# Safe smoke creation (Halloween costumes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 14, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957 "2025-10-14T10:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/1 "2025-10-14T10:56:17Z")
My 8 year old son wants a Halloween costume: a dragon. Because in my normal life I am a programmer nerd, I enjoy chances to explore my more creative side. So I am going to build him a back-pack mounted dragon costume, I pretty much have worked how to do this with lightweight material, plus some complexity it that I want the wings to flap and the mouth to open. That would probably be enough, but releasing smoke would be amazing. I’d go with aerosol deoderant with a lighter for full flames, but… it might burn his highly inflamable foam/nylon/rubber glue costume, and, he is my son, I prefer him not to receive 3rd degree burns from a silly outfit. The alternative, might be dry ice and water with a battery operated fan. Except, around his age, I applied a block of dry ice to my arm and 40-somthing years later I still have the “burn” scar. Any sane and sensible suggestions? I know commercial disco “smoke” machines use gylecerol, but that requires a fairly bulky setup. Oh… on edit… I may have an idea that he would enjoy: a bubble water pistol. Easy to locate, my design is already a kind of short, fat dragon similat to “Burple” from the show “Training your Dragon” (that specific dragon “burps” up things from his stomach, as if he has internal storage) Thank you for being my rubber duck ( ref [Rubber duck debugging - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging) ) ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/2 "2025-10-14T11:05:46Z")
> **[Amazon.com: WHATAVAL Mini Fog Smoke Machine Fogger Maker Wireless Remote Control...](https://www.amazon.com/WHATAVAL-Wireless-Adjustable-Generator-Photography/dp/B0BN6VV77Y)** > > Brand: WHATAVAL This mini fog machine is the most affordable solution for on-hand smoke production. Compact design for easy carrying, it can produce a vast amount of non-toxic fog at the press of a remote controller and WITHOUT any heat-up time,... ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/3 "2025-10-14T11:13:37Z")
USD 55 is a little to much! But thank you. It would never arrive in time, I am in South Africa and our mail services are up to par with rural Equatorial Guinea. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/4 "2025-10-14T11:24:02Z")
What’s your budget, all in? ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2025, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/5 "2025-10-14T12:33:00Z")
Around ZAR 500, which is about USD 30 … total. I build cheap, it is not as if those costumes will be around or used next year. Even if they still fit. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/6 "2025-10-15T17:27:38Z")
How about going cheap? Get some red and orange cellophane, cut it into flame-shaped streamers, and mount it on something like a paper-towel tube, so when he blows into it, it looks like flames are shooting out? Could be cool. And he’s 8. He’ll remember it as fire 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/7 "2025-10-15T21:32:18Z")
> [@Noelq](#): > > Get some red and orange cellophane, cut it into flame-shaped streamers, and mount it… … in the nose of the Dragon. Rig up a bellows, so it sucks them in, then blows them out. Use the same mechanism (whatever you come up with) that will make the wings flap to operate the bellows. And enter him into some kind of contest. Slam-Dunk Winner! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/8 "2025-10-15T21:51:44Z")
Modify a Vape pen? ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/9 "2025-10-16T01:06:03Z")
Put a Lionel locomotive in each nostril. Oops, there goes your budget. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/10 "2025-10-16T04:48:43Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Rig up a bellows This sounds good. It already is going to have a mechanism to flap the wings using a pulley and elastic, so a similar one could work bellows. It is also intended to be very cartoonish, not realistic. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/11 "2025-10-16T09:22:56Z")
This is the best low cost option. A vape is a small portable smoke machine. They typically disassemble easily and you can usually replace the liquid without significant difficulty. Just replace the nicotine-infused stuff with 20/80% glycerine/water (which is what smoke machines use). The only complication is how you suck on it. I guess a low voltage computer fan, some batteries, a push switch on wires your son can reach and some cardboard and duct tape would probably do it. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/12 "2025-10-16T09:58:23Z")
I would simply remove the top and light a full 50 gal oil drum on fire. Not safe, but with RFK, Jr running things, kids don’t have much of a chance anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/13 "2025-10-16T11:00:35Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I pretty much have worked how to do this with lightweight material, If you want to use EVA foam for this, I have some spare sheets floating around. I’m over by the Waverley-ish area. And many cosplayers use non-nicotine vapes for the smoke thing, nowadays. Here’s one guide - it uses a more expensive vape than your budget, but there should be cheaper alternatives: > **[Portable Micro Smoke / Fog Machine From Vape](https://www.instructables.com/Portable-Micro-Smoke-Fog-Machine-From-Vape/)** > > Portable Micro Smoke / Fog Machine From Vape: This is more of a re-purposing of an existing item with a very small modification. I was looking for months for a small portable fog machine. I needed smoke effects for photo shoots, cosplay and so on.... ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/14 "2025-10-16T13:44:50Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > If you want to use EVA foam for this, I have some spare sheets Thank you. I generally use cheap “large bubble” commercial shit from Kelhs in Ndabeni area. There is a shop next door that might be affiliated, that sells big cans of rubber contact adhesive (one costume can easily use several litres, foam is absorbant). I don’t know what normal people use it for, but it is a medium that works for me. EVA foam is too expensive for my use-case. I am not building cos-play picture perfect suits, I am building one-offs, with the hope they get disposed of into the children’s school-play wardrobe. Also kudos to my “skin” supplier, the ever reliable “Kwaai my Lappies” in Woodstock main road. You know Cape Town, you know this shop… then you know my budget. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/15 "2025-10-16T15:01:41Z")
I know Kehls well, it’s where I got the foam for my Afrkaburn art pieces. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/16 "2025-10-17T12:50:54Z")
It occurs to me, rather than smoke, which requires some form of ignition device (or heater, in the case of vape pens) I could rig up a small bubble machine, using a commercial bubble “pistol”/thingy. He’s 8, he’s going to be happy with anything, and that is a very safe option. Also not going to set anyone else on fire, probably a good side effect. ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/safe-smoke-creation-halloween-costumes/1023957/17 "2025-10-17T22:12:16Z")
A bubble machine spewing soap bubbles would make the costume really fun and funny. Expect to see many smiling faces, kids and adults alike.