The trick to making low-lying fog juice is to make it as thick as possible. To achieve the best results, you must have the right proportions of water and glycerine. For very thick fog (which is more likely to lie low), the mixture should have 30-35% of glycerine and 70-65% of water. Mix them thoroughly.Â
Whether you’re looking to add some ethereal style to your outdoor photoshoot or just want a spooky mist in the forest for Halloween, ground fog is an excellent way to get the desired effect.
It’s also a great alternative as you can easily make it at home. In this post, we will be discussing how to make low-lying fog juice at home.
What is Low-Lying Fog?
Low-lying fog refers to the fog/mist that remains on the ground or a few inches above the ground once it is emitted from a fog machine. Unlike regular fog, this type of fog is often denser, thicker, and more viscous. It is typically used for low-lying atmospheric effects, such as fog creeping across the ground.
Low-lying fog stays around longer than regular fog and is often used in theatrical performances, concerts, music videos, haunted attractions, and even home movies. It can give a great atmospheric effect to your Halloween party or wedding pictures.
Why Make Low-Lying Fog Juice at Home?
Making low-lying fog fluid at home is a cheaper option than buying it. You can make it with readily available materials such as distilled water and store-bought glycerine.
Store-bought low-lying fog juice can be expensive and may also contain unwanted ingredients, such as dyes and artificial additives, which can irritate the skin. Furthermore, some low-lying fog fluids are not sold in certain countries (due to local laws).
Making your own low-lying fog juice also means it is readily available for you whenever you want it. It is also easy to prepare, so you can quickly set up your fog machine.
Make Low Lying Fog Juice: Ground Fog Guide
To make low-lying fog juice at home, you will need the following items:
- 100% pure glycerine (use vegetable glycerine as it is safe)
- Distilled water
- An empty 1-liter bottle
- A measuring can/cylinder
The trick to making low-lying fog juice is to make it as thick as possible. Here’s how to make low-lying fog juice at home:
Prepare the materials
Gather the materials listed above, make sure you have everything on a clean table.
Measure the liquids
To achieve the best results, you must have the right proportions of water and glycerine. For very thick fog (which is more likely to lie low), the mixture should have 30-35% of glycerine and 70-65% of water.
For thick fog, which may not always stay on the ground, the fog juice should be 20% glycerine and 80% water. For very thin fog, which will rise quickly into the air (and not remain low), use 15% glycerine and 85% distilled water.
If you want to prepare one liter of low-lying fog juice, you will need to use 300ml of vegetable glycerine and 700ml of distilled water.
Pour liquids into the bottle/container
Once you have measured out your glycerine and distilled water, carefully pour them into the empty container.
Mix the liquids well
Mix them thoroughly. You can use a hand mixer or stir with a spoon until they are combined properly. If you are using food coloring to achieve an atmospheric effect, do not add it.
Seal and shake bottle/container well
After mixing all the ingredients properly, seal the container or bottle tightly with its cap. Shake vigorously to ensure proper mixing.
Try out your fog juice
This is the moment of truth. Make sure you have everything ready for the show. It is advisable to use a low-lying fog machine.
Why? Most low-lying fog machines have an ice compartment just before the output nozzle. Once the fog is emitted, the ice cools it rapidly, making it stay low.
Store in a sealed bottle
It is important to properly store your low-lying fog juice in a sealed container or bottle, especially if you are planning to use it again. Keep the mixture away from direct sunlight and heat as high temperatures can cause the glycerine to evaporate quickly, which will affect your final product.
The best way is to store it in an airtight container such as a tightly sealed jar or a bottle. This will help prevent the fog juice from expiring.
How to Make Low-Lying Fog with Any Fogger
You can make any fog coming out from a regular fogger stay close to the ground. Here’s how:
Materials
- A fog machine, preferably a cold fogging machine, because they can be left to work on their own without any safety risks
- Drill
- Duct tape to seal cooler lid
- Glue gun
- Hacksaw to cut the pipe
- Hole saw
- Mesh plaster lath or another stiff wire screen
- Miscellaneous pieces of wood to support mesh
- Plastic elbow
- Plastic landscaping pipe with holes- the recommended diameter should be between 3 and 4.5 inches)
- Plastic pipe adapter to catch the output from the fog machine
- Small plastic trash can
- Wire snips to cut mesh
Making Low Lying Fog
The temperature of the fog is the key to producing low-lying fog juice successfully. If the temperature is too high, the water will ascend into the air and evaporate.
Some fog machines produce warm fog because they employ heat to make fog from the fog liquid. As a result, it tends to evaporate as soon as it is exposed to the air.
So the trick to making low-lying fog juice is to cool the fog immediately after it comes out of the machine and then spread it out over a large region using tubes and other devices.
Make a Chiller
A DIY fog chiller is a fantastic blend of size and function while remaining inexpensive and simple to construct. It will undoubtedly add an element of spookiness to the experience.
When using a fog chiller, the goal is to reduce the temperature of the fog to as low as possible, causing the fog to “sink” to the ground because it is heavier than the surrounding atmosphere.
Fog is hot when it comes out of the machine and will rise swiftly. Ultimately, the performance of a fog cooler is determined by the cooling surface area available.
A major drawback of large trash can units is that the fog is piped under realistic conditions through a coiled tube surrounded by ice. As a result, there is less heat transmission because the fog can pass through the tube unhindered and is only slightly chilled by the tubing’s outer wall.
The chiller used in this project allows the fog to pass directly through a bed of individual ice cubes, resulting in significantly higher heat transfer than would be otherwise possible.Â
Steps by step guide of making a chiller
- The first step is to drill two holes in the trash can using the complete saw blade. The input for the heated fog is provided by a single hole in the side of the trash can.
- Insert the pipe into one of the holes that have been created. If the fit is snug, you’re in good shape. If this is the case, you can use silicone to close the gap.
- Next, using the pipe elbow, connect the input side of the garbage can to the trash can’s uppermost spout.
- Afterward, trim the mesh to suit the garbage can’s opening precisely. For the input pipe, you’ll have to drill a hole.
- Attach pieces of pipe to the bottom of the garbage can using hot glue. This will hold the mesh in place a few inches above the garbage can floor, which will, in turn, hold the weight of the ice in place.
- To obtain a better seal around the trash can lid, you might use some foam insulation tape.Â
Connect the chiller to the fog machine
- Run the plastic conduit down one side of the chiller, with the open end of the conduit pointing toward the spot where you will install the fog machine.
- Follow the manufacturer’s directions for adding fog fluid to the machine.
- Place the fog machine at one end of a conduit with an open end and one end that sticks into a trash can to create a fog effect.
- After that, attach the pipe adapter to the input pipe and run it through the fog machine to collect the fog it produces. An air gap is created, which is perfectly acceptable and even desirable in some situations.
- Finally, connect the fog machine to the power source and turn it on. You should be able to see the fog flowing out of the machine and wonderfully rolling across the ground once it has warmed up a little.
Enjoying the experience
Fog will remain low to the ground because it is cooler than the surrounding air. It almost looks like you’re walking on water when you go through it.
There’s also the option of purchasing an extended cord if you feel the need to conceal the garbage can in a more remote location.
Water-based foggers are the most effective, so you should invest in one.
Tip: Make any fogger into a low-lying fogger without a chiller
Make use of some bendable 5″-6″ diameter drainage tubing, drill a few extra holes in it if you want the fog to seep out in multiple spots, and put a couple of tiny frozen water bottles inside.
The fog will stay close to the ground/floor, and you won’t require a chiller.
Maintaining Your Fogger after Making a Low Lying Fog JuiceÂ
To store your fogger for the year, you’ll need to clean it once you’ve used it. Fog juice’s constituents can cause the machine to clog if you omit this maintenance procedure.
In most cases, you’ll need to have a fogger cleaning solution on hand to clean your fogger properly.
Follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions if you want to get the maximum performance out of your fog machine. When cleaning a fog machine, add a cleaning solution to the reservoir and run it for three minutes before cleaning it again.
Most foggers have a long service life if they are cleaned carefully after using an appropriate cleaning solution. It’s a wise investment to take good care of your fogger and clean it completely after each usage.
Low Lying Fog Juice Alternative
There is an alternative to making low lying fog juice and that is to change the way the air is cooled inside the fog machine. You can actually use a regular fog machine to produce these effects.
In our article, Fog Chiller VS Fog Machine, we go over the differences so you can be informed. If it is something you are interested in please see our other article on how to make a fog chiller.
Low-Lying Fog Juice FAQs
Conclusion
Making low-lying fog juice is a simple and easy thing to do. The only trick is to have a means of lowering the temperature of the fog before it gets out of the nozzle.
You can either use a DIY chiller or go for frozen water bottles. For an effective and nice spooky atmosphere, use a chiller. The bigger, the better because it means it will accommodate more ice.
If your low-lying machine isn’t working up to your expectations, we have a guide on the best low-lying machines for you.
Please be careful and use at your own risk
None of the authors, contributors, administrators, or anyone else connected with Wild Fog, in any way whatsoever, can be responsible for your use of the information contained in or linked from these web pages.
