# Smoke Generators



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Guys,
I really enjoy animation on my layout and am considering adding a smoke generator into the chimney of a log cabin by the lake.
In doing some research, it seems the units made by Seuthe get the highest reviews for performance and realism. The one I've been considering operates on 12-16V DC and would be pretty simple to wire into my existing scheme.
Anybody have any real-life experience with installing a smoke generator in buildings?
Thanks,
Bob


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*smoke gen.*

Hi,Raleets.. I can`t speak about train building but my experence with smoke generaters for a band is they are awesome to use. My son-in-law fired his up in the basement and cleared out his house in about 30 seconds. My wife told me I`d be shot if I fired mine up. The big ones don`t use a lot of fuel.A gallon lasts up to a year,depending on the gigs you have.I`ll have to check this out. It would be neat in a station or house,buildings.:smilie_daumenpos:

Have a good weekend,sanepilot


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

He's not talking about stage performance smoke generators.:smilie_auslachen:

I too looked into the Seuthe generators. They are several videos on you tube about them.

They seem a little pricey and the one video suggests you have to use their fluid.

I did see a cool idea about putting one in an ash pit under the train. Gave off a good bit of smoke for that added layer of realism.

I just want to put one in a diner I'm planning, but I have twice the room you do (O gauge).


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

The Seuthe smoke generator I've been looking at, plus 25ml of Seuthe distillate, would set me back about $26.
That seems pretty reasonable for such a nifty addition to the layout so I'm about to pull the trigger and have some smokey fun.
Bob


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

Sounds cool, post some pictures!

I like the idea of a animation with a pushbutton. Its interaction for the kids (and the kid in me) and I wouldn't have to be constantly replenishing the smoke fluid or watching the gateman pop out every time the train goes around (its not that big a layout.)

One of my favorite things at the B&O railroad museum was the static displays of steam locomotives. They weren't entirely static, push a button and watch the drive wheels and Walschaerts gear in slow motion.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

OK, the smoke generator is on order, but I've switched targets for its usage.
It's going to be installed in a factory building located in an industrial area of my layout. I'm going to create the smokestack with copper tubing of various diameters to get the tapered effect (tube inside tube inside tube, etc.), then paint it black with gray weathering.
The smoke generator unit will be glued inside the smallest tube, which will be 1/4" ID., with the wires running down the tube, thru the building, and underneath the layout to a 12-16V DC variable power source. Varying the power to the generator will control the smoke output.
Once I get it built and installed I'll try to post pics.
Bob

PS.........yes, it will be switched so that it only "smokes" when desired.


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## icolectto (Nov 28, 2012)

I really like your idea and hope you will post some pictures when done.:appl:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

sanepilot said:


> Hi,Raleets.. I can`t speak about train building but my experence with smoke generaters for a band is they are awesome to use. My son-in-law fired his up in the basement and cleared out his house in about 30 seconds. My wife told me I`d be shot if I fired mine up. The big ones don`t use a lot of fuel.A gallon lasts up to a year,depending on the gigs you have.I`ll have to check this out. It would be neat in a station or house,buildings.:smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Have a good weekend,sanepilot


Ha Ha Ha, Thanks for the laugh. 
I deliver to a place that makes the fluid for what your talking about sanepilot.

He was talking about something like this that you would add to say a factories smoke stack.,









This one had this added with it,
A copy & paste,

Smoke Generator Adds Action to Locomotives, Dioramas and Structures
Smoking chimneys make model factories appear hard at work, add warmth to a dollhouse fireplace setting or diorama campfire, and create that extra touch of realism for model locomotives. Our fan-driven smoke generator operates on 6-24v DC (draws 1/2 amp) and creates more smoke than traditional heater-coil type units. It has a large reservoir -- holds up to 75 drops of smoke fluid -- to increase the time between fill-ups, and employs special circuitry that shuts off the generator when fluid runs low to prevent burnout. Overall size: 1-1/4 x 2 x 1-1/4 inches high. Includes 1/2 inch dia. x 2-1/2 inch high detachable smoke stack and pluggable wire leads. Smoke fluid available separately.

raleets, Which one did you get?

