[SML] Foam fire extinguishers....PROPS!

[Dale Farmer]

Never done one myself.    Foam extinguishers are a pretty rare item 
outside of the petroleum industry, so sourcing one from your local FD is 
going to be difficult.  At the heart of it, it's a soapy solution that 
is filled full of air to create foam and projected at the target.

If it can be projected from offstage at close range   Can of shaving 
cream and a stagehand, velocity assist from compressed air blowgun.

If the device can be shaken really well just prior to use, then maybe 
take a conventional water stream extinguisher, fill with maybe half a 
gallon of soapy water, maybe a little glycerin to slow the drying 
process, and pressurize with compressed air.   Shake well, lather. 
Cleanup is shower and regular laundry and mop and bucket.

If you can't shake it up just before, then replicate a snow machine 
nozzle.   Fine cloth sock, pump to meter out soapy water to the sock. 
High pressure fan to push air from inside the sock to create bubbly foam 
on outside of sock,  High speed fan blowing over outside of sock to 
strip the foam off and fling it at the target.

Good luck with the project.  Share the details and maybe some video of 
the final device with us and the HSTech website.

Dale


On 8/22/2022 2:02 PM, Sean McCarthy via Stagecraft wrote:
> Hi all....
> 
> Our props department has a doozy on their hands; the director wants to 
> use a foam fire extinguisher on an actor as a gag.  So we need a safe, 
> and HOPEFULLY easy to clean up option.
> 
> Has anyone done this/something like this?  Thoughts/feelings?
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> --Sean