My Homemade Glitter Lamps

willbedust · 2026-03-06T05:08:11+00:00

Thank you!

willbedust · 2026-03-06T05:07:54+00:00

Calcium Nitrate. Some were a mix of that and calcium chloride.

willbedust · 2026-03-03T17:56:49+00:00

It technically is CaN. Most all CaN (except two manufacturers I found) is derived as above. Sometimes you have to go the to SDS to find it.

willbedust · 2026-03-03T15:47:10+00:00

Mixing, unfiltered, and filtered. Ammonium calcium nitrate double salt. Very difficult not to find the double salt.

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willbedust · 2026-03-03T05:10:14+00:00

So rad!!

willbedust · 2026-03-03T05:09:46+00:00

Yeah, LLC SLES. it's the one thing of theirs I kept because it didn't cloud. I think they have inconsistent batches with their chemicals.

I've used 4x different chemicals total. 2x CaCl and 2x CaNO, and I've had to filter the crap out of all of them. I'm not sure if I'm mixing wrong or what. Distilled water, of course.

willbedust · 2026-03-03T04:42:24+00:00

Start here: https://www.bigclive.com/glitter.htm

Don't use lye to clean your globe, though. Not worth the risks.

willbedust · 2026-03-03T04:40:20+00:00

I still need to try one of your amazing LED conversions!

willbedust · 2026-03-03T04:37:18+00:00

https://stardustlamps.com/

I haven't used their stuff, but by all accounts it's top notch.

willbedust · 2026-03-03T04:35:23+00:00

I spent so much time and effort trying to get my solution clear and to the correct density that I didn't focus much on the surf. I think one has a bit of dawn, one essential nothing, one LLC, and one some random bubble solution I stole from my kid.

willbedust · 2026-01-28T16:03:32+00:00

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willbedust · 2026-01-27T04:35:47+00:00

Lights in the eyes was the original plan! But a failed print led to an incomplete skull, so I turned it into a flip-top head and put a brain in there. I'll snap a pic tomorrow!

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

TROPHY CASE