Abrazor tool for LeMaitre Neutron XS

[Radiant]

I need one - bad. We had our machine serviced a few months ago, and it came back without the abrazor tool. Not coincidentally, it required service because I wasn't cleaning it, with the aforementioned abrazor tool.

So where can I get one, besides LeMaitre, who wants my firstborn?

[Van]

Originally Posted by Radiant

I need one - bad. We had our machine serviced a few months ago, and it came back without the abrazor tool. Not coincidentally, it required service because I wasn't cleaning it, with the aforementioned abrazor tool.

What is an Abrazor ? Is that something for shaving your stomach??

Originally Posted by Radiant

So where can I get one, besides LeMaitre, who wants my firstborn?

No thanks have two it's all I need.

I'm no help at all this week.

[derekleffew]

From the cleaning instructions in the User Manual, abrazor tool sounds like an expensive name for pipe cleaner: "With abrazor tool in hand, guide it through the service port into the processing coil with an in and out motion."

This site, under Legacy Machines: CXP 2467 Neutron Abrasors $5.00
My advice--throw the thing away and buy this: Reel FX DF-50, the industry standard. You won't be disappointed.

[BillESC]

Hummm....$ 5.00 vs. $ 2900.00+

Tough choice.

[Radiant]

Somehow, I wasn't seeing the abrazors listed by themselves, just the $170 cleaning kit. Thanks for making me look again, derekleffew. I emailed LeMaitre, inquiring about purchasing a couple of abrazors. They directed me to contact my local theatrical supply house, Tulsa Scenic, as they should stock them. I'll give them a call tomorrow. Thanks for the help!

derekleffew, is the DF-50 basically an oil crackler? Does it use an air compressor? How noisy is it? I've used homemade oil cracklers before, consisting of a 5 gallon bucket, an atomizer tube, mineral oil, and air compressor. I like the look, and I really like that it's not affected much by air conditioning and heating. It evenly dispersed, no matter what the thermostat was doing. But that even dispersal was sometimes a drawback, in that there was no way to get a heavy saturation on stage for special events. And, a compressor backstage is awfully noisy, which kept me mighty unpopular with the worship team - and Pastor.

The Neutron XS does give us the effect we're looking for. I can haze our main sanctuary in 15 or 20 minutes with the air conditioners running full bore. In milder weather, with neither AC nor heat running, I can run the Neutron for 5 minutes before service, and bump one AC fan on for a minute to disperse the haze somewhat. That leaves me with a nicely haze-saturated stage, and some haze throughout the rest of the room. When the Neutron is shut off, I kick on one AC fan again, and the haze clears the stage, disperses through the room, and is gone in under 5 minutes.

That said, we're... or, I'm...... looking for new tools, and a hazer is one of them. What would you recommend that is low maintenance, and as completely silent as possible?

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by Radiant

... What would you recommend that is low maintenance, and as completely silent as possible?

Appears the Neutron is working perfectly for you, other than the maintenance and that it has been discontinued. Why would a manufacture stop selling something that good? Perhaps it's because you're the first person I've ever heard who likes it!

The DF-50 fails your most important criteria: it's probably the LOUDEST hazer on the market. What many people do is "haze the house" during walk-in, and turn it off for the show. I've never used any brand of hazer that was silent, (except for heater coils and sal-ammoniac--which IS NOT recommended or endorsed!).

I suspect your desire for one level of haze over the stage and a different level over the audience will eventually fog your brain.

[TimMiller]

i use the antari fazer and have had really good results. If you run the fans low, its very quiet, but even on full tilt they are not loud.

[BillESC]

Le Maitre replaced the Neutron FX with the Radiance. It is very quiet and comes with DMX onboard.

[Radiant]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

Appears the Neutron is working perfectly for you, other than the maintenance and that it has been discontinued. Why would a manufacture stop selling something that good? Perhaps it's because you're the first person I've ever heard who likes it!

I suspect your desire for one level of haze over the stage and a different level over the audience will eventually fog your brain.

Hey, it really works! But, only if the heat and A/C are off. On a few occasions I've been able to get a chokingly thick cloud on the stage, which tapers off to a reasonable bit of haze over the crowd. When the band is done, we usually watch a few minutes of video announcements with the house lights dimmed, during which I'll kick in the A/C fans to dissipate the haze. When the lights come back up, the air is almost entirely clear. Works like a charm!

Maintenance is a pitfall of the Neutron. When we first got the machine, we weren't aware that it needs to run a self-cleaning cycle when powered down. We were simply unplugging it when finished (no DMX or remote controls), which bypassed that cleaning cycle. Also, I didn't have a manual for it, so I didn't know to manually clean it. We didn't realize the error until it was in it's death throes, and had to ship it to LeMaitre for refurbishing. That was costly. But now, we diligently run the self-clean, and when I get some abrazors I'll ream the thing out.

Originally Posted by TimMiller

i use the antari fazer and have had really good results. If you run the fans low, its very quiet, but even on full tilt they are not loud.

Is the Fazer actually a fogger posing as a hazer? I forgot to mention, we used to use an F100. The adjustable output is a boon, all the way from mild to wild. But the fog juice irritated the singers' throats, and there is a noticeable odor. (From the F100, not the singers. Well, definitely from the F100 anyways.)

Originally Posted by BillESC

Le Maitre replaced the Neutron FX with the Radiance. It is very quiet and comes with DMX onboard.

That might be just the ticket! I'll look into it.

[Sean]

That said, we're... or, I'm...... looking for new tools, and a hazer is one of them. What would you recommend that is low maintenance, and as completely silent as possible?

Look Solutions Unique2 Hazer. Excellent output, VERY quiet. The guys from Look are really helpful.

--Sean