Thread: tyre smoke for dragster

Hi
Some one out there may be able to help me. I am building a static scale model dragster. I have got the rear wheels to spin and added engine sounds but would like the tyres to smoke as they spin. is there any way of generating smoke without having to buy the smoke generators used for trains and boats- these are very expensive, the best I have found them for is around £35- is it possible to make the heaters which these generators use to heat the oil. Any suggestions gratefully received
Thanks
Tony

You could experiment with plumbers drain testing smoke pellets. They are about 1" dia rod 1.5 long. Ignited by match they smoulder for 60 seconds producing copious white smoke. Smells like burning acetate. Dont know toxicity , but wouldnt risk breathing in too much or doing it indoors. Cost is about £10 per packet of 10. I think for a dragster start cutting a pellet (razor saw) into smaller pieces would give the required "burn-out" burst of smoke. Perhaps a metal drawer under a showcase with holes under the rear wheels. Might need fan assist to push smoke out. This is the system I use on my model Invincible. Model aircraft ducted-fan units with tin can suspended underneath for pellet in each funnel. I cut the pellet in half and stick the two pieces end to end to give 90 seconds smoke. Being a gas-turbine powered ship it only smokes for short period during start-up or fierce acceleration otherwise it just smells of parafine.

you can produce smoke with the commercially available smoke/ fog oils (£18 for 5 litres from maplin) these are non combustable and non toxic, you need a small length of wire as an element the same stuff used in hot wire foam cutters and many electric toasters ! apply a voltage across the wire and immerse a section of the wire into this oil, and hey presto smoke, -

there are cheap hot wire foam cutters on the market that use a pp3 9 volt battery these are ok, they do however draw alot of current so your batteries dont last long.....

the other way of making cheap smoke is more risky ! that is use one of the solid fuel pocket warmer charcoal sticks, light it until glowing hot ( but not flaming) then crumble bits of fire lighter onto the glowing charcoal, this then smoulders producing smoke, the firelighter does not flame or combust, - this is a good method of producing smoke in a large scale model, all the charcoal and firelighter needs to be contained in a non combustable container.....

i used this method for a big electric tug boat, i use half a drinks can as the container this then hangs inside the boats funnel in a cradle without touching the funnel, as you need clearence all round ( which is a section of drainpipe) and it smokes realistically for a few hours until the charcoal stick burns out..... this method does produce heat and is not really suitable for small or plastic models !- but may be useful to other modellers building large 'steam era' models.