I got to get me one too. :thumbsup:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

I bought a Seuthe #117 along with some Seuthe smoke juice.
I'm going to power it with an el cheapo Bachmann AC/DC controller. It puts out a maximum of 17V DC, but is variable so I can put as much DC current as desired into the smoke generator, thus controlling how much smoke it produces.
This one has me excited!! 
Bob


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Had to search for one, is this it?

Just under 16 bucks buy it now,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/EE-306-Seut...140?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35d776aedc


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Bingo! That's the one......BUT, from everything I've read and seen on YouTube you MUST use Seuthe distillate (smoke juice). 
I guess the other brands will gum up the unit and destroy it.


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*smoke*

Hey,Ed,This isn`t my first rodeo by a long shot.:smokin:

Keep it between the ditches,Ed--Sanepilot:smokin:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

raleets said:


> Bingo! That's the one......BUT, from everything I've read and seen on YouTube you MUST use Seuthe distillate (smoke juice).
> I guess the other brands will gum up the unit and destroy it.


The smoke runs around $11 bucks? Seems like a lot for a little liquid.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

sanepilot said:


> Hey,Ed,This isn`t my first rodeo by a long shot.:smokin:
> 
> Keep it between the ditches,Ed--Sanepilot:smokin:


That would be a lot of smoke using what you mentioned! 

But if you could control the flow by some kind of piping system and regulate it you could smoke up the whole town with what your talking about.:thumbsup:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Big Ed,
Go on eBay to seller gps_97 that's the guy I bought everything from.
He sells a 25ml bottle + the syringe for $6.98 with free shipping. :appl:
It's made by the company that makes the Seuthe smoke generators.
If it gums up my unit I'll go after him for selling me bad stuff. :rippedhand:
Bob


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*Smoke generators*

Hi all, Anybody seen over on the scale 4x4 RC forum,there is a article on How to build your own smoke generator. Has videos and text. You can build it as big or small as you want depending on size. This fellas said his cost less than $20.00 for a scale RC 4x4. I didn`t figger it would too complicated.Another project to put on my list.

Hey,we got a new week coming up,everybody enjoy,cheers,Sanepilot:smokin:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

sanepilot said:


> Hi all, Anybody seen over on the scale 4x4 RC forum,there is a article on How to build your own smoke generator. Has videos and text. You can build it as big or small as you want depending on size. This fellas said his cost less than $20.00 for a scale RC 4x4. I didn`t figger it would too complicated.Another project to put on my list.
> 
> Hey,we got a new week coming up,everybody enjoy,cheers,Sanepilot:smokin:



I never visited there, you have a link for the smoker article?


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

Build your own smoke generator!

for which there is this reply from RCH Blackfoot: Thats pretty trick.

But something about mixing a firestarter and a $500+ RC that I have put too much time, money and love into bothers me. 

:smokin:

Large Scale Smoke Tips

Then there is this guy on You tube who really burns me up:





 :smilie_daumenneg:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Thanks Bob.

I looked real quick and see first you need 2 old hairdryers, then some cpu fans, then batteries and more.
$20 bucks?
Looks like it smokes nice if your confident your work is good enough and you don't burn the house down. 

Looks easier to buy one like raleets did, cheaper too.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Big Ed,
Sometimes it's better to open the mail than puff out the chest. 
That being said, I'm also guilty of spending silly bucks to create something I could have bought for half the price.  Just ask my wife. 
Bob


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## rkenney (Aug 10, 2013)

raleets said:


> Big Ed,
> Sometimes it's better to open the mail than puff out the chest.
> Bob



Yeah! But it's not half as much fun! :smokin:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

rkenney said:


> Yeah! But it's not half as much fun! :smokin:


Depends on the size of your bank account!


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*Smoke gen.*

Hey,Ed,How do I get my wife`s hairdryer from her without getting into trouble.Look to me like one old hairdryer or for that matter a old heater. They both use [if I remember right] tungsten wire,or get a tungsten tip from a welder person [TiG welding.Tungsten inert Gas]. The rest you can scrounge here and there. That is what junk boxes is for.

interesting thread,interesting thread.cheers,Sanepilot:smokin:


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

sanepilot said:


> Hey,Ed,How do I get my wife`s hairdryer from her without getting into trouble.Look to me like one old hairdryer or for that matter a old heater. They both use [if I remember right] tungsten wire,or get a tungsten tip from a welder person [TiG welding.Tungsten inert Gas]. The rest you can scrounge here and there. That is what junk boxes is for.
> 
> interesting thread,interesting thread.cheers,Sanepilot:smokin:
> View attachment 40939


Holy smokes! First thread I've started that "generated" any interest. 
Bob


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Update.......smoke generator and smoke juice arrived today. 
Wow! That's smokin' FAST delivery, right? Now I've got to round up the copper tubing to build the smoke stack so I can see that rascal puff, puff away.
Once built, tested, and installed I'll do my best to post some pics. This should be fun. 
Bob


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Pictures?
We need a video.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Yeah, well, we'll work on that.
Lotsa stuff to do before it's camera time. 
Today I went to the LHS and bought the brass tubes that I will use to build the smokestack.
With temperatures around zero every day in Michigan, I'm not movin' too fast, so it will be at least a month, maybe more, before I get that sucker built, tested, installed, and ready to face the camera.
After working on this layout over 4 years it's getting kind of fun to draw things out a little bit, if you can understand what I mean. 
Stay warm,
Bob


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## Viperjim1 (Mar 19, 2015)

*Smoke scents*

Check your LHS as they make a whole bunch of different scents and the wife might not mind the vanilla or Apple pie smoke smell as opposed to the original smell


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Viper,
Many thanks for your concern, BUT the wife 1) has a lousy sense of smell, and 2) my layout is in my outbuilding garage 70' from the house, therefore how the smoke smells is NO issue.
My sniffer, on the other hand, is pretty good and when I fired it up there was no objectionable odor whatsoever.
Now......all that being said, I've not yet demonstrated it to the Mrs., so I still may be in for a rude surprise.
Stay tuned,
Bob


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## oldsarge218 (May 23, 2011)

raleets said:


> Viper,
> Many thanks for your concern, BUT the wife 1) has a lousy sense of smell, and 2) my layout is in my outbuilding garage 70' from the house, therefore how the smoke smells is NO issue.
> My sniffer, on the other hand, is pretty good and when I fired it up there was no objectionable odor whatsoever.
> Now......all that being said, I've not yet demonstrated it to the Mrs., so I still may be in for a rude surprise.
> ...


Your outbuilding garage, is it heated all the time? I have been considering putting my layout into my garage, but am worried about the temperature affecting it. (Warpage, expansion/contraction, etc). Is your building is heated 24/7, all winter long, or just when you go out there?

Thanks
God Bless
Bob


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Hi Bob,
Yes, I'm fortunate to have an insulated, heated year-around garage with a forced-air natural gas 80,000 BTU furnace. I keep the thermostat set at 45 degrees until ready to 'play trains', then I kick it up to 72 degrees and it's real comfy within about 30 minutes.
Michigan weather is like an elevator.  If you don't like it, then wait 10 minutes 'cause it's sure to change. 
My layout is 10'X10' with LOTS of buildings, etc., and so far there has been no problem with the up and down temps. I only clean the track twice a year and the trains run just fine, so I guess the humidity/heat/cold has not caused any issues.
My only issue in my building is that spiders love it as much as myself. hwell: Any ideas on how to eliminate them? :dunno:
Bob


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