Smoke Screen Machine Protect 950 XP - Teardown of a Smoke Cannon!

[Mads Barnkob]

I found a old and discarded smoke cannon at a scrap yard! It looked in rough shape, but still had some oil in its container. With a bit experimentation and at last forcefully feeding it oil, it gave off its smoke!

As a bonus, I got most of my workshop lubricated from half-burned oil smoke raining down droplets everywhere!

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[davekni]

I found a old and discarded smoke cannon at a scrap yard! It looked in rough shape, but still had some oil in its container. With a bit experimentation and at last forcefully feeding it oil, it gave off its smoke!

As a bonus, I got most of my workshop lubricated from half-burned oil smoke raining down droplets everywhere!

Do these old machines actually use oil?  New "smoke" machines generate glycerine vapor condensing into a fine aerosol, not actual smoke.  Much less hazardous to breathe.  Though there is some concern for stage performers who are exposed to glycerine aerosol very frequently.  Liquid fed to these machines is typically a glycerine/water mix.  Not sure of propylene glycol is ever added to the glycerine/water mix as is common for personal vaping products.

[Mads Barnkob]

You're right, it is a mix of water and glycol. I assumed it was oil, as it was very slippery and not at all sticky. The also explains the sweet vanilla taste and reminding me of the olds days in the 90s in the discos. I guess it was partly used to combat the smell of cigaret smoke.

https://protectglobal.com/products/fluid-containers/protect-foqus-600i-1100i-fluid-container/

[davekni]

https://protectglobal.com/products/fluid-containers/protect-foqus-600i-1100i-fluid-container/

Interesting!  I hadn't heard of "smoke" machines being used for security before.

You're right, it is a mix of water and glycol. I assumed it was oil, as it was very slippery and not at all sticky.

Perhaps polyethylene glycol (PEG) with or instead of propylene glycol.  Hadn't noticed before that PEG was used in fog machines.  At least to me, PEG feels more oily than propylene glycol.