I'm trying to do a small project using talc as fake fog. Trouble is, I'm finding it difficult to make using a small squeezable bottle. I've emptied out one of these:
http://m.woolworthsonline.com.au/ProductDetails?Stockcode=796730&name=cottees-blackcurrant-squirt
And filled it partway with talc. When I squeeze the bottle, nothing happens, although on occasion I've gotten a very small puff. I'm not sure if it's the type of bottle I'm using or if it's the fact that it's not filled up enough. The fog has to go upwards so gravity is a factor too.

I thought about getting a turkey baster but apparently they're hard to find down here in Oz. A pipette could work but all I see available are ones without separate bulbs so they look like they won't get the job done either. Originally I thought I could find a camera-lens-cleaner bulb but they are hard to find too.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a small object that can be used to create the effect?

Thanks!

I don't know what is available in your part of the world, but maybe something like this?

http://img4.foodservicewarehouse.com/Prd/1900SQ/BrowneFoodservice_2101_02.jpg

I just found a container of baby powder that we never used. The first squeeze didn't accomplish much. Then I shook the container up some and gave it another try. I got quite a bit more out then. Maybe that would be an option?

How about a gas siphon bulb from the hardware store.  You have to keep gravity in mind, the powder will settle to the bottom so when you force air thru it needs to come from below the powder to make it move best.  So if the powder is in the tubing then the air from the bulb would move it more, but would it come out dispersed like you need? You should not breath that powder, wear a mask.  Fine particulate has been implicated in causing blood clots when breathed in.  

I don't know what is available in your part of the world, but maybe something like this?

http://img4.foodservicewarehouse.com/Prd/1900SQ/BrowneFoodservice_2101_02.jpg

Thanks. I did think of a squeeze bottle, but it's too big for what I need. I couldn't find any smaller bottles locally.

I just found a container of baby powder that we never used. The first squeeze didn't accomplish much. Then I shook the container up some and gave it another try. I got quite a bit more out then. Maybe that would be an option?

Heh, maybe I need to explain what I'm doing... the idea is to place the bottle inside a box, and puff smoke out at the top as if it's rising up out of the ground. I'm thinking of using a lever system that presses down inside the box in order to 'squeeze' the talc out. The trouble, as pointed out, is gravity causes things to settle at the bottom.

How about a gas siphon bulb from the hardware store.  You have to keep gravity in mind, the powder will settle to the bottom so when you force air thru it needs to come from below the powder to make it move best.  So if the powder is in the tubing then the air from the bulb would move it more, but would it come out dispersed like you need? You should not breath that powder, wear a mask.  Fine particulate has been implicated in causing blood clots when breathed in. 

Thanks for the suggestion. That may be an option, but all the prices here for things like that are $10 or more. I'm only making a small thing so price-wise it's a no go.

Don't plan on breathing in the powder anyway 

... Last night I did have another idea which was to make my own bellows. This could be done simply with cheap materials, but sadly my prototype sucks and I can't get it to stay together using tape. (I just made it out of some mount board, accordion-folded paper and some scrap plastic) Will try again when I have more patience.

Since a bellows is a possibility, then another idea might be an old bicycle tire pump or ball inflating pump. One with a short hose could serve as the bellows leading to the chamber holding ths talc. Perhaps you might know someone who would have one available.

Chris's bicycle pump is kind of what we uses once to do this.  Actually we simply used a long piece of tubing and loaded the talc into it with a funnel. Had to be careful not to get too much in it. Then because it was used in a hand in mouth puppet the tube ran down to the puppeteer and he actually just blew into the tube to get it to come out.  Only drawback was in rehearsal when we did it too many times in a row and the puppeteers breath caused condensation in the tube which then mixed with the powder and clogged it. Was fine in the show used just a couple times.

I did something similar for a single explosive puff of smoke. I used flour, and kept it in the funnel by putting a small ball of tissue in the neck of the funnel to keep the flour from pouring out the bottom. A good puff of breath, and the cloud arose from behind the curtain. Of course the tissue blew into thei air as well, but since it was supposed to be an explosion, having a little debris wasn't a negative. Were I to do that again, I would tie a short string around the tissue plug and tape the other end to the funnel, so it couldn't travel anywhere.

I am using fog for a project too. I decided to buy a fog machine cheap from ebay (uk). It cost me around £20 with a bottle of fog liquid that lasts for up to 15 hours (apparently).

Its a bit more expensive than talc in a bottle, sure, but it has the benefit of being endlessly reusable and quirky if you have people over. Plus halloween parties - I'm sure I'll find another use for it.

What about one of those cans of compressed air used to clean your computer, I don't think those are cheap but if you already have one they are force full enough to beat gravity and they have that little tube that would fit in a box thru a hole. Would the noise be a problem? When we used pipet bulbs in the laboratory the hole on the bulb was very tiny to give the air more force and give us more control on the speed.  Maybe a tapered medicine dropper in a blown up balloon would come out with more force, may have to tape the balloon to the dropper or it could shoot off too.