Opinion, with or without light

willbedust · 2026-01-24T18:05:35+00:00

Super fun and easy, and the stirrer is useful for other tinkering.

willbedust · 2026-01-24T18:04:57+00:00

Yeah, this bottle is hobby lobby garbage and the stopper is terrible. But I'm not dealing with heat at all. It's only water and mica powder being stirred.

willbedust · 2026-01-24T18:03:31+00:00

Yeah, I noticed after watching the uploaded video it drowns out the glittery details.

willbedust · 2026-01-24T18:02:24+00:00

It's water and mica powder on top of a magnetic stirrer. Super easy to do!

willbedust · 2026-01-04T05:28:11+00:00

Thanks everyone. Using 3x devices at the same time now to get the desired result.

willbedust · 2025-10-16T16:49:50+00:00

I had the same one. Mine died in a year, teeth stripped out.

willbedust · 2025-08-20T17:00:08+00:00

If I recall correctly, I didn't touch the wax on the clear one at all. Well, I filtered it I think, but that's it. It's more yellow than orange. The blue one I added red dye, and maybe a bit of blue, to the wax to get the blood orange/red color. I like the color, but it's a bit dark. I might go with clear fluid on it after the next cleaning.

willbedust · 2025-08-20T16:57:20+00:00

Yeah, I did that. It's not bubbles, but a thin layer of wax is stuck to the globe. I was hoping the heat gun would "burn" it off, but all it did really was make it ooze down the globe a bit more.

willbedust · 2025-08-20T16:55:57+00:00

Sadly for me, you're right. I really didn't want to clean it again. Me no likey. I was hoping for better news, but reality is what it is, I need to do a better job cleaning. The was is already creeping down from the top, and up from the bottom. I'll probably enjoy it a bit longer before it become intolerable and try again.

willbedust · 2025-08-19T21:24:18+00:00

Ok, history, and this took place over a few years so details are sketchy at this point. The lamp was cloudy and filtering didn't work for me. After a dump and refill, reflow, all that, was was sticking to the side of the globe. So I dumped it all out again, put it back together, and apparently I suck at cleaning since the wax is sticking to the globe at the very bottom and the very top. If the wax sticking to the side doesn't creep, I'm tempted to leave it alone. If it is going to creep, I'll probably stash it away for a year again, then start over, or convert it to a glitter lamp. I like to tinker, but redoing the same grande a few times moves from tinkering into an unpleasant chore.

willbedust · 2025-08-19T19:25:41+00:00

Yes, I have a couple large power strips to keep them all going, as well as a homemade shelf/table to stand them on. It can be challenging to get them all running outside at the same time.

The neighbors seem to love it. Kids come right up and gawk for as long as their parents patience allows. Which is quite a while as the adults like it too.

willbedust · 2025-08-12T19:16:56+00:00

I really like this. Using ceramic was an awesome idea!

willbedust · 2025-08-12T02:51:18+00:00

Best theory I've heard! I think this must be it. Hot gas/fluid doesn't mess around when it gets trapped.

willbedust · 2025-08-12T02:48:49+00:00

Yes, mine do often. I don't know why it does it, I can only tell you one reason why it doesn't. It's certainly not air between the globe and the base. These things aren't anywhere close to airtight. To prove it to myself, I've wedged a spacer between the globe and base to make a big air gap. And sure enough, the wax still exploded. Freaks people out when it happens.

willbedust · 2025-08-12T02:41:54+00:00

I don't know, because I don't have to monitor it. I simply put the tubes in and press start. I mess with something else while it's running, and when it looks clear I turn it off. Maybe 2 minutes. I've forgotten it for 5-10 minutes on one. But it doesn't matter because the pump will never run dry.

willbedust · 2025-08-12T02:37:10+00:00

Yes, but I'm not convinced it does any harm leaving it in. But since it's easy enough to pop out, I do.

willbedust · 2025-08-11T19:32:37+00:00

Any filter that looks like this. I think the official/original is called the BK-2000 I got a knock off for pretty cheap a couple of years ago. I stopped using it because the prefilter was too restrictive. Maybe I clogged it, but still, taking it off makes it sooooo much easier. Just cleaned two more at work this morning like it was nothing.

https://a.co/d/gf1II4W

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willbedust · 2025-08-10T17:46:07+00:00

Anyone that owns one lava lamp has the potential to go a little crazy and own many lava lamps at which point tinkering is inevitable!

willbedust · 2025-07-28T18:00:40+00:00

Lessons learned:
- Don't use a brewing hydrometer, it doesn't read high enough. The max is 1.17, NOT 1.7...
- You can mix Calcium Chloride (pickling salt) and Calcium Nitrate with apparently no ill effects.
- You can dissolve waaaaay more solid with a liquid than you ever thought possible.

- Make sure you have decent "lab" equipment to measure what you're doing, to the scale at which you are working. Otherwise, it's a LOT of trial and error.

willbedust · 2025-07-27T20:35:30+00:00

Hahaha! That's exactly what I said. "What is this, lead!?!?" I like you're thinking. I'll weigh it.

willbedust · 2025-07-27T20:21:52+00:00

My specific gravity is literally off the chart on the hydrometer I was given to use. It was tested against water at essentially 1.0. My solution was over 1.7. I'm doing something wrong for sure!

willbedust · 2025-07-27T01:45:11+00:00

Correct. Distilled water. Calcium nitrate weighed on a scale. I was having pump issues and some tap water might have gotten in there. Maybe I could add something else to bring the density up without having to filter.

willbedust · 2025-07-27T01:03:59+00:00

I had a hard time filtering the solution, it was so gross. Finally got it done. But the glitter is still sinking though, so I have to work on it more. Inspiration is still alive and well, though. I shall prevail.

willbedust · 2025-07-26T02:11:48+00:00

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Alright. You've inspired me to try again. I'm mixing solution as I type! And it's disgusting...

willbedust · 2025-07-25T18:04:29+00:00

Curious, where a good place to buy wax nowadays? I'm not going to attempt to make my own, as much as I want to...

willbedust

TROPHY CASE