How to create a fogging cauldron effect for Halloween

Check out this Halloween video to learn how to recreate a fogging cauldron effect for Halloween displays.

The video shows how a DIY Fog Chiller was hooked-up to a plastic cauldron prop to produce a lingering fog effect to provide atmosphere for the display. It shows the design of a functioning home-made DIY Fog Chiller which was created from a 48 qt Igloo Ice Cube Cooler, which in turn is based on the expensive commercial Vortex Fusion products found online.

Its easier to buy a commercial chiller but more fun & interesting to discover how they work and build one yourself. Every Yard Haunter modifies the design and uses different parts based on their individual tastes and own ingenuity or intended effect. The basic concept remains the same. Chilled fog is heavier, denser and lingers more than straight out of the fogger.

The fog chiller itself is a container with two holes and a lid. In this case its a compact 48qt Igloo Ice Cube cooler. A cooler is used, not because of the insulation, but for the inherent rigidity, durability and ability to hold ice cubes that eventually turn to water. Two holes are drilled to accommodate one inlet pipe and one outlet pipe. The insides of the chiller are divided into two chambers. A freezing chamber at the top and a fog expansion chamber at the bottom. Those chambers are created by inserting a mesh ice tray supported by a frame to hold ice cubes. The height of each chamber can depend on the strength of the fog machine being used and the amount of ice in the chiller. The rule of thumb is one chamber is 1/3 the height of the inside of the chiller making the other chamber 2/3 the height. 1/2 to 1/2 ratio can work, but the 1/3 to 2/3 ratio has worked the best in numerous tests.

Refrigerator ice cubes are placed evenly on top of the wire mesh tray to chill the fog.

Hopefully this is informative for first time yard haunters.