Pie's New Enterprise: The Thread!

Ok, so I have a tentative client booked for a spring event, another bite on a rave and a few other things cooking. I am going to talk with my adviser when he gets back in from winter break.

Something I would like the booth's opinion on, foggers. I've been told one would be a very good investment and bar bands and ravers love those sorts of things. What ones should I be looking into, I don't want to spend a ton, but I would like a decent amount of output from it for a bar or small warehouse sized, nothing that needs to fill a theatre or arena just yet.
 
Sorry to disagree with ya, there Avkid, but I've never been satisfied with any LeMaitre hazer. And Pie, I think you want a hazer, not a fogger. Industry standard, and still the best in my opinion is the DF-50. Uses either oil-based (food grade mineral oil) or water-based (glycol) fluid. For your purposes, use the water-based fluid with whatever you buy. Water-based doesn't last as long, but less environmental/atmospheric concerns. Be sure to carry the product's MSDS sheet with you everywhere you go. Something like this, perhaps. Or only work in bars that allow patrons to smoke cigarettes.:)

Don't forget to include road boxes in your budget. And do you have a van for equipment transport, ideally with magnetic signs advertising your company (free advertising)?
 
Derek I do want a hazer, but I don't feel my budget allows for one at the moment. You gotta keep in mind my whole rig costs $2K so I can't really justify spending anything over $100 on something like that yet. I know I won't be able to buy much, but I gotta do what I gotta do for now.

And as far as moving equipment, it will all fit in my corolla, it will just be rather comedic at the same time.
 
Pie4Weebl said:
And as far as moving equipment, it will all fit in my Corolla, it will just be rather comedic at the same time.
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You can have a trailer hitch bar mounted to the frame rails for around $150 which would allow you to tow one of the tiny U-Haul trailers(4x8) for about $30 a day.
 
Pie4Weebl said:
...And as far as moving equipment, it will all fit in my corolla, it will just be rather comedic at the same time.
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Check with your auto insurance carrier, as your "comedic Corolla" might be classified as a "commercial vehicle" when transporting gear. Not being negative, (well yes I am:(), but just want you to cover your behind and plan for all contingencies.
 
derekleffew said:
Check with your auto insurance carrier, as your "comedic Corolla" might be classified as a "commercial vehicle" when transporting gear. Not being negative, (well yes I am:(), but just want you to cover your behind and plan for all contingencies.
Click to expand...

There you go with your negative nancy attitude, federal law requires you to do this, you could go to jail if you do this, they will come kill your cat and little sister one night if you don't do this....

I'll look into that derek. Also you will be happy to know I am actually going to get and business license AND federal Tax ID! How's that for legitimate!
 
For foggers, look at Antari's lower range. They're an Elation brand, so they're not complete crap, just halfway between awesome and craptastic. So it will only fall apart after 50 gigs, not after five. Look at the Z-800II. Looks like it might fit your needs.
 
wow soundlight, you sure have been on the ball with all my equipment questions! Answer me this, what on earth is a fazer ? Is it a hazer I can kill someone with?

Also I talked to my tax person to night, and she says I am good go to, I just need to wait to buy equipment until the calandar rolls over!
 
Silly boy, everyone knows a "fazer," or sometimes "phazer" is a cross between a fogger and hazer, that does neither very well. A famous theatre consultant once said "A multi-purpose theatre is a no-purpose theatre," back in the '70s when the rage was reducing curtains, hydraulic audience turntables, floating ceilings and the like, and a hall could go from a 3,000-seat opera house to a 500-seat chamber theatre at the push of a button--NOT! Same thing applies here also. Good thing they didn't call it a "hogger." But that's a WholeHog operator.
 
derekleffew said:
Silly boy, everyone knows a "fazer," or sometimes "phazer" is a cross between a fogger and hazer, that does neither very well. A famous theatre consultant once said "A multi-purpose theatre is a no-purpose theatre," back in the '70s when the rage was reducing curtains, hydraulic audience turntables, floating ceilings and the like, and a hall could go from a 3,000-seat opera house to a 500-seat chamber theatre at the push of a button--NOT! Same thing applies here also. Good thing they didn't call it a "hogger." But that's a WholeHog operator.
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Exactly. A fazer is someone's attempt to try to sell two things in one, which means no things in one. The only "fazer" that works well is the LeMaitre G300. And that's waaaay out of your price range.
 
While out of your price range to purchase, the LeMaitre Radiance is an excellent hazer. It will generate a lot of haze, and at 100% will produce near fog-like volume. But it's about $1,100 plus about $85 for a gallon of fluid.

At your level of business, you're probably better off looking to rent stuff. If you can rent it for $50 and use it 2 x a year, that's a better investment, IMO, than buying it for $500 or $1000 and using it the same amount. Basically, saving $400 - $900 for other things. Grow the business volume first, then add to the inventory. As you get more customers, you'll find out what they want, allowing you to better plan your purchases.

The only unit I'd NEVER recommend is that fogger that shoots straight up. Can't remember who makes it but it's crap. Very cheesy, and a fluid hog.
 
I think he means one of these: the ADJ one or the Antari one, and Centerstage also sold one of their house-brand ones called the "upfire fogger" a while back.
 
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This thread has been great reading. Not only do we give advice on Lighting and haze gear around here. We also cover Taxes, Car Insurance, and Trailer Hitches. It's one stop shopping here in the Booth!
 
Zeiser Production Solutions
That's all I got, it's 3 AM, cut me some slack. :mrgreen:

Edit: On the plus side, you don't have to share the acronym with like... anything, besides Zeeland Public Schools, which has a broken site anyways. And, you get to say "Hi, I'm Victor Zeiser, of Zeiser Production Solutions".

Double Edit:
Ignore all the "non-existent" copyright infringements in this image. (I should go to bed.)
 
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I do like the idea of either using your name or initials. There aren't a lot of people out there with the initials VZ. Going with Zeiser "____" is also interesting because Zeiser doesn't necessarily scream, "I'm someone's last name". It could have some sort of other meaning which is kind of cool. Of course if you go with you name that puts you alphabetically at the back of the phone book. There's a good reason every large city has "AA Plumbing", "AAA Plumbing", and "AAAA Plumbing".

Did a quick phone book search and found a company named "Production Solutions" so it's probably a good idea to stay away from Charc's idea. I didn't find anything like "Saint Louis Productions" with the name Saint Louis up front in the name. That's kind of an interesting idea. Because it makes you sound like the official company that everyone in town uses.
 
I thought alot about Zeiser Lighting but there are two things holding me back.

1.Zeiser is a little hard to spell
2.If I want to sell the business later on it would be harder with that name.
 
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