oily residue